Bundeswehr Bier Steins

[Kondor]

I never started out to become a bier stein collector like others who served in Germany, but I received several from the Artillery units that I worked with over the time of my first assignment in Germany. I was with a "Special Ammunition" war head detachment assigned to support the 10th Artillery Regiment with nuclear war heads for their 155mm, 8 inch/210mm, and Honest John Rocket systems. It was a great assignment and we went where ever our various units went on exercise, from Graffenwohr to Stettin am Kalten Mark (or am Kalten arsh as the Germans said!). First up is the stein from the 4th Battery 295 Artillery Battalion stationed in Immendingen. Their "mascot" was Asterix the Gaul who drank a potion that gave him power against the invading Romans! With our special warheads, I suppose we too had special power against a potential Soviet invasion.

[Kondor]

Batterie Wappen

One of the "reassignment" gifts as I packed for the States. I guess one wouldn't consider this very "security" minded with the choosing of a mascot, but I quickly picked up the comic books and enjoyed them very much

[Kondor]

Security Battery

The special ammunition site was protected primarily by the Bundeswehr. I think it was 1/4 Infantry that provided site security for US warheads and of course earned the nickname of "Tower Rats"
We had a small team assigned 24/7 to watch over our bunkers, but it was the Security Battery that really had the fire power to defend the site. They fell under the Raket Artillerie Battalion 102, hence the Honest John Rocket Motif.



Also had the town of Pfullendorf's City Shield and 10th Panzer worked into the insignia.

[Kondor]

The Big Guns!

The 8 inch or 210mm was the biggest caliber piece we had on the Kaserne. That one had to go to Graffenwohr to fire.



This is the best constructed with a nice pewter base on it!

All the lids have a sentiment inscribed. The Bundeswehr always did things up right

[Kondor]

Graffenwohr

We know it well!! Whether, Armor, Artillery or Infanty, German or American, we all went to Graffenwohr! My favorite trip was my first with 4/295. It also happened to coincide with the World Cup! My first experiance on exercise with the Bundeswehr and I didn't know what to expect! We got up early, moved, shot, moved again, I was able to call for fire in German and it was on to the next range to fire some more. But at four in the afternoon, we moved back into the contonement area, got cleaned up and went to a tent, where the "Spiess" had bier and a television set set up so we could watch the game from Argentina! Germany Won!

[Guardian 5]

Kondor - Great thread! Thanks for sharing your memories.

TJ

[Kondor]

More Tales & Steins!

I'll get some other steins up later this week and of course share some other "Tales from the Bundeswehr". I was very fortuneate to have this experiance. My Battery "Spiess" was a retread from Regiment "DF". He taught me one very important lesson as a young Lieutenant. You wear your rank for your men, you use your rank for your men. Take care of them and they will take care of you! He is also responsible for me learning German. After the Battery Commander introduced us and left, the Spiess told me in perfect english: I don't know english, you will learn German! Report to the 5th Battery at 4pm. They only have four batteries on a Kaserne, I found that the 5th was the NCO Club

[MauserKar98k]

Cool steins and cool stories.

[Guardian 5]

Here's one from a "greni" battalion; oh how I wish it was filled with Kirner Pils...

TJ

[Guardian 5]

Gents - Here is the beer stein of my old battalion's partnership unit. My unit was Company E, Third Battalion (Mechanized), Eighth United States Infantry Regiment. 3-8 IN (M) was assigned to the First Brigade, Eighth Infantry Division (Mechanized). Our garrison was located at Lee Barracks in Mainz-Gonsenheim.

Our partnership unit was 5.Panzergrenadierbataillon.342 located in Koblenz. They were assigned to the 5th Panzer Division.

Here is the meaning of their battalion crest:
"The basic color of the coat of arms is green, the color of the infantry.
From above, the bar running diagonally from left to the right, symbolizes the Rhine River. In the center of the coat of arms is a pouncing black wolf. This symbol was taken from the family coat of arms of Colonel A. D v. Winterfeld, the 3.Kompanie Commander from 1959-1962. The wolf symbolizes Pz Gren characteristics such as skill, combat courage and boldness."

They were a great unit to work with. Together we watched many Rosenmontag Parades in downtown Mainz during Fasching - what a great time!

There was one sergeant I remember very well. He was a professional soldier named Hagen Stadt. He was the strongest man I ever met. No one from my company could beat him in arm wrestling; not even our college football players. He was not very tall but he was very wide. He had a bright red beard. I can remember seeing him lifting the dismantled components of an MTW-113G power plant back into the engine compartment with his bare hands. Differential, radiator, everything - amazing!

This simple mug brings back all those memories of good times....

T.J.

[Ralph P]

Hello all - I am including two more steins to this thread. I collected these two steins over the years.

[Ralph P]

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[Ralph P]

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[Towarish]

Ohh yeah, the Flint Kaserne. There's almost nothing left of it.
Too bad the US Forces moved away

[Ralph P]

Thanks for the information.

Do you are others have pictures of Flint today...

Ohh yeah, the Flint Kaserne. There's almost nothing left of it.
Too bad the US Forces moved away