COLD WAR OUTPOST History Group
Cold war Germany
Last updated 6.6.23
Major American Combat Units in West Germany
11th Armored Cavalry Regiment Fulda -Down Barracks
Following its service in Vietnam, the 11th Armored cavalry Regiment would make it return to Germany in May of 1972. Replacing the 14th Armored Calvary Regiment, and would assume the mission of surveillance and reconnaissance of the 385 kilometers of the East and West German border.Would defend the Fulda gap from a Soviet invasion of West Germany.
It's regimental headquarters was in Fulda with subordinate units located in Bad Hersfeld and Bad Kissingen.
2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment- Nurnburg- Merrell Barracks
After returning to the US in 1955, 2nd ACR would return to Germany in 1958 and would remain in Germany for 33 years: Their regimental HQ would be in Nurnburg subordinate units were located in
Feucht, Bindlach, Amberg, and Bamberg.
Throughout this period, the 2nd Cavalry was responsible for reconnoitering and providing border security along 731 kilometers of the Iron Curtain; 375 km along with West German-East German border, and 365 km along the West German-Czechoslovak border.[5] In 1978, M Troop, of 3rd Squadron, was selected to represent the US in the 1979 Canadian Army Trophy (CAT), finishing 4th – the first time the US entrant had not placed last. In 1989, the Iron Curtain was lifted, and the regiment halted their border security missions on 1 March 1990.[
1st Armored Division - Ansbach
As part of the US Army's Post -Vietnam Reorganization in 1971, The 1st Armored Division was to be moved to West Germany, upon their arrival in they would replace the 4th Armored Divison in the Bavarian city of Ansbach.The Division headquarters would remained in Ansbach, with brigade units in the neighboring towns of Bamberg, Illesheim, Fürth (Nuremberg), Schwabach, Katterbach, Crailsheim, Erlangen and Zirndorf for the next twenty years, as part of VII Corps, itself part of NATO's Central Army Group.
2nd Armored Division (Forward)- Garlstedt
In 1975, the US Army 2nd Armored Division's third brigade, would forward deploy to West Germany.Where they were assigned to (NORTHAG) NATO Northern Army Group
and was reflagged as the 2nd Armored Division (Forward). The unit's primary mission in case of conflict with the Warsaw Pact was to either secure airfields and staging areas for the deployment of III Corps from the United States, or to deploy directly to the Inter-German Border (IGB) and establish a blocking position as part of a NATO combat force.