Americans leave their hearts in Heidelberg [US Army leaving]

The Local (Germany) ^ | 4 Jun 13 11:08 CET

[Michael.SF.]

US Army's imminent withdrawal after 68 years.

Well, we did try to get there sooner, but had a few difficulties.

[andyk]

I left my heart in Wiesbaden. And K-town.

[andyk]

LOL!

[NVDave]

We should simply bring the troops home from Europe. Stop enriching the economy of Germany with our money and blood. They can pay for their own defense.

[EarlyBird]

Really too bad. I loved the Kris Kringle Mart there.

[twister881]

Lived in PHV during the mid-60s and attended PHES. Sister & brother went to HDHS. Good memories for a kid — walking to Eppelheim to buy gummi bears & sour sticks, visiting Schloss am Neckar and taking other field trips, many friends, all of us crammed into apartment living, serving as an acolyte at the base chapel, family dinners at the Fiedler Bauer (best wiener schnitzel and shoestring potatoes on planet Earth). Sad to see the end of an era.

[davius]

My parents were the first non-royal couple to be married in Heidelberg Castle. The Heidelberg Quartet played at their wedding and the only currency they would accept was a carton of American cigarettes. He was an Army Sgt. and she was a Red Cross nurse.

[bmwcyle]

ping

[twister881]

Oops — Fideler Bauer. Misspelled...

[Gil4]

Awesome story. What year were they married?

I remember visiting that castle at age 7 back in 1972. (It’s amazing how much I still remember from that trip - 3 weeks, seven countries.) I was able to go back and take my kids there a couple of times while I was stationed in Europe from 2001 - 2008. It is really a special place.

[twister881]

Cool story. Magnificent castle. In addition to our time in Heidelberg, my mom & dad stationed in Stuttgart ‘49-51 as part of the occupation forces. Before I was a gleam in dad’s eye. ;)

[dragnet2]

I hear they shut down Ray Barracks in Friedberg some years ago too..Not too far from Heidelberg...I recall some really strange times there...

I also spent some time working in Heidelberg and several other places around Germany/Europe...Lots of memories..

[righttackle44]

What a nice story. Thanks for telling it.

[davius]

'What year were they married?'

1946.

[GreyFriar]

Dragnet2 - 1st Bde, 1st Armd Div closed down Ray Barracks, Freidberg, in Sept 2007. I was by there and the Bad Nauheim housing area in 2008, grass was mowed but everything was locked up. The Bad Nauheim housing area was leveled and replaced with modern apartments in 2011. The leveling of the Friedberg housing area began last fall. There are 2 Facebook pages for Friedberg, one called Ray Barracks, the other is for 3rd Bde, 3rd Armd Div.

http://forgotten-frankfurt.blogspot.com/search/label/Ray%20Barracks

http://armykaserne.com/us/ray-barracks-friedberg/

See also this website for dozens of photos of the now former posts in Germany. http://www.armykaserne.com/kaserne_photo_page.htm

There is also another website for USAREUR posts and units but I’ll have to find it again.

[zot]

Thanks for the ping. This is the end of an era.

[dragnet2]

Check this out...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vh9t3Na37A

[conservative cat]

Mine is in Mainz. I have been back 3 times since they shut down, and every time I go back, the city is sadder. What memories I have of a wonderful time there. The markets, the shopping, the festivals... My parents met my dad’s first tour over there.

[andyk]

Nice! Mainz was my home base when I had my Eurail pass.