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Thanks, Robo McDuff. Looking up the link to the web page for the museum, I learned something I never knew: the POMCUS (military materiel storage sites in Europe).
Ahab,Thanks, Robo McDuff. Looking up the link to the web page for the museum, I learned something I never knew: the POMCUS (military materiel storage sites in Europe).
I was a Cold War USN Seabee, and the mission of our unit here Stateside was modified for the Cold War situation. Instead of conventional harbor and facility construction, our mission was revised to Rapid Runway Repair. We knew we were headed to Europe if Stuff-Hit-The-Fan, but no one ever thought to share with us just how the whole plan was going to un-fold (Situation Normal). I can hear the self-confident conversations of Command now:
- "Your common everyday Seabee doesn't need to know the details, we'll tell them the program when it all goes Nuclear. That's a good plan. Sure, that will work!"
From the brief little summary of your museum website, now I know more about the whole intended picture. Thanks!
If that "Swine Squad" is looking for any side-work, they might want to contact the Great State of Texas over here in the Good Old U.S. of A.The place was so big, that we had 3 hunters to keep the wild pig population down to a dull roar.
Ahab,
I wish I could take you on a "small" tour of the POMCUS just in the K-Town, (Kaiserlautern) area. Say in a 50-60 klick area. You would be stunned. I worked on a middle sized one in Meisau, in the K-Town area. You could get lost there easy. AND, of course, the Ammo storage area in Weilersbach. The largest ammo dump in Europe. It also held a world class Ammo repair and upgrade factory. We were not part of all this stuff, we were ADA Support. But had a corner of the post, for our operations. One could and did wander around in the POMCUS sites.
The Ammo dump was another thing else. No entrance without taking EVERYTHING out your pockets. ANY device that could make a spark was taken away. NO electrical tools allowed there. Hand tools or air tools. Sometimes the boys in the back forty had to "dispose" of things too unstable to move far. So they had a place to blow them up. We would be working away on gen sets, and then would come a rumble. The walls would shake a bit. Everyone stopped doing what they were doing, and waited for another rumble. Why? Because if a chain reaction was starting, people thought we just might have time to boogie. Ha, ha. The place was so big, that we had 3 hunters to keep the wild pig population down to a dull roar.
When the Army downsized, in the 90's and in 2004-2010, most POMCUS was closed. Now we are storing M1A1's on the Mahnnheim air field. Stupid, stupid, stupid. There was a program on a year or two ago, that showed how some POMCUS was being "Re utilized". Small bunkers were being turned into Large houses, or condos.
Great!. Better that, Than......Ahab,
I wish I could take you on a "small" tour of the POMCUS just in the K-Town, (Kaiserlautern) area. Say in a 50-60 klick area. You would be stunned. I worked on a middle sized one in Meisau, in the K-Town area. You could get lost there easy. AND, of course, the Ammo storage area in Weilersbach. The largest ammo dump in Europe. It also held a world class Ammo repair and upgrade factory. We were not part of all this stuff, we were ADA Support. But had a corner of the post, for our operations. One could and did wander around in the POMCUS sites.
The Ammo dump was another thing else. No entrance without taking EVERYTHING out your pockets. ANY device that could make a spark was taken away. NO electrical tools allowed there. Hand tools or air tools. Sometimes the boys in the back forty had to "dispose" of things too unstable to move far. So they had a place to blow them up. We would be working away on gen sets, and then would come a rumble. The walls would shake a bit. Everyone stopped doing what they were doing, and waited for another rumble. Why? Because if a chain reaction was starting, people thought we just might have time to boogie. Ha, ha. The place was so big, that we had 3 hunters to keep the wild pig population down to a dull roar.
When the Army downsized, in the 90's and in 2004-2010, most POMCUS was closed. Now we are storing M1A1's on the Mahnnheim air field. Stupid, stupid, stupid. There was a program on a year or two ago, that showed how some POMCUS was being "Re utilized". Small bunkers were being turned into Large houses, or condos.
Interesting stuff here, Robo McDuff, thanks!Now active again in Limburg: video of the reactivated POMS depot
Here's a video from the late great garage sale during the draw-down in the 90's. I know the Major they interviewed in the video. Long since retired from the Army but still serving as an instructor. He had some great stories of POMCUS disposal/retrograde and of being the officer in charge of the site in Seckenheim. Sounds like it was an interesting time to be stationed in Europe....When the Army downsized, in the 90's and in 2004-2010, most POMCUS was closed. Now we are storing M1A1's on the Mahnnheim air field. Stupid, stupid, stupid. There was a program on a year or two ago, that showed how some POMCUS was being "Re utilized". Small bunkers were being turned into Large houses, or condos.
In 2004, I went to fix some generator equipment and its trailers in K-Town, (Kaiserlauten). I needed some parts, and the folks there at the POMCUS site told an old guy to take me out to the back 40, and look around. We drove down one dirt and mud road after another, looking at equipment that had be "forgotten" by the whole world. Old Gasser trucks, M48 tanks and bridge layers and expndo vans that were ready to collapse. The best was an old 2.5 ton truck, had to have been 35-40 years old. Someone had removed the transmission. A fairly large tree was growing up thouuge the floor, and out the top of the cab. Sadly, I had no camera.Here's a video from the late great garage sale during the draw-down in the 90's. I know the Major they interviewed in the video. Long since retired from the Army but still serving as an instructor. He had some great stories of POMCUS disposal/retrograde and of being the officer in charge of the site in Seckenheim. Sounds like it was an interesting time to be stationed in Europe.
I was there in 2003-2006 and even then there were piles and piles of equipment stashed all over. Evidence of a massive US presence during the Cold War was still prevalent. I often wonder what kind of treasures were found when the posts I was at were given back to the Germans in 2015.
........ When I came back in with several items, this guy and his buddies were handing out horse shoes. The attic was full of horse shoes, and shoeing equipment.....
.......
Great stuff!Also, in our WW1 project, we came across mobile shoeing stuff also.
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