Connecting the Troopers of Today with the Veterans of Yesterday.

1st Days in K Troop

I remember getting to the Regiment, 3rd Squadron, Troop K, very well. I left Christmas leave in 1974 after being at Fort Benning with the 197th Inf Bde for 16 or 17 months. I get to Germany in early January 1975 and spend the first couple of days going through the replacement process. Getting to Amberg was by bus and when I get there nobody and I mean nobody is there. I checking in at Squadron Headquarters and then was sent over to S-4 to get TA-50. After that I was told to go to the transient barracks, hit the rack and be at the flag pole by 0700 after chow for a duce and a half ride to Graf where I would meet up with my unit, Troop K. I asked where or what Graf was and was told you’ll find out with a laugh. Everyone should know the rest of the story.

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Michael Carlucci on June 27, 2012 at 10:51pm

Hit AMBERG; K-Troop 3/2 ACR...after spending several days in-processing in Nuremberg. Met some guys and went downtown to a "Beer Feast" and a huge (100+ Men, Women and Teens) brawl broke out in a beer tent with a band playing Bavarian Polka Music. The German PD rolled in and started "Kicked Ass". A young & very drunk Trooper...from "I Troop" started talking Poo-Poo, to the Po-Po and got dropped...KO'ed, "Good Night Sweet Prince" instantly after being tagged with a "Black Jack"....aka: Crowd Control Tool...the Trooper was handcuffed, snatched up by the collar of his shirt and hauled off to a waiting patrol vehicle without a word being uttered by the Officer. Tool. :-) Lesson learned for me, when German PD tell you to do something...DO IT, unless you desire an SERIOUS Ass Whipping. M. Carlucci

Permalink Reply by Harry Race on September 23, 2013 at 7:06pm

I got to Frankfurt in 1982 and they made a few of us wait for 3 days there before sending us to Amberg. Like some of the others that have commented, there was no one on base for the most part. I spent my first two weeks going though the normal processing and attending that course that is suppose to teach you a little German and show you around. Once I completed that I was picked up early in the morning and was doing gate guard before the evening at Camp May. Once the tour was over we roaded to Rotz then went on field maneuvers. Other then the first two weeks there spent the rest of around 2 mouths at a camp and in the field. Talk about an eye opener.

Permalink Reply by Edward N. Voke on December 12, 2014 at 10:38pm

I joined the Troop in November 1962. Was a 1LT with about 5 1/2 years in the Reserves - to include several short stints with the 6th Cavalry at Knox; came on AD at my request as a Volunteer Indefinite and flew from McGuire to Rhine-Main AB near Frankfurt. Remained there overnight and caught the train to Nurnberg and then to Amberg. It was very cold ,and got colder the closer the nearly deserted train got to Amberg. Heavy overcast outside and everything outside appeared white, gray, and black - no color, it seemed. The train was slow and the trip lasted forever; got into Amberg just after dark, found a number to call at Pond Barracks, and was soon picked up by someone from Squadron. Signed in, was taken over to the BOQ, and told my sponsor would pick me up the next morning, which was a Saturday, a duty day back then. Must have found someplace to eat, I don't remember, but spent the evening unpacking and getting my uniform ready for the next day - which included removing the 6th Cavalry "Gary Unicorn" chest patches from my fatique shirts. (After serving with the 6th during my active duty for training, I received permission from the various following Regimental Commanders to continue wearing the patch if it was o.k. with my Reserve units ... it was.) . The next morning my sponsor picked me up and I reported to the Squadron Commander, LTC Delaney, who told me I was assigned to K Troop, now at the Border. He told me to draw my field gear and be back in one hour, ready to go to the Border. It was a RUSH, but an hour later we were back, my Tanker's roll, etc. were ready and I was in the proper uniform/gear! Colonel Delaney then told me I would stay at Pond until Monday morning and ride the supply truck up to Camp Gates. Monday morning I was on the truck, and must have gone through Weiden/Camp Pitman and met Captain Raymond Trouve - I just don't remember - but eventually got to Gates. I had never seen so much snow in my life, and really had no idea of where I was. Oh, I could recite names, but just where that was in the World was pretty much a blank. 1LT James Dierickx was the TroopXO; I was the third officer in the Camp, along with an FO from How Btry. Briefings, things to read, and various check rides soon brought me up to speed, and - using Gates as a known point - I oriented myself as to exactly where I was in this new part of my world!