Bad Aibling Station to Be Closed September 30, 2002
Brief History of Field Station Bad Aibling
(1954-1956)
(1956-1958)
(1960-1962)
(1962-1964)
(1970-1972)
Photo Album Page for FS Bad Aibling
Notes from former Members
Registered Members

ARMY SECURITY AGENCY

"Lightning Fast Chicken Pluckers"

BAD AIBLING, GERMANY

 

18th USASAFS Field Station

320th ASA Battalion

  • Headquarters Company

  • 180th ASA Company

  • 181st ASA Company

  • 186st ASA Company

Royal Signals Detachment (UK)

 

Part 1: Pre-FS Bad Aibling Days. (Provided by Monika Bachler, September, 1997)

History of the Airfield Mietraching

1926 First landing of a glider on the meadow.

1932 First written mentioning, this time it was used as airfield for gliders. It was still a meadow.

1934/1935 Planning of the Fliegerhorst the word "Fliegerhorst" literally means "flyers eyrie", dictionary says: "air base".

1936 Start of the construction of the Fliegerhorst, it was planned large enough to accommodate:

one Jagdgruppe (fighter group) with three Flugstaffeln (flying squadrons),

one Stabskompanie (staff company),

one Sanitätszug (medical platoon),

one Fliegerhorstkomanie (air base company)  with Standortkommandantur (garrison headquarters),

and hangar personnel.

In Spring 1937 the first parts of the troops moved in. They made up the Jagdgeschwader (fighter squadron) 1/135 with Heinkel 51 aircrafts Doppeldecker (biplanes).

1938 Start of regular flying operation. Staffelkapitäne (squadron captains) were:

    • Staffel: Oberleutnant (first lieutenant) Douglas Pitcairn

    • Staffel: Hauptmann (captain) Maier

    • Staffel: Hauptmann (captain) Brustellin

After the connection of Austria, the 3. Staffel moved to Vienna, and in return an austrian Staffel with FIAT-aircrafts under Oberleutnant (first lieutenant) Görlitz moved to Bad Aibling. The Fliegerhorst was used as Leithorst (leading base).

1939 there was space for 3000 people. In August 1939 the mobile Geschwader (squadron) was moved to the west (Eutingen bei Horb, then Mannheim, Krefeld and finally to the channel). This Jagdgeschwader (fighter squadron) was renamed in summer 1940 to Jagdgeschwader 1/51, and later, after the crash of its commander Oberstleutnant (commander lieutenant colonel) Mölders in 1941, it was renamed after him. After the removal of the Jagdgruppe (fighter group) 1/135 in August 1939 the air base  Mietraching was used as training air base:

    • a Stuka-Vorschule was here

    • Stuka-flyers were here for retraining

    • courses for radio operators

Nachrichtenhelferinnen (female intelligence service helpers)

from October 1944 till March 29, 1945 the II. Zerstörergeschwader (destroyer squadron) 101 lay here. The remaining pilots should be used to compose the 7. Panzerjagdstaffel (tank fighter squadron). After the removal of this unit, the 5. Staffel of the Kampfgeschwader 5 (combat squadron) arrived (this one prior acted in Russia). The Kampfflieger (combat flyers) should be retrained to be Jägerpiloten (fighter pilots) on the Me109. The last Staffelkapitän (squadron captain) was Oberleutnant (first lieutenant) Mallon.

1945 there were around 50 Me109 on the field. They were not used, because they could not compete with the american Lightnings and Thunderbirds. At the end of April 1945 the disbanding of the units were considered and the destruction of the Me109 was prepared, because the Americans permanently attacked the airfield with Lightning-aircrafts and destroyed the Me109 which were standing in the field. On April 30, 1945 the intact aircrafts were blown up, short before the marching in of the Americans. Combat actions from Mietraching were never flown. The character of a training air base predominated during the whole time of
the existence of the Fliegerhorst.

1945 till summer 1946(?) the air base was used as a prisoner-of-war camp, its name was PWE 26 (prisoners (of) war enclosement 26) US camp leaders:

    • June 16, 1945 till November 09, 1945: Robert L. Christ, Commander, Capt. Inf. 1. TD Brigade 3. US Army

    • November 10, 1945 till July 24, 1945: Donald C. Miller (oder Mueller), Commander, Major, FA HQ, 774.Tank BN 3. US Army.

    • 1946 The IRO (International Refugee Organisation) sets up a DP (Dismissed Persons)-camp, dissoluted in 1951

1960 Construction of an American radiostation. (Editor's Note: Please see next article, below. The station seems to have been in existence since at least 1954.)

1978 Occupation of the German Bundeswehrkaserne

---------------------1954-1956--------------------

Part 2: FS Bad Aibling Days. (Lewis Williams. Email: LYW66DIV@AOL.COM )

Tuesday, August 11, 1998 11:01 pm.
Subject: Bad Aibling Kaserne

Hello There,
I have recently been given your web address for FS Bad Aibling. While the "Brief History of FS Bad Aibling" is quite interesting, I find that it is a little bit too brief in one particular area. The author appears to do well until about 1951, when the DP camp is dissoluted (sic). The next entry is a vague "1960 - Construction of an american radio station".

At my age, my memory has on occasion been a bit fuzzy, but I don't believe I have ever completely lost or forgotten four years of my adult life. If I was not haluccinating, I was stationed at a place known as Bad Aibling Kaserne from June 1956 until July 1960. I am in contact with one other person who claims to be a part of that dream, stating that he too was at this phantom post for more than two years, from late 1954 through 1956.

Al and I seem to share the same dream about the building identified as the Service Club in one of your photos. The Glass tower thought to have been a control tower for the airfield, seems to have been an amateur radio station. He claims to have a photo of himself in this tower sitting at his ham station. I dream about being NCOIC of the post ham station, and in my dream the call sign is DL4DIB (Deep in Bavaria). I have seen his photo, and it looks real enough.

Seriously folks, if we are not too far back into ancient history for your story, I suspect Al and I could perhaps fill you in on some of the happenings at Bad Aibling Kaserne before it became a Field Station. We both think it was one of the prettiest stations anywhere. (I stayed 4 years, I must have liked it!). Incidentally the photos in your display are great. I seem to have lost or misplaced a lot of mine from that era.

Drop a line if you care to. Would like to hear more about my favorite post. My friend is Al Poland. Email: <apoland@mail.gcnet.net>

Lew

---------------------1956-1958--------------------

1/19/2002, 3:44 PM. john ferguson <jferguson@frontier.net> Subject: Bad Aibling Kaserne. "First a little background on me:

Enlisted RA ASA June 56, BCT at Ft Lewis Washington, ASA Proc Bn Ft Devens, Russian short course (988 special course) R-6-41, 988 Voice Interceptor Course Ft Devens (12 wk). Assigned 328th ASA Co 312th ASA Bn Bad Aibling. 328th ASA Co deactivated Nov 57. Equipment and personnel assigned to the newly activated 180th USASA Co. Principle difference was that the 328th was a TOE C/R type company while the 180th was TDA. There simply were not enough people in the Agency under the strength restrictions to maintain the communications recon TO and E units. There were three such battalions in Germany at the time.

I was assigned to Detchment L 180th USASA Co at Nottau near the Checz and Austrian border in Feb 58. In April or May of 58 all the assigned personnel and mission were transferred to the 318th USASA Bn. We became detachment K-2 Co A 318th USASA Bn.

After returning to civilian life I stayed in the Army Reserve doing a couple of active duty tours during Viet Nam then attended class four of the USArmy Sergeants Major Academy. Retired from the Reserve in 1978 as 1SG.

I have been going through my files to provide information on the 328 ASA Co and successor units to Mark Scott < http://members.aol.com/MarkS84609/328th/328th.htm > for his history of the 328th ASA Co. so I have a pretty good handle (from orders copies as to the site history). Also good stuff on the site in Mark's web site and the ASA Alpiners site 
< http://members.aol.com/asavets/alpine >.

The 328th C/R Company activated at Bad Aibling 1952 redesignated 328th ASA Co 1956 deactivated Oct 1957. The 332nd ASA Co moved to Bad Aibling arriving 7 Nov 55, At some point inbetween the 312th C/R Bn (later 312 ASA Bn) was activated.

The personnel who had been assigned to ASA Austria were all reassigned to the 312th Units upon deactivation of ASA Austria in 1955 (according to the old-timers). Most of the personnel were assigned to the 332 but many went to the 328 and to the Bn Hq and Svc Co. When all the 312th units were deactivated the personnel were assigned to the 320th USASA Bn and its subordinate companies (180th USASA, 181st USASA, and 186th USASA. I don't remember where the personnel for the 186th came from (they were a D/F Co) possibly from the two old C/R companies. The 312th/320th had two field detachments Det L at Nottau which had operators from 328/332 later 180/181 and some support personnel (Comm center and security guards) from Bn Hq Co. Det P was a temporary search site from 328th which was deactivated in Sept 1957. Det O 320th USASA Bn was a contingency detachment made up from personnel from all the companies. It was activated and sent to Lebanon with the AirBorne Brigade from the 24th Div and the Marines. This detachment has also been listed in USAREUR history as Det L-1 320th USASA Bn.

I trust that this fills in some of the gaps. John < jferguson@frontier.net  >"

---------------------1960-1962--------------------

From: LUCKY BESSENT <alucky@sprintmail.com> LAS VEGAS, NV. "320th Bn, 180,186th Co., May 1960 to NOv 1962. YOUR HISTORY OF BA IS MISSING ALOT. AS I RECALL, THE 320TH USASA BN WAS A COM/RECON UNIT STATIONED IN SALZBURG AND MOVED TO BA WHEN OCCUPATION TROOPS LEFT AUSTRIA IN ABOUT 1955. WHEN I ARRIVED THERE IN MAY OF 1960 THE BAD AIBLING FIELD STATION WAS THE HOME OF THE 320TH USASA BN WHICH CONSISTED OF HDQTRS CO., THE 180TH, 181ST AND THE 186TH USASA COMPANIES. I WAS ASSIGNED TO THE 186TH WHICH WAS A DF/RFP UNIT. AT THAT TIME THE 186TH ALSO CONSISTED OF DETACHMENTS AT BREMERHAVEN, BONN, NURENBERG AND MEMINGEN. THE 180TH COMPANY ALSO CONSISTED OF A DETACHMENT OF ROYAL SIGNALS (BRITISH) WHICH LIVED ON THE TOP FLOOR OF THE 180TH CO BARRACKS. SOMETIME DURING MY STAY I BELIEVE THE COMPANY NUMERICAL DESIGNATIONS WERE CHANGED TO HDQTRS, A AND B COMPANIES. ADDITIONALLY I WANT TO SAY THAT THE 186TH USASA COMPANY WAS OFFICIALLY DISBANDED ON JUNE 5, 1961. ALL PERSONNEL WERE TRANSFERRED TO THE 180TH USASA CO."

---------------------1962-1964--------------------

21 Jun 2000 19:26:47 -0700. Warren Noble <sgtnobleasa@worldnet.att.net> Subject: Bad Aibling 1962-64. "Hello Jim, Warren Noble here lst Sgt Ret E8 ASA Lifer l948-l970. I was at BA from some time in 62 to l964. I was at first the Opns Sgt where I was to do my best work. I was a Senior Msgt at the time and was "detailed" at different time as lst Sgt of one of the companys of the 320th most significantly B Company.

This site I am looking at does not have much info about the post prior to about 65 or so. I have seen references to the British Royal Signals Det that served with us in the old hanger down on the first floor. I have a good friend who was NCOIC for period of time I was there Ernest Cooper. I have an address finally of the British Royal Signals and I am passisng a "postal request" for information about Ernie's tour of duty there and of his men. I could not get into their email site as that info is somehow restricted. I will let you and others know within the bounds of security restrictions if any imposed by BRS Group.

As for security I come from the old school of ASAers and I dont believe in a lot of the stuff that is being bantied about in the system but time marches on.

CSM Fred Fortune passed away this past Xmas season and I missed him sadly so as I found out I was only 3 hrs away from him over in West Palm Bch Fla I spoke with Marie his wife a few months back. I live in Ft Myers Fl and have for 30yrs. I am in touch with a few mates from BA and with their permission I will send or have them send info on to you guys. We had during my time two bowling teams which competed up in Munich once a week and we tore those people up. Placed in either 1st to 3rd place for three years I was there.

Richard McKinnon passed away a year ago last April l9th in ElPaso Tex he was the oranizor of the only world wide ASA Sports Parachute Club in Bad Aibling. I was a membe of that team when we had a major injury and one minor. The one minor was mine a fractured back and several other incidental broken bones and OH yeah a near ruptured spleen. The other was a major one" Some 2d Lt whom I dont recall got hung up in one of the towers on post, he panicked and instead of listiening to ground peoples instructions to "hang loose" help on way up he jerked around too much and fell to the ground Major broken bones back etc. was air evacuated and not heard from again. Big time investigation and reorganization of those efforts on large scale. Oh well just a few tid bits. 

OH Ernie was in our Honor Guard carrying the colors when we heard of Pres Kennedy,s assasination. The post closed down for that day's efforts in respect for the President. It was a very sad day for us and the German people loved him as well. AR K Warren Noble <sgtnobleasa@worldnet.att.net> "

---------------------1970-1972--------------------

Part 3: Transition to FS Augsburg and Closure. (Provided by Ralph Myers, former commander, January 1998)

"...Patti and I arrived at Bad Aibling in September 1970, coming from the US Army Security Agency Combat Developments Activity at Arlington Hall Station, Arlington, VA. Prior to our arrival, we received a welcome letter from LTC Chester D. Crowell, who informed us that we would be his neighbor. The XO traditionally had occupied the quarters next to the CO, located just inside the main gate.

As most new arrivals to Bad Aibling do, we took the train down from Frankfurt to Munich. Georgia Crowell, LTC Crowell's wife, and SP4 Hickey, the CO's driver, met us at the Munich Hauptbahnhoff and drove us to BA. When we met LTC Crowell, he said regretfully that the NSA Chief at BA, Joe Hull, had moved into the quarters that were promised to us. That was no problem, considering the size of Joe's family and he was a GS-15.

...Joe Hull was replaced as Bad Aibling NSA Chief by Joe Amato in 1971. Once the decision was made by the Army to move the Field Station to Augsburg, where the three ASA field stations in Germany (Rothwesten, Bad Aibling, and Herzo) were to be consolidated. It was almost full time job for me coordinating the transfer of the post functions to NSA. It didn't make it any easier when Mr. Amato wanted the authority to run various aspects of the post sooner than LTC Crowell wanted to give it.

Once LTC Crowell was reassigned to Sinop, Turkey I became Field Station commander. We continued a full scale operations almost up to the minute we began transferring assets and personnel. Making my job so much easier was CPT(P) Frank Zacher and his crew of young officers and very knowledgeable NCOs.

During the last two years that Field Station Bad Aibling existed, the Field Station operations was located on the second floor of the hanger. The Field Station also had a Radio Direction Finding site located approximately 5 miles from the post just off the road to Munich. It was called Southgate. NSA had its operations on the first floor of the hanger. The Field Station operations used the rhombic antennas, while NSA used the antennas located in the radomes. Suffice to say, they had entirely different missions. So when the field station moved its operations to Augsburg, where the FLR-9 antenna, with its three concentric was circular arrays, was used. Unless field station personnel had transfer orders to go somewhere else, e.g., I had orders to go to TUSLOG Det. 4 at Sinop, Turkey, they went to Augsburg. There were some personnel who would be in excess at FS Augsburg, e.g, comm center and military police, but were needed at BA, so they remained. The military personnel assigned to the NSA operations at BA, also remained."

A list of former Bad Aibling colleagues as provided by Jimmy Padgett. He asks that anyone on this list that has not already contacted him to please do so:

PADGETT, Jimmy & Patricia, Bad Aibling Station, Email: polygraphman@hotmail.com 
STEVENS, Denny C. & Kathy, State Route 1, Hoopeston, IL 60942-6118, (217) 283-5984
BRIGGS, Frederick J. & Margaret Briggs, 923 Slade Ave, Longwood, FL 32750, (407) 831-5603 Email: Fred.Briggs@Orlandocvb.com
BOHLMANN, Arthur, PO Box 80A, Hooker, OK 73945-0080, (405) 652-2864
HOCHHAUSER, Lanning R., 32 W Odgen Ave, Hinsdale, IL 60521, (630)986-5620 (w) (630) 325-2600 Email: lanningh@datair.com
HEIMBAUGH, Ashley , Plymouth, MI, 454-4116 Email: performance@mindspring.com
COLEMAN, Charles E. & Chris, 35 S Westfield Rd, Howell, NJ 07731-2323, (908)364-3990 (W): 532-2416 Fax: (908) 532-5800 Email: (home) coleman@exit109.com (work) coleman@doim6.monmoutharmy.mil
NORVELL, Clarence E. (JR), 212 Rt 2, Golconda, IL 62938-9537 , (303) 237-1506
SLOSS, Billy R. "Joe Buck" & Paulette, 337 Brightwater, El Paso, TX 77912, 581-9603 (w)(915) 541-1800
NEAL, Terry, 805 Silver Meadow Dr, Lebanon, TN 37090-4309, (615) 444-8979
WENTLAND, Phillip R., 7130 W 30th Ave, Denver, CO 80215-6814, (303) 237-1506
FANNING Jr, Arthur C., 1310 W Schubert Ave, Chicago, IL 60614-1220, (773) 929-4316
GILLESPIE, Homer G., 331 Cypress Ave., Kansas City, KS 64124-2142, (816) 483-6876
KAHLER Jr., Lloyd E. & Francine, 314 Royer Rd, Westminister, MD 21158-4214, (410) 848-4636
SLYKHUIS, Curt & Karen, 1200 Dollard St., Scotland, SD 57059-2019, (605) 583-2331
PALLETT, Claude "Stan", 2404 Amie Dr, Chesapeake, VA 23322, (757) 421-4412
PROCTER, Harry L. "Les" & Joann, Clover St, NE Palm Bay, FL 32905-5233, (407) 725-6984 (W): 729-2565 (Fax): 729-2020
WINKLER, David & Nancy, 1550 Sandy Lane Court, SE, Rio Rancho, NM 87124-7104, (505) 892-8307 W: (505) 768-4147
ANDREW, James W. & Lauri, 3208 Elizabeth St., W. Melbourne, FL 32904, (407) 951-9067
CRONQUIST, Roger & Lois, 2670 Western Ave., Roseville, MN 55113, (612) 483-5538
ROBINSON, Thomas & Mary, 4 Bunny Trail, Carol Valley, PA 17320, (717) 642-8513
FLYNN, David J. & Linda, 8141, 82nd Ave., Largo, FL 36777-3635, 397-3358 W: (E Systems)

MISSING IN ACTION

  • Forrest Berch, Kansas City,
  • John Christ
  • Max Crawford (Chicago)
  • Steve Krause, Seattle, WA
  • Chris Farrell, Philadelphia
  • Frederick Kruger, MN
  • Bill Bower, Baltimore, MD (301) 296-1580 (?)
  • Paul Abbott, Denton, TX
  • Don Moore, TX (US Marshal)
  • Buddy Galloway
  • Robert M. Thaxton, KY?
  • Robert J. Henson, Anniston, AL??
  • Will Czaya (sp)
  • Bill Hilliard (CA)
  • John Harshaw
  • Larry Wappelhorst
  • Bart Snyder
  • James Sherman

LIST OF GUYS IN BA BEFORE 1970 (provided by Homer Gillespie and others)

  • AESCHLIMAN, Terry, Rt #1, Box 121, Stryker, OH 43557, (419)682-7294
  • BAKER, John, 838 Shenandoah Dr., Carol Stream, IL 60188, (708)752-4028
  • BOZENBURY, Dick, 186 Grove St., Plainfield, NJ 07060
  • COLE, Larry, 4816 Lore, Waterford, MI 48095, 52503323 W: (313) 761-7244
  • D’AMORE, Tom, 359 Alderman Ave., Sharon, PA 16146, (412)981-7820
  • DANGERFIELD, Perry, 713 Locust, Kimberly, ID 83341, (208) 734-6722
  • DeBLASIO, Ron, 2508 Sweetbriar Dr., San Angelo, TX 76091 (Unsure of this address)
  • DIXON, Joe, 123 E. 4th, Hastings, NE 68901, (402) 462-2031
  • EVERS, Lonzo, C/O Rollin E Fence Co, PO Box 313, (Brookfield-Lenox Rd.), Brookfield, GA 31727, (912)386-1387 P: 1-888-289-3687
  • Fuller, Michael <manmjfuller@worldnet.att.net> San Diego, Ca
  • HICKS, Tommy K., 646 E. McNeil Ave., Hoopeston, IL 60942-1233, 283-5364
  • MARTIN, Jack, 2815 Narrows, Painesville, OH 44077, (216) 352-4285
  • MOORE, Thomas, Sp4 <WTM203@aol.com>
  • PORTER, Dave, 1433 Glenbrook, Irving, TX 75061-4503, 438-1393 P: 1-214/ 822-0543
  • REYNOLDS, Rick, 10341 W. 101st Ave., Westminister, CO 80021, (303) 466-8231 W: (303) 966-3897
  • WILKERSON, Jeff, 6372 Jaguar Dr., Sante Fe, NM 87505-1605
  • WETH, Martin, 304 Spruce St., Rt #1, Kimberly, ID 83341, (208) 423-4420
  • WURTENBERGER, Tom, Stump Rd. RD #5, Doylestown, PA 18901, (215)345-1778 W: (215) 757-1511

8/14/01, 3:04 pm. Dewey Owens Subject: Bad Aibling " I was in Bad Aibling from Sept 1970 until April 1971 as an 05K on Trick 4, A1RP for the most part. I attended some specialized analytical training in Bremenhaven with the NSGA there. Really was a good place. SSG Ephert Heim was a trick chief for me. SFC Horton D. Adcock was the NCOIC. We operated on the ground floor of the hanger pulling NUG trick on the newbies. Got a lot of people to roll out the KSR paper to insure the carbon was correct and the antenna field got watered properly. ALso got a few to get a QRM and QRN eliminator from the maintenance shop seveeral times. CSM (R) Dewey J. Owens (then PFC-SP4)."

4/16/98, 6:13:01 pm. Michael Fuller <manmjfuller@worldnet.att.net> San Diego, Ca. "320 ASA Batallion, Nov 1965 to Nov 1968. At Bad Aibling way back when it was 4 marks to the dollar and a 1/2 liter of beer was 15 phenings. Of course as an e-5 we only made about $270 a month. My wife and I lived off post in Tutenhausen (sp?). As for duty at the start of Vietnam, Bad Aibling was about the greatest place in the world. Remember helping the local economy by eating and drinking at 'Rosies' down by the canal."

2/5/98, 12:47:43 pm. Robert Harkness <ercnis@aol.com> San Francisco, CA. "319th ASA Bn./320th ASA Bn, March '69 - Dec'70. Basic Training, Fort Ord, January-February 1967; Basic & Advanced Russian Courses, DLIWC, March 1967-November 1968; Voice Intercept Operator School, Goodfellow AFB, Nov 1968-Mar 1969; FS Bad Aibling (320th ASA Bn), March 1969-October 1969; FS Rothwesten (319th ASA Bn), October - November 1969; Transcribers School, Frankfurt, November-December 1969; Detachment L (319th ASA Bn), Gartow, November 1969-December 1970.  Contact Requested"