SCHNEEBERGVETS.ORG - UPDATE June 20, 2007

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From Jim Rooks: 

Dear Friends,

I am very sorry to report to other ASA veterans the death of the Rev. David W. York on January 21, 2007. Dave died in his hometown of Norco, California, of injuries he had sustained on January 6 when he was hit by a pickup truck while walking across a street (in the crosswalk, with the traffic light in his favor). He was 62 years old and was Pastor of the nondenominational Community Church of Norco.

Dave (also known to many Army friends as “Duke”) was a 1967 graduate of the 47-week Czech course at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California. >From fall 1967 to December 1969 he was stationed at the 16th U.S. Army Security Agency Field Station, Herzogenaurach, West Germany (“Herzo Base”). His MOS was 98G3L22 (voice intercept transcriber and Czech linguist). Most of his work at Herzo Base on “the Czech Problem” involved traffic analysis of the Czechoslovak army’s communications. He participated directly in the Army’s monitoring of the Warsaw Pact countries’ 1968 military invasion of Czechoslovakia, which precipitated an international crisis. As a result of its work during and after the invasion, the Field Station was awarded the USASA Commanding General's Award for outstanding accomplishments. During his service Dave was promoted to Specialist 5th Class and was awarded the National Defense Service Medal and the Good Conduct Medal.

After his discharge from the Army, Dave received a B.A. degree from Simpson College in San Francisco, taught school in Red Bluff, California, and earned a Master of Divinity (M.Div.) degree from Western Evangelical Seminary in Newberg, Oregon, in 1976. (The school has since become a part of George Fox University, a Quaker institution.) Thereafter Dave pastored in Oregon and Montana, and for 16 years in Tucson, Arizona, before moving to Norco in 2001. Once the Internet became available he enjoyed “discovering” ASA friends and exchanging personal news, comments on current events, and the occasional joke or cartoon.

Dave’s first wife Brenda died of cancer in 1998 after 27 years of marriage. He married Linda York in 2001. Dave is survived by Linda, two sons, and two grandsons. His older son Nathan works for the U.S. Army in Dodgeville, Wisconsin, is a master sergeant in the U.S. Army Reserve, and has served in Iraq as a company first sergeant. (“He’s a better soldier than I was,” Dave once told me proudly.) Nathan has two sons (Dave’s grandsons): Rand (age 10), and Nicholas (age 7). Dave’s younger son, Peter, lives in Dixon, Missouri.

Dave’s wife Linda can be reached in care of the Community Church of Norco, 3871 Valley View Avenue, Norco, CA 92860, or by email at shockingandawesome@sbcglobal.net. Memorial gifts may be sent to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Donor Services, P.O. Box 4072, Pittsfield, MA 01202, and should be designated “In memory of the Rev. David W. York of Norco, California.”

“Duke” York will be remembered by his Army friends as a quiet, friendly, thoughtful, kindhearted, funny, modest and loyal soldier who was usually satisfied with his lot in life. He enjoyed having fun as much as anybody else, but he was also as serious about --- and accomplished in --- his Army mission as was anybody else at Herzo Base. He was a fine man, beloved by both his family and his congregation in Norco.

Sincerely yours,

Jim Rooks

Washington, D.C.

P.S. If you have email addresses for others to whom it might be appropriate to send this notice, please pass it along to them. If you can take an extra minute to let me have their address as well, I’d appreciate it. I’m always glad to hear from or about ASA acquaintances. I would particularly like to get this message to the other students in Dave’s (and my) DLI Czech class for whom I presently have no working email addresses: Fred Haack, Dennis Walker, Harry Martin, Jim Diodato, Bill Steen, and Tim Newman. J.R.

 

Read more about Larry  .....

Larry Bunch retirement

 
Phil

  Here is a photo I took last year.

 

I was at Schneeberg 1969& 1970, Skip was at HerzoBase at the same time and John Burfete was in Radar intercept (318th) and was at Schneeberg briefly zbout the same time.have a few more, I think I will reduce the file size before I send them .

 

Phil,

I found this Obituary (email attachment) on the internet.

Gary Magner was one of my heroes on Schneeberg.  He was on Schneeberg during the late 60’s.  He was still there when I left for USASA-FS, Augsburg in Dec. 1970.  This was when Schneeberg was closed……the 1st time.

SFC Magner said it was OK if I put beers (German bottled beer with the spring-loaded stopper) on the window ledge in my room next to the orderly room to get them real cold at night…..but to make certain I get them off of the ledge before he arrived in the morning.  He liked a good cold beer, too!  If I left some out, he would get them and put them in his car.  We had many laughs about the “Window Beers”.   I cried, too…..I lost many beers!!

Please enter NCOIC Magner’s Obituary in the TAPS section of Schneeberg-Vets Website.

Thank you.

Tom Ellis

SB, ’69-‘70

Gary E. Magner (January 2001)

Magner, Gary E., 64, retired Army security agency employee and Boeing Wichita security guard, died Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2001. Service 10 a.m. Monday, First Baptist Church, Haysville.

Survivors: wife, Phyllis; sons, Gary, Robert both of Wichita; daughter, Teresa Rosendale of Hesston; brothers, Ronald of Drumwright, Okla., Duane of Ponca City, Okla.; sister, Sharon Drake of Ponca City; 14 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren. Resthaven Mortuary.

 

 

My dad was stationed up on Schneeberg 64-67 and I got a chance to go back to
Germany just last month.  My job sent me to Grafenwoehr and I got a half day
off and drove up to Bischofsgrun to see if I could find the old house I grew
up in.  I didn't find the house but attached are some photos of the town.
Enjoy.

Dave Yonkey  david.yonkey@gdit.com  
 
FTI - Network Engineer
General Dynamics Information Technology
Information Systems Group
CCTT Building 22028 Room 117
South Range Road

 

 

 

 

 

List of TAPS for Herzo Base:

  http://www.homestead.com/theherzosurvivor/Jan2007DeceasedList.htm 

  Also:  Major General Denholm died on Dec 28 2006 at his home in Alexandria of pneumonia.

Other folks we've heard from or lost contact or changed their email address ....

Richard Kaskan RU Schneeberg 77-79  kaskan@ieee.org

Patti Sprinkle Augsburg 80-81  (email upon request)

Bernie Heath Elint 60-62  bernieheath@msn.com

Jim Rooks has a new email address:  jim.rooks@justice.org

James Velez is now living in Brussels and can be contacted @  velezj99@hotmail.com

John and Barb Durkay change in email to  jandbdurkay@suddenlink.net

Pam Schmidt is now living in the Bayreuth area and would like to get together with any Schneeberg sympathizers in Bischofsgruen for a walk  up The Hill.

Pam can be contacted at  pamela.schmidt@uni-bayreuth.de

Hey Phil,
I left the Hill in late '69 for Vietnam:
Steve Evans   Sig Maint  from Georgia

sevans@harris.com
Other names that should be there:

Ray Osuna - Clerk
Don Riggs -
Pete Sandoval

Hi Phil.
I was able to locate Jim Atkinson (Russian Mary) and he came to Amelia Island for a visit in February, 2007.
It was a real pleasure seeing a good friend after forty years and reminisce about the good old days in Germany.  
Jim worked and retired from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York.  
Jim can be reached via e-mail at jha5@cornell.edu and he would appreciate hearing from 
those at Herzo Base, Wasserkuppe and Schneeberg who served from December, 1964 until July, 1967.
He took a "European Out" and traveled around Germany and Greece for a time before returning 
to the land of the round door knob.
 
Art McMaster change of email address to  awm25@bellsouth.net
Phil;

 

Thank you for the link to Cathryn's web site.
 
I was stationed in Baden-Baden from Jun 77 until Jul 83 with both the 3rd Mechanized Commando and with 439 Tactical Fighter Squadron.  After that I rotated back to Canada to Kingston, Ontario, where I was with 2 (EW) Squadron, 1st Canadian Signals Regiment.  In Jul 89, I was posted to the Canadian Security Establishment in Ottawa and served almost a year down at FANX just outside of BWI Airport in 91.
 
It was during the period 84-89 that we deployed people for several months at a time, a couple of times a year, from Kingston to Det J and then also to USAFSA.
 
I will contact some of the others who went over with me and see if they have any pictures.
 
 
Kevin Rowe   krowe@theedge.ca 

I was assigned to Schneeberg in October 1966 and rotated back to the United States in November 1968.  I was a RU intercept OP etc while on the hill.  My first outstation was at Hoherbogen in the summer of 1966.

 
I will go to the guest book and fill in the data there. 
 
I find any old photos etc I will scan them and forward them to you.
 
Regards
 
George F. Jones  gfjonesii@yahoo.com

Phil!

Thanks so much for your reply.  I will be happy to pass on some names and if you do not mind, I will scan in some photos.  I have to be quite honest though and say that there may be some who would not consider myself and others as "true Schneeberg vets" as we went up there after the place shutdown and then for only a month or so at a time - but we did keep coming back as I recall.  I think we were the first unit back up there that actually opened the place up once it had been shut down and the permanently assigned personnel were shipped reassigned.  We scrambled to close of entries of weather and seal it up enough that the pot bellied stoves would warm it up.  But we had a blast in the town at the disco's and going over to the ski ramp.

Anyhow, I'll check back and get a proper email together with decent pics here in the near future.

Thanks again, Phil - take care,

Db Atkins  db.atkins@philps.com

 

I WAS STATIONED AT SCHNEEBERG FROM ABOUT MID JANUARY 1960 THRU

JUNE 1962.
WENT WITH A TEAM TO HELMSTAD SOMETIME ABOUT LATE 1960 OR EARLY 1961.
I HAVE SOME COLOR SLIDES I TOOK DURING THIS PERIOD, I'LL HAVE TO DIG THEM OUT
 
I ALSO WAS A COBURG IN 1962 THRU ABOUT 1964 AND ALSO A MAHRING
AFTER THAT.
I WAS ALSO WITH THE FIRST TEAM THAT WAS A HOHENBOGEN IN ABOUT
1964
 
AT SCHNEEBERG I  WAS FRIENDS WITH
JIM YOUNGBLOOD
EDDIE ETCHINSON (ONLY DRAFTEE I KNEW IN THE ASA )
J.D. MILLER (I PICKED UP HIS MARRIAGE PAPERS IN BAYREATH)
JULIO VALDEZ
JOHN FITZGERALD
RON ZEIGLER
BOB EVANS (BIG INDIAN)
 
R. F. MCDANIEL
 
ROBERT F. MCDANIEL  mcdanielr@aol.com

Phil

 
Congratulations. It must feel great. I wish I could afford to retire.
 
My computer crashed and, being an IT professional, I was not adequately backed up. I lost all of my Schneeberg & Wobeck Email addresses. I didn't find them any longer on the Schneeberg site. Are they still listed there?
 
I'm looking urgently for Steve Brown (Russian Mary Schneeberg & Wobeck) and Brian Feige (Elint Wobeck & Schlesweig).
 
Thanks  in advance
 
Dave Heller

Rimbach/Hoherbogen 2007 Reunion Schedule:

Hi People,

 
Sorry that this has taken so long but i was in & out of town a lot and as it looks we are not going to be that many people, another thing is that i still can't say that i will be in town for the reunion or not.
 

Anyway here is what i have : Home Base would be the Kollmerhof Hotel, it is right in the middle of Rimbach, i think most of you know where it is. You can also look it up on the internet. price is 24.50 Euros per person & night including Breakfast. Might be able to get a small discount when i know how many people, how many nights.

 
Tuesday 24 July : Day trip to Prag with Perlinger Reisen, price is 27 Euros per person, there maybe a small extra charge for a English speaking guide.
On the same day in the evening there is a Bayerisch-Bohmisches Music Festival in Esclham, at the Gasthof Post, start is 8 Pm, i could arrange for people going to Prag to be dropped off there.
 
Wed. 25 July : Day trip to Marienbad CZ, price 20 Euros p.p. or a half day trip to Taus CZ, price 12 Euros p.p. Another option is Hohenbogen see the old site, Lunch & beer at the Schonblick, up and or down the Hill with the Skilift, price would depend on how many beers you drink.
 
Thursday 26 July Day trip to Passau, frist a walk around the old center of town, then a trip with a Riverboot on the Blue Danube into Austria. price is 27 Euros p.p. including Bus & boat trip.
 
Friday 27 July Take a walk around Kotzting, i think there is alot see there that many of you never saw when you where here, we could combine that with a visit to one or both of the local Distlerys, a walk to the Church, (Weiss Regen), that overlooks Kotzting. etc.
in the evening we could go to the  Eschkamer Jakobifest, ( Beerfest ), or save that for  Saturday 28 July  or go to the Jakobifest Friday & Sat.
 
Now a few points, i could not find any two day trip to Prag & we will not be enough people to have a Bus just for us like we had the last time.. i, if i´m at home, will not be going to Prag or Marienbad as i have visited there now about half a doz. times. If i´m at home and there is a group that is now going to Prag & Marienbad i will find us something else.
I would like to know what everybody thinks about my ideas as such, at this time nothing is set. I have also made the planning in such away that if i am not here my wife or my son or both  will be able to help out.
What i will need within the next 2 to 3 weeks is who will be needing rooms at the Kollmerhof, how many rooms & how long. 
At the moment there are open seats for all of the day trips & the Music fest in Eschkam but it is always frist come frist serve.
                                                                                                Ami Charlie
 
P.S. I could not send a Email to John Rorabaugh or Tom Ramsdell as i do not have there email addrese.

 

For further details contact Bill Lamb blamb@cox-internet.com  

Hallo Phil,
iI has been a very busy year for me. I should like to thank you for your continuing support for the the project which is to my understanding selling extraordinarily well . Besides some critics from some " Cold War Warriors" from the east ,I have received mostly positive feedback from my other readers. Astonishing to me, most people did not realize  the role of US - Forces SIGINT during this period. However, Professor David Kahn, well renowned author of books linked to the SIGINT - History prior to 1945 and after 1945 has been participating on a conference at TUTZING nor far from MUNICH and we have had an interesting chat which might continue in the forthcoming year.
I once again should like to thank You for the support which You have given to me.
I hope , we shall stay in contact in the future. I have two projects in the box for next year and also two printing houses which will furnish me some support for the project. One of the books will deal with the developments in the area of SIGINT within the Western community after 1989 , the other one will cover the German Air Force SIGINT between 1933 and 1945.

Once again , all the best wishes for a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and all the best to You personally
kindly yours
Guenther



Betreff: New Schneeberg book


Von: Paul S Miller <psmiller3@juno.com>
Datum: Wed, 13 Dec 2006 01:03:06 -0500
An: pward@micoks.net
An: pward@micoks.net

Hi Phil,

I hope all is well with you and your family, We can say the same.

I got a nice surprise yesterday. My friend Hubert Mösch who lives in Bayreuth, Germany, sent a newly published book to me entitled, "Der Schneeberg - Höchster Berg des Fichtelgebirge" by Thiem Rudolf. It is a beautiful book and contains many pictures of the mountain, summit and the buildings that were on it over the last century, from early 1900 through the war years with Nazi radar installations that were destroyed during and after the war to the buildings that were there during my stay in the late '50's. The text is in German. There are some photos from our time on the hill with color photos of the destruction of the buildings. It is soft cover but beautifully done, 152 pages. There are even photos of the construction of the wooden part of the observation tower ("Alten Turm") over "the Backöfle in 1926. It amazes me that they have pictures of that. The book's dimensions are 9 X 6 inches and it is close to a half inch thick. A pretty ink drawing of the Alten Turm is on the cover.

It was really nice of Hubert to think of me and send the book. The book cost 13,50 Euro's and 8,00 Euro's to ship. Hubert is the son of Frau Mösch who was so kind to me and my buddy Pete Seifridsberger at the Seehaus during my stay on Schneeberg.

I thought you might want to make the info about the book available to the ASA guys. I think it is worth having for guys who served on the hill and loved Schneeberg. The address of the publisher is:


Reinhold Gondrum
GMBH & Co. KG (RMC)
95444 Bayreuth


Maybe Andreas Gewinner could be of help in ordering the book. I sent this to Ed Railsback also.

Take care, ~~~~~~~~Paul Miller
Günther K. Weiße  weisse-balingen@t-online.de



 

Herzo Base Survivors Reunion Sept. 2007:   http://www.homestead.com/theherzosurvivor/Reunion2007.html 

334-339 CRC Co. Reunion:  Announcement  Form  Reminder 

334 CRC, 339ASA, 182 ASA Unit was at Herzo, then moved to Rothwesten in 1956.  Sites at Hof, Lubeck and Eshwege.  339 ASA became the 182 ASA in 1958.

 

Well folks it has been a long time since an update.

I have been adjusting to retirement finding time to help develop a Community Foundation for Miami County Kansas, substitute teach at the local Middle and High Schools and keep up with my family!  Currently I am collaborating with Richard Kremizer  ( rkremzier@verizon.net ) to develop Google map coordinates for "cold war" listening posts in Germany - any assistance would be helpful as a number of sites we remember were temporary!  The past month I have tried to consolidate all the email messages I have received from the Schneebergvets.org folks since 1999 - hard to believe the web site has been around that long ...  I have been lucky to have almost all of the email intact and archived with only about a 2-3 month period back in 2004 which has gone to cyber heaven.

As of this date I have not added any new photos to the web site but should be getting around to that this summer -  some photos are ready to go but there are those who have indicated they would like to have their photo memories included -  get out your shoe box full of old memories and send them along!  As you can see the Hoherbogen/Rimback Det.K folks are planning a Reunion next month in Rimbach - B-there or B-square?

I apologize if I have forgotten to include any items folks have asked to have updated, deleted or revised, if so, please just email me and I will make corrections accordingly.  I should be on schedule for another Schneebergvets.org update by late July .....

 

Keep the memories alive!

 

Phil Ward ... an old Cz intercept op from the mid 60s, Schneeberg, Hoherbogen and Wobeck

*********************************************************************************************************************
 

 

SCHNEEBERGVETS.ORG - UPDATE MARCH 25, 2006

RECENT MESSAGE POSTED ON THE GUESTBOOK:

Carolin

|Hello, my father was one of the German soldiers stationed at the Schneeberg. He was there in the 70s. One of the American soldiers (?? not quite sure whether a soldier, as I recall, there were other Americans there as well?) was Micheal "Mike" Ketchmark, Uncle Mike he was to my sister and me. Unfortunately my Dad lost contact. All I know is that Uncle Mike was married to a German woman and that they have left Germany in the 80s and went back to the US. Other names I remember from Dad's stories is Guenther Weiße, Werner Huege and Peter Finzel.

If anyone could help me or if anyone knows something about the whereabouts of Uncle Mike, I really would appreciate a short message!

Thanks!

Carolin

 c-klein@gmx.de

Marktredwitz, Germany

 

Del Hicks

Does anyone remember Joe Lacy???  He was in a tac unit and on duty at Schneeberg (I believe it was 1977-1978 time frame).  He was playing in a volleyball game, collapsed and died. He was a 98G Russian linguist, married to my cousin, Diane.  I was also a 98G Russian but I was in Berlin. Please contact me if you remember him.

 dhicks@dfamilk.com

Tom Duncan

Walked to the top on 13 March 2006.  The snow was deep, but it was surprisingly warm up there.  To the Americans that I ran into on my way back down, sorry for seeming so rude.  My wife and daughter were waiting in the car.  I will never forget the long nights watching Cheers on the Betamax, shoveling snow, SFC Smith's patience (isn't that neat?), and all those who were there. CPT Bartle, SFC Smith, SPC Whitehead, SPC Cervantes, SPC Amon, SPC Nau, SPC Culpitt, SPC Gibson, SPC Bennett, SPC Farley and SGT Female Mess Sergeant (?). Let me hear from you.

 tomduncan@bellsouth.net

OTHER FOLKS WHO HAVE SENT EMAIL AND/OR CZECH IN .....

Jack Fischer -  Jack was at Schneeberg in 69-70 and at Herzo Base 70-72

Joseph Miles - Herzo base 64-65

Leroy Chadwick - Augsburg/Wobeck 78-79

Herb Nelson - Wobeck 1988

Lisa Gianattasio - A Schneeberg sympathizer from the Tom Ellis era

Burt Slesinger - Anyone interested in subscribing to his ASA email list can contact him at burtsasa4870@cfl.rr.com

LAST BUT NOT LEAST - HOLY JAEGERMEISTER!  Pat Sweeney is alive and well in San Diego - Pat is still working and is an avid surfer!

(If anyone would like email addresses for any of the above contact me at  pward@micoks.net

UPDATES TO THE WEB SITE INCLUDE:

Al Murdock has sent along his Photo Album from the early 60s.  It's a hoot!  Lot's of photos from The Red Ox and the area.  Former comrades in arms include:  Bo Bothem, Emil Giehl, Richard Hanson, Bob Jones, Dennis Liphardt, Gary Pearson, Rick Wheeler, Herbert Robison and Steve Szwalla.  Enjoy!

Dennis Liphard photos include both his times at Schneeberg and Hoherbogen and few friends along the way ....

Jim Youngblood picture album also includes both Schneeberg and Hoherbogen, his many friends, Schneeberg in the winter, the Seehaus and those wonderful dogs Shadow and Teddy!  Some of Jim's friends include; Nick Farrell, Dennis Liphardt, Paul Williams, Hank Strange (Czech out the auto wreck!), Nick Guay, Ray Schneider, Bill Evans and Middleton and Schaefer.

Raimund Huemmer, a local from the Bischofsgruen area, has sent along photos he has taken of Schneeberg last winter.  Raimund wants us all to know that he appreciates our mission during the Cold War.  Enjoy his photos of The Hill!

BISCHOFSGRUEN REUNION 2006:

Time flies ..... only 19 days until this year's reunion.  I got a note from Ed Railsback who indicated he may not be able to attend this year.  (I will be at home in Kansas.)  So here's the routine:  Meet on Saturday April 15 between 10:00-10:30 in front of the church at the Bischofsgruen marketplace.  Leave to make the pilgrimage up The Hill - remember you usually park and walk at the turn up The Hill where the steep grade begins.  Don't forget the Ausbach! and other goodies!  Rest and relaxation Topside, group picture etc.  Then down The Hill returning to Bischofsgruen and assembling at the Hotel Adler around 1:30-2:00 for lunch.  make sure they know you are coming as they usually set up a place in the back of the restaurant.  Eat, drink and be merry!  Enjoy and send along some photos of the event.

 

THAT'S ALL FOR NOW.....

KEEP THE MEMORIES ALIVE!

PHIL WARD ....... AN OLD CZ INTERCEPT OP FROM THE MID 60S - SCHNEEBERG, HOHERBOGEN AND WOBECK

SCHNEEBERGVETS.ORG - UPDATE SEP. 21, 2005

Greetings Schneebergvets, friends and former "comrades"!  Some exciting contacts made in the last few months.  We heard from Dan Kerhart, Mark Kotanchik (Mark is looking for a video of Schneeberg in 1983) , Steve Brown (also a Wobecker!), Marlin Brown who is looking for the infamous Furth license plate photo, Walt Buechner (an early Schneeberger), Rick Morgan (1980s and still on active duty) and Joe McDermott.  Bill Tilton has now retired and has begun the task of locating his Schneeberg treasures with a first installment of four photos from 1969 - we're looking forward to sharing his memories.  Andy Foerster a German musician who "hung out" with us in Bischofsgruen in the early 1980s will be sending along some of his pictures - his band is still going strong at  http://www.mountaineers.de - check out his web page at http://www.schneebergvets.org/mountaineersde/mountaineersde.htm .  Carl "Pit" Peters would like others from his era to "check in"!

Reunions, reunions, reunions ...... the annual ASA Reunion at Blobs Park happened in August 2005 and they will be ready again on Aug. 5, 2006. 

The 28th Annual FS Augsburg will again hold their reunion at Blob's Park MD this October  http://www.schneebergvets.org/asapicnicusasafsa102205.htm  . 

A Herzo Base survivors group will stage their 1st annual reunion in Las Vegas November 28, 29, and 30 2005 - you can get the scoop at  http://www.schneebergvets.org/herzowestreunion2005/herzowestreunion2005.htm .  Wes Brockway visited Herzo in May 2005 and has several photos on the Herzo web site  http://www.herzo63.com/photodir.html  .

Yikes, the folks from the Rimbach 2004 reunion are planning a reunion next year in Las Vegas!  Get in on the early planning for this one at  http://www.schneebergvets.org/reunionrimbachlasvegas2006/reunionrimbachlasvegas2006.htm  ( of course you can always go directly to  http://www.rimbachvets.org  ).

Al and Leni Murdock dropped by to say hello in August.  We had a great conversation about old and new times while dining at Ted's Montana Grill in Kansas City - the buffalo ribs were super!  I'll be putting together an Al and Leni Travel photos web page in the near future - Al is determined to find as many Schneeberg veterans as he can during his travels.  Al has been successful in digitizing almost 350 35mm film images of Schneeberg from the 1960s - we look forward to Al sharing those memories!

I've added a link to web cams of Bayern - more than you ever wanted to know.  Also a link to Google Earth where you can "fly over" Schneeberg or just about anyplace in the world!  On a more serious note I have added a web page called TAPS - for those who have gone to their last listening post.  If you have names of former veterans you would like included just let me know.

Ed Railsback and Fritz Foltz are trying to come up with a plaque which could be placed at Schneeberg on "that pile of rubble".  Any suggestions can be sent directly to ed.railsback@gmx.de or fafoltz@tiscali.de .

There are plenty of Schneeberg music videos available just let me know your "snail mail" address.  Also Hugh Smith (1967-1970 Schneeberg, Meissner, Gartow and Herzo Ops) has available metal insignias for the 16th USASAFS just before it was changed to USASAFS Herzo.  Should you be interested contact  hjs856asa@aol.com   Hugh's selling them for $10.00 each plus shipping.  Guenther Weisse will be publishing "Secret Sigint in Germany" this fall.  You can contact him directly at  weisse-consult@t-online.de for more information on how to obtain a copy - the book includes a short section on Schneeberg.

I have been going back through my email archives and discovered there  are a number of "loose ends" which I have been trying to bring up to date to include getting a bunch of folks subscribed to updates.

I hope I have not missed requests from any one - please let me know and I will change "get er done"! to "got er did"!

Keep the memories alive .....

Phil Ward an old Cz intercept op from the mid 60s - Schneeberg, Hoherbogen and Wobeck

BTW - Hope you like the new format. And don't forget to check out the correspondence below.

CORRESPONDENCE:


Phil;
I was stationed at Herzo from 66-68. I have a fuzzy picture of the (F*CK 318) plate. Saw it on a drive from Herzo to the PX in Furth. I will look for it.

Marlin Brown

Stephen Brown wrote:


When Gartow closed for the winter in the fall of '67, I went to Schoeningen, and after the Prague Spring I spent two tours at Schneeberg. I also went on several very short trips to Meissner, but didn't get to know anyone there except for Smitty, the TA.

Yes, I certainly remember the '68 invasion of CZ. I was on the swing shift that night and was manning the HF Soviet air force position. The night started out just like usual, and I'd listen to Russian pilots giving their coordinates, and I had a map with a grid so that I could easily follow their movements. I think it was shortly after midnight that traffic became much greater than normal, and after only a few minutes I could tell that all the Soviet planes over the GDR were heading in the same direction ... Prague. By 2 a.m. I was back in my room, packing up to drive to Schneeberg. Exciting days!

In the intervening years I started a translation company here in Dallas (International Translating & Typesetting), and I did very well at it and really enjoyed it a lot. (In 2001 I sold the company, and the new owner has made a dog's dinner of it.) Nowadays I'm involved with Wikipedia and Wiktionary (for example http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyrillic_alphabet ), which I find very interesting and satisfying, and it helps me keep up with my languages (besides Russian, I also do a lot of Spanish, German and Arabic, plus a few others just for variety).

Please let me know if these jpeg's don't open for you, and I'll move them over to my rather old PC and work on them some more.

Steve Brown
98G20 ru, 1966 - 1969
Gartow/Schöningen/Schneeberg


I was proud to be the NCOIC of Det-S (First to know, First to glow) in 1983. Robert Smith (one of 3 greatest men I've ever known) was OPNS NCOIC. Harry Morgan was our #1 Mess Sgt. SSG Perriman, Sgt Farmer darn good RU 98Gs. SPC Livingston was a commo dude and I can't remember his SSG boss. I have tears listening to My Old Friend. I have  a videotape of the place taken in about 83, can't remember if the Trojan Towers were up yet.   Good shots of the Det House, which I believe you all used as the Ops Bldg, also of the "chalet" which used to be the "movie house".  We had a maintenance man by the name of "Rappel". He stated he was around the site for over 30 years. Do you or anyone out there remember him. He really held our site together with chicken wire and 100mph tape.  I forgot one important item. In the summer of 1983 (I believe) the OIC, 1lt Kyle Rogers and I decided to open the site to the locals so they could visit the Bakoffele(sp?). The line was almost down the entire mountain. For about three months no Det S Schneeberger could do any wrong. Mayor of Bishopfsgruen was our biggest fan. Got a few free meals at the Golden Lowe (remember the raspberries flambé?). Looking at the photos with the music is killing me.

Mark D. Kotanchik

Hello Phil,
Walt Buechner here, stationed at the berg in 56 thru 62. Know many of the people on the web site. Great job by the way. Brings back a memory or two.
  


I would like to find Trish & Ron Clark, so if you can, I would appreciate you mentioning it in the next letter.

 Sandra Aultman  

It's great that ASA continues to live! I was in the 502d ASA Group in Augsburg (74-76) initially as a displaced 05D in the 326th. Assigned to the Commo Plt (they didn't know what an 05D was!), I supported operations on Schneeberg in October, 1974, and was able to be one of very few vehicles to escape a major storm in mid-October to hightail it back to Augsburg. Left the Army in July, 76 and returned in January, 77, but the ASA considered me 'tainted goods' (prior service scum), so I went into Interrogation and had a great career, retiring in October, 1993. Great memories of Schneeberg and my ASA days! Military Occupation 05D2OTour of Duty (Dates) July 1973-July1976Main Duty Station Flak

Joe McDermott

Phil:

My wife and I are now both retired, since we managed to sell her business last April. As a result - at least partially - we're finally attacking a 20-year accumulation of junk and heart-wrenching nostalgia crammed and hidden throughout the house. So, today I finally came across some Bischofsgruen-era photos among the 1000's stuffed in various boxes and bags. I'll attach some... the photos are generally dated 1969...But I still haven't located most of my ASA-era photos - Barry Fuller pissing on the road in Monterrey, Jimmie Hendrix in Nuernberg, etc.

I hope all's going well with you. We bought a house in Flagstaff and are trying to undo some 17 years of neglect and age in our Kingman home. A lot of work - most in 100-degree weather.

Bill Tilton

Tony Garrity

Don't surf much, just poking through for pictures of Augsburg when a link from a patch collector led here. We helped maintain the equipment up there from our base at flak. didn't go up there too often, my memories of the few times i did are of the German tower, forests, rime ice on everything and a pretty little town. thanks for the site.

Dennis Liphardt

|Until I heard from Al Murdock today I didn't even know this site existed. It is great to see the pictures and read the comments from so many people that I remember from years ago. I am also deeply saddened that they bull-dozed the old site. It does make you feel like they have torn something from your past.  I was a detachment leader for two trips to Mt. Hoherbogen in 61 when we were lucky enough to have no officers assigned to our group. Could there be anything better?

Gary Nash

Just checking in. Anyone seen or heard from any of the following: George Donel, Daniel Brusky, Paul Kramer, Bruce Gillette.

Was at Det J '67-68 and Det K in '69. This is a great site for memories.

Kirk Webber

This was an amazing blast from my past.  I was stationed at the 326th in Augsburg, and spent about 10 months or so at Schneeberg around 1981 or so.  I didn't live in Bischofsgruen, but in the first little dorf to the right after coming off the mountain.  This brought back lots of memories (and some things I can't remember).  Some names I remember (Hi Sue!  Are you still in touch with Brandy?  If not, let me know; I have her current e-mail address; she lives in Denver).  What was the name of that disco in, hmmm, was it Wunsiedel?  Sloopy's?  Remember "Another One Bites the Dust" line dancing?  What about our Deutscher Frauleins (we wished!) Doggie, Sigi, the two sister, Anna and....

Danny McGraw

I am trying to locate one of our own. Does anyone remember the Home of Record or have any contact information for George Cox? He was one of our MP's. To see a photo of George to jog your memory do the following:<br>In the category "Almost Everything Schneeberg 50's-90's" select '60's, then "Ken Pelfrey's Scrapbook", then "At The Club" and look at kenonfloor2. That's George on the left. You might also go from "Ken Pelfrey's Scrapbook" to "Doug Yarns Bolle' Party at the Club" and checkout atthebar1. Once again that's George on the left. George was quite a character so it's hard to say where he wound up. Zip me an e-mail if you have any input on what became of George.  Take care all

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May 26, 2005

Greetings fellow Schneebergers, friends of Schneebergers and all things Schneeberg!  Of course, have an enjoyable Memorial Day and take time to remember those who served.

Enjoy the photos of the Easter 2005 Reunion in Bischofsgruen – it was really terrific to be there and to renew old acquaintances even though it was the first trip up The Hill since its demolition.  It was wonderful to see that a stone monument had been left to remind folks of the old stone building.  Of course the day was topped off with a feast at the Duetcher Adler, friendship and the “world premier” of our own music video tribute to Schneeberg – Mortar and Stone with words and music by Rick Wheeler!  Rick, thanks so much for sharing your memories!  On the web site you will now find a page from which you can request a copy of the music video.

Not to go un-noticed, another mini-reunion was held in Columbus, Ohio for former Schneeberg and Rimbach vets.  Czech out the photos of the infamous Det K marquee courtesy of Jim Depouw – and of course Dick Routt was still trying to trade for that sign!

Thanks to Guenther Weisse for providing us with his presentation on “The East – German Signals Intelligence 1959 – 1989.  You will find his presentation available for download.  Speaking of downloading files, I now have the download files section back up and running where you will find an updated version of the Det J screen saver complete with James Bond 007 music.

Dennis Liphardt, 59-62, has Czeched in and hopes to hear from others from his era at both Det J and Det K.  Dennis says he was at Det K when there were only enlisted folks ….. very interesting!

Take care and enjoy the upcoming summer.

Phil Ward, an old Cz intercept op from the mid 60s

September 19, 2004

Greetings Schneebergers, friends of Schneebergers, fellow ASA sympathizers and those interested in all things Schneeberg …..  http://www.schneebergvets.org  has been updated. 

Still winding down from a really awesome Magical Mystery Tour of Rimbach/Hoherbogen, Schoeningen/Wobeck and Bischofsgruen/Schneeberg.  I got a note from John Hobgood the Field Station Augsburg folks will again be having their annual reunion at Blobs Park in Jessup MD – you can follow the link for contact information.  Also Paul Peterson  paulpeterson@yahoo.com  would really like to get together with other folks in the Minneapolis area for a “mini-reunion!  Contact Paul and let him know when and where you all would like to meet.  Speaking of mini-reunions Dave Fenwick and Rich Sammis got together in August after almost 40 years.  You can see them on the Schneeberg/ers Reunion 2004 web page.

 Bill “Whiskeyman” Schmidt sent his Rimbach Reunion 2004 pictures …. Marching?, beer tent drinking and “table dancing” and of course reminiscing with old "comrades”.  BTW Bill and I made it to Sattelpeilnstein Brewery, unfortunately the brewery is closed.

 Added to the web site under the SIGINT etc. folder are photos and links to “communications equipment" from the other side ( to include a radio used to intercept NATO forces) and more than you ever wanted to know about the East German/Czech “fence”.

 For those of you with classmate.com accounts you might want to check out the Schneeberg group.  To date the following folks (some we already know) have “reported for duty?”:

Guyton, HC – 52-53

Farley, Philip – 52-54

Evans, William – 56-59

Geiger, Robert – 57-59

Cranford, Jim – 61-63

Currier, Howard – 63-64

Bunch, Larry – 63-65

Railsback, Ed – 63-66

Collier, Thomas – 63-67

Ordway, John – 64-68

Johnson, Dennis – 65-65

Routt, Richard – 65-67

Hochstadter, Bruce – 65-68

Morris, William – 66-68

Nash, Gary – 67-68

Lindberg, Douglas – 67-68

Ward, Phillip – 67-68

Armour, Theodore – 67-69

Knowles, William (Bill) – 67-70

Kent, Mike – 68-68

Huston, William – 68-68

Evans, James (Steve) – 68-69

Harris, Michael – 71-73

Shuman, Craig – 75-77

Alexander, Walter – 75-77

Bombardier, Randy – 75-78

Crausbay, Judy – 75-83

Buxton, Donna – 76-77

Clark, Trisha – 80-82

Webber, Kirk – 80-83

Wetzonis, Amelia – 81-81

Branch, Carlton – 82-82

Lamond, Jill – 82-83

Smith, Robert – 86-91

Monroe, Michael – 87-88

Culpitt, Robert – 87-89

You all take care and enjoy life.

I apologize if I have missed anyone or forgot to include a correction to the web site (I still have several corrections yet to make folks have suggested.)… just let me know.

 Keep the friendships and memories alive.  Phil

August 6, 2004

The Magical Mysterey Tour 2004 was awesome and truly magical.  I hope to be able to get the web site updated with photos within the next few days.  Just a few highlights:  Ken Pelfrey and I met up with Chris Workman on Amelia Island and then later with John Stevenson at Eagle Harbor Florida.  More than 20 of us made it to Rimbach for three days of memories - marching in the Rimbach Beerfest parade, reserved seats at the Fest tent, pilgrimage up the Hill to the "old site" and the "old old site", then lunch at the Schoenblick.  I had never seen Det K from the Czech side of Hoherbogen and it is awesome - as you will see from the photos.  For those Wobeckers you will be delighted to know the Bahnhofs Hotel still exists but not as a hotel but residence and that Eiscafe Amos still exists but as Eiscafe Camillo and the current owner knew of Amos.  Also located the Golden Kugel and where I lived in Helmstedt in 1968/69.  Bischofsgruen still hosts Tanzcafe Reissmans on Friday and Saturday nights but it is a very young teenage crowd.  The Lustiger Bozniack was not as good as I remember but I forced one down anyway .......  Fred Haack and Carl "Pit" Peters joined me and the "regular gang" - Ken Knoor and Irene, Al and Leni Murdock, Rick and Wilma Wheeler, John and Renata Flood and Gene Looram (Ed Railsback was not able to attend but sent along a great album of Czech songs.) - from the area.  Gene Looram, Carl "Pit" Peters, Ken Knoor, my wife Anita and I spent a relaxed Friday evening enjoying the beer food and conversation.  Saturday morning Carl, Fred, Anita and I made the pilgrimage "up the hill".  We were able to gain access inside the old stone ops building - the only building which still exists - where I video taped the building inside and out and the site.  There seems to be someone cleaning up the inside of the stone building but who or for what purpose we don't know.  Al Murdock gave me some really great pictures of Schneeberg taken from the ski lift - once again a perspective few have seen until now.  Lots of great memories and a thought to try and return for the Easter Reunion in 2006 so Ken Knoor will have to come up with new jokes to tell!  For those who haven't yet made the "trip" ... it is expensive but worth every memory.  I'll send a notice when the pictures are published on  http://www.schneebergvets.org  Phil 

June 27, 2004

Greetings Schneebergers, friends of Schneebergers, fellow ASA sympathizers and those interested in all things Schneeberg …..  http://www.schneebergvets.org  has been updated. 

Just a quick note to let you all know I have added a number of Bischofsgreun-Schneeberg Easter Reunion 2004 photos.  Just go to the Reunions folder (I have now moved it to the top of the menus.)  Thanks to Jack Ordway for sending along his Reunion 2004 photos and memories.  There was a very good turn out – lots of the regular gang – with Jack Ordway and his wife and Mark Arnold and his wife joining the Schneebergers regulars!

Go to the WAV or MP3 Home Page and you will see several pictures Dick Routt sent of Sitges in 1967.  Check out the “hippie truck”! and Mike “Baby Poop” Carroll.  BTW Dick sent a note saying he hopes to be able to make it to the Hoherbogen 2004 Reunion in July.

Several folks have changed email address:

Ken Pelfrey -  kenpelfrey@comcast.net

George Graves -  george62@netcommander.com

Chuck Ryan -  charles_ryan@bellsouth.net

El Jarvis -  jarvisrealty@aol.com

El Jarvis sent a note saying John Klebel told him Cruse had died but didn’t have any specific details.  Also, he would like to know if anyone has been able to locate Pete Sandoval or Lenny Levine?

Kirk Webber (RU linguist) 80-83 checked in and would be interested in hearing from anyone from his era.  Check out his Guest Book entry.  Kirk’s email is: -  kirkdwebber@yahoo.com 

LISTEN UP!  There will be a Mini Reunion July 17 at Sliders Seaside Grill on Amelia Island, FL at 4:30 (16:30) and everyone’s invited.  John Stevenson, Ken Pelfrey and I will be there ….. meet up if you can.  It’s right on the beach, good food, good drinks, good fun!

Amelia Island?  http://www.amelia-island.net  or  http://www.ameliaisland.com 

Sliders?  http://www.slidersseasidegrill.com 

Not many days left before I depart for the Magical Mystery Tour in Germany.  You can check my web page for dates and locations:  Rimbach, Regensburg, Kirchheim, Wolfsburg, Leipzig, Bischofsgruen, Munich and beyond ……  For details:  http://www.schneebergvets.org/magicalmysterytour/magicalmysterytour.htm 

I apologize if I have missed anyone or forgot to include a correction to the web site (I still have several corrections yet to make folks have suggested.)… just let me know.

Take care and keep the friendships and memories alive.  Phil

 

May 31, 2004

Greetings Schneebergers, friends of Schneebergers, fellow ASA sympathizers and those interested in all things Schneeberg …..  http://www.schneebergvets.org  has been updated. 

First I’d like to thank those who contributed their time effort and pictures to add to our growing collection of memories about the life and times at Schneeberg.  Tim Kelly returned to the area (Bischofsgrun, Schneeberg and Schanze) in the fall of 2003.  Visit his web page in the Reunions folder for he has many photos of the area in its autumn best!  John Stevenson sent along a number of photos from the Wasserkuppe area and has added several new faces – Doug Klima, Flip Milo, Pete Meringolo, Jim Atkinson, John Atkinson and an old familiar face Mike Covington – I didn’t know Mike had been at Wasserkuppe.  You’ll find John’s web page in the Our Friends at Other Outstations folder under Wasserkuppe.  Thanks John for your getting those photos for us to enjoy.  A TDYer to Schneeberg from Wobeck during the invasion, Kerry Musick sent a few photos of Wobeck in the late 60s – check out those antenna towers!  Likewise Terry’s photos can be found in the Our Friends at Other Outstations folders under Wobeck.

 Roger Vilmont spent a few hours recently scouring the web site and has helped add names to some of the faces.  He thinks we have some of his wedding reception pictures mis-labeled under Doug Yarns wedding pictures …… guess this will take some sorting out!  In any event I re-captioned some of the photos in Ken Pelfrey’s Scrapbook under Doug Yarns web pages.

 Several Yahoo Groups are now included to link to from the Det-K /Hoherbogen for the Rimbachvets Yahoo Group and under Rothwesten web page a link to the Rothwesten Yahoo Group.  The Det K web page now also contains a link to the Schonblick.

 I have been trying to get a response from the Field Station Augsburg web master to get permission to publish and link to a list of names of folks stationed at Augsburg and their outstations from Schneebergvetsorg.  To date I have not had any response so I am making the link and password protected file available through this update notification – you won’t find the link on the web site:

http://www.schneebergvets.org/directoryassistance/alphanames.htm

You will need:

User Name:  asa318th

Password:  detj

My updated Reunion 2004 plans for Germany can be found on the web site and hope some of you can attend the tour of a lifetime – just 52 days away!  http://www.schneebergvets.org//magicalmysterytour/magicalmysterytour.htm  Chris workman who lives in Tallahassee is interested in getting together somewhere in Florida perhaps at the same time I am in the Jacksonville area.  My plans put me in Jacksonville Friday July 16 through Tuesday July 20.  If there is any interest in getting together let me know who you are and where you would like to meet – I’ll try to coordinate a mini-reunion.

 To read about other details of the Hoherbogen Reunion 2004 visit:

http://www.rimbachvets.org and follow the links to the Forums web page.

I haven’t received any photos or news yet from the Bischofsgruen 2004 Easter Reunion …….  If anyone has some stuff they would like to send along let me know.  For those with time on your hands search the Internet for used M292 vans …. They are sometimes available through army surplus!

I apologize if I have missed anyone or forgot to include a correction to the web site … just let me know.

Take care and keep the friendships and memories alive.  Phil

 

April 4, 2004

Greetings Schneebergers, friends of Schneebergers, fellow ASA sympathizers and those interested in all things Schneeberg ….. It is time to make final decisions about any summer 2004 Reunions! I have made reservations which will take me to Hoherbogen, Schneeberg and Wobeck in late July 2004. My wife Anita and I plan to arrive in Munich July 22 and will return to the land of the round doorknobs Aug 2. BTW Although I live in Kansas I plan to leave from Jacksonville FL on the 21st …. long story … and return there on the 2nd. Perhaps there is some interest in having a mini reunion in FL? Let me know. In any event you can find my updated 2004 ASA Germany Outstation Survivors Tour itinerary on the web site at:

   http://www.schneebergvets.org//magicalmysterytour/magicalmysterytour.htm 

The Hoherbogen 2004 Reunion starts Thursday evening the 22nd of July. 

(So far more than a dozen "confirmed" reservations.)

Biancosino Ron
Burfete Jr. John J
Fuller Bruce
Hess Charlie
Hess Bleibach
Kelly Kevin
Lamb Bill
Lamb Chuck
Malek Ron
Menzie Jim
Miller Ed
OBrien Erick
Russell Charlie
Sampson Dave
Vaughan Dave
Ward Phil
Wetzel Phil
Witney William

We will be walking (or should I say "marching") in the Rimbach Bierfest Parade Friday evening – can’t wait to see those pictures!

To read about other details of the Hoherbogen Reunion 2004 visit:

  http://www.rimbachvets.org   and follow the links to the Forums web page.

I have made several updates to the web site:

Added to the Where we live today map:

Chris Workman SB 1965 – Tallahassee, FL

Nick Salvador SB 1975 – Oakley, CA

Ed Lamb SB 1960 – Knoxville, TN

Sandy Hoffman SB 1980 – Phoenix, AZ

El Jarvis SB 1968 - Milwaukee

Ed Yonkey SB 1964 has "checked in" but I don't have his location.

Also some "lost" Wobeckers:

Ben Wellington – Brookline, MA

Frank McGovern – Ririe, ID

Donnie "The Chief" Simpson, ?, OK

Us Guys and Gals web page now includes a photo of Roger Vilmont and wife Ute and a recent photo of Sandy Hoffman and her bunny Betsy.

As I was scanning some 35mm slides I ran across an old memory from a 1968 London trip which included a photo of Collie Leroy, Third World Warwick and John Schlintz …… had forgotten all about John. Perhaps we can locate him in the near future?

Still waiting for some additional photos from Guenther Weisse, but John Stevenson has sent photos of the old Wasserkuppe "listening post". BTW I am really interested if anyone happens to have a picture of the organ grinder and his monkey who made their fortune "performing" at the entrance to Fisherman’s Wharf in Monterey, CA in the 60s.

Speaking of Listening Posts …. Visit the new web page Sounds Familiar. There you will find some clear voice and encrypted Czech and Russian "voice intercept" and a link to a web page which lists military communications radio frequencies …. Hey you guys still close to the "border" how about getting out a good radio scanner and set up shop on Schneeberg!

Sorry I can’t make the Easter Reunion in Bischofsgruen this year but I’ll be there July 30 and 31st. I’ll be staying at:

Gaststatte Pension Wiesengrund

Frobershammer 5

95492 Bischofsgruen

I apologize if I have missed anyone or forgot to include a correction to the web site … just let me know. More to come after the Easter Reunion …..

Take care and keep the friendships and memories alive.  Phil

January 13, 2004

Greetings Schneebergers, friends of Schneebergers, fellow ASA sympathizers and those interested in all things Schneeberg ….. It is time to begin deciding about those 2004 Reunions! I have made reservations which will take me to Hoherbogen and Schneeberg in late July 2004 with a tour route which will include Wobeck, Herzogenaurach and maybe Prague. My wife Anita and I plan to arrive in Munich July 22 and will leave from there Aug 2. Russell Jolley plans to leave from Cleveland OH and make it to the Hoherbogen Reunion 2004 and then up to Schneeberg and beyond …… Bill Whiskeyman Schmidt indicates he will be following a very close trail. I see from the posts at Rimbachvets.org that David Roberts plans to also make the trip to the Hoherbogen Reunion. In any event you can find my updated 2004 ASA Germany Outstation Survivors Tour itinerary on the web site at:

http://www.schneebergvets.org//magicalmysterytour/magicalmysterytour.htm

My experience purchasing airfare has been that I get a better "deal" going through a travel agent. My travel agent just made contact with a tour group and got our tickets at the tour group price or pretty close to it … all I know is the exact same flights I got on-line were almost $300 cheaper a piece through the travel agent. Please let me know if you are considering making the trip. BTW Although I live in Kansas I plan to leave from Jacksonville FL on the 21st …. long story … and return there on the 2nd. Perhaps there is some interest in having a mini reunion in FL? Let me know.

I have made several updates to the web site:

Added to the Where we live today map –

Mike Carroll – Peoria IL

Bat Masterson – Lenexa KS – Bat and I got together last Friday evening…. Great memories

Bob Gouras – Snohomish WA

John Kelliher – Winter Haven FL

Jerry Nosanov – Laguana Nigel CA

Also added 3 new photos to the Guenther Weisse web page.

Take care and keep the friendships and memories alive. Phil

November 10, 2003

Greetings fellow Schneebergers, friends, ASA vets, sympathizers and comrades ….. I have been busy since Labor Day gathering a plethora, yes a plethora, of "stuff! Didn’t realize how much until I started putting it all together for this update of:

http://www.schneebergvets.org

Thanks to all who have contributed their photos memories and memorabilia for us to enjoy. Those folks include Brad Oberklaus (mid 70s), Harald Carl "Pit" Peters (also late 70s) and Joe Deegan (late ‘60s) … great photos guys. Brad has the only photo I have seen to date of Schneeberg at night – great picture Brad!-, and "Pit" has some great memories of Reissman’s in the 70s – yo! What’s this mod stuff on the wall? – and an American/German wurst party on The Hill. Joe has provided some great pictures of DLI, Monterey and the Crosby Pro-Am in addition to Schneeberg folks. Andy Augustine from Herzo Base in the mid 50s now has a link to his Reunion 2002 photos and web cam link to the web cam at Herzogenaurach. Thanks again. I am especially glad Dan McGraw and Charlie Cole challenged me to expand the web site to include such places as Wasserkuppe and Wobeck – the Wobeck stuff includes some interesting stories. This has led me on a journey I had not expected and along the way I have encountered some great folks to include Mike Grube the web master for http://www.lostplaces.de , a great tribute to preserving the cold war artifacts in Germany, and some great Wobeckers Bill Mielke and Archie Brewer to name a few ….. So you will find links to all these photos on the web site. I have included a new page which is a pictorial essay of the many listening post in Germany – check it out and it will provide a prospective which will "blow your mind" as they say ….. I have updated the "wall of fame" on the Photogallery web page to include about 30 more vets. The "Where we live today" also has been updated to include the Mahring gang among others. Recently I heard from David Roberts (Everett WA) and Paul Colomb (Laurel MD) – welcome aboard!

Recent reunions have included some folks from Mahring so check out their web page. Speaking of reunions I have added a page about my ASA Outstation Germany Survivors Tour 2004 – be there or be square!

If I have forgotten anyone or need to make any corrections to the web site please let me know. Gotta go and get ready for the Holidays!

Phil Ward

Keep the friendships and memories alive ….

September 2, 2003

Greeeting fellow Schnebergers, friends, sympathizers and fellow ASA survivors.  Did you know the C&W singer Johnny Cash was a Russian Morse Code intercept operator during the Korean War?  Go figure …. Oh well, the “dog days of summer” are over and I have made some changes to the http://www.schneebergvets.org web site.  First of all I have consolidated the menus into broader categories and reorganized the sub categories .. or at least I hope that has happened!  Please let me know if the menus do not work.  Bill Evans has provided a copy of TDY orders to Schneeberg in 1959 – check it out and see if you are on those orders.  Other additions to the web site include photos from Mark Arnold from the early 60s.  Thanks Mark for providing a photo which documents the building of the German tower.  Joe Deegan has provided photos from the late 60s featuring the Club in its new appearance since earlier times.  Carl Peters has sent a couple of photos to start off his collection of the mid 70s.  Carl visited Schneeberg and Bischofsgruen this summer and reports he had a great time.  Speaking of mini-reunions Al Murdock sent several photos of the mini-reunion at Roeslau and a really great “glass of beer”!  Tim Seaman from Herzo (84-86) now has a link on our web pages so that you can visit his Herzo Base photo album – enjoy.  For a real “kick” visit the Mt. Meissner web page which includes, get this, photos inside the operations building and intercept equipment near and dear to some of us – nothing classified but what a “hoot”!  I have also created a Wobeck web page and hope to get some photos to put on the site in the near future – right now the only photo is one of a German newspaper article describing Wobeck’s last minutes.  Of particular interest is a picture of the Wobeck Reunion 1989 in Washington DC – if only someone could find the photo …. Mine got lost somewhere between Las Vegas and Kansas City!  Dan McGraw has suggested I set up a web page for the Wasserkuppe “gang” – so I did..  Also a web page has been created for just general “stuff” as I had nowhere to put just “stuff”.

During July and August I was on a mission to find "lost" Wobeck and Schneeberg veterans.  I was fairly successful as you will notice and some have found us.  Added to the “Where we live today USA map” are:

Mark Arnold – Ft. Belvoir VA

Fred O’Dwyer – Kansas City MO

Dan Franks – Nashville TN

Bob McCargar – Berkley CA

Oran Kangas – Fort Bragg CA

Bill Tilton – Kingman AZ

Wayne Gerth – San Diego CA

Richard Stettenbenz – Greenwich (Contact me for details.) CT

Kerry Musick – Gray TN

Frank Bobbitt – Raleigh NC

Marsden Burger – Detroit MI

Dennis Savage – Gretna NE

Gariel Burchette – Atlanta GA

William Reed – Knoxville TN

Mike Convington – St. Petersburg ? (Contact me for details.) FL

Mike Fitzgerald – Las Vegas NV

George Beasley – Clinton MD

Delver Furlong - ? (Will include location later)

Sue "Combat" Clayton - Friendship TX

I hope I have not forgotten anyone so let me know if I have made any errors or need to fix something.

As some of you know I am planning an ASA Outstation Germany Survivors Tour 2004 for late July 2004 to coincide with the reunion in Rimbach/Hoherbogen.  I will be sending out a separate update notice when I get a web page up and running to help folks keep up with the latest news about the “tour”- tentatively planned for Wobeck, Herzo, Schneeberg, Prague and Rimbach.  If you are interested contact me and also keep up to date by visiting http://www.rimbachvets.org and signing on to their forum for Reunion 2004.  Whew …… this has been a great summer.  Hope all is well with you and yours.

Later  Phil

 

June 8, 2003

Greetings fellow Schneeberg “survivors”, friends and ASA comrades.  Another year has passed and the Reunion2003 event in Bischofsgruen was well attended.  See the Reunion 2003 folder for photos.  Also in May David “Brownie” Brown, Fritz (Moleman) Foltz and George (Possum) Graves met in Louisville Kentucky for a mini-reunion.  Visit Brownie’s “Schneebergstube” and “Underground” at the Reunion 2003 folder.  John Burfete and Dave Vaughan are trying to identify all the buildings on Herzo Base in the mid 60s.  Help them out and visit the Herzo “stuff” web page where you can find a site map of the base from the 60s.  Speaking of Herzo Base Tim Seaman recently visited Schneebergvets.org and would like to hear from folks who might remember him from Herzo – I have included a link to his photo album of Herzo in the Herzo “stuff” folder.  Tim Reidy asked to have a link put on our web site to USASAFS Rothwesten …. Go to the ASA links folder and visit Rothwesten!

 Very interesting ….. received an e-mail from Rainer Peter who is a Lt.C in the Bundeswehr and lives near Baumholder/Spangdahlem/Ramstein who would like to hear from anyone who could provide him with a general recollection of the Czech invasion by the Russians in 1968 for an article he is writing.  You can contact him at  rainerpeter@gmx.de

Tom Ellis has provided a great collection of photos from the late 60s (see Tom’s folder) and challenges all his fellow survivors to get their memorabilia together for the web site and hopes to locate many of his lost friends from Schneeberg.

Mark Arnold a Schneeberg survivor from the early 60s checked-in and hopes to find some pictures from the early 60s for the web site.  We could use some of that history!

Carl Peters from the mid 70s found the web site the week before he was scheduled to go across the big pond to Germany.  He plans to take many pictures and also try to locate others from his era for photos and memories of Schneeberg in the late 70s.  We look forward to filling the 70s and beyond gap.

Last but not least I have updated the map locator file:

Added:            Harald “Pit”/”Carl” Peters – Williamstown, NJ

                        John Brophy – Framingham, MA

                        Warren “Rusty” Coffman – Middle River, Maryland

                        Philip Astwood – Newberry, SC

                        Sandra (Johnson) Aultman – Powderly, TX

                        Stephanie Seitz – Redlands, CA

I think that is about it for this update … hope I haven’t left anyone or anything out but don’t hesitate to let me know if there are further updates or corrections I need to make. 

Once again ….. OK all you guys and gals out there get that old shoebox out of the attic and share your memorabilia with us (many have promised but somehow just haven’t gotten around to it.) …. We are especially looking for “stuff” from the early 60s, 70s and 80s.

Thanks again for allowing me to keep your Schneeberg memories alive …

Phil Ward your Det J web meister ...... and an old Cz intercept op!

April 9, 2003

Our prayers are with those and their families who have lost their loved ones, and those missing in action or POWs in Operation Iraqi Freedom.  God bless America.

Thanks to Dave “Brownie” Brown for sharing his memories.  He has included a variety of pictures from the surrounding Bischofsgruen area and added a few new faces to remember such as Fran Tarr.  Of special interest is the “Gypsy Mill” and “Girls from Scotland” collection.  Several new photos have surfaced from Danny McGraw that has been updated on his web page.  Two links to web sites for DLI alumni associations are now included on the “links” page and several additional web cam web sites of the Bischofsgruen area have been added to the “Bisch Web Cams” page. 

The “Where we live today” folder has been updated to add:

Bill Knowles – Wallingford, PA

Bob Isselhard – Hobbs, NM - Bob has a message on the Det J Bulletin Board ... check it out! ... and own up to who painted the telephone pole outside the mess hall bright pink in protest of the ASA BS!!!!

Dave Bofenkamp – Cherokee, IA

Bob “Lurch” Miske – Sheyboygan, WI

If anyone would like his or her location added to the map just let me know.  I have many e-mail addresses for folks but not all include a city and state location.  Just e-mail me and put in the subject line “maplocator”.

A new web page has been created called “The Photogallery” which contains a portrait snapshot of each individual found on the web site.  I think this will help in identifying folks in addition to bringing back the names of others – check it out.  Please don’t be offended if I missed you, as I have had to go through a lot of photos to gets these “portraits”.  Just let me know where your photo can be found and I will add it to the collection.  Once again send me an e-mail and put in the subject line "photogallery".

Have some fun with the three new secret agents …. “On maneuvers in the Cabin” is a classic!

Oh yes and The Phantom strikes again with a poem ... visit the Poem folder and sing along to the tune of "It ain't no use to wonder why .... tread"!

OK all you guys and gals out there get that old shoebox out of the attic and share your memorabilia with us (many have promised but some just haven’t gotten around to it.) …. We are especially looking for “stuff” from the 70s and 80s and early 60s.

Thanks again for allowing me to keep your Schneeberg memories alive …

Phil Ward your Det J web meister ......

February 2, 2003

The  http://www.schneebergvets.org  web site has been updated.  Thanks to Danny McGraw we have added some really nice photos of the Bischofsgruen and Wunsiedel area …. just driving around.  Russell Jolley and Bob Muckridge photos have surfaced in Danny’s collection and then there are several Det J survivors we can’t identify.  Visit Danny’s photo collection for some 60s nostalgia.  I’ve added a link to several Internet search engines if you want to use them – Google and Allthe web.  I have a copy of Vern’s ASA database (26,000 records) as of Jan. 26, 2003 that I have converted into an Excel spreadsheet.  If anyone would like a copy of it let me know and I’ll zip it to you.  The “Where we live today” folder has been updated to:

Added Charlie Cole – Cleveleand Ohio area – Charlie was a Russian “mary” at Wobech but knows a number of us Schneebergers.  Charlie also returned to DLI as a Russian instructor and has since retired …

Moved Art McMaster to Gainesville Florida

Added Bill Lundquest – Stuyvesant NY

Added John Burfete Jr – Bryn Mawr PA

Added Lou McCarty – Norcross Georgia

Added John Durkay – San Angelo TX

OK all you guys and gals out there get that old shoebox out of the attic and share your memorabilia with us …. We are especially looking for “stuff” from the 70s and 80s.

Lets keep the Columbia Astronauts and their loved ones in our prayers.

Thanks again for allowing me to keep your Schneeberg memories alive to enjoy …

Phil Ward your  Det J web meister ......

 

Date:  August 26, 2002:

Whew! I've been busy. Our web site adventure continues at:

Updated the "Where we live today" folder to include:

Pete "Yankee Papa" Young at Camano Island, WA

Rick Wheeler at Lake Ridge, VA

Dick Hanson at Grass Valley, CA

Dave "Collie Leroy" Leighow at Olympia, WA

moved Jim Lytton to Reno, NV

moved Steve Thomas "closer" to Toronto, Canada he says I had him in the armpit of Toronto.....

I'll add Gary Rogers when I know where he lives in CA

Added three "secret agents" ... hey the guy on the bike is a blast! Dick Routt sent 4 additional photos from the mini reunion in Columbus Ohio in August, go to the "Reunion 2002" folder. Also, Bill "Whiskey Man" Schmidt sent along a few more photos of the mini reunion in Germany they had in March 2002 - go to the "Reunion 2002" folder. Added in the "Guys and Gals Today" folder photos of Doug Jeansonne and wife Evi when they were in Singapore, Dick Routt and his son and grandson and Dave "Collie Leroy" Leighow and his wife Barbi. Added a new folder for Dave "Collie Leroy" Leighow for photos of DLI, Herzo, Schneeberg and Hoher Bogen ... also learn the reason for the nickname Collie Leroy - go to the folder Dave "Collie Leroy" Leighow. Several new vets appear in those pictures such as ? Anderson, "Red" Stetenbenz (sp) and ? Laffin and ? Masterson (no photo). I have been working on improving my "meta" tags on the web pages so that we will be more easily found by Internet search engines which should help folks find us. Please remember NOT to click on the link below or it will delete your name from the e-mail database used to send these update notices. Later Phil ... enjoy

Date:  May 24. 2002:

Updated site to add 16 new photos from Dan Vellekoop …. Great pics Dan!  For those of you who never made it to the top of the Oschenkoph ski jump (not for the faint of heart) Dan has a great photo shot of that experience!   For those of you who have forgotten what to do when you encounter a Soviet Military Liaison Mission we have those instructions!  Also I have added a new feature to the site, which will allow you to download a Det J screen saver.  Try it you might like it or let me know if you would like me to make a "custom screen saver" for you.  Have a safe and enjoyable Memorial Day holiday …. I’ll be traveling to Western Kansas to meet with the "outlaws".  Later Phil

Date:  April 19, 2002

Just a minor update ….. Finished the Reunion 2002 folder with a final article from the Kurier. Will update the Reunion 2002 folder when I get photos from others who made the pilgrimage. Started a folder for Dan Vellekoop ('69) with one photo. Dan has quite a few pictures to send along ….. hope the Schneeberg Fire Department VW is an indication of what to expect!!! Later Phil Ward

 

Date: March 23, 2002

Here’s the latest update to http://www.schneebergvets.org ……. Thanks to Ray Croel we now have additional photos from ‘58/’59 of Schneeberg. Also thanks to Ray, Bill Evans and Paul Miller for sharing some interesting facts and "fiction" about life on The Hill! Jim Rooks provided some very interesting memorabilia from his "tour of duty". Included in his web pages is the three-part article he wrote for the Herzo Monitor in March 1969 of his climb of the Matterhorn (a "real schneeberg!) – check this out as it is a great tale; also, links to a Zermatt web cam and a 360 degree panorama of the Matterhorn are provided! Two new "secret agents" have been added …... hint Ray and "Danny". For those of you who want to know "just how many days left until the next reunion" a count down counter has been provided on the main page. Dan Mcgraw has been in touch with Doug Jeansonne and Doug will be providing some of his pictures at a later date …. Right now two photos have been provided on his web page – actually his daughter Kristina plans to get some of "dad’s" stuff together and send it along as Doug is technology challenged (what!, the visionary who brought Cajun wurst to the Club in the 60’s is techno phobic?). Brad Oberklaus has provided a photo of his family and notes that his son BJ will be a second-generation 98G who will graduate in August 2003 from DLI where he is studying Mandarin Chinese. Remember next weekend (Easter Saturday) Ed and the gang will make the annual trek up Schneeberg …… I hope to get the gang’s Bisch web cam photo captured. Later ….. until next time when I will update the web site with the Reunion 2002 photos.   Phil

 

Date: February 10, 2002

Hello, the web site has been updated.  Not many changes to the content as I have rewritten the menus and to allow for selecting the type of music file based on the speed of your connection and preference.  There is a photo I have put in a “help identify folder” which I got from the Wobeck web site.  The photo was taken (we think) by Scott Becht when Det J reopened.  Any help would be appreciated.  I am trying to get more “stuff” from the late 70s and 80s so any contacts would be helpful.  Let me know if the new menus don’t work for you or if there are links which do not work – it’s been a long weekend and I may have missed getting it “all back together”.  Hope you enjoy the new “enter Det J” web page … the snow was fun to make!!!!  Later.  Phil Ward

 

 

Date:  January 18, 2002

The home page has changed with the addition of about a dozen new "secret agents". Let's see if you know some of these folks and have some fun.  Dave "Ben" Berger photos h