Jump to content
Free downloads from TNA ×
The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Recommended Posts

Egbert,

Thanks for posting those images. The spires of the cathederal of Cologne were the first recognizable landmark in Germany my father saw when he entered combat as a soldier in the U.S. Army in 1945. A few days later his division crossed the Rhine at Remagen and was involved in the Ruhr Pocket campaign. I enjoyed spending a weekend in Cologne when I was stationed in Giessen in 1978-1981.

Pete Eisen

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here is an addendum to the first series of pics with respect to wreath laying. I found a picture of the actual ceremony when the Chief of Staff German Air Force honors the dead

post-80-1163185161.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here is an addendum to the first series of pics with respect to wreath laying. I found a picture of the actual ceremony when the Chief of Staff German Air Force honors the dead

Egbert !

I think I met that man a few years ago in New Mexico !

Luftwaffe activates training center at Holloman

"The German Air Force Flying Training Center was officially activated at Holloman AFB on March 31. Presiding over the ceremonies was Gen. Michael E. Ryan, U.S. Air Force chief of staff and Lt. Gen. Rolf H. Portz, German air force chief of staff. The flying training center was established here in May 1996 as a tactical training center. At that time, there were about 325 German military people and 12 Tornado aircraft assigned. At present, there are about 600 German military people and 25 Tornadoes here. Those numbers will continue to grow until the end of 2001 when there will be approximately 750 German military personnel, 125 civilian employees and 42 Tornadoes.

German aircrew training for the F-4F Phantom II and Tornado is now centralized here. German aircrew members come here from undergraduate pilot training at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, and Joint Service Undergraduate Navigator Training at Pensacola Naval Air Station, Fla. Fighter weapons instructor courses for both aircraft are also taught here, along with advanced tactics training for Tornado aircrews.

Portz said, "This day is another significant landmark in the outstanding bilateral military cooperation between the United States and the Federal Republic of Germany since the founding of the Bundeswoehr. We are proud that once more, it is the U.S. Air Force and the German air force from whom this positive impetus flows." As part of the ceremony Portz presented Ryan the Knight Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany. Ryan received the decoration in honor of his support to the German military as both Allied Air Forces Central Europe (and U.S. Air Forces in Europe) commander and as the chief of staff."

Annie :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Chiefs of staff do indeed come and go, but they can cause a lot of trouble while they're in office!

Oh boy Pete !! ..... did you have one like that too ??? :rolleyes:

Sorry Egbert ...... I forgot it's 10 years ago - isn't it ??!! .............. time flies !! :):)

Annie

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Annie,

My attempt to respond led to a three-hour shutdown of my Internet connection ("The line is busy.") Best I keep my mouth shut about DoD things.

Pete

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Annie,

My attempt to respond led to a three-hour shutdown of my Internet connection ("The line is busy.") Best I keep my mouth shut about DoD things.

Pete

Pete ........... I won't mention it again ........ promise !! :ph34r:

Hope things are back on track !! ................ !!

Annie :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanx guys for your recent comments!!!

I see the well known "clients" who usually participate in the "enemy" threads.

Egbert...

I am Canadian, who were WWI allied of the British. Pick any post about the Canadians on this forum, you will see that 90% or more of the responses, "interest", "participation" are from Canadians or others participating in the Canadian forum CEFSG: Borden Battery, R. Laughton, Canadawwi, to pick a few. And me sometimes. Very few such "Canadian" threads will run behond 5 replies... Most of these are about a particular soldier, not a discussion about Canada's (significant) role. It is normal.

It has nothing to do with "allied" or "enemy" threads. This is a forum where the vast majority of people are from Britain, or with British interests and ties. Period. As simple as that.

If you go on a French forum, you will see that "enemy", even "allied", threads are near inexistant. And I must admit that the same is true of the Canadian CEFSG forum.

It is a (human) shortcoming, but I am far from convinced it can be laid at the door of "enemy" threads: for most of us, like for the germans who tend the cemetery that you focused in this thread, the "war" ended a long time ago. For the majority of us, there is no more "enemy", just (maybe too narrow) areas of curiosity, interest.

Written with regards,

Pascal

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Pascal you are correct with all your statements. Anyway welcome HM Canadian citizen :lol:

What i meant is: there is a tiny small Brit community here on GWF that actually really is interested in the hunnish matters -right Owen D? :D

Sherree and for all of you :

I will post later during the month some Then and Now pics of Wahn. But the leaves have to go completely in order to get the right today's view

Link to comment
Share on other sites

there is a tiny small Brit community here on GWF that actually really is interested in the hunnish matters

Personally, I've never understood how anyone can study the history of the Great War without taking account of the German side. Perhaps it's possible if your focus is primarily on family history or local regiment history, but in order to understand the dynamics of the wider conflict, you need to be aware of what was happening in Germany and in the German lines.

Mick

Link to comment
Share on other sites

One could make a strong argument that in each of the world wars the Germans had the most tactically and operationally professional army. However, going to war with most of the rest of the world was a strategic blunder of epic proportions.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I will post later during the month some Then and Now pics of Wahn. But the leaves have to go completely in order to get the right today's view

Egbert, I will be looking forward to seeing more of your pics. I wish I had seen this thread earlier, it is very informative and the photos are great. Thanks for sharing.

Cheers, Diane

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
Egbert, I will be looking forward to seeing more of your pics. I wish I had seen this thread earlier, it is very informative and the photos are great. Thanks for sharing.

Cheers, Diane

I served at RAF Wahn for about 18 months from 1951. I worked closely with German employees on an equal basis. I cannot recall any animosity. I had two german civilians working with me in my lorry (I was an RAF transport driver) It never occurred to me to ask my 'freinds' about their part in the recent hostilities. In particular, I found the Rhinelanders extremely pleasant and accomodating. Therefore, it does not surprise me that the people associated within Wahn have shown care and respect for their guests (the war-dead). Many of us could benefit from the example they have shown to us. It is good to see that Egbert is receiving the plaudits from members, which he so rightfully deserves. I salute him for his contrbutions on my own behalf. His pictures have brought back to me memories of my life as a basic airman, as a young man serving in what was technically a force of occupation. I have an uncle of WWI, who died as a POW in Germany -31 Oct.1918, that was a mere two weeks before the Armistice. From Egbert's efforts, I can feel sure that my uncle Tom has been treated with dignity. Thank you Egbert, Southern Geordie.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I surely will not forget and will take more pics in connection with Then&Now subject; but it will take some 2-3 weeks as I am on TDY.

Stand By for more Wahn-sinn

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
I served at RAF Wahn for about 18 months from 1951.

Nothing WW1 but I could not resist:

Sothern Geordie 1952 R.A.F. Wahn, Motor Section, Then:

post-80-1166809510.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...