Patton Barracks, Heidelberg, Germany (May 2018)

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Patton Barracks, Heidelberg, Germany May 10, 2018. The city of Heidelberg is in the process of repurposing Patton Barracks to Heidelberg Innovation Park.
Music: "Green Leaves" and Solo Acoustic 3"

Ricky Smith

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Dear Rick,
I was at Patton Barracks today after my business meeting. The sun was shining today too, so it didn't look quite so bleak. I was stationed there as a dispatcher from 1985 and 1986 (AMF/CENTAG). It was exactly 40 years in January.... I like to think back to that time... Also because, as a member of the German armed forces, I had permission to shop in the 'PX' ;-)

dasipeno

Was there with my Parents. Pop was stationed there 1980/89, Attended the Middle School in PHV... Graduated from Heidelberg High School in 1987!! Loved it there!!! So many awesome memories!!! Miss those morning winter AFN radio school closings, would hit those mountains and slide down all day sledding!!

johny

i guess i am the old timer of the group.... stationed here 1967, 68, 69 with mos 32f20, fixed crypto repair. the comm center was at patton kasserne, a few miles away. incredible part of my life, more than 50 years ago. i would do it again if i could be young again. cheers to all who served....

richardungerbuehler

Wow, that made me tears eyed. We were there 2005-2008. We both worked at Patton Barracks

marypatbegin-ortiz

I was stationed there with the USAREUR and Seventh Army Soldiers Chorus, 1979-1981. Some of the best days of my life.

brfinleyjr

I was stationed there with the USAREUR and Seventh Army Soldiers Chorus 1970-71. Definitely one of the most interesting times of my life. Went back with my wife in 2013 and was sad to see the buildings and grounds in such disrepair. I hope the site can be saved and repurposed for something significant in the future.

pianophilo

I was a Sgt with the 529th MP Company, USAREUR Honor Guard from 1973-75. Best years of my life!

marshalmichael

I was stationed here with USAREUR and 7th Army HQ from March '67 to September '68....had a great time living in HD. Worked at DPU at Campbell Barracks.

charliemis

S2/3 Special Troops Group Patton Barracks 1970-1972..some of best memories in my life

scottsmith

I was there from 1976-1979! I was with 147th Postal! A lot of good memories there!

hersheldepremo

Thanks so much for posting this video. I was stationed in Heidelberg w/USAREUR from 1978-81, and this being the most comprehensive yet concise video of Patton I have yet found, really brings back the memories. I noted especially at around 1:25 is shown what I am sure was my very barracks housing building (112). My rooms were on the 2d floor toward the building center. Sadly it looks so scruffy with all the scrub grass now, and overall a bit deteriorated. Ditto for the old rec center also shown----I spent a considerable amount of off-duty time there, often in the kaserne library, or just hanging out in the main room, especially in the evenings. The U.S. community square dance club would hold their periodic dance nights there, and they would draw a sizeable crowd. Also the downstairs pizza parlor, where I would sometimes end up when I didn’t feel like partaking of the dinner fare at my barracks mess hall (which would otherwise occasionally serve us roast rabbit---actually quite good!) I was hoping the kaserne gym would be shown, but did not see evidence of it. During my posting at Patton there was an inflated canvas ‘bubble dome’ that served as the gym, with outside racquetball courts and a PT obstacle course beside it. At the time there was talk now & then of a permanent gym being planned, and subsequent recent research I’ve done found that one was eventually built sometime after I left (wonder what year, specifically). The video poster here seemed to have taken the tram (line 26) toward the kaserne at the beginning, and this appears to be the *big* change to the neighborhood (since 1981), being installed on the road outside the main gate in 2006 (yet which I only found out about last year). It evidently replaced the bus lines that previously provided service to/from downtown HB. The stops were just outside the main gate on either side of the road (‘Kirschheimer Weg’). But there is no tram stop by the kaserne, the nearest ones being in either direction down the way. There is a video on the HB transit website of the whole route inbound and out, recorded from the front tram window, that is included below. At 34 minutes in the tram starts to pass (inbound) by Patton. Also, something I suspected otherwise is also confirmed by the tram video----that the old ‘Pops’ snack/beverage stand across the street from the main gate is gone. He used to make good sandwiches, but at some point in the last 40 years he must have retired and possibly sold off the place, but evidently it didn’t last. The former bus stop signs/shelters are also gone. Further down, the video shows the entrance/start to the paved Patton-Campbell road path, which somehow still seems *so* familiar all these decades later. Google photos indicate some structural adjustments have been made to its overall route over time.
As I have stated in other YT comments, I will never forget the time spent at my HB posting, nor the people I served with and made such memorable acquaintances with there. For all you fellow former HB troopers, here is that link I hope all of you will also find of nostalgic value:
[channel id: Rhein-Neckar-Verkehr GmbH (rnv) ]

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