My wife and I were stationed in Illesheim from August 1977 to August 1980 with 1/13 Armor, HHC, Support Platoon. Our youngest son was born in 1978 in Furth Army Hospital in Nurnberg. Greatly enjoyed the Post and the local as our first 2 yrs were spent “On the economy” in an apartment in Markt Bergal while our 3rd year we lived in On Post Housing. Good memories!
We were there same time. Doc Binkley, here, 6/6 CAV, 2/159, HHT/C Medical Section. Damn. My first daughter was born in Bad Windsheim. Wow. What a service, you posting this, brother. Thank you.
Pretty cool video, crazy how much has changed. Was there from Jan. 1989 to July 1991 with A company 7-159th as a Black Hawk mechanic. Had the pleasure of going back three times in the early 90’s when I worked for the California Army National Guard. Was my first duty station and had the best times riding motorcycles in Germany.
Thank you for the walk down memory lane. We were with the 2/159 from 09-13. The CYS was the child care building they had built right before we left. So sad to see no families there anymore. Was the best place we were stationed.
Thank you for sharing! Some of the best years of my life were spent here. I was there from 85-92 C Co 501st Aviation Battalion Combat (ABC), then B Co 10TH Attack Helicopter Battalion, and finally A Co 7/159th Avn Battalion. The "BOSS" building behind the Theatre was the Class VI store, the Rugby hangout was the Stars and Stripes Bookstore. The headquarters down on the right side was our Company/Battalion headquarters and barracks. If I remember correctly the "Longbow Lounge" was the Officer's Lounge. The current "Shopette" was just a gas station and the former "Shopette" was located in the same building with the PX and Cafeteria. The current back gate to the Banhoff was our front/main gate and the current front gate was the back gate that was really only used when rolling out to the field. The 1/13th Tankers, 1/6th Infantry, and the 123rd support battalion left before 2/6 CAV arrived back in the late 80s. The trains would come all the way down past our barracks and our hanger, so the tankers and infantry could load their equipment for REFORGER, Graf, Hohenfels, etc.... Good times!! ~Ron
The front/main gate was the same when I first got there. While I was deployed from 07-08, they changed the main entrance to the rear gate, if memory serves me correctly.
@@midwesttraveler2485 yeah I wasn't sure when they moved gates. We try and go back yearly or every other year to visit my wife's family and then we always take the train to Rothenburg and it stops there in Illesheim. Always brings back memories. I don't recall ever seeing the trains again after the Tankers and Infantry left for Vilseck back in the late 80s. Maybe we had trains there when we were deploying for the first Gulf War, but that all seems like a blur so it's possible the trains were there to load the trucks and containers before heading to the ports. Again many thanks for sharing this! Take care! ~Ron
Really neat video and very interesting reply. I was also stationed at Stork Barracks from 1985-1988 with C/501st ABC (commanded by MAJ Sumner) and later, after a FORCEMOD, the 10th AHB, a J-series battalion (commanded by LTC Latella). We were still equipped with AH-1s, OH-58s and UH-1s. At the time, we were the only aviation unit on a post with 1st Brigade 1AD as the senior mission command. Shared the post with 1-6 Infantry, 1-13 Armor and 1-37 Armor. Watched the first AH-64s land in 1987 after their CATB training at Fort Hood (Cavazos). Returned again from 1992-1995 in A Co., 7-159th Aviation. You are exactly right about the original purposes for the buildings. Underneath the bowling alley/Four Seasons part of the exchange was the education center, MOS Library and the cleaners. The dispensary was down by the housing area near the school. The Child Development Center was the old NCO/Enlisted Club and the Longbow Lounge was the old Officers Club. And the Command Sergeants Major had housing outside of the gate on the road to the Illesheim Bahnhof. Remember the goat rope when a train would bring the armor units back from Hohenfels or Grafenwoehr? The cars parked in front of our hanger would get moved by a 10K forklift if they could not find the owner. Oddly enough, I played rugby on that field in 1993 but it was strictly an intramural sport in those days. Did they rename the gym for Don Bunch (LOL)?
If you're on Facebook, there is a page called "I was in Illesheim Germany." Someone posted a couple of days ago about going back with her family and wanting to see the base. Some people on there offered to sign her and her family on. That might be an option for you.
My dad was stationed there in the early 80s. I went to that school for 3yrs. We stayed in building A. I some good times there. I miss goi g to Nurenburg zoo. And touring Europe. Good times in my life. Thanks!
My daughter shared your video with me a few minutes ago. Thank you for creating it. It was a wonderful walk down memory lane for me as well. I arrived at Storck Barracks with 6-6 Cav in 1990. I departed in 1997 from 7-159 Avn upon my retirement. Without a doubt, Illesheim was the most enjoyable duty station of my career. My son and daughter did much of their growing up there and hold many fond memories from that time. From a military standpoint, there was a great deal of history and accomplishment deployed from that airfield. Again, thank you!
I used to work for Pond´s Security down in Illesheim from 2008 until 2017. It was such a shame when they moved all the families to Ansbach or Grafenwöhr and closed one facility after another. It´s like a ghost town now. I really liked to work with the soldiers and the family members and it was great to talk to them. Not only on post also in this 1001 night Bar in Bad Windsheim so we were not just uniform to them. And when they had a fast car they knew what to do :-) Give me some revs!!!! But i messed up The PT Test and i left Pond in Sep. 2017. I missed that time with nice people and great Colleagues.
Man how ‘ shiem has changed…. 1973-1979 CSC 4-35 / 1-13 Armor ….Redeye , GSR radar, Mortar plt. Great times n lonely times! My older brother was here same time in 1-6 Inf. Bittersweet seeing this…. visited in 2004 and met two guys I served with that stayed here with Married German wives, 19 years old in 72 then n now 71 years old… 😮 those were great times
Lived there 1962-64. My dad was a CWO, he flew H34s and H37s..90th Avation Batallion....we used to go in the tunnels beneath the base and came out in the tank yard once. Found WW2 German gear in the area ( rusty helmets, gas mask etc.) There was always a rumor amongst us kids that there were boobytrapped caves in the surrounding hills with Luftwaffe aircraft still in them. My older brother saw some Migs flying over those hills once.
Thanks for the video me and my family was there from 2005-2008, great duty station everyone took care of everyone and the train station was right outside the gate!
I was a toddler there in 1982. Great to see the first floor balconies I crawled under and the playgrounds. Wish I could see it all covered in snow again.
The Rugby Club building was the Stars & Stripes Bookstore when I was stationed there from 90 to 95. It might have closed and became something else during that time, but I can’t remember. We ordered our books for some of the college courses at that store
Good video. I was stationed there 1971-74. I was in the 1st Armored Division 4/35. Iron Horseman Battalion. The post has really changed. Would like to go back and see it again some day. Kind of sad to see it not being used any more. I had some good times there.
Thanks for this Video. Unbelievable how that Place has changed. I was stationed there from 1976 to 1979. It was great to see the Gym where I use to work. Also the old Building where ACS was located. I worked there too. On the Main Gate I worked with the UPS for 6 Months too. Had to share this Video with an old Friend that was an MP at the Time we were there. Sure miss those Day's😥
Funny coincidence, I was stationed there the same time you were, but I was with 412th ASB. Literally got there just weeks after 7/159th reflagged. Ended up being moved to Katterbach after the Iraq deployment, though, so I wasn't on Illesheim when I ETS'd in 2009.
@@midwesttraveler2485 Did you happen to swing by Shipton or Urlas? When they moved most of 412th to Katterbach, they didn't actually have barracks available for everyone, so we lived in Shipton and drove up to Katterbach.
I was stuck there for about 2months and i was in this hospital/barracks area. By myself 🤐 needless to say it was scary. I had doors close on their own and stuff pull my leg while I'm sleeping.
Man I'm watching the video now and this brings back memories. I was stationed there Dec 03 to June 07. Did you take the boss trip to Spain with us in, I think it was late 06.
No, I was married. My wife was the BN supply sergeant. I got there right as they were transitionimg from 11th Reg. My first 6 months there, we wore 3 different patches because they didn't know who we flll under.
@midwesttraveler2485 I'm just trying to figure it out. They really didn't say much back then when units were moving. I went from 11th avn, switched to 2-6, come back from downrange and now we're 3-159th arb
