For the Men and Women that served with the 14th ACR and it's Supporting Units at Downs Barracks in Fulda, Germany 1956-62

This is your Web Site. This is where you can tell your story the way that you lived it. Regardless of what unit you were in at Downs Barracks we all worked together to help keep America safe. I am sure that everyone that was stationed there now realizes that it was a unique Duty Station. No where else in Europe was there such a vital area like the Fulda Gap. The men and women that were stationed there were envied by other soldiers serving in other parts Europe for to be in Fulda was to stand toe to toe with the Russian and East German Armies. As you Google the net you will find many comments from men stationed in other units in Europe during the Cold War.  As you read these comments in their guest books you will see the Fulda Gap mentioned again and again. There is a fascination with the Fulda Gap and the men and women that served there.  Of the Cavalry Units stationed on the East West German border only the 14th ACR Patrols and Listening Units could drive directly to the Border from their Kaserne. That was because of its close proximity of the Border.

The only other place in Europe that the opposing Armies were so close was in Berlin. 

So here we are almost 50 years later and our story has still not been told fully by us to those that wish to know including our families. There are many sites on the net about the 14th Armored Cavalry. Just Google it you can read for hours about the tactical mission of the 14th ACR with maps and photos of the border. There seems to be a hunger for a knowledge about the Fulda Gap. Don't sell it short because it was a special place and you were there.

But there is something missing and that is our personal stories. Ones like telling the ticket master at the Bahnhof that you wanted on the first train leaving Fulda and showing him how much money you had and ending up in the beautiful city of Hannover with Art Apodaca (APO) and then hitch hiking back to Fulda.

You have equally interesting stories that the readers about the Fulda Gap would like to hear. How else shall we get our store to these people without putting them on the internet. Do you have any photo's of our time in Fulda. Read the Account of Bob Steed's time in Fulda with the 15th Ordinance Co. for a close up of how it was living on the Economy.  Email them to us and we will put them up on the web site with the people names in the photo and the persons name that sent them to us.

New Years Part at EM Club with Rallis Georghakis                   Art Apodaca (APO) on left. Off-duty but still at work.     

Front row L to R Rodney Malo, Tasi Zavakos.              Click on photo's to enlarge

Vick Licciardello with waitress sitting on his lap

 Back row L to R Larry Stober, Rallis Georghakis

The stress level at Fulda was very high and I think it was especially so for the Officers. There were many places to relive the stress such as the EM Club, Gym, Bowling Alley, Library, Music room, and the USO Club. There were also some place off base such as the Cafe Hesse, UBoot, Mueller's Cafe, Hole in the Wall, Bahnhof Cafe, Tony's Bar across the street from the Kaserne, the Swimming Pool and park and who rembembers the name of the bar with the glass dance floor.

All joking a side Fulda was a beautiful town with great  and friendly people. How many times did you walk across the Dom Platz to get to town. Did you visit the Museum there?  The Stadthalle Park was a beautiful place with a nice pond where APO Apodaca lost his shoes. But that is another store.

Orangerei in Stadthalle Park            Frauenberg, Fulda                                Stadthalle Park

Write your store and send it to  catsauto@earthlink.net and I will see that it is put on this website. And you can rest assured that NO ONE is going to make a dime from your story at this website. I am doing this for you guys and that is all of it.

If you would like to be added to our email list of guys that were stationed in Fulda just drop me a email and let me know.

By this time you must realize that I am not a writer or a computer whiz. I am learning this as I go along with encouragement from APO Apodaca of C Co. and Rallis Georghakis of HQ Co.