SUIVEZ MOI

14th ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT

DOWNS BARRACKS,  FULDA GERMANY

HOWITZER BATTERY

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Howitzer Battery was an important element of the 14th ACR. Faced with the overwhelming forces of the Warsaw Pack the Howitzer Batteries would allowed the 14th ARC to lay down a barrage of fire in the Fulda Gap to slow, frustrate, demoralize and kill the invading forces of the Warsaw Pack. They were to support the other line companies in delaying the Russian and Eastern European forces giving the 7th Army, V Corps, Armored Divisions, Infantry Divisions and Allied Forces in Europe time to deploy. 

Mostly we were young men enjoying life being stationed in Fulda, Germany but in a moments notice would have been turned into warring Cavalry Men if challenged by the Communist.

The following story is by Jim Decker

I believe that it was in 1959 that we were in the field at Wildflecken, Germany when it was decided that the 1st Platoon C Company along with a Tank  Platoon from Tank Company and Howitzer Company would put on a night firing exercise for the Troops in the field and those that were stationed at Wildflecken. The Tanks, Personal Carriers, Mortar Carriers, Howitzer's and Personal that would be giving the demonstration were on a hill and across the valley there were targets of 55 gallon drums of gasoline. The Platoon leader asked me to see if I could get a BAR to fire on full automatic as he knew that I had been on the Regimental Le Clerc Rifle Team. As I was lying there trying to repair the BAR I could hear the the tracks squeaking on a Self Propelled Howitzer that was about 15 feet away to my right. I looked over and saw that SP Howitzer creeping forward. In a flash it picked up speed and off from that hill it rolled with no one on board. As I heard it crashing through the trees my mind was on the stacks of 90mm, 105mm and various other munitions stack up on that hill. I don't know what ever stopped that SP Gun but to our luck it did not blow up and cause the ammo on the hill to explode. It was of course just another day in the life of a Cavalry Men.  

Thanks to Bruce Lantz for this photo

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