B. Battery 2/67th A.D.A Coleman Barracks

 In action the 20MM gatlin gun . Fired 3000 rounds a minute BUT the ammo supply only held 1000 rounds. This puppy hummed and burped like a big dog when large amounts of rounds were dispersed. The front of the tank would elevate like a nitro car off the line.

Mannheim Wasserturm, (water tower) we would ride the strassenbahn downtown and play frisbee there all day. The gremans would gather around and watch our show.

 Heidelberg and Sheppards Lounge from the exterior.

This was a home located in Northern Germany near Kiel. Notice the grass thatched roof.

An old WW2 submarine that was open for internal viewing.

 Northern Germany, notice the huts and the elevated sand. The tourists would pay a fee and this was their way of a little privacy.

I bought my first 35mm Pentax camera and headed to Heidelberg . I wanted to get acquainted with the operation and spent the entire day snapping photo's.

Looking down from the Castle with a view of the Nektar River. The following were some of the photo's taken that day.

Tiffany Night Club, if you wanted to dance this was the spot. Germany was turning Disco way before the states. 

Another shot of Worms Brucke(Bridge)

Karlsruhe, Akers,Kemp, and I had heard of a concert and we just jumped on a train. No thought,no concerns but we were a day early with no sleeping bags and not enough money for Hotel. We walked over into the woods covered ourselves with leaves and that was it. Next morning we awoke,shook off the debris and enjoyed the crowd and concert.

 So young, at this I had about 3 more years of Army life. Today I look back and enjoy the memories.
Truth be told I had numerous occasions where I wanted out. I'm elated that I stuck it out and suffered the bad times to enjoy my Good Times of my present life.

 Todendorf, which is located East of Kiel and where we would share the range with the German Army.

 Since we normally spent maybe 3 months a year in the field we had time to play. Frisbee,and football were the norm. here we have Regalado,Voss, Kiwi, and me hiking the ball.

 Family day at the barracks, and this big ass ball I'm trying to stay on top of as it rolls along.

Heidelberg and one of the many clubs that American GI's weren't allowed to enter.

 The Worms brucke ( bridge)

 Mr Ron Kemp and his short timer gesture.

I hated cigarettes and this habit didn't last too long.

 The Vulcan on reforger, thought a B/W might be a great photo.

 M60 tank and a APC with a 50 cal machine gun and a reforger exercise. What damage and destruction that was caused during these exercises will never be forgotten. You come around a corner and a big ass tank has gone into a church or historic building.

Oh here is a tank that didn't sink on our water crossings. The boys don't look too confident!!
Below is the Heidelberg Castle as it appeared during WW2 . This event happens 2 or three times a summer, it is called burning of the castle.

 Not the skin heads of that radical group but just a few of us after Bodean shaved our heads. He had received a set of shears from his mom for Christmas if I remember correctly. In any case, at one point he had a towel wrapped around the shears due to soo many customers .

Kaiserslautern, one of our first field excursions and last while stationed there.

I had been promoted to PV2 out of Boot Camp and was promoted to PFC (PV3) in Kaiserslautern. Little did I know that this would be my rank for the next 2.5 years. It seems those of us with outspoken opinions don't do well in the world. We are labeled as bad apples only because we don't fall in line and have an opinion indifferent of others!

 Paquin wanted a trim and I obliged. I really doubt the outcome was to a Barber's spec but we tried our best.

 Motor Pool in Mannheim, a little snow on the ground. Myself and SGT. Justice getting ready to go to work. You see the driver hatch open, it was my job to get this baby started.

Dippity Doo in the hair and my short times paper's in hand.I was stationed in Germany for 3 years and spent the last 6 months of my service in Ft. Hood.

Funny, I had this denim shirt which I cared for dearly. All those patches Mom had sewn on whenever I sent it home to get mended. I wanted a photo of it before I washed it again. It was then that when I removed it from the wash that  only the shoulders remained intact.

Bodean all washed up and wet. On this day we had taken the tanks to the lake for water crossing maneuvers and to ensure they floated! His went down,down,down and partially submerged . LOLL 

 My white Peugeot Bicycle and Bodean with his. We used to ride out to Frankenthal Lake for the weekend and camp. You see all of our gear tied down on rear fender.

My first reforger and at this point I wasn't a seasoned driver. Meese, Lambert, and I admire the damage to the radar. That is what happens when you hit a tree .

Holcomb, after Goyens had ransacked my room that Bodean and I shared. He had the idea that we had drugs in the room! Nothing was found and we spent the next few hours putting all back to normal.

 In Todendorf (N. Germany) this is the sleeve that was towed behind an OV10 Bronco plane. It would register the hit count for our qualifications. The sleeve was on a cable about 1/2 mile behind plane. Don't lock RADAR on the Plane!!!!!!!!

 Railhead where we loaded tracks,gear and such for reforgers and long distance maneuvers. Here you see the Toad version of our tank,First Aid vehicle,Gammy Goats.
Below Is Stevie and Zoomer. In my room at about 06:00 hrs. I heard a knock on the door and these two had been up for awhile and ready to crank out some tunes and have a session!

 I had enlisted as a Vulcan Crewman! We traveled North to Todendorf for our summer firing exercise's. Here I'm assisting Scott in the uploading of 20MM ammo into the Ammo Bin.(held 1000 rounds )

Hoenfels our winter exercises were often very dangerous due to the snow and icy conditions. Try stopping a big ass tank on a sheet of ice!

This was taken in my room on second floor. L/R = Bodean, Ron,Charlie, & Doc.

 Mannheim Hauptbanhof, we spent many a nights sleeping with the bums due to the fact all city transit was sleeping.

The Chapperal ADA assigned to C Battery  . Basically a S.A.M. on track.

Sheppards Lounge in Heidelberg  . They played American R&R and was a real cool hang out. It was here that a few of us got our ear pierced in the hallway drinking a Ltr. Mug of beer!

 The first stop before Mannheim was Kaiserslautern . I arived in Deutscheland April 1 1975.
A sunrise and the grounds are vacant and quiet.

Key(Kiwi) as we called him and myself indulging in a little J.B. Kaiserslautern was great in the fact that just behind barracks was woods and more woods to explore and party. You could still see Bomb impressions in the ground, It was eerie when you stopped to ponder what actually happened here in WW2.