Thursday, June 18, 2009

Lee Smith

Hi. I'm Lee Smith. I was stationed in Camp Guyemer the winter of 65/66 for a few months before they sent me over to site 16 at Bann, Germany. I can recall going up to Pigalle several times to tease the girls. Never had money enough for that as an A2C but it was entertaining.

We also hung out in a bar in Fontainebleau that would pull a tambour door down over the front entrance and bar at 2:30am so the tables in the rear became a private party. Stay as long as you like.

The Ville de Hericy was labled as a communist sympathizer town and we weren't suppose to go over there, so guess what? Of course it looked and acted like any other town.
I have to say, I learned more French in the several months I was there than I did German in the remaining 3 years due to the fact that the French wouldn't speak English to us. They acted much like us Americans, too.

Detachment 2 -- Site Numbering Changed?

Evidently, Detachment 2 station numbering, as well as the size of the link increased, as it was merged with LANDCENT stations sometime after 1962. In addition, from what Helmut Kaemmerer indicates below, individual sites were manned by single nationalities.

Here's Helmut's information:

In the 1141st.blogspot.com I have seen a list with numbers of Microwave-Station in France, Belgium and Germany. This information/question is from February 7, 2009.

First of all I like to write the international Nation-Codes, so probably
we can work more easy?

F=France (Frankreich)
B=Belgium (Belgien)
D=Germany (Deutschland
NL=Netherland (Holland)

In the meantime I read many information in your listing of memories, so I find the information, that Station 11 under AFCENT was in Roclenge-sur-Geer (B), former Station 10 at your list from 1141st.blogspot.com.

At 195?? they began to set up many Station between Fontainebleau and Germany North and Germany South. They had different Lines under LANDCENT and AIRCENT, so the Station-Numbers of your list belonged to AIRCENT-System.

A 1 = Fontainebleau
A 2 = Hauteurs de La Solle
A 3 = Melun
A 4 = Marly le Roi (Rocquencourt)
A 5 = Emeville
A 6 = Margival/Laffaux


All Stations in F.

They had another connection between A 3 over A ? up to A 5 at Emeville, but I don’t know the time.

They had a line from A 6 up to Brussels-Evere with only one Relay, maybe these Relay was in Belgium.

They started t build a line from Margival/Laffaux up to Mönchengladbach/Rheindahlen.

A 6 = Margival/Laffaux (F)
D 2 = St. Erme (sometimes D 2 called)(F)
Liart or La Ferree or Marlemont (F)
Les Hauts Buttes or Vieux-Moulins (F)
Baracque de Fraiture (B)
Roclenge-sur-Geer (B)
Lammersdorf (D)
Mönchengladbach/Rheindahlen (D)

The other way to Germany South:

D 2 = St. Erme (F)
La Bascule (F)
Vislosnes-Haraumont (F), US Army called VERDUN
Angevillers ()
Weiskirchen (D)
Bann (D) was near Kindsbach/Ramstein
Münchweiler (D) was close to Ruppertweiler CENTAG) and Pirmasens

Later with AFCENT they had only one System and this with split:

1 = Fontainebleau
3 = St. Mery-Bombon
4 = La Haute-Maison (later Boussieres)
5 = Dampleux
6 = Lagery
7 = St. Erme
8 = Jossigny
9 = Emeville
10 = Margival/Laffaux
12 = La Bascule
13 = Vislosnes-Haraumont (Verdun)
14 = Angevillers
15 = Weiskirchen (D)
16 = Bann (Kindsbach/Ramstein) D
17 = Münchweiler, close to Ruppertweiler and Pirmasens (D)
18 = Marlemont (F)
19 = Vieux-Moulins/Les Hauts Buttes (F)
20 = Baracque de Fraiture (B)
21 = Lammersdorf (D)
22 = Prüm-Post (D) not for sure
23 = Münchengladbach/Rheindahlen (D)
24 = Wahlhausen (L)
25 = Perl-Eft (D) was cancelled 1962
26 = Trier-Euren (D) was cancelled 1962
11 = Roclenge-sur-Geer (B)

Station 2 was cancelled at 1962/1963 when they put in Station 3 at St. Mery.

In the List I found Station 20 at Brassoir (F). I know from Paul Siggins that Soldier were sent over to that place. I have no idea, where the station was. Bu watch it, Brassoir is very close to Emeville.

Another place was called Plailly (F). These place is very close to the today French Airport Charles de Gaulle. Perhaps these have made a connection from A-4 up to A-5? Perhaps these Soldiers have installed later the Station Chateney on France, between Jossigny and St. Genevieve, close to Beauvais!


Station Liart and La Feree is not very sure for the connection. Paul did not know, who was his Station at the other side, when he was on Station Liart. The Station La Feree is nearly the same.

In the List you have questions to Thionville (F), Molvange (F), Vieu-Moulin (F), Harmont (F), Teufelskopf (D).

Well, Thionville was the next bigger City east of Angevillers. Molvange was a few kilometers north of Angevillers, this was the Off-area for Soldiers, who have been at Angevillers-Station in the time to built up.

Vieu-Moulin (F) ist Vieux-Moulins (F), north of Charleville-Mezieres, just in the pocket up to the Belgium Border. The next City was Fumay. Harmont (F) ist Vilosnes-Haraumont, several miles north of Verdun City.

Teufelskopf (D) was the following Station behind Weiskirchen (D).

Well, I hope that I could give some help.

I have more information, sure.

I know all the Station which I wrote down on top.
Sometimes we get in trouble with the Station Numbers, because they changed sometimes every day!!!

Another questions could be about the LANDCENT-Stations? OK, I can give it to you or other interested people.

In the internet you find my story about the Stations! Andy Emerson from GB did not put in all the graphics, but only the story.

Many information you find in Walter Elkins HP USARMYGERMANY. We have good connection and I am happy that I could give him many information.

You may give my new email Address to the interested people of the former 1141st! They should feel free to ask me via email.
Many greetings ,

Helmut Kaemmerer
hkpkbe@t-online.de (Helmut Kämmerer)