Connecting the Troopers of Today with the Veterans of Yesterday.

First memories of the boarder

Very first foot patrol in camp rotz sector, we ran across a chez patrol going in the other direction. My team leader told me to stay in place and lock but not load my M2 submachine gun while he approched them. During those times (1973) we had to keep a peice of green tape over the top of the magizine so the ammo did not fall out, heavan help you if you were short a round when you returned from patrol. To my horor the magizine would not go into the gun becuase of the residue left from the tape. Afterwards we discovered once the mag had been cleaned the top round also had enough residue that it would not chamber.

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Dave Gettman on October 9, 2014 at 10:19am

Good story, John! I bet that story got the Zoll guard a few free biers later.

Permalink Reply by Bernard Turner on January 23, 2016 at 12:56am

My first Border tour was 1974 at Camp May.. I was assigned to 3 PLT I Troop. Lt Rabb took us up and down every hill on that first week. After the Lt went back to the Berg for a few days, Sgt Savoy so ok Turner we are going to enjoy the next week. We set up next to that Guesthaus on a hill drank beer all day and called in our check points for entire day. Then they found out I spoke German, I work with the German Border Police and got to know them real well. They took me out with them on our days off. Got to know quite a few girls, The second year we stayed on Camp Rotz for 6 months streight. because the barracks was under construction. They made a deal with the Bar owned Helmut down the road from post and made it an on Post facility. We partied like it was 1999. I hated to leave and go back to the Berg. Does anybody remember the name of that club?

Permalink Reply by Shannon Ryan on January 23, 2016 at 12:30pm

Bernard. If you went out the main gate at Camp Rotz and went left it was on the right side of the road I think that was called, something Casino, I was back there in 2011, Dave Gettman and myself drove out to Rotz and tried to get in but is was locked up I think the Polizei use Camp Rotz for a training facility. We tried to find that bar but we may have not gone far enough, we never found it. I have a few memories of that place I snuck down there once or twice during border tours.

Permalink Reply by Joe Sellner on February 28, 2016 at 5:20pm

Did LTC Brinkley take over for LTC Stanly?

Permalink Reply by Joe Sellner on February 28, 2016 at 5:24pm

If he is the man I remember he was one hell of a soldier. He would around the entire Squadron on our weekly 5 k run.
Yes he was highly decorated and I actually spoke with him on several different occasions. He was a soldiers soldier.

Permalink Reply by Dave Gettman on February 29, 2016 at 10:54am

Col. Brinkley was a Silver Star recipient. Never met him in person but talked to him several times on the old Dragoon Base before his passing.

Permalink Reply by George Martin on March 7, 2016 at 5:56pm

The most memorable and life changing incident occurred at the Bayerisch Eisenstein Zoll House. My patrol had stopped at the gate and were talking to a BGS patrol when an old car from the Czeck Republic crossed into West Germany. An older couple, (now I am their age) got out of the car with tears in their eyes. They started kissing the ground and then came over to my patrol and BGS and started to hug and kiss us. I was a little overwhelmed. When they went into the Zoll house, the BGS explained that they are allowed to leave their country at a certain age, which I forgot, with everthing they own in that old car. They still, with those extreme restriction, were overwhelmed and thankful at being in the West. That day started my change and appreciation of the freedoms we have,and were taken for granted by me, until that day. I will always remember that day and am thankful for being at that place at that time.

Permalink Reply by Dave Gettman on March 8, 2016 at 11:37am

Eisenstein Pass was very prominent in 2d Cavalry WW II history.