Fort Holibird - Army Intelligence School Recollections

FORT HOLABIRD OR THE TWILIGHT ZONE?

The trip from Fort Dix to Baltimore lasted approximately three hours. It had occurred to me that it was the first time in eight weeks that I actually was sitting in a relatively comfortable seat. In basic training, there are virtually no chairs. True, one sits in training rooms and in the mess hall, but those chairs are built for function, not for comfort. Sitting on a bunk is just not the same as sitting in a real chair. I wonder if today I would find a seat on Greyhound bus quite as wonderful as it seemed then.

More importantly, however, the trip meant three hours alone – away from other soldiers and drill sergeants for the first time in more than eight weeks. It had been easy to forget that the world did not stop at the Fort Dix gates, but rather it was humming along quite nicely. The tiny island of civilian life on the Greyhound bus gave me three hours to stare out the window and think about the past eight weeks, about my life prior to those eight weeks, and how strange it seemed that things I had nothing to do with and had no control over placed me on this bus headed south to some damned place no one seemed to know anything about.

Once in Baltimore, I dragged my jam-packed duffel bag off the bus, and asked a few people where I could catch the bus to Fort Holabird. One person said, I heard of Fort Meade, but I really don’t know anything about Fort Holabird. Are you sure you don’t mean Fort Meade? A couple other people were equally as ignorant about Fort Holabird. I thought Christ, these people live here, and they never heard of the place? What the hell¦??? Finally, I asked the information person at the bus terminal, who mercifully knew what bus I should take to get to this mystery military post.

Shortly thereafter, duffel bag and I boarded the local bus that would take us to the base. I asked the bus driver to let me know when we got to Fort Holabird. No problem, he said. I was more than a little relieved to confirm that I was on the right bus and that the driver actually knew where the damned place was. The uniform again provoked stares, smiles and glares from the other passengers. By this time, I was becoming accustomed to it. Besides, I was tired, and I just wanted to get to wherever the hell I was supposed to be.

Here’s the base, son, the driver said, as he stopped the bus by the gate, in front of a guardhouse. I struggled with the duffle bag down the bus aisle and thanked the driver as I turned to step off through the bus doors. As I got off the bus, I was horrified to see an MP (military policeman) looking at me and walking at a brisk pace from the guardhouse in my direction. Oh hell. Here it comes. He was a tall, staff sergeant, the same rank as my drill sergeant. I didn’t think it possible, but the MP looked even more frightening than the drill sergeants I had just spent eight weeks with. He was wearing the white MP helmet and a black MP armband. His trousers were bloused over his spit-shined airborne boots, and he wore a 45 semi-automatic sidearm. I braced myself for what I was certain would be a ration of shit about something or other I was not doing right.

Before I could say that I was reporting for duty (that’s what one is supposed to say), he said, Hi. You need help with that bag?

I said, Pardon me? What did he say??

He repeated, How ya doing? You look like you could use some help with that bag

I was speechless. I could only nod my head in the affirmative, something that would have unleashed a torrent of invective from a drill sergeant about the importance of sounding off like you got a pair!

The MP looked at me for a moment, and I thought, OK, let the hollering begin. He didn’t holler; He said, You look beat, and he effortlessly tossed my duffel bag over his shoulder and carried it to the guardhouse. He set it down and asked, Where on the base are you headed? Still in shock, I told him that I had no idea where I was headed. I just knew that I was ordered to come here. He smiled he actually smiled and said, No problem. Let me take a look at your orders.

He took a quick look at the orders and said, O.K. The building you have to report to is about a quarter mile down this street on the right side – big brick building “ you can’t miss it. When you get there, ask for Sergeant Perez. He’ll get you squared away.

I thanked him and began walk in the direction he had indicated. The MP shouted behind me, Wait! I thought, OK, I knew that this was too good to be true – this must be some kind of trap. Now, the hollering will begin.

I turned in his direction and said, Yes.

He said, is really too far for you to walk with that bag. I’ll have someone drive you OK, Jimbo, this must be some kind of a Twilight-frigging Zone thing. There is no way that white-helmeted, bloused-trousered, pistol packing staff sergeant MP just said that he would get me a ride because it was too far for me to walk with a heavy bag.

But, that’s what he said.

The MP got on the phone, and in a minute or two a corporal appeared in an Army car and said, You the guy who needs a ride? Hop in. During the short ride to my destination, I couldn’t think of anything to say to the corporal, other than to thank him for the lift. Here’s the barracks building he said. Sergeant Perez should be in the orderly room. He’ll check you in.

I found the orderly room, and, just as promised, Sergeant Perez was there. He was a sergeant-first class (three stripes up and tworockers). Again, I found myself thinking that it was absolutely impossible for a sergeant-first-class to be anything other than mean and ornery. When I entered the room, breathless from having lugged the bag up the stairs, Sergeant Perez looked up from the papers on his desk, and said, Yes? What can I do for you?  Wait a minute. This is the way civilized people speak. Sergeants don’ t talk this way. What in Christ’s name is going on here?

I’m reporting for duty, sergeant.

Oh, you must be one of the new students. You’re a little early, but that is not a problem. Did he say students?

I could no longer contain myself. I blurted out, What is this place?

You don’t know?  the sergeant said.

No I don’t, and I have not been able to find anyone who knows anything about this place.

This is the United States Army Military Intelligence School.

I stood there in silence trying to process it all. After a few seconds, I asked, What will I be doing here?

Let’s take a look at your orders, and we’ll see. I handed him my orders, and he said, You are a 96C. You’re an interrogator.

An interrogator?  He remained patient, despite my stupidly repeating everything I had just heard.

Yes, that’s what a 96C is. I also see that you speak German.

Well, I took the German test. How can you tell from looking at the orders that I speak German?

The sergeant explained, It says that your MOS (military occupation specialty) is 96C2L29. That tells me that you are an interrogator, and the 2L29 tells me that you speak German I couldn’t help thinking back to that miserable bastard at Fort Dix who tried to intimidate me into not taking the German test. (see 1/3/03)

The sergeant, still looking at my orders, continued, Oh, now I know why you might be a little puzzled by all this. I see that you are a draftee. We don’t get many draftees. Most guys enlist in order to get into Military Intelligence and they know in advance what it is all about.

Well, it's close to the end of the work day here, so let me get you some bedding and show you to the barracks.Hold it. A sergeant-first-class is going to get my bedding and show me to the barracks? People in hotels show you to your room. People in the Army don't show you to your room. Twilight Zone definitely.

He emerged from another room with sheets, a pillow and a blanket, and walked me down the hall to a large bay area, with approximately twenty double bunks on each side of the room. Lockers ran down the center of the bay. I believe you're the first one here, so you can pick your spot. Make up your bunk, and stop by the office when you’re done to pick up some forms.

I made up the bunk on autopilot and emptied the contents of my duffel bag into my locker. It was all still too much to think about. When I finished, I reported back to the orderly room.

Sergeant Perez handed me a couple forms, and said, Fill these out when you have a chance. We need them next week. He took out a map of the base, and circled things like that mess hall and the PX (Post Exchange “ i.e. the store). He said, I think you may have missed dinner at the mess hall, but you can get a burger or something at the PX. A burger? I can eat by myself? I can go to a store? And, I'm not being hollered at?

Thanks, that sounds great, I said, beginning to actually speak to Sergeant Perez as if he was a regular person.

So, what are your plans for the weekend?

Pardon me? My plans?

Yeah, are you going to hang around the base? You could go into Baltimore. You could go to D.C.

You mean that I can leave the base when I want?

Sure. Just be back here by 7 o'clock, Monday morning. That's when we start the classes.

You mean I can go home for the weekend, if I want?

He smiled and said, That depends on where you live. I don't think going to California would make much sense. Where do you live?

New Jersey, I replied.

That's no problem. The buses run regularly between Baltimore and Newark.

Absolutely stupefied, I said, Please forgive me. I just want to make sure that I understand. I just checked in here, and I can turn around and go home for the weekend, if I want?

That's right. Just be back by Monday Morning.

Do I need a written pass or anything?

Nope. Not necessary. Do you have civilian clothes with you? Did he say civilian clothes? Where's Rod Serling?

No. We weren't allowed to have civilian clothes at Fort Dix.

Well, you may want to bring some back with you from home. You only have to wear your uniform during duty hours. Unless you have some kind of extra duty, civilian clothes are fine around here after duty. This cannot be.

Perez continued, If you have no further questions, I'm going to hit the road. See you Monday morning. Have a nice weekend.

And he left.

I sprinted to a pay phone to call my family and girlfriend to breathlessly tell them I was coming home. Are you in trouble? my mother asked. So did my girlfriend. I promised I would bring them all up to date when I got home.

A few hours later, I found myself back on the Greyhound bus, this time heading north. I wondered how the cosmic cards fell such that I ended up being selected by be trained as an interrogator. Had some of those psychological profiles we took identified me as a latent knuckle-breaker? I reasoned that the job of an interrogator is to question prisoners of war, and the only place I could think of that would have a supply of prisoners of war was Vietnam. Was this a good thing? All this was happening way too fast. I would wait until Monday to think about being an interrogator.

All I knew was that I was going home for the weekend and that for the first time in months I felt just a little bit like a human being.

1,985 COMMENTS 

Enjoyed your site. Brought back memories of my posting back in 1955(spent entire time at Ft. Holabird-55 thru 57)with the Headquarters Company.

I assume you were there during the Vietman era? It had its share of chickenshit, but nothing like basic or advanced. Thamks for bringing back some memories.

Comment by manny adler — 

My dad was stationed at Ft. Holabird mid-50’s to 1963. I had no idea it was military intelligence. Yes, he spoke German, In fact his father was Italian (from Mass.) and mother German. He also married a German lady. Can you tell me anything more about what was done there? Where would I find out on his discharge papers or whatever what his actual job description was? Is there anyone who was stationed there (like Manny) who would have known? Folks have been dead for years – they destroyed almost all photos from childhood and ALL papers of any kind including personal letters before they died. Not one piece of paper left in house other than Dad’s discharge and a few photos from pre-war Germany. Thank you very much – any help greatly appreciated. E-mail address is case-sensitive – be sure to use caps, etc. where needed.

Comment by Brenda O'Connor — March 9, 2004

Manny Adler – This is one of those “Do you know?”. I attended the agents course starting 2 Jan. 1956 and then assigned to Korea. Only one guy in our class didn’t get a TS clearance because he was a Fullbright scholar in England. Supposedly he was assigned to Hq,Holabird which didn’t make sense to me. What a golden opportunity to learn agents names. He was from Kansas City and I never thought that I would forget his name. He was a nice guy and married. Any remote possibilities that you might have run on to him. Bernie

Comment by Bernie Thielen — May 8, 2004 @ 9:10 pm

My dad attended the agent handlers course at Fort Holabird in the late 1950s, in fact duing the 1958 NY Giants- Baltimore Colts world championship. He returned for refresher training prior to going to Viet Nam in 1966. Does anyone remember him, his name was Norman J. Melody? Does anyone have any photos of Fort Holabird?

Comment by Paul Melody — September 2, 2004 @ 9:39 am

My dad was stationed at Ft Holabird after returning from Germany 1955-1956. He was an MP and said the base was pretty desserted when he got there. He doesn’t remember a lot of details but does have few stories to tell. I am retired USAF, Oct 1994.

Comment by Phil Kindel — October 2, 2004 @ 2:23 am

Trying to do some research for a “memoir” I’m writing. I spent 3 months at Ft. Holabird, Jan thru Mar 1969, training at the school as 96D! I think. That’s a “clerk typist with top secret clearance.” Then off to Saigon for 1 1/2 years. So, where is Holabird in relationship to Baltimore? I don’t remember and can’t find it on the map. Anyone remember?

Comment by Chris Abel — November 12, 2004 @ 11:12 pm

I believe that it was in a place called Dundalk (sp?), a short bus ride to Baltimore. I believe we were there about the same time.

Comment by Jim - Parkway Rest Stop — November 13, 2004 @ 2:55 am

I was at Holabird from sep 65 to jun 68. It is in Dundalk, part of Baltimore county.I had the same shock of going from basic training at Dix to the freedom of the Bird. During the build-up for Vietnam, everyone assigned to a school was “frozen” (code 9). They didn’t want to slow the flow of new people to Nam so they didn’t want to change the personel responsable to keep the flow going. I was a 97D.20, intelligence coordinator, assigned to S2 (personnel security) we issued and validated security clearances for in-comeing students and permenent party personnel. I spent many a night(too many) across the street at the Holabird Inn. Thanks for the memories!

Comment by bill leach — November 21, 2004 @ 12:28 am

I was quite suprised to find a website of people who have actually heard of Ft. Holabird, much less stationed there. I was assigned there out of Ft Dix from Nov. 1967 thru the spring of 1968. I trained as a 96D2T, Imagery Interpreter, TIFF qualified. After that, I was with the 1st MI Btn in DaNag for a year. After that, I was with the 15th MI Btn at Ft. Bragg.

Comment by Stephen D Griffis — December 1, 2004 @ 11:11 am

If you went to school in 1967, I issued or validated your security clearance and checked you in on your first day.

Bill

Comment by bill leach — December 1, 2004 @ 10:56 pm

I enjoyed reading your story and everyone’s comments. My grandfather was stationed and died at Fort Holabird while in the Counter Intelligence Corps in the late 1940’s after WWII. There was a hall dedicated in his memory there. It was Hubbard Hall. Does anyone remember it? I am actually trying to find if the building or the dedication plaques still exist. I would love to find it for my grandmother. She will be 85 years old in a few weeks! Any comments would be appreciated and enjoyed.

Comment by Maria Franco — December 7, 2004 @ 9:18 pm

A group of us transferred from Fort Knox to Fort Holabird after basic training in 1956. Most of us were draftees and were taking the Counter Intelligence Course for typists as it could be done in the 2 years we would spend in the army. I remember ‘marching’ my group to the mess hall before we found what a heaven Fort Holabird was. Though I thought we would go to Korea, most of my group went to Europe. I was very lucky to be sent to France where I spent my time at a field office in civilian clothes! I have fond memories of Fort Holabird.

Comment by Louis J. Maher — December 15, 2004 @ 6:05 pm

This is great, folks who know about Ft. Holabird (USAINTS). I was sent there directly after basic training at Ft. Lewis, Washington in late 1969. I too experienced the culture shock of going from concentration camp basic training to the laid-back Ft. Holabird atmosphere (don’t you dare salute anything lower than a General, and don’t march, just walk).

I was trained as a 96DT, Aerial Imagery Interpreter. After that, a number of us were also sent to an advanced Aerial Imagery Interpretation course combined with an NCO academy. We graduated at Spec. 5 level.

Most of that class went from there to Viet Nam, but 6 of us had order changes at the last minute and were sent to the 502nd MI Battalion in Seoul, Korea. Best time of my life.

Comment by Richard Lovelace — December 29, 2004 @ 12:51 pm

I served with the 1st MI Btn (ARS) in Vietnam in 1970-71 with 3 months in Danang, 3 months in Nahtrang, and 6 months in Pleiku. Flew U-6A Davilland Beavers. We were the “Pleku Good Guys”. Flew I and II Corps daily delivering intel pictures.

Paul F. Webb, CW3 Retired

Comment by Paul F. Webb — January 12, 2005 @ 11:10 pm

Great story site. I share many of your memories, I too went from DIX to Holabird and Bill you must have checked me out. In fact you must have found a problem as they claimed to have lost my personnel records about the time the rest of my Class shipped out to Vietnam or Korea as a 96D. I spent the next 3 months as CQ working nights for Cpt. Doyle Smith. Oh well it gave me the opportunity to one very cute School Teacher at “The Keystone”. The Teacher eventually became my wife. Anybody else remember this cool bar with the hot chicks and how bout “Summer In The City – Lovin’ Spoonful – 66” and the Legendary Jim Palmer and Johnny Unitas what a sports town.

From there I went on to 502nd with Gen. Bonesteel’s 8th and some of my former Classmates. My most memorable memories were working with Sharon Tates father Maj.Frank Tate and our shops involvment with the “Blue House and Pueblo Incidents of 68”. I have also managed to communicate with a few of my old mates from there.

Keep the site up

Jon Tallman

Comment by Jon Tallman — January 13, 2005 @ 10:26 pm

What great memories….Ft. Holabird…I liked it so much I went twice. In 1966, right after basic at Ft. Polk, LA. I went to Holabird to become an Analyst (96B),,on to Ft. Bragg for some interesting times and then SVN for a year. Back to Holabird for CI Agent class then the 113th MI Gp in Chicago. 1968 Dem National Convention…good times had by all. A little more work in CONUS..and then an offer I couldn’t refuse….I’ll tell that one later.. Anyone who may have been in the same places at the same time,,shoot me an email..

Comment by Jerry Race — January 28, 2005 @ 3:39 pm

I did the ‘Bird ‘ before Berlin

and again before the Nam. She taught me well

I am home again.

ljk

Comment by ljklaiber — February 1, 2005 @ 6:38 pm

Hi, Wow, didnt know the “fort” was still there. I was part of the permanent personnel there in 1955-56..Medics… Worked in the laboratory. drawing blood, making slides etc and then as an assistant in the dental clinic. Were about 5 dentists there. One was a woman dentist who had been in a concentration camp and had the number tattooed on her inner wrist. Was a colonel in charge(Rudisill?) who was also a dentist..I “retired ” from the Army in april 56 but not before being transferred to the MPs there. At the time it was called CIC school and kind of “hush hush”.. 

memories,,Thanks for the site..

Comment by Bob Nargi — February 19, 2005 @ 4:06 pm

I was one of four guys who were photographers at Ft. Holabird during 1954 and 1955. It took four of us to relieve one guy who had numerous duties. I, too, was surprised at the freedom we had, particularly considering the security of the place. Not bad duty, but I was delighted to be discharged.

Comment by Charlie Larus — February 24, 2005 @ 6:26 pm

Fort Holabird is no longer there. It was deactivated in the 70’s, I believe. The Army Intelligence unit was moved to Arizona, to be closer to Barry Goldwater. My father enlisted there and was stationed there in 1955-57 (second and third grades for me) and again in 1960 (6th grade). I remember staying at the Reception Center (I’m not sure of the name) for about 2 weeks when we moved to the area. We had lots of great times at the Officers pool.

Comment by Jonathan T. Kurtz — February 27, 2005 @ 11:26 am

I enlisted to be an Order of Battle Analyst in late 1968, after basic at Ft. Jackson, myself, Walter “Hap” Farrell, and Brian Landry, the latter from Weston and Marlborough Mass. respectively, I was from Framingham, Mass, we found ourselves at Fort Holabird in early January 1969. We attended and graduated from the R-12, Intelligence Analyst Course and were awarded the military occupational specialty (MOS) of 96B10. All three of us went summarily to Vietnam, as Male 96B’s did in those days. Four WACS in the class all went to Germany, one male went to Germany also, the rest to Vietnam. I remember the 1,2,3 club, other students, Rocco Nudo, Ceasar Rosales, Nick Pappas, Bob Rheiner, and a confusing world at a very confusing time in history. Most of us went to the 525 M.I. Group in Vietnam, some to 5th. Group, 25th. Infantry, and other derivative units. I am now retired after a 30 year Army career and am still serving in the intelligence career field as an instructor. When I retired I was the last active duty still-serving soldier in the intelligence corps who was a Fort Holabird Graduate. Anybody who remembers me, or a fellow classmate, please make contact.. Best to all.. Jeff Gallant

Comment by Jeffrey Gallant — March 11, 2005 @ 5:47 pm

I was there. There where a lot of us that started class for 96D2T in December of 1969. I was the only one to come from Fort Bragg, NC And when I came back from Christmas leave I drove my 1958 Cady lemo. Made a few trips with it, even to Boston. It was the best time of my 2 years 6 months and 5 days of active duty. While in Danang Vietnam I worked with many guys that had gone through there and a few more after while stationed in Fort Hood, TX.

Comment by Richard Rauenhorst — March 13, 2005 @ 1:01 am

The Army sold Fort Holabird to Baltimore City for $1. It has subsequently been parceled out and redeveloped into a business/industrial park. With the exception of a VFW Post, the only building that remains is what is known locally as the old DIS building. It is located on Van Deman Street and is scheduled for demolition within the year. This building was supposedly a school of some sort at one time, including mock villages behind it. There is a wonderful piece of marble/granite on the floor of the main entrance to this building complete with a logo. The new owners of the property plan to salvage this section of the floor and incorporate it, in some way, into their new building. Call it a tribute. While the Fort may be gone, one small piece will live on.

Comment by vzeeec9d — March 18, 2005 @ 11:11 pm

LOOKING FOR ANYONE WHO MAY REMEMBER MY UNCLE,ROBERT HANSEN SFC, HE WAS AT HOLABIRD 1N 51-52. SERVED A TOUR IN KOREA AND ALSO VIETNAM 67-68.THANKS

Comment by BILL BERGHOLM — March 19, 2005 @ 3:54 pm

I was in the 96B class at “Holabird-on-the-Colgate” from January-April of 1965, then off to Region I of the 113th MI Group in Chicago where I worked as an agent until 1967. I’d like to hear from anyone from that era as I’m writing a book on the stateside role of the 113th MI during the riots of 1967.

Comment by Craig Anderson — March 24, 2005 @ 12:11 am

-Looking for anyone who may have known my father-in-law, Robert Andrew (Bob) Balog. He was at Fort Holabird in late 1970. Thanks!

Comment by Leslie Balog — April 15, 2005 @ 12:59 pm

Anybody attend image interpretation school in 1968 and later assigned to the 45th Spt. Co. or CICV in Vietnam? All I can remember is the Arbys roast beef joint outside the front gate.

Comment by David Driscoll — May 2, 2005 @ 5:40 pm

I have almost the same memory and perspective as you did from back in 1968. I completed Basic at Ft Dix in June and took the bus trip to Balitmore like you. However, I was to become a 96B20 (intelligence analyst)I went through the same confusing reorientation interactiong with people other than Drill Sargents. After arriving at Ft Holibird and finding out that I could get home to Massachusetts every weekend of the summer by taking the bus to Newark Airport and a short hop to Logan I was elated. Alas by October 0f 1968 I was headed overseas where the odessey continued.

Comment by Ted Williams — May 3, 2005 @ 12:09 pm

Father spent career in CIC, and retired from Holabird in ’61. His file is as thin as a recruits after 23 years of assignement.

Comment by rinehart — May 3, 2005 @ 12:47 pm

I too have fond memories of the Bird and the aroma of Colgate Creek. I was there in 1963, then to Bragg, then Korea, then Viet Nam, where after about 6 months I reunited with many of my friends from Bragg (but they came to me).

Back then, the really nice thing about our line of business was there was hardly any where you were assigned that you didn’t find at least one person you knew. Baker, French, Martin, Coogar?

Comment by Paul D. Melton — May 3, 2005 @ 6:32 pm

David Driscoll, the beef place outside the main gate was Harleys. They were famous for the Harley Burger, it was beef patties smotherd in onions. The other corner across from the main gate was the Holabird Inn. I spent many a night there for three years, 1965-1968, then stumbled to Harleys for a Harley Burger Sub.

Comment by bill leach — May 3, 2005 @ 10:48 pm

USAINTS 67-T-5 and 68-TA-1 96D2T RVN 1968-69 1st MIB(ARS) HHC at 121 Chi Lang St. in Gia Dinh/Saigon and 45th MID(ARS) later re-named Det. E at Hue/Phu Bai. Back to USAINTS in ’69-’70 as instructor and as Tac. NCO for the advanced II and NCO course. Spent many an evening at the Holabird Inn where they made very good cheeseburger subs. and at the Greek place a block or so on down Holabird Ave. Anyone remember Lts. Fitch and Frick? Better known to us as Frick ‘n Frack.

Comment by John Nichols — May 14, 2005 @ 12:27 am

I arrived at the “Bird” just ahead of a 100 year snowstorm in January of 66. I came from sunny California and suffered the same experience about where Holabird was, at the airport. Finally a guy from Arizona approached me and offered to share a cab as he was going to Holabird as well. The first few months at the “Bird” were an experience to say the least. At that point the place was overbooked. The barracks were stuffed with four times the personnel they were designed to handle. The gym was filled with bunks stacked 3 high. Every available space was used for housing. Then school started, in double shifts. My class went from 0600 to 1200, with another right behind us. I was one of those clerks with a top secret clearance, a 97D20 I believe. After school was done I got assigned to Holabird. Permanent Party there was a good deal, except for one thing, the first sergeant…….aka: The Tank. He would roust late sleepers for police call on the weekends. My cube-mate and I bailed off the second story balcony once to avoid him. I worked at the 1-2-3 club to make some extra $$$ and became kinda popular for being able to pour the tallest beers, a reputation that followed me all the way to Nam. Part of my time at Holabird was about as Un-military as one could imagine, but I for one, would not have changed a thing. Does anyone know of any posted pics of Holabird in the 60’s??

Comment by Ray Bosnich — May 25, 2005 @ 10:38 am

I arrived at Holabird from Fort Lewis in late Sept. of 66 and did the image interpretation course. It was culture shock, Holabird was great and I too remember the old Holabird Inn. Baltimore or “Balmer” as the locals called it was a fun place. All of us from our class shipped out for TIFF training at Ft. Myers and then on to Bragg and the 15th MI. I transferred over to the 14th MI and worked in supply for CONTIC until I was sent to Vietnam and the 73rd Aviation Company in Vung Tau.

Comment by Jim Shoop — May 25, 2005 @ 12:25 pm

I grew up in Dundalk and lived just outside the Ft. My first job, in 1959, was at the Officers Club doing janitorial work and helping set up many functions and Friday Night Happy Hours. I met many of the army brats living there and use to hang out at the pool next to the Officers Club and then they built a new pool up on the hill by the old tank track and ball fields. Use to walk through Cummings Apartments to get to work. It would be nice to connect with any kids who grew up there in the late 50’s.

Comment by Gary Clelan — June 6, 2005 @ 10:54 pm

I arrived at Ft. Holabird in Sept. of 1967 after basic training at Ft. Campbell Kentucky. Even before I started my Area Studies training–actually the first night I was there–a couple of us newbies headed downtown to the notorious “Block.” Didn’t even change out of our uniforms. Joined up with the 6th Batallion, Special Ops, of the 525 MI Group in Saigon after graduation from USAINTS. Later, went back to the Bird as an instructor in the Area Studies Practical Applications Dept. Lots of drunken nights at the Holabird Inn and the Keystone.

Comment by D. Morin — June 28, 2005 @ 9:13 pm

I wanted to add that last Sept. I visited Baltimore for the first time since leaving Ft. Holabird in 1970. Stayed at the Sheraton near the Inner Harbor but took a taxi to the old Ft. Holabird site which is now an industrial park. The buildings where the Holabird Inn and the Keystone are still there though appeared closed. Anybody remember Squire’s Italian restaurant near the corner of Holabird and Dundalk? Still there and greatly enlarged. Other than that, the surrounding neighborhood seemed to have gone down hill considerably from 1970. I’m sure the Army installation provided a lot of money to the area. There really is nothing left of the old Ft. Holabird in the industrial park that I could see. Overall, I had a ball at the place and surrounding area when stationed there.

Comment by D. Morin — June 29, 2005 @ 8:38 pm

Eurika! A Fort Holibird site. I did two training at Fort Holibird. 97D20 MI coordinater and 97B40 Counter Intelligence Agent In 69 and 71. Have never met anyone else from Holibird since then. Lived in the WAC shack so know about the odor or Colgate Creek. Worked at H&H company as a Coordinator. Got sent to Saint Louis Mo to the DODNAC center as an Agent.

Comment by Kathleen Stevens — July 5, 2005 @ 4:13 pm

Did 97B and then 97C training at ‘the Bird’, in the late ’60’s enjoyed your rememberances. I will tell you my own briefly. Upon arriving at Holibird after Basic, and having my first meal at the mess hall.

Having my first meal in 8 weeks in leisure. I had baked halibut. Being from west Texas, I had never had it before, but due to the wonderful memories it brings back, it remains one of my favorite dishes

Comment by A. Robertson — July 5, 2005 @ 6:19 pm

I remember I enlisted in March 1966, I went to basic at Fort Knox, signed up for OCS and they sent me to Fort Ord, California for 11B10 training. Just before finishing 11B10, I found out that I was being sent to Fort Sill, OK for Artillery OCS and I would be a Forward Observer. Having a desire to have a chance in living, I dropped my orders for OCS and they sent me to Fort Holabird for 96B20, Intelligence Anaylst Training. We had a mixed class of Marines and Army. We had a Marine Master Sgt. It was good times. I remember going to a movie and us laughing at James Bond. I was sent to Fort Bragg, we called ourselves the lost 11. I was a desk analyst for Israel and Jordan, wrote these strategic analysis books. Gave out bagels and lox during the 67 war. Everyone went to Vietnam except me, I was sent to Seoul Korea, worked in the War Room 8th Army, I was the NCOIC. Very interesting work.

Comment by Joel Storchan — July 6, 2005 @ 3:13 am

I was at the “Bird” in 1968. It was a great experience except when the booze plants smoke stacks lit up. Anyone remember the name of the sandwich place across from the front gate?

Comment by Chris Sawyer — July 6, 2005 @ 9:39 pm

What the heck were the “booze plants smoke stacks?” I think the sub shop was called Harley’s or something like that. A much better sub shop was located near the corner of Holabird and Dundalk–think it was called the Village Subs. On the way back from the Keystone we would stop there for a hamburger sub, eat it on the way back, and then throw up on the railroad track. Doesn’t get much better than that.

Comment by D. Morin — July 7, 2005 @ 9:14 pm

It was Harley’s. They were famous for Harley_Burgers. Three hamburger patties in a sub roll, smothered in onions (I’m getting hungry)! Even better, was the holabird Inn on the other corner!!!(I’m getting thirsty)!

Comment by bill — July 7, 2005 @ 11:02 pm

Fort Holabird, the most unmilitary post in the Army. I went through the agent’s course (97B) in the fall of 1964. Mostly I went through lots of beer at the Holabird Inn. There was a girl who played piano there in the fall of 1964. Our class were regulars there and often joined in and sang with her. She was a sweetheart to tolerate a bunch of drunk agent wannabees. Wonder whatever happened to her?

Went back to the ‘Bird in fall of 1966 for 97C training but was older, wiser and married.

Mostly I remember the actors in the glassed-in classroom. And that damn bouncing bridge between the barracks and the classroom building. We used to march in step to see how high we could bounce it. Great times.

Comment by Rogers — July 9, 2005 @ 8:22 am

I remember the interminable time spent in casual company in 1968 and the “ole Sarge” who doled out the work assignments. I caught a good one as a driver until my 97C class started in July. Many good memories inspite of the rather alarming odor wafting from Colgate creek. As I recall, “Hey Jude” covered the airways.

Comment by Gary halgunseth — July 13, 2005 @ 6:39 pm

Graduated from the I.I. Course (I still have my diploma), 14 Feb-67 signed by Col.Richard S. Smith, Commandant and Major James Hess. Lucked out and went to SETAF Aviation Co. in Italy, not before getting stuck in casual company. (guys waiting for their class to begin and other waiting to ship out) they line you up in the A.M. and give out B.S. duties for the day. After two days of not calling my name – I walked around the Fort all day, till the EM club opened.

They did things 1st class at the ‘bird’ I still have a formal Invitation for the 1966 Thanksgiving Day Dinner.

“Consolidated Mess 136″, with a message from Col. Smith on one side and the menu on the other.

They even took the class to Aberdeen Proving Ground for a day, and sent us to Ft. Myer so we

could tour the Pentagon. What other Post hands out ‘Day Trips”?.

Great Fort, Great bunch of guys.

Comment by Steve Sisco — July 15, 2005 @ 9:50 am

Great to read the rememberances here. I was a 96D2T II and I showed up in Jan.1969. My welcome experience was very similar, the CQ sent me down to Casual Company (I think this is where John Dean served his Watergate Sentence)and the first guy I met was Paul Benoit. He asked me what my school was and when I told him I was an II he said,”You’re going ta Nam, all the 96 Deltas do…”. I had just come off Christmas leave and my orders had me reporting on 12/31 which I recall was a Friday night. The CQ told me to get lost until Monday if I wanted to, but I didn’t have the money to go back home to Connecticut so I just hung out. I think I was in Casual for about a week and then we were assigned to a school. We were the PM class which ran from noon to 6PM. That was great because we didn’t have to get up until 9:00AM. I really liked my time at the Bird and I was hoping that I could get back there after I did my time in Nam (1st Mibars Det B in Danang 5/15/69-4/15-70)but no such luck, I went to the 66th MI Group in Munich (that is a whole other talk show). Benoit and I were assigned to Det B as “brothers” but he was killed by a Marine who was stealing his jeep about half way through our tour.

Our Bay in Building 36, as I recall, was a small one that looked out at the Railroad tracks that ran through the post. On Friday nights we would watch as the new guys would arrive by bus from Dix and Basic. We got the idea that they needed some discipline so I dressed up as a Drill Corporal, I had a Smokey Bear hat and I was an acting jack squad leader so I would go down and meet the bus and dole out the standard ration of harassment that these poor souls were all expecting. I would bark at them trying to scare them into thinking that Basic was a picnic compared to what they were in store for at the Bird! Because they were all expecting this very treatment they were only too obliging. I don’t know why I didn’t get punched out when they saw me around post in the weeks following when they realized how civilized the Holabird experience was.

Remember the Friday night cattle shows at the 123 club? My memory is very dim from those days but I remember going to them and watching some of my classmates getting drunk and dancing with girls they would never approach under any other circumstances. Dancing to “Crimson and Clover” by Tommy James and the Shondells God it was pretty lame.

I really had a good time, made great friends, and learned a lot there and then when we graduated from II school they sent us over to Ft. McNair for a week’s TDY at the Behavior Research Lab in DC. We were asked to read out photos in the AM and then we were out on the town during Cherry Blossom time from noon on. It was a nice way to leave for Nam.

Comment by magaremko@comcast.net — July 15, 2005 @ 9:05 pm

Gosh…Holabird. Certainly remember dinners at Hausner’s and evenings at the Acropolis. I went through the 9668 course in 1963/1964 and from there on to the 502nd in ROK. Crossing the Colgate on the way to lunch…what a way to kill an appetite. For a number of summers in the late 1960’s and into the the very early 1970’s I took summer vacations at Ft. Holabird…2 to 4 week stints as part of the residency portion of the Carrer Course one does as a reservist. Colonel Sheldon the foreign area intellignece school man at Holabird when I was there and my Bn.CO in ROK. Fun times.

Comment by E. Herrick — July 21, 2005 @ 1:37 pm

STATIONED AT HOLABIRD END OF 1958 TO MARCH 1959….TOOK THE AGENTS COURSE AND WOUND UP IN BAD KISSINGEN,GERMANY AFTER A SHORT STAY IN WURZBURG. HAVING GONE THROUGH BASIC AT FORT BENNING,GEORGIA,HOLABIRD WAS ONE HUGE AND VERY POEASANT SURPRISE.

Comment by RICHARD A. PROSS — July 27, 2005 @ 2:12 pm

Arrived at Ft. Holibird September 1966 after basic in Ft. Lenordwood, Missori. Original orders were for advanced training as a Battle Order Specialist (trained in viewing photos with the magnifying glass on a small stand above photos taken from the air). One cool fall morning we were lined up during morning muster, they called out names. 13 of us lucky devils were called out. We were advised that we were going to get some additional advanced training, another 13 weeks “Prisoner of War Interrogator.” Note the number 13? This was a guaranteed trip to Nam. My best memory of Holibird was the weekends, usually Friday or Saturday night, about 1:30-2:00 AM some guy would go to Harleys and bring back one of their famous sandwiches. The smell would wake up everyone in the barricks and off we would all go and get our own. Seemed to be a weekend tradition. I was with the 9th Division Military Intelligence unit in the Mekong Delta. Finished my last time at Ft. Bragg at the new training school set up there to train replacements in 1968.

Comment by Richard Goniu — July 28, 2005 @ 12:23 am

I was in the agent class fall of 1963, then to the 108th in New England. After mostly doorbell ringing, promoted to civilian. After myriad of adventures, moved back to teach college (and write my book—go to dailybard.com) and joined MIANE, the local CIC old farts association, which meets monthly, and even gave a presentation ot two. Plan to visit Baltimore in October when in DC for the AFIO meeting.

Comment by Philip Madell — July 29, 2005 @ 5:41 pm

I am writing a book on the CHUSA activities in the late ’60’s. Any of you who were involved in CHUSA in those days, I would really appreciate hearing from you. You will of course be well cited. Thanks.

Alan

Comment by Alan Robertson — August 2, 2005 @ 1:47 am

I too was struck by the relaxed atmosphere of Holabird immediately upon arriving in July of 69. The group that accompanied me and I had just finished basic at Fort Ord. After traveling all day we arrived sometime after midnight on a Sunday morning and were told to show up for classes on Monday. I remember the guy who checked us in saying that we weren’t going to believe how different our treatment would be at Holabird compared to the treatment we had been subjected to in basic. I was skeptical at first, but by Monday morning I knew what he was talking about. It was almost like being in college again.

Near the end of my 96B Intelligence Analyst training several classmates and I were selected against our wishes (I had orders for Germany)for the first 96B NCO Academy because they could not get enough volunteers to fill the class. I seem to recall there were only a handful of applicants. The Major in charge of the program assumed that there would be such an overwhelming response to participate that he had prepared to interview candidates. There was not, and we were all required to interview. It turned out to be an absurd situation as it became a “reverse” interview, with the interviewees doing their best to present themselves as unqualified or emphatically resistant to being selected. I guess my orders to Germany were a convincing argument against my selection, however two of those who had been selected had their top secret clearances come through and I was chosen to replace one of them. I completed the course and ended up as a much resented “shake and bake” E5 with the 4th MI Co of the 4th Infantry Div. in Vietnam.

Other memories of Holabird: the old gymnasium and handball court; the infamous “Block” of downtown Baltimore; great polish sausage sandwich served in the E4 and above(?)Club.

Comment by Mike Luckey — August 5, 2005 @ 10:24 pm

Best 6 months of my life, followed by the worst year(Nam)in the 45thMI CICV at Ton Son Nut. I was there mid 65 to early 66. Spent weekdays with the nurse students at the hospital then weekends back in the bronx. Anyone at the compound at Long Bin.

Comment by Bob Marold — August 17, 2005 @ 3:44 pm

Wow…not even sure how I stumbled in here but it’s great! I arrived at Holabird in March or April(?) of 1966 for 96 Delta training. I believe we were the first TIFF qualified class. Fond memories of soft-shell crab subs from the place down the street, and hazy memories of puking my guts out somewhere near the creek after a night at the 123 club. I recall seeing the movie “the Ipcress File” at the post theater and wishing I had signed up for Agent School instead.

One Marine in our class had a wicked habit of waiting ‘till a payday Saturday night and covering the urinals with Saran-Wrap and taping a Playboy pinup at eye level. Around midnight when the guys came staggering in to take a leak before crashing, their attention was on the pinup, not where they were pissing….you’d hear a rata-tat-tat splashing sound and then a loud SON-OF-A-BITCH!!! from the latrine.

After training at the ‘Bird, I was sent to the 15th MI Bn at Ft. Bragg…God, what a pit compared to Holabird. The 15th MI was basically a holding tank for our MOS and all we had was sh*t duty like shoveling coal and painting barracks. Got so bad that I asked to be assigned to a unit in Nam, but then some Black Suits from the Pentagon showed up at morning formation and asked for five 96D volunteers for an unspecified TS project and my hand shot up….anything would be better than Bragg. Got lucky and spent the next two years at Redstone Arsenal, R&D Directorate, working on a real-time aerial recon project that never got off the ground.

Thanks for the site & the memories!

Comment by John Wallis — August 21, 2005 @ 2:55 pm

Accidentally stepped into this site. Thanks for setting up.

Started at Ft Benning 2 days after college graduation. From Benning I caught an allnight train through the North Ga Mountain and Appalacians…great ride and finally slept until sunrise and stopped at Baltimore. After basic training did not know what to expect…knew no one there either and also remember lugging that ugly green duffle on a Baltimore city bus to Ft Holabird. Man what memories…vagly remember the Harley restaurant and barely remember a swinging bridge…but strongly remember the building where the Jeep (GP) was designed. Forgot the name of the stinky creek but after hearing Colgate Creek it brought back memories.

In my case I was stationed in barracks with a bunch of routy Green Berets. We had a mystery man there that in the middle of the night (after heavy drinking)would rest his forehead on the side of a top bunk and take a leak on the person the bottom bunk…when the person on the bottom bunk screamed or yelled the Green Beret would run away…after 3 or 4 weeks of this they finally caught the guy who was having a drinking and sleep walking disorder but knew he was guilty when the yells woke him up…

Never forget watching Boog Powell (first baseman for the Baltimore Orioles)hit one in to the second level seats. At 21 yrs old my first major league baseball game.

After a real education at Ft Holabird I spend 1 day leaning how to pick locks at the Pentagon. I was there when we landed on the MOON and as a country boy from Georgia that had never left my state except for Florida on vacations, I decided to do something special on the day of the landing on the Moon. Went to the DC to the Aerospace Museum to sit underneath the Wright Brothers Plan…as I waited for the Lunar Landing, sitting directly underneath the Wright Brothers plan, a secret service agent walked up and ask politely if I would mind giving up my seat. I did and seconds later the Vice President Spiro Agnew and Astronaut Frank Borman took my seat (couch) and watched the landing on the Moon as I stood in the background on national television. My 15 minutes of fame.

After Ft Holabird I was bound for Fort Shafter, Honolulu Hawaii. What a great 1 and 1/2 year tour of duty. The military intelligence technology at Ft Shafter still today amazes me. Finally my last year was spent at Binh Wah (spelling?) at Trac III Headquarters.

Went back to Baltimore to find Ft Holabird about 5 years ago, found Dundalk, and from a friend later found Ft Holabird was shut down in 1973 and sold to a developer. Condo’s and or apartments there.

Would love to hear from Dennis Torrey (MN), Roseboro (NC) or anyone else at Ft Holabird. Most people at Ft Shafter in Hawaii were from Ft. Holabird.

Ed Haley

EHaleyCMT@comcast.net

Comment by Eddie Haley — August 24, 2005 @ 8:33 pm

Enjoyed reading all the comments. Brought back alot of memories. Was at Ft. Holabird from October 1966 – April 1967. Then to Vietnam for the next 31 months.

Comment by Jeff Reif — August 26, 2005 @ 2:02 am

Enjoyed the trip down memory lane. Was at Holibird High from Sept. 64 to Nov. 64 96B class.

From there to Ft. Eustis to a Transportation Intel. Det. and then MACV. The 123 club, the subs, and friday beer parties behind the barracks, all great memories.

Comment by Ed Speakman — September 1, 2005 @ 9:27 am

After language school (Vietnamese) at DLI – El Paso, I was at Holabird for Combat Intelligence training in late 1970. In January 1971, I was assigned to the Combined Intelligence Center, Viet Nam (CICV).

Comment by Ed McCoin — September 21, 2005 @ 1:00 am

Was stationed at Holibird from ’64 thry ’67 as S/A and Instructor on the FTX Committee. Anyone from that era and duty, please contact me.

Comment by Bob Scharbert — September 27, 2005 @ 8:52 pm

I came upon this by accident! I was stationed at USAINTS from July 18 1969 to September 14 1969 (approx).

I was a 96B20 and was a member of the WAC. I have been trying to find Cheryl Muto — she was stationed there also — would love to talk to her.

Yes, I remember the Colgate — smelled like apricot pits (cyanide???).

After Holabird I was stationed at the Presidio of San Francisco, another abandoned post.

This was fun. Enjoyed reading it.

Comment by Brenda Cates Kilby — September 28, 2005 @ 1:12 pm

Brenda: I spoke with Cheryl Muto (Clyde) last week. She lives in Wisconsin and I bet would love to talk to you.

Comment by kathleen Stevens — October 15, 2005 @ 1:00 pm

This is absolutely wonderful!!! Only someone who knew her well would remember her as “Clyde!”

Would also like to know whatever happened to Kathy Irish, my roomate at Holabird.

And if anybody knows whatever happened to Rose, somebody buy her a drink!!!

Comment by Brenda Cates Kilby — October 16, 2005 @ 8:46 pm

I knew a Rose, at Holibird, but can not think of her last name. The one I knew was gay, got outed, so married a young Marine she had just met, to counter the “gay” charge, and was given an honorable discharge all within a 7 day time frame. The young Marine sat in the Wac Shack charge of quarters room for a long time waiting for her, before he finally gave up. As far as I know he never saw Rose again, and neither did any of the rest of us. Rose did like to Party!

Comment by Kathleen Stevens — October 26, 2005 @ 8:53 pm

Entered Army through Ft Holabird Rep Station in Mar 65. Came back to 97B course after Basic at Ft. Jackson. Was deverted to 97D after waiting 8 wks. Classes held above 123 Club, HOT. Finished course, went to Art OCS (Dec 66)and then assigned to NSA, Came back and took the 666 course, went to VN and came back to MI Advance Course at Holabird (70). A lot of good times. DAME Course, Photo Course, The covert truck that broke down in the city and hauled back to Post with Army Wrecker. Taking covert pictures of diners in the revolving resturant, catching the 668 trying to infiltrate into Philadelphia. Yes,those were the days.

Comment by John Major — November 1, 2005 @ 2:56 pm

I went to the Holabird School for Wayward Boys in 1962 in the Agents course. Most amazing group of instructors and perm party. I had a couple of languages and wound up living in the proverbial “Interesting Times”.

When I wound up active duty my security debriefing took 2 1/2 hours while they reminded me of all the things I was supposed to forget. Civilian clothes and very little chicken exhaust.

Comment by Michael Woodill — November 1, 2005 @ 10:47 pm

Did basic training at Ft Dix August 1961 ( E Company under Lt Wiggins with Sgt Turner )Then by bus to Ft. Holabird for the agents course with a mixed bag of “troopers”. Remember typing with “click along with Mrs. Clicka” and running around tunnels with empty .38 2″ revolvers.
When taught background investigations we were instructed to cover LIDMAC, i.e., loyalty, integrety, ?, morals, ? and character. For the life of me I can not remember the D and A. Does anyone remember? Lived in Towson at the time so commuted. Ended up in the reserves witht he 224th MI detachment in Willow Grove, PA. Summer camps at Ft. Meade and Camp Drum.

Comment by Dan Egan — December 6, 2005 @ 9:55 am

The “D” in LIDMAC stood for DISCRETION!

Comment by Bill Leach — December 6, 2005 @ 10:12 pm

Dan: I remember “Ma Clicka”. She could teach anyone to type, even me, allthough I insisted it was against my religion! She held a world record as the fastest typist! I can’t remember D&A infact I had forgotton LIDMAC all together. But I remember FNU LNU and A thru F 1 thru 5 clasification system for informants. I could still do back asthmiths if I had to, but I still would not like it.

Comment by Kathleen Stevens — December 7, 2005 @ 10:46 pm

Thanks Bill for the Discretion part of the puzzle. Now for the A! And Kathlen, I forgot to mention FNU LNU because I never forgot it. For those who might have forgotten, it stood for “first name unknow”, “last name unknown”. And I might have used Clicka instead of Klicka. Not sure which is correct. And they were indeed good days. Come on someone with the missing “A”. I suppose the compass/map course has been replaced with the GPS/map course. The photography course lead to a life long hobby.

Comment by Dan Egan — December 10, 2005 @ 10:25 pm

Dan, it just stands for “and”. Morals and Courage. Type in LIDMAC on google and you will find quite a bit of INFO.

Comment by bill — December 12, 2005 @ 10:08 pm

Bill. Thanks, now I can rest.

Comment by Dan Egan — December 19, 2005 @ 9:59 am

Came to Holabird in 1964 (June or July) for the Interrogator course after half a year as a straight leg in the 5th Inf Div at Ft Carson, a year in Nha Trang and Kontum, and a year learning Russian at the Presidio of Monterey. Ended up in a Border Resident Office of the 511th MI Co in Germany which turned out to be a dream assignment (about 100 miles from the headquarters, civilian clothing allowance, off-post offices and quarters, etc., etc.) Holabird was fun, but I never did adjust to the summer “aroma.” Kept in touch with two classmates for many years, but have long since lost contact. Enjoyed this site immensely. Thanks!

Comment by Jack — January 25, 2006 @ 9:45 pm

This was fun reading everyone’s memories of Ft. Holabird. Took a similar bus trip in Dec. 1968 from Ft. Dix, arriving in Baltimore after midnight, and no one in Baltimore knew where Holabird was. The cabbie claimed he didn’t know where it was and stiffed me for a $10 ride after he finally “found” the place. Who could forget the Holabird Inn (I had forgotten all about those great cheeseburger subs). The folks who ran the place were great people. I’ll never forget the jukebox there which showed pics of scantilly clad women as the records played (was new to me being from Maine!). Was in the 97C course from March 69 thru July 69 (Agent Handler course). So many of us there we had to hang around from December to March waiting for a class to open up. My kids today still ask me what it was like to be a “spy.” Went from there to DLIWC in Monterey, CA for Vietnamese language school for a year and then for a year in MI stationed at Bien Hoa Army Base in RVN.

Comment by Larry Hamilton — January 31, 2006 @ 4:35 pm

Last communication back aways(2004). Hope I can answer some of your questions from at least the mid-1950’s. The eatery outside the main gate was the Liberty at that time. The infamous Keystone was up the street. Squires up and across and the sub-place, whose name I can’t recall, on the corner. The Headquarters company commander was a Captain Thomas Evans and his exec a Cpt. Ansumea(?). The 50’s where a little more (not much though) Army than what came later and permanent staff experienced a little more b.s than trainees but nothing compared to Fort elsewheres. The interesting part of Holabird is the high level of education of our mostly draftee and enlistee privates and specialists(lawyers, ma’s, ph.d.’s, etc). I was assigned to training aids (whatever in the hell that was). Every six months they trucked us out to Meade to requalify on some M1’s they had somewhere. This shot our Saturday (oh what suffering and bitching that caused) We lived in bays in the big bldg in back of Furlow field. We were truly a company of smart-asses, cynics, misfits and general malcontents but I am sure we all were thankfull we didn,t really have to play soldier despite all our bitching. We had two generals (one at a time) a Boniface Campbell(sounds civil war) and then a Richard Gaither (both Brigidiers). Most Fridays at about 4:30 we marched in review behind our awful band who seemed to know one song, Colonel Boggies(?) March.

Class A, no rifles. KP and guard occasionally (Ml’s without ammunition, they didn,t trust us). Many more memories and details but I don’t want to bore you more than I have.aplpreciated hearing from anyone from the 50’s and thanks for your site.

Comment by manfred(manny)adler — March 1, 2006 @ 4:48 pm

Jim.
Two questions: How do I get to your site without going through google and have you changed your e-mail address (the old one is returned)?

Comment by Manny — March 8, 2006 @ 10:59 am

Maude Klecka, FNU LNU, A-F 1-5, LIDMAC. Just like old times. I was in Klecka’s last class, before her retirement, hers and the Underwoods! Did a stint at Holabird to become a CI Agent in ’70, with interrogator for good measure. Then off to the 902nd, 113th and finally CICV. Wasn’t the sub place named something like Harley’s? What was the name of the bar right outside the main gate? Holabird Inn? Who else was DAME & DASE trained? Some talents are never lost! 97B40A

Comment by Lon Schank — March 14, 2006 @ 8:05 am

I was with Dick Goniu’s class in Sep 66…see his post above…I had a candy apple red 1969 Olds Super 88 convertible since I was from Philly, not too far from Balmer. Took a photo of my car under “Big John’s Place”, made my car look about 1/2 scale!

I dated a gal from Northern Pakway area who was a sophomore at Eastern HS for a long time, she sent me DJ while in Nam. Met up with her again last year in DC…glad I didn’t marry her!

My favorite eatery was the Gino’s with KFC on the road to Sparrow’s Point…best burgers in the world! Stopped there every Sunday night on the way in from Philly.

Went to DLI Viet at Biggs Fld, then to 525th then to Co A 519th MI Bn, worked at CMIC.

I have stayed in touch with a half-dozen or so of the guys in the 96B & 96C classes in the fall of 1966. Some guys are famous (?) such as Sandy Chadwick who is a radio reporter for NPR out in CA and Mike Landrum who as an actor, starred in a soap opera called “How To Survive a Marriage” in the 70s or 80s as well as numerous TV commercials (Horizon coffee, also some antacid…maybe Riopan?). Also one guy, who shall remain nameless at this time, ended up as a big shot with the Company. He is retired now.

If someone were to e-mail me I would be happy to discuss a reunion of sorts we are planning for 2007, which is approx 40, yes forty yeas ago!!!

Comment by Joseph Lachowiec — March 23, 2006 @ 4:36 pm

Your site brought back great memories. I was at Holabird from March thru June 1967, in 97D class. I remember that 33 of the 34 students in our class went to Vietnam together! I had the same shock when I arrived at Holabird. Got there on a Saturday night and got up at 5am Sunday morning assuming it was the same routine as boot camp. A drunk private came stumbling in the barracks and told me to go back to bed. It was a great time!!! Thanks for the memories!

Comment by Ron Seacrist — March 24, 2006 @ 3:47 pm

Good stuff. I was there both as an inmate and a keeper from about April 66 to Jan 69.
Would like to hear from anyone who was in DODNACC or USAINTC during that period. I served
as BG Blakefields driver and gofer for about a year. Note to Craig Anderson: I was there
in Chicago during both riots (TDY) and would like to contribute. I can be reached at:
wgriffith2220@charter.net

SP5 Ronald Wayne Griffith, USAINTC
“first member of my family to serve in the Yankee army since reconstruction”

Comment by Wayne Griffith — May 15, 2006 @ 3:24 pm

Testing……1, 2, 3.

Comment by Jim — August 29, 2006 @ 7:06 pm

NOTE: Manny (Manfred) Adler has posted comments here bofore (see: 2/12/04, 3/1/06, and 3/8/06), but for reasons I cannot figure out yet, he is unable to leave a comment here.

Anyway, he is interested in knowing about any reunions and such. In addition, if any of you can help figure out why he is having trouble commenting here (I don’t think my spam filters are flagging them), please try to help him.

His e-mail address is Ma1936@aol.com

Thanks,
Jim – Parkway Rest Stop

Comment by Jim — September 2, 2006 @ 12:40 pm

Jim:

Thanks and let’s see if this shows up.

Comment by Manny Adler — September 8, 2006 @ 2:36 pm

Arrived Jan.6,1966 after basic,I also was amazed at how Holibird was run. Was there from Jan till Apirl 66. I went through the 96B20 & 96C20. Started snowing the 6 of January. Did not see ground till some time around of March. Remember bus loads of nursing students on Friday night for Dances. Went to Ft.Bragg and from there to Vietnam with the 519th BN. Served there from July 66 till July 67. Spec5 Donald R. Stacks

Comment by Donald Stacks — September 16, 2006 @ 11:47 pm

Boy, Sawyer sure turned around from the jerk to a seemingly likable guy. And I think him and Kate will be having a baby soon :).

Comment by mr skin — October 7, 2006 @ 2:21 pm

Someone said that this post was not accepting comments. Just wanted to check.

Jim

Parkway Rest Stop

Comment by Jim — December 19, 2006 @ 11:06 am

Checking again to make sure the comments are working.

Jim
Parkway Rest Stop

Comment by Jim — March 27, 2007 @ 7:57 pm

Jim,

Testing if this one works.
Manny

Comment by manny — March 31, 2007 @ 6:25 pm

Jim,

Thanks and yes it works. Manny

Comment by manny — March 31, 2007 @ 6:29 pm

Does anybody have pictures of Ft Holabird? Could you post them on line or send them to me in an e-mail? Thanks, Bill

Comment by bill leach — April 28, 2007 @ 12:54 am

Bill,

Perhaps this may help you in your quest.The U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command (if this is indeed still the official designation) at Fort Belvior, Virginia (assuming it is still located there) published a book back in 1993 titled THE MILITARY INTELLIGENCE STORY: A PHOTOGRAPHIC HISTORY. This book contains a few photos of Ft. Holabird (pages 24 and 46).
this source may know of some other archival materials. If you should find any I suspect myself and others would apreciate that information. Best of luck in your search.

Comment by manny — April 29, 2007 @ 11:03 am

Manny, thanks for the info. I just found an aerial photo from the 60s. (it must be before 1965 because I can’t see the swimming pool that was there when I was in 1965-1968). You can see it at:

http://www.hughcox.com/holabird.htm

Thanks again and I will keep you posted.

Comment by Bill — May 27, 2007 @ 8:31 pm

After leaving basic training at Ft. Knox in August 1968 I boarded a flight from Louisville, Ky. to Baltimore, Md. and Ft. Holabird. On arrival the smell of Colgate creek and the humid August heat of Maryland are still branded into my memory.

I was about to begin my training as a 96b20, intelligent analyst or so I thought. It seemed I had just missed the start of a class; another class would not begin for almost a month. So, it was work details and the infamous weekly KP duty.

Once school began life got better, passing class was in the forefront of everyone’s mind. Some passed, others did not.

Once school was over all graduates except one received orders to Vietnam, “the one” received orders for Hawaii.

Vietnam orientation began on Saturdays in the movie theater, followed with combat training at Ft. George Meade.

From August 68 to late Nov. 68, life at Holabird was liveable. It was an experience of learning and many practical jokes with shave cream, shoe polish, tooth paste, short sheeted bunks; to wet bedding in the cold Baltimore fall mornings.

An enjoyable site to relive old memories – no regrets.

Comment by Gregory M. Virginia — June 3, 2007 @ 12:04 pm

Bill:

The swimming pool if my memory is still relatively intact was there in the mid 50’s. It was in the vicinity of the officer’s club and off limits to peons. I recall a chain link fence and sqeals of children and teen laughter but that is as close as we ever got. It was on the way to the dental clinic (speaking of ambivalence).

Comment by manny — June 6, 2007 @ 5:16 pm

Manny, the pool I am talking about would be all the way to the left in the picture. There also was a bowling alley next to the pool and that is not in the picture either.(did you see the picture)? I do remember the pool at the Officers club.

I just noticed the date of your last comment, June 6th. That is the date I left Ft Holabird for the last time, June 6, 1968.

Comment by bill — June 13, 2007 @ 10:51 am

Bill,
Do not remember an elisted pool or bowling alley and did not take the photo interpretation course though ran many a thermofax overlay (does this date me or what?) during night shift at training aides (or is it aids, the disease or the assistants?). oh well! I find this site fascinating since it is the first cantact in lo these many years. I guesss we did exist.

Manny

Comment by manny — June 13, 2007 @ 7:20 pm

Bill,
I just noticed the June 6th comment. D-day, what a coincidence. Manny

Comment by manny — June 13, 2007 @ 7:21 pm

June 6th 1968 is also the day RFK died.

Comment by bill — June 13, 2007 @ 8:17 pm

Bill,

What a coincidence!

Comment by manny — June 14, 2007 @ 5:41 pm

I was there Jan. 65 to July 65. Took the basic INTC course and then 9666. I was assiigned to HQ, Region I of the 113th in Chicago. Holabird was a country club after nine weeks at Ft. Benning and the training was outstanding. Anyone recall the field excercise at the old coastal artillery fort in Baltimore harbor.

When I got theChicago, I scoped cases for three months and then went to the Fifth Army Field Office in Hyde Park. I was a door knocker for four m onths and then took over at SAC. I had two E-2’s, 2 DAC’s and an E-6. I have a vague recollection that one of the young guys was named Anderson but things are a little foggy after all these years. One of the DAC’s was named Lynch and knew where every street address in Chicago was w/o looking at a map. My E-6 was an old timer named George Choi and I wish I could tell him just how much I appreciate all he did for me. We did BI’s for the most part, but had several derogatory investigations and did security penetration efforts for the Nike sites along the lake front. It was good duty and I worked with some very bright and motivated guys. The Head of the region was Col. George Paddis.

Comment by Bill Yantis — July 2, 2007 @ 3:13 pm

Did anyone serve in the “old 109th CIC Detachment in C
Cleveland, Ohio?

Bill Yantis: The “old coastal attilery fort in Baltimore harbor” is a new on for me. The only one I recall is the Francis Scott Key one of “Star Bangled Banner” fame, never knew their was another.

Comment by manny — July 7, 2007 @ 5:01 pm

Really enjoyed reading all the comments above. However, was not a student at Holabird, but actually permanent party assigned to HHC-USAINTC (not intel “S”chool, but “C”enter) from 2/23/63 thru 9/3/65. Started out in pay records where I processed incoming students, both enlisted and officer for their pay vouchers. A special shout-out to Capt Rakov, M.D. who thanked me for my assistance by giving me a permanent profile so I didn’t have to to PT or KP for the rest of my duty time. After spending about 9 months in Pay Records, my section sgt. John Davis got PO’d with me for taking an extra day off after an extra-painful double extraction and told me to report to my CO after I got off quarters. The CO decided he needed an OJT cook in the consolidated mess, so he put me there where I lasted about a year as a glorified KP. Then, thanks to SP/5 Gary Doyle, the Co Morning Reports clerk, I was “paroled” into the orderly room to learn the MR job so I could replace Gary when he ETS’d. A real cushy job from 6am to 2pm. Of course, then we got a new First Shirt who thought I should work until 5pm just like everyone else (didn’t matter that I started 3 hours earlier than everyone else). That was George “Mr Clean” (cannot remember his last name). He had been the manager at the NCO Club and was very well liked in that position. After he became 1st Sgt, he did a 180, becoming a real jackass. After about 6 months of Mr. Clean, I was requested away from HHC staff to Troop Command to become a titless wac (clerk typist) under Col. Jerry Wimberly and S/Maj Floyd Sampson and, of course, Mrs Ortelt — the Col’s secretary (it seems as if SHE ran the office). While there I finally got my E-4 specialist bird (quite overdue). A lot of you students there in late 1964 and into 1965 may have come across me as the Troop Command clerk that assigned you to your daily assignments while you were waitiing for your classes to start. Those of you that were the non-bitchers got the plum assignments and those picked at the end of the round (the bitchers) got the worse assignments. Well, my 3 years came to an end on 9/3/65 and I left Holabird — but didn’t go too far as I had fallen in love with a “local girl” and Baltimore and stayed until 1980 when I moved back to my home state of Florida. Now, 27 years later, I am dreaming of one day soon returning to Baltimore — actually Dundalk where I plan to retire and live out my remaining years. It appears that Dundalk is experiencing a resurgence and regrowth. I, too, miss “Harleys”, “Squires” and the night club up the street where they had a live band nightly known as “The Punchanellos”. Seems as if Wednesday nights were 50c nite with all well drinks at 50c each. Boy, could you get a buzz for $5 back then.

If any of you readers were there during ’63 to ’65 and remember your “casual duty assignments” waiting for your classes to start or were there as permenant party, get back with me at my email address of “tneuman@aaasouth.com”. I would love to hear from you.

Comment by Tim Neuman — July 9, 2007 @ 3:59 pm

Tim:

Enjoyed your recollections, the first, I think, of someone who was permanent party. The “Bird” (a name we never used, only students left with that nickname for the place, was a very different place for transients and permanent “inmates.” We did the grunt work along with our specialties and bitched comensurately. You were just a bit after my time. The nightclub may have the Keystone or perhaps it had changed names by then?

Comment by manny — July 11, 2007 @ 5:40 pm

Wow, the memories. Just stumbled into this site. I graduated 97D20 at Holabird in January 1967. Do you remember doing the surveillance training in downtown Baltimore and the locals yelling out, “He went that way!” Then there was The Block. . .’nuf said. I went on to the Field Support Group in D.C. –civilian clothes, light cover, paid apartment, suburban office. Great duty. Then off to Vietnam. First MACV then levied to 5th SFGA. Almost 40 -FORTY – years ago.

I came to this site as I’ve been trying to track down any more info about the 525th MI Group Villa that was overrun in Hue during TET. Anyone with any info please contact me. Thanks for this site and the memories.

Comment by Greg Taylor — August 10, 2007 @ 1:34 am

Manny of the 109th. We had a field problem involving “pacification” of a population after the Infantry had swept through. It was held at a coastal artillery fort, one of several that ringed harbors in major cities on the seacoast. The ammunition bunkers were very large and flooded. We were supposed to locate and identify contraband and secure intel from “civilians” played with fiendish delight by permanent party troops. Can’t recall the name of the place but it was not Ft. McHenry. If Craig Anderson checks back here (he had an entry a couple of years ago) give me a signal. I think you were one of my agents when I was SAC in Chicago. Of course, the mind does play tricks on one.

Comment by Bill Yantis — September 1, 2007 @ 5:28 pm

Bill Yantis:

The 109th was the Cleveland,Ohio detachment. I was permanent party at Holabird. No idea where your “pacification” occured. Rings no bell. It might have been one of the Nike sites? Hope you hear from Craig.

Manny

Comment by manny — September 5, 2007 @ 6:13 pm

Drafted July 1968; basic Ft. Bliss; Holabird Oct.1968-Mar. 1970,with language classes (French and Vietnamese) at Meade.

Comment by Michael B Lee — September 26, 2007 @ 3:53 pm

I was stationed at Holabird the first time from May – Oct 1963 as a student in the Coordinator Course. Returned as permanent party in Dec 1966 and stayed until Dec 1968. I was assigned to the FTX Committee during that period. Comment #60, Bob Scharbert was there at the same time. FInished the 97B and Photo Course while assigned. Went on to Vietnam after that tour.

Comment by F. Don Clifton — November 16, 2007 @ 5:04 pm

Interesting piece on fort hunt and p.o. box 1142 in today’s local paper. May be of interest to some of you in the interrogation area.

Comment by manny — January 11, 2008 @ 5:32 pm

I came to Holabird from basic at Ft. Jackson…by train. My first week there is pretty foggy; all I remember is being sick as a dog from the flu or something. They moved me to “casual company” where I stayed for what must have been at least 3 months [September ’67 – January ’68]. What a trip! I recall the guys in charge were Walshak(sp?) and Ferenzak(sp?)…shades of Sgt. Bilko. After graduation from 96D2T (II), I think my whole class ended up in ‘Nam.

Comment by JosephHill — February 25, 2008 @ 2:15 pm

Someone asked about the “casual company”. Permanent party were assigned to Headquarters company but placed on details such as moppping until “cleared” for their permanent assignments. I ended up under a Corporal Weeks (a real gem of a “soldier type”) mopping floors, but only briefly due to the fact that nobody seemed to know that I was there for a week or so, so simply wandered the base and slept in empty barracks (some security). Did not really appreciate how unmilitary Holabird was. Really lucked out after Knox and Gordon.

Comment by manny — March 2, 2008 @ 10:16 am

Any one who spent any time at Fort HaHa will remember this place. It was the Holabird Inn, now it is the Travlers Lounge.

http://maps.live.com/localsearch/Details.aspx?what=Bars%2c+Grills+%26+Pubs&where=7200+Sollers+Point+Rd%2c+Dundalk%2c+MD+21222&tab=photos&lid=YN405x7373072&qt=yp&cobrand=1&FORM=LLDP

Comment by bill — March 6, 2008 @ 11:13 pm

Anyone still alive out there?

Comment by manny — September 30, 2008 @ 11:43 am

What a great site !!!!! I arrived at Holabird in Dec 1966 and started 96B class in Jan 67. Our class was half Army and Half Marines. Our senior NCO was a marine gunny and when he started yelling to clean the deck and whatever they called the walls we just stood there. The when he would try and march us to class we would refuse to break stride and would get the old bridge bouncing. The Brass finally gave up and split us from the Marines and SSG Skinner became our leader. A buddy of mine in basic at Ft Knox znd I were sent to Ft Ha Ha (I had forgot all about that) by bus and got there on a friday night. We had the same thing happen where he told us to come back on Monday. We asked if we could go home and he said yes. We got a cab to friendship airport and flew home to detroit. After completion of our course our entire class except for me and another guy was sent to Bragg for assignment. Kuzial and I were sent to Ft Ritchie Md. I was there for a few months and then sent to Ft Bliss for language school. I went to Nam in Dec 67 and was assigned to the 525th MI Gp. Since the thought I could speak Vietnamese they made me an Advisor and I was with Team 51 in Bac Lieu until dec 68. From there I went to Fr Bragg for 9 months until I discharged. Once again, what a great site to stumble upon. Welcome home-

Comment by Bill Ballou — October 2, 2008 @ 11:30 am

Bill Ballou,

Marines at Holabird? In the mid 50’s perhaps an officer or two, but 50/50? That’s some IQ leap.

Manny

Comment by manny — October 2, 2008 @ 5:12 pm

Most of the marines were cpls & sgts and were LRP’s and had already been to Nam. It was quite an experience !!! They were OK with the Army privates like me.

Comment by Bill Ballou — October 2, 2008 @ 7:37 pm

Thank God, I thought this site was dead.

Comment by bill — October 2, 2008 @ 11:54 pm

I wasn’t worried about the site as much as the “posters”. Good to know other “Birders” are still checking in.

Manny

Comment by manny — October 3, 2008 @ 4:09 pm

If any of you were advisors in Vietnam the is a website and organization called Counterparts with posts from members of quite a few different teams. If you search “counterparts” you will see one called “counterparts frame page” ??? but that is the site. It is very interesting.

Comment by Bill Ballou — October 4, 2008 @ 9:13 pm

I arrived at Camp Holabird as an E-6 MP after 10 years in the real Army….Amazing Officers called me “Jim” Re-up got me into USAINTS teaching Map Reading to everyone; weapons ( 2″ 38cal to 97Bs , 45cal SMGs to 96s and was a Tac NCO for a short period when Officer Basic was conducted there….Attended 60-T-6 ( Imagery Interp ) and transferred to Air Recon as a Math Instructor till 62, then Korea, then Math Instr until 62,then Vietnam, then back as a math instructor until retirement as a CWO in 70. It is a real treat to read this site as it brings back many memories. A permanent Baltimorean, I have just a few obsevations to make.The field Artilley base at Baltimore Harbor was a WWI Coast Artillery base at Ft Howard.( where the harbor opens to Chesapeake Bay ) The Vietnam Village was located here. I worked with “Lillian ” Klecka and the band was led by Msg Anderson( membership got you out of all details )For permanent party EM membership in the ERF got those same rights ( But got you in every friday parade on Furlow Field ). Thanks loads for the memories>>>Jim.

Comment by Jim Sprole — November 3, 2008 @ 12:48 pm

Jim,

Welcome to the site. Keep the memories coming.

Thanks,

manny

Comment by manny — November 4, 2008 @ 3:19 pm

Jim:

What exactly was the ERF?

Manny

Comment by manny — November 10, 2008 @ 6:31 pm

Bernie Thielen,

To belatedly answer your 5/8/04 question: Not everyone stationed at Holabird need TS clearences. It all depended on one’s MOS, access to classified materials and so on. Most support personnel did not need clearence. There was a certain schizphrenia in operation not to rule out paranoia. Manny

Comment by manny — February 19, 2009 @ 4:22 pm

Thanks for the great site & memories. Hello to all who I served with at Holabird in early ’68 for 97D training.
Went on to 525th MI Gp at the Ponderosa in Gia Dinh, RVN, then to the 113th MI Gp (civvies) in Detroit. No regrets & proud to have served with exceptional people.

Comment by PHIL WISER — April 6, 2009 @ 2:13 am

Great memories… I arrived at the bird on newyears day, 1968. OJ Simpson was scoring a touchdown in the RoseBowl, and that past spring we were teammates on the SC track team. I loved being sent from sunny California to the chill air of Dundalk and that odor of the creek! I was not sent directly to classes in the 97 B40 as I had to wait for my birthbay, two months later. So I was assigned to work in the basement of the school in the mean time. I remember a general who was demoted to a pfc mopping the floors until his retirement. That was cold. Mrs. Clicka was still working us to type and those retired agents working the skits. Of a class of about forty, we had about six marines, all senior to us just ourt of boot camps. Everyone received orders a week before finishing the class and only three of us were sent other than Vietnamese language training. Us three, Joe Bynum, an older ex peace corps worker, was sent to Burma, another name I forget was sent to the basement of the Pentagon to work for the Defense Secretary in the offices of the 902nd or the Duce as we called it. I was the lucky one and was sent back out to Los Angeles assigned to the All Army Track Team training out of Ft. MacArthur. We had six army team members make the 1968 Mexico City Olympic Team. I was not one of them and went to work the next month at the 115th MI Grp until moving on in life. The skills learned at the bird were the best. I did not get to DASE or DAME classes, those were for lifers and I never made that trip. We were yound agents and would best be used to infiltrate groups where our coungterparts in other federal agencies could not match our youth, so that is where we were put. Great times though. My old boss in MI is now retired and living in Washington state and I visit him yearly. I have done that since leaving the military in 1970. He saved me though and I owe him forever. Richard Cayford is his name. I had been recruited into MI after being noticed by a CIA officer working in the basement of the Doheny Library at USC in 1967. There was a HRAF (human relations area files) system there and all students working on anything there at the time had to sign in. Silly, how one can innocently be nabbed. Anyway, Holabird was a great landing for any young person at the time and it is no more. I have gone to visit the new school in Arizona. I was amazed that the school an the people in the school are of a different world than existed when I was as the bird. The mind that stated “the only constant in this universe is change.” So true, but fond memories for the bird!

THOUGHTS AND SUCH: coopgl@cox.net

Comment by gordon cooper — April 21, 2009 @ 4:42 pm

Wow! I’m overwhelmed with memories. I went there out of basic for the Agents class in the Summer of 68…Just after Bobby Kennedy was shot. Some of the people I met there are friends of mine to this day. I took a weekend off and hitched down to Virgina Beach to visit a buddy while I was in casual co. I just didn’t have it in me to come back after the weekend and went awol for a week. Finally I got up the guts to head back and thought I would be shot immediately. Amazingly, nobody even knew I was gone! Went to the Holabird inn bar and got on their Dart Team. First time I ever played darts and still play to this day. Placed 2nd in the world in ’96. Great Site.

Comment by Jack Radigan — April 22, 2009 @ 5:47 am

Gordon Cooper,

Curious, how have you found Holabird different from Huachucha(sp?)? Different troops? Interested in your impressions.
Manny Adler

Comment by manny — May 3, 2009 @ 10:00 am

Arrived at Holabird in April 68 after basic at Bragg.Memories much like everyone else. Seemed like eaven after basic. Casual until June , then started class 96B20-Intel analyst. Was to go OCS in Fall. Got orders for RVN onlytobe sent back to Holabird. Back on orders for OCS.Orders came thru for OCS but in INF. Turned down. Who wanted to INF LTi68. RVN with 525 – assigned to 55th MID in Nha Trang tillMay 69.Extended to Task Force South in Dalat/PhanThiet until 9/69. Early out .Did not want to go to Bragg & paint rock. Ended mltary career with WVANG in 91. Fond memories. The BLOCK – had lunchon 21st birthday at Playboy club. Great officers -especially Col PrestonDavis inAdvance cource. Great bars off base. JohnDoyle

Comment by John Doyle — May 6, 2009 @ 6:42 am

I was at Fort Holabird from January 69 till May when I got orders for Germany.
I went through the 97B4 class and how well I remember and still tremble at the thought of “Peachy Keen” and “Peter Poor”- what super memories.
I don’t miss the stench of Colgate creek but I do recall it.

I was briefly at the 66th MI Group in Munich and then a week at the 527th MI Company but spent most of my time in the Karlsruhe Field Office on Smiley Barracks in Karlsruhe, Germany.

I was sent to Oberamagau (lord wish I could spell) to learn German hence my MOS became 97B4LGM3.

Would love to hear from any of you.

Comment by John Washington — May 22, 2009 @ 5:12 pm

The 527 MI company being of course in K town.

Comment by John Washington — May 22, 2009 @ 5:14 pm

One more incident if I may:
I was interviewing an actor who appeared as a gay man dressed in a blue velvet smoking jacket, open at the waist. He sat right next to me on a couch that had been provided as a stage prop. I was nervous as heck and at the end of the interview he asked me if I had anything else I wanted to say or ask. Anxious to get off stage I replied “NO” to which he replied I just flunked the interview.

A LT told me that I would be interviewd by the actor Peter Poor (Joseph Bandiera) I think. Worst guy you could get.

Every time Peter Poor entered the room using whatever name the role called for that day, the class would hiss and boo him and right on clue he would turn to the class and say “I hear air escaping from someone’s head” and we all laughed and he ate that up.

For one week I had the Aztec Two Step in anticipation of my next interview. The LT reminded me that if I didn’t do well, I would be dropped from the class.

So my day came, people hissed and booed and Peter did his thing and then it was my turn to be on stage.

Knowing this would probably be my last interview if not my last day on earth, Peter asked me who my installation coordinator was – how the heck do I know who is the head of some installation? I looked at Peter and said “General” and then I paused to think and out of my stupid mouth came the word “Electric”- Peter stood up, his hands turning white from gripping the table, spit coming out of his mouth and he asked if I was ready to be an Agent.

The class was howling, I was almost in tears and I was later told that the ONLY reason I didnt wash out of the class was that Peter Poor thought it was funny too.

God bless that man.

Comment by John Washington — May 22, 2009 @ 7:36 pm

I can be reached at jwashington@vtc.net

Comment by John Washington — May 22, 2009 @ 7:59 pm

One thing I can mention while working as a CI Agent on Smiley Barracks in Karlsruhe, Germany, was the time I was coming back from getting the mail.

I noticed some guy with a camera on a tripod so I went over to him and asked what he was taking pictures of. He showed me an old car in a field and said some friend in Karlsruhe who had no access to the barracks might be interested in buying the car if it was in good shape and so he was taking pictures of it in hopes of selling it.

I went over to the tripod and looked through the lens of the camera and all I saw were military vehicles, not the car in question.

I went to our office and told what I saw and our entire office along with a German who worked for us and a Dutchman – the wizard of photography (he could do amazing things with photographs) all decended on this guy in the field.

We confiscated his camera and developed the film and what we saw were all sorts of NATO weapons all laid out on a blanket. Weapons from the US, France, Germany, Belgium etc.

It turns out that the man was a Czech and worked as a cook. There were numerous Czechs and Poles who worked at various jobs on the barracks and all of a sudden they all got “notices of sick relatives back home” and they all left.

Fancy that !!!!!!!!

Comment by John — May 22, 2009 @ 10:58 pm

Am I on a roll or what !!!!!!! – last one I promise.
Once coming back to the office, my boss informed me that that American Red Cross had called and wanted to see me.

If I recall the Red Cross was near the entrance to Smiley Barracks.

The Red Cross doesn’t call unless there is an emergency so sweating and heart beating I raced up to the Red Cross building.

Waiting a second to catch my breath and to compose myself for the bad news, I went into the personnel office and was asked “How long has it been since you have written your mother?”

I said “What” and they replied that she (good ole mom) had called the Red Cross because she hadn’t heard from me.

Needless to say I had a letter in the mail the next day. I told “She Who Must Be Obeyed” (SWMBO) that I was well and if ever she received an envelope with nothing in it, it meant I was still alive.

I did manage to send a letter now and then and several empty envelopes.

Comment by John — May 23, 2009 @ 12:18 am

Good site

Comment by John Doyle — May 23, 2009 @ 8:21 pm

This is a good read:

http://www.don-valentine.com/Super%20Spook%20Training.htm

Comment by John — May 23, 2009 @ 10:32 pm

I remember when we arrived at Fort Holabird in January of 69. Cold as heck and of course the barracks were none too warm. If the wind could blow in so could the rats come in.

My aunt had sent me a tin of brownies but by the time I got them they had dried out and had been smashed to bits. So I offered them to the guys in the barracks.

What wasn’t eaten was used as rat bait for the traps we had been setting for the past week with of course no luck.

The lights went off and then “snap !!!! – a trap went off. The consensus of the group was to flush the thing down the latrine. Little did we know that the guy really did flush the thing down the latrine but at the same time ran his hands under the faucet to get them all wet and when he came back into the dark barracks, he ran his hands over his “bunkies” face and said “Man did that thing bleed”

Gagging could be heard barracks away.

Comment by John — May 24, 2009 @ 3:02 pm

Super classic MI ring- wish I had known about this years ago.
http://classicrings.com/mercantool/catalog/Army/branches_and_command/AR-28.html

Comment by John — May 24, 2009 @ 9:26 pm

Well I broke down today 4/26/09 and bought a ring from the above website.

Comment by John — May 26, 2009 @ 3:30 pm

I couldn’t believe it when I stumbled across this website. I could have written the description. I came to Holabird from Dix in September 1965, as an E2. I was lucky to find a cab driver who knew where Holabird was. Noone at the bus station had any idea wher it was. I was in a state of shock for a week, after basic. I was in the interrogator course, and graduated in December, 1965 to return to the 826 Mi Detachment in Hartford, CT. I thoroughly enjoyed all the comments. They brought back pleasant memories.

Comment by Bob Reuter — June 4, 2009 @ 12:47 pm

Thanks Bob for sharing your memories.

John

Comment by John — June 5, 2009 @ 7:52 pm

Bob,

Thanks.

Comment by manny — June 6, 2009 @ 4:50 pm

41 years ago today, I got out of the army and left Ft HaHa forever. (I wish I could go back and visit but I know it is gone).

Comment by bill — June 7, 2009 @ 12:15 am

See posting 19. Now have seen aerial of Holabird in early 60s, have emailed Manny Adler on this site, and dug up my DD-214.

Was EM permanent party photographer, lived on 3rd floor bay of lg. brick bldg. (seen in aerial). Marched to work to another brick bldg referred to as CIC Headquarters. Believe it was near eastern edge of Ft. Our floor (lowest) contained locked files, B&C, mechanical sorters and our photo lab.

Duty assignment was: HQ Detachment,8579th DU; AIC, 8579th DU; HQ Co,8579th AAU.

Can anyone tell me what DU, AIC, and AAU stood for? And what were thay the 8579th of?

Can anyone tell me where to find my workplace on the aerial photo?

Finally, dated a cute WAC – but that’s another story.

Charlie Larus

Comment by Charlie Larus — June 10, 2009 @ 10:59 am

What an amazing web-site! I arrived at the “Bird” in December, 1965 to begin 97B classes in January, 1966. I couldn’t believe I was in the US Army! What a trip! Yes, the Holabird Inn was a favorite spot as was the sub bar down the street. I remember all the South Vietnamese officers, including generals being trained in our classroom building. I still have a lot of the old manuals we used and classroom notes. The “rabbit hunt” in downtown Baltimore was a memorable stunt. Does anyone remember Brett Hardy? He was a classmate of mine who invited me to his wedding in Washington DC. If I remember correctly, his bride was the daughter of a NY senator.

It’s great reading all the stories of 40-45 years ago. After graduation, I went to DLI in Monterey to learn Romanian in 1966; ending up in Germany as an AH for OCE targeted against the east.

And, of course, Ma Klecka will be remembered forever!

Comment by Tony Wirkus — June 25, 2009 @ 4:04 pm

Arrived at the Bird on January of 1968, straight from Fort Dix. I don’t remember how I got there. First thing I heard was from somebody who said “You won’t believe this place”.

Spent several weeks on a casual status as a cook’s helper, not KP, but helping with the cooking.

I knew one guy who was sent to a detail to do painting. He told them he was allergic to painting, so they told him to report back to get another detail. Instead he went back to the barracks, and put up a sign saying he was on a night-time detail! Never did anything.

I had about two years of college, but was less educated than many of my classmates, we had about 5 guys with law degrees. Everybody went to ‘Nam except one guy who got himself into the AG’s office. He went later.

Trained as a 96B, Order of Battle. Sspent a wonderful year in Phu Bai, as in “Phu Bai is all right!”

Comment by Ken — June 25, 2009 @ 6:04 pm

Manny,
Finally reread this interesting site [five years after initial read].

Thanks for your answer to my question [#3 above]. By the way I finally remembered his last name – Wallace. He was somewhat embarrassed because he got 100% on the first two tests.
Did anyone flunk out of your classes? I don’t recall anyone in our class flunking out. One engineer left early for an assignment requiring his talents. Another guy who spoke Italian left early to be a “grad student” in Italy. I accepted their leaving at face value.

Are many of you members of the National CIC Association [NCICA] and/or the Association of CIC Veterans {ACICV}?

Stan Solin organized our Orange County CA group several years ago for lunches every two months. We welcome any one interested in the camaraderie; no dues and no membership in any organization required.

I don’t remember Colgate Creek, probably because I was there in winter time {Jan. thru April 1956].
Do any of you have stories about the instructors? Bernard Sweeney {DAC}was such an avowed anti-Communist and taught for so many years that the 1950s pupils remember him.

How could I forget Wallace because he saved my bacon. Several weeks into our training I corrected the instructor. The instructor didn’t appreciate it, but let it pass. We {I} learned to just shut up {Yes, I should have known better]. Later in the course, I wasn’t paying much attention because this same instructor was boring. He called on me. When I provided the answers to his five questions he went apoplectic. It was really intense until Wallace asked an appropriate question and defused the situation. I profusely thanked him after class.
Bernie

Comment by bernie Thielen — July 16, 2009 @ 3:39 pm

Just like the last post, I too have reread the site. It is amazing to read all these posts about an army post (Fort Holabird) and NO bitching or complaints. That tells you what a great place it was to be assigned to as a student or permanent party.

Comment by bill — July 18, 2009 @ 10:18 am

Comment #21 A few years back from Jeff Gallant. I remember Rocco and Nick. Nick and I landed up going to the 1st Infantry Division, with myself at Division and Nick going to 3rd Brigade. Last I saw Nick he was returning to “the world” after re-upping.

Comment by Cesar Rosales — July 19, 2009 @ 1:39 pm

Just discovered this site and the memories all came back. I went to the basic course and 9666 course in the first part of 1965. Got assigned to Region 1 of the 113th in Chicago. After duty in the region HQ went to Fifth Army Field Office as a agent and later SAC. I note that Craig Anderson was on the site and left a message several years ago. He was one of the agents who worked for me. If he sees this, I hope he responds: I’d like to find out what he has done for a career. That draftee army was an odd one and with all of the passions that arose from the VN War, lots of controversy as to troop quality issues: That was not the case with INTC. I met very few people who were not really superior soldiers. The Holabird training was worthwhile and impressive. I had a great car pool (George Gore and Nick Hanson ((Imagery Interp.)) and Dick Marler – 9666): Wonder what happened to them? Played more pool in the small day room than at any other time in my life..eating lunch and shooting 8 Ball. After IOBC at Benning the experiences at Holabird were an entirely different slice of the Army.

Comment by Bill Yantis — July 23, 2009 @ 5:38 pm

Bill Yantis:

The draft pulled in some very bright folks as is evidenced by the sense of humor and literacy of this website.

Manny

Comment by Manny Adler — July 24, 2009 @ 7:16 pm

What memorys of the Bird. I was a 97D graduating in July 68. Since the rumor was most of our class (44) were going to Nam I got everyone to kick in a buck so the lucky ones who didnt go could have a party at the 1 2 3 on us. The Army in it’s wisdom decided that if your name started with a R, S, or T, you got to go to Nam and the rest got very nice stateside duty. Since I was an S and I held the money, I changed the rules and the seven of us “lucky” guys went into the 123 and bought every pitcher they had, stacked them on tables and got as drunk as I have ever been.

I spent my year with Det A, 1st Bn, 525th in Quang Tri then the last 18 months at DODNACC in St Louis

Comment by Kurt Schulz — August 1, 2009 @ 1:22 am

Found this looking for LIDMAC (Loyalty/Integrity/Discretion/Morals/AndCharacter
Was at “The Bird” twice. Once in 1969 for six weeks for the tactical intelligence staff officer’s course. Then in 1971 I was back for six months for the counter intelligence controll officers course. We were the last officer’s agents class (9666) to go through Holabird. The next class went to Ft Huachucha Arizona.

Does anyone remember the typing teacher from WWII – Mrs. Klecka? asdf jkl;. Seem to remember a ton of typing homework. Wound up sharing an apartment at Bear Run Apartments (recommended by post housing) with Larry Robertson from Albany Oregon & Roy Sumisaki from California (I think Frisco). Many fun lunches at the Holabird Inn across the street from the post famous for their rectangular hamburger hero and, of course, their drinks. There was a new car assembly plant within a mile or two of the post and they gave an interesting tour. Anyone remember Sparrows Point? It was near the Bear Run Apartments and there was some kind of steel mill there that gave off iron dust and everything around would turn rust red overnight. Went to Vietnam from Holabird and served with Col Wensyl (Wenzyl?) in the 3rd Bn, 525th MI Group, headquartered in Bein Hoa and covering Military Region III. Great assignment for being over there. Glad I didn’t know about the tunnels under Cu Chi when I was there each month. Anyway, this was a nice drive down memory lane. To all, be well !!!

Comment by Steve Schein — August 3, 2009 @ 2:22 pm

I attended CIC school at the bird 7/5/54-11/54. I was with a large group of just completed ROTC 2nd lts, directly from college. Many were Ivy league. I was married & lived off base in Dundalk. Boniface Campbell was Commanding Genl at the time. Would love to hear more from my class. bb

Comment by barry bonoff — August 5, 2009 @ 3:54 pm

Barry:

Where did you go after Holabird? This site keeps getting hits and more interesting as it goes. Thanks Jim for getting the ball rolling!

Manny

Comment by manny — August 6, 2009 @ 2:22 pm

Hi,
A question—do any of you remember two guys from New Jersey? One was Mike Soriano and the other was Doug Scott.

Comment by Jeanne Giaiimis — August 19, 2009 @ 5:36 pm

I stumbled on this by accident. It was fun reading. After being drafted and basic trainin at Ft Ord in California, I was sent to Holabird in the fall of 1963 for the CI agent’s course. I remember the time there fondly and actually enjoyed the instruction and relaxed atmosphere after basic. JFK was assassinated while we sat in class. I will never forget when the major who was teaching our class walked into the room and told us, “Your Commander-in-Chief is dead.” I was stationed at the 526th INTC in Okinawa for a little over a year and then to the Pasadena, Calif. field office. Anyone else reading this there when I was?

Comment by David Sexton — August 30, 2009 @ 1:58 am

Oh, I do remember Mrs. Klecka’s typing class. Called it “Clicking with Klecka.”

Comment by David Sexton — August 30, 2009 @ 2:08 am

Class B-501 97B 1967 – Vivid memories of the 1-2-3 club and green beer. Returned a few years later for the Defense Against Surreptitious Methods of Entry (DAME)and Defense Agaist Sound Equipment (DASE).

Comment by Jim Corey — September 10, 2009 @ 9:22 am

Seems like only youngsters are responding. I was at Holabird Signal Depot and Camp Holabird from Jan 47 to Sep 49, S/Sgt, Company A (Officer’s Training Co.) Chief Clerk. No air conditioning and TYPEWRITERS. Any old timers there during that time?

Comment by Charles Phillips — September 10, 2009 @ 10:01 pm

Keep the comments and the memories coming. Great page to read.

Comment by John — September 12, 2009 @ 6:51 pm

Arrived at the Bird in May 69. Attended 96B class R-20 (I think). Graduated 30 Jul 1969. One of 17 class members who received orders to Viet Nam. Of those five of us ended up at the 191st MI Det, 1st Cav, Phuoc Vinh. But that is another story. Holabird was really another world after Basic at Ft. Polk. Arrived late on Friday (early Sat). Remember getting up late Sat morning to see everyone putting on civies. I didn’t have any but didn’t waste time buying some down town. I remember a lot of people talking about waiting for their class to start (97B) waiting for clearances or birthdays (seems like you had to be 21 before you could become an ‘agent’. So many memories…..123 Club, Dundalk Ave, Colgate Creek, and oh those early morning classes (Mon) after long week end parties. Glad I found this site. I remember classmates; Conte, Powley, Robideaux, Barney, Shoop (USMC) and class leader Smalls. Unfortunately I have lost contact with all of them.

Thanks for the memories and WELCOME HOME, BROTHERS.

Comment by Greg McNally — September 19, 2009 @ 5:40 pm

You had to be 21 as a 97D so you could carry a side-arm in civilian clothes stateside.

Comment by bill — September 19, 2009 @ 11:19 pm

I was at Holabird Signal Depot from fall of 1946 to fall of 1947. Was in the 181’st Signal Depot Co. and spent my time at the big signal repair shop re: advanced training as a radio repairman.

Comment by Laurence Stratton — September 21, 2009 @ 8:59 pm

Arrived at Holabird March ’66 for 96D course . Went to Nam in July ’66 , 1st M.I. in Da Nang . Was in 2nd
Armored Div prior to Holabird and all anyone cared about was getting my div patches off my uniforms .Hell On Wheels seemed to bother everyone .After Nam ended up a Bragg in HQ Co Contic .

Comment by jeff morgan — October 2, 2009 @ 8:03 am

I failed to mention that from 1947-1949, Co.A CO was Maj. Dellinger, XO Lt. Coats, 1st Sgt Bivert, Mail Cpl Wargo. Also from Air Force Basic in San Antonio: Payne, Millslagle, Shaffstall, many others. Sgt’s Jackson, Nettleton and Potvin were there also.

Comment by Charles Phillips — October 12, 2009 @ 11:42 am

There were some Air Force barracks on base. Each morning blue (what else) buses took Air Force personnel into Baltimore proper. I believe they were Air Research and Development Headquarters folks? We never crossed paths. Hush-hush among the hush. Anyone remember this or know any more?

Comment by manny — October 13, 2009 @ 4:49 pm

I remember eating in the enlisted mess and the airforce personnel always had their own section on the far side of the room seperated by a low wall divider. (1965-1968).

Comment by bill — October 14, 2009 @ 12:07 am

Attended 97c course in early 1968. Arrived RVN 6 June 68, day after RK was shot. Into to Vietnam was on Ponderosa rooftop drinking and watching the light show – tracer bullets. II Corps got me hooked on Asia and have been involved with it ever since (www.silkqin.com), but regret I didn’t keep in touch with classmates.

Comment by John Thompson — October 15, 2009 @ 1:12 am

Anyone know how how to locate site of the Ponderosa in Saigon of today?

Comment by John Thompson — October 15, 2009 @ 1:14 am

Was at the “Bird” summer & fall of 1962. Mrs. Klecha, Major Tarbutton, actors in fishbowl. Korea 1963, Philadelphia FO 1964. Would like to find classmates. 971 S/A.

Comment by Larry Taylor — October 15, 2009 @ 9:03 pm

Went thru Fort Holibird in 1948 after taking a clerical course at Fort Lee, Va. Went to the 115th CIC Detachmet in San Francisco and spent a year there. Was then sent to the 66th CIC Detachment in Stuttgart, Germany where I spent over 3 years. Then back to Fort Holibird to take the agents course After completing that I left the army. Have a lot of memories of my days in the CIC.

Comment by Harry Carlisle — October 20, 2009 @ 6:28 pm

Anyone out there remember Lt. Col. Isadore Max Belba? Working on a biography of Lt. Col. Belba.

Comment by Mark — October 22, 2009 @ 11:30 am

Was at Holabird for basic and 9666 classes May-Sep 1965. Then to Korea (2d MI Det) Oct ’65 – Feb ’67. One classmate to Korea with me – lost touch with all others. Memories of the “Bird” are sketchy. I do remember the great Italian food at Squires. Regret that the old post is now history.

Comment by Graydon (Ed) Elliott — October 22, 2009 @ 8:50 pm

W. Griffith:

I served at Holabird as a 97D20 from March-October ‘68 in OPS III & IV, before I replaced a guy named (Dan?) Moen as the NCOIC of the USAINTC Liaison office in the Pentagon. I worked under BG William Blakely and his Liaison Officer, Lt. Col. Paul Feduska. We must have met at some time. Blakely was later replaced by BG “Black Jack” Matthews, just before I ETS’d in Dec. ‘70. Quite a ride…I worked in OPSIV as a “swing shift” analyst during Chicago DNC, coordinating with FBI & CIA. I remember with no particular fondness “Subversive Sam’s” bar and the Hardy’s squat & gobble. More than anything, I remember the camp followers at the NCO club. Some wild nights with local factory girls. I remember once being callled in to drive one of the brass to the Pentagon before I was transferred there…got totally lost. Good guy though, he never said a word. You must have been a better driver. The only other thing that really sticks out from now more than 40 years ago, was meeting then MAJ Lee Holland, who eventually became one of the Iran hostages. Thank God he survived that ordeal. Well enough reminiscing for now. ‘Hope your service served you well.

Comment by Michael Kurz — October 23, 2009 @ 11:04 am

Great site….my dad and family was stationed at Fort Holabird, MD.

When I ask some older vets if they ever heard of this base, most of them just shake their head and say “Nope”….I glad to see that there actually was a Fort Holabird, MD.

Enjoy reading the stories posted.

Comment by Jim Scott — October 23, 2009 @ 11:15 am

Jim,

Holabird was probably one of the least known posts in the Army. I have encountered very few veterans who have heard of the place (or folks when I was in active service for that matter).

Manny

Comment by Manny Adler — October 26, 2009 @ 3:41 pm

Manny,

According to my dad’s military record, he was assigned to Holabird from 18 Oct 55 to 18 Mar 57. He transfered from Ft.Meade (HHC 2101 SU)…no idea what this stood for..??

Anyways, his record shows that he was assigned to “Intel Sch USAIC, Ft. Holabird, MD. I don’t suppose you or someone else may recall what that stands for..?

You see my dad passed away several years ago (he never talk much about his duties while in the Army) and now my kids want to know what grandpa did while he was in the Army. Unfortunately, I don’t have many answers.

Any suggestions on where to look?

Comment by Jim — October 27, 2009 @ 5:58 pm

USAIC was U S Army Intelligence Command (or Corps)

Comment by bill — October 27, 2009 @ 11:47 pm

Hi, I am pleased to have found this site because when I mention Fort Holabird people look at me like I am from the Twilight Zone. I was there as a MI student 2nd Lt in QV13 (Quick Vietnam)in early 1970 but went to Korea instead and became the S-2 for the Eight Army MI Group. While in training I lived in downtown Baltimore in a high rise appartment building called Sutton Place. My daughter is now going to Johns Hopkins University and I have recently asked people about Fort Holabird ant I just get starange looks and no one has even heard of the place! So much for history. I have found the Fort loacation but I don’t think there is anything left of the Fort. I will be back in Baltimore next week and will take a short pilgramage to the site 

Comment by Dan Hussey — November 2, 2009 @ 10:01 am

Jim,

U.S. Army Intelligence Center (also Command, changed in different time periods). CIC School, etc. Your dad and I may well have served together as our service match closely. Since I do not have his name I have no way of providing more informatio, sorry.

Manny

Comment by manny — November 2, 2009 @ 3:05 pm

I was a 97B40A back in 1970, then on to the 902nd MI, then the 113th MI and finally a stint in Korea, TDY to VN. Anyone remember the Sandwich shop down (left) from the front gate? Best sandwiches ever. Before there were sandwich shops too. Glad this site exists. Thought I was drifting off to the Twilight Zone myself. No one has ever heard of the place. Glad I’m not really alone!

Comment by Lon — November 6, 2009 @ 7:04 pm

Harleys, everything smothered in onions!

Comment by bill — November 7, 2009 @ 1:15 am

Manny, Bill and fellow readers,

Reference to my post #178 and your replies #179, #181.

Thank you!

My dad’s name was Harry E. Scott; (AKA: Red-because of his hair color). I believe he was a Sgt. I hope that may help.

According to his military records, he was assigned as a “Inf Instr, Intel Sch USAIC Ft Holabird, MD”. No idea what he did or may of taught.

After Holabird, he was stationed at: “USA Artic Indoc Sch 8353 APO 733”. I believe this was at Ft. Greeley, Alaska.

Prior duties included, Pennsylvania Army National Guard, KMAG-Korea, 132 Ord Co DAS Ft. Meade, MD; 55th Ord Co DAS Ft. Meade, MD; Fort Greely Alaska; Knox, KY; Ft. Dix, NJ; Ft. Polk, LA; and previous Navy enlistment in the 1940’s.

I hope you may recall him or be able to point me in the right direction.

Thanks for your service to our country!

Comment by Jim — November 8, 2009 @ 9:48 am

Forgot to mention that we use to live on Oakwood Road, Baltimore, MD (Dundalk) during this time. I may have some old photos.

Comment by Jim — November 8, 2009 @ 9:53 am

Stumbled on this site doing a post-mortem search on behalf of my Dad, Curt “Pierce” Davis, Japanese POW during 1942-1945. He told me a couple of years before he passed away (in 6/09) that he had been at Ft Holabird, but never said in what capacity. I know he had been in pub affairs office at Ft Knox where I was born, and had been a typing teacher at some point early 50’s of Korean War recruits. Dad had written poetry as a POW and when he came to Holabird he loaned writing to someone named Mayer/Myer/Meyer/Myers/Meyers…. and never received it back. So I’m still searching, but if I stumble across anyone out there who knew my dad, please give a shout out.

Comment by Faith (Davis) Trinkl — November 11, 2009 @ 3:13 pm

Discovered your site recently & thought I’d check in on Veteran’s Day. I arrived at Holabird Nov.4th,1966 from Ft. Jackson and started class several weeks later as a 96B20. The place seemed surreal especially Casual Company and many guys wearing civvies after normal duty hours.Got to go home that first weekend and every one after since I lived in Waterbury,Ct.One of my more memorable chintzy details in Casual was a Q-boat assignment from about 5 at night to 6 in the morning. Someone said they used it to drop agents off at designated areas.As I recall, it looked like a tug boat with a galley and full seating area. I was told not to go to sleep but to polish the brass on the entire boat to ensure that I wasn’t to snooze.Fell asleep about 2 and woke in time to greet the guy in charge.He chewed my butt off for napping saying I did a lousy job. Actually he was right as I only did the bell,didn’t look much better than the remaining brass.When I started the R-11 analyst course many guys had degrees or several years of college,one student was a foot doctor who refused a commission.Remember the “rout step” Colgate Bridge whose creek rendered the odor of the day. 

There were other smells that wafted into our campus from the beer breweries and the rubber processing I think.Could not believe it when I was assigned to Ft. Shafter,Hawaii after filling out a “dream sheet” It was a very small installation a few miles from Waikiki,no formations no extra duty,”It was Paradise with the 319th M.I. Bn.” The Pueblo Incident sent me to the 502nd M.I. Bn. in Seoul, Korea with G2 8th Army.This was a very good assignment and subsequently I volunteered for Nam. July 1968 saw me with Security Plans&Operations with U.S.A.H.A.C. ETS was the day the U.S landed on the moon,20July,69;many beers since the “123 Club”.Thanks for your time, Manny, great site .I think we all had something special at the “Bird” to remember, especially the unique caliber of men we served with there. This site reflects it.I’dliketo say hello to a few guys who were at the Bird:Doug”Stonewall”Jackson,Monteiro,Cleavand,the”Count” Grossberg,Doc Levin,Larry Formicella,Mike Guidone,Keller,and everybody from R11″ Ed Hotchkiss

Comment by edward hotchkiss — November 11, 2009 @ 8:39 pm

Thanks to all of you for serving.

Comment by John — November 13, 2009 @ 7:24 pm

Got to Holabird middle of 1967. 97B40 class. Two USMC E5’s in our class-just back from Vietnam. Remember the Holabird Inn well…..best ham sandwich I ever ate. I remember that a lot of the guys were from the East Coast and would catch the train home on the weekend. I was from Michigan and was stuck in town. The two Marines had a car and we would buy a case of beer and end up at a drive-in movie on Friday night. We would usually get tossed before the movie was over. Left Holabird and went to the 101st at Ft. Campbell, but didn’t stay long. We were interviewing incoming draftees about political leanings and drug use. Had enough of that after a month or two and volunteered to go to Vietnam. Assigned to 5th SFGA in Nha Trang.

Great site you have here. Stirred up a lot of memories.

Comment by Ron Mahinske — November 15, 2009 @ 11:09 pm

Just found the site. I arrived at Ft Holabird in Dec 65 right before the big snowstorm. Basic at Ft Polk, I had been told Ft Ord so when I got to the Bird I didn’t know what to expect. No KP, good food and laundry. 97B training in between the Holabird Inn and the “Block”. I couldn’t believe it but sent back to CA for the 115th Riverside FO. Never made it reassigned to LA Field Office, 15 min from home. Everything was great, working in civvies, background investigations and did some TDY to AZ and Ft. Ord. Then, I got my orders for the 525 MID in Saigon, March 1967. My boss, CWO old CIC hand, asked me if wanted to go. I said no choice, he called a friend and I was reassigned to the 526 MID Okinawa for 15 months. Best time of my life, TDY all over and no NAM. Great memories, keep up the site.

Comment by Richard Duarte — November 18, 2009 @ 10:27 pm

Have great memories of the “Holy Bird.” Drove up after Basic at Ft. Jackson in May 54. What a change!!
Spent a lot of time on E. Baltimore Street until I got married On Aug. 1, 54. Flew home to NC, got married on Sunday afternoon – flew back to Baltimore and was in class Monday AM. Great honeymoon. Shipped out to Germany in October and spent the next 18 months at Region I, 66th CIC Group (7807 USAREUR DET.) in Stuttgart. Would love to hear from Hoben, Glass, Huckelberry, Childs or any of my classmates.

Comment by Gene Garland — November 24, 2009 @ 4:40 pm

Don’t have a clue how I found this site, but boy does it bring back memories. From basic at Ft. Jackson to the Bird in March 1966 (96D) then to Offut Air Force Base for more training then to 502nd in Korea and back to Holabird as trainer for Reserve Units that were being called up. Hated to hear that the place has closed down, would love to visit one more time.

Comment by Steve Bostick — November 30, 2009 @ 8:29 pm

Wow! What a find!! My 1st memory of Ft. Holibird was breakfast, after arriving (0030). Arrived in front of the SP5 “chef” and was asked how I wanted my eggs. Almost lost it right there. Ft. Leonard Wood was never that kind. Spent several months there in the CI course, 97B. Spent a lot of time at Memorial Stadium and got to see every AL team play, when not throwing darts at the Holibird Inn. Powell, Stormin’ Norman and the big stud for the Senators. Left there in June 1971 and arrived at the 511th on 7-10-71. Spent 2 days at HQ and then left for RO Graf, 7th Army Training Center. Left the unit and rotated home in 10-73.

Comment by Craig Childress — December 5, 2009 @ 6:23 pm

Craig Chidlress – i did 3 years as a 97B at RO Graf (1981-84)…it was above the bank when i arrived and then moved to a stand-alone building. Our translator was Alfred (Fred) J. Tampe. Do you remember him? if so, drop me a line at sammlm@roadrunner.com.

thanks

Comment by Mike Miller — December 5, 2009 @ 11:09 pm

Stumbled on this site from a Goggle alert. Was at Holabird from Nov 65-Feb 66, after coming from the engineers via DLIWC-Bulgarian with over 10 years service already and a SP5. Met CPT Warnicke while taking the 96C IPW course and was invited to his home with my family – I still see him every year in church in Seattle on Easter. Spent the next 17 years in MI mostly in Germany with the 66th and 18th MI and retired from Ft Lewis WA in 1983 as a CW3. After retirement from State Patrol in 2004 worked a year at Abu Ghraib Prison in Iraq. None of the MI guys there ever even heard about Ft Holabird.

Comment by Art Farash — December 7, 2009 @ 4:03 am

What a trip Holabird was. I attended from Sept. ’68 until February ’69 as a 97B40. We all expected to go right to Nam after completion of the course. About three weeks before finishing we were given a sheet to fill in that listed our linguistic skills. There were columns across the top that read “fluent” “understand” and “no knowledge”. Down the left side were listed the languages: Vietnamese, Laotian, French, Spanish, Italian, German, Other. I checked off “no knowledge” on all but one. 

Having taken a semester of German in Jr. High School I deemed myself “fluent” in German and spent the next 2 1/2 years in Frankfurt at the 503 MID at Drake Edwards Kaserne and the 165th MI Co. at Gutleut Kaserne where I never once had to use the language. Ironically, I became fluent in German during my tour there but that was due to dating the German girls, not any language school.

Comment by Don Marikovics — December 7, 2009 @ 2:18 pm

I arrived at Fort Holabird in January, 1961, after basic training at Fort Dix, NJ. I stayed at The Bird until the end of May after completing the agents course. From there, I spent a year in Monterey at ALS studying Ukrainian, (with Dave Smith, Dennis McNeil, and Joe Kalousek), and then to FO Nuernberg, Germany with the 511 MI until coming home.

The Commandant at Holabird in ’61 was General Prather, who among other things, enjoyed staging Friday afternoon parades. These misguided spectacles began in early April.

The field was never quite dry enough, and there were plenty of low, wet spots through which we needed to slosh, causing lots of damage to the spit-shined shoes we wore with our dress uniforms. The marching band was made up of USAINTS students with varying musical and marching abilities, and was termed the Drum and Stumble Corps. It was the NCOs who came up with that name.

I had a squad leader whose name was Robert Doane. Others in my squad were Paul Bosten, Bill Hodge, and Bob Carpenter. This was at a time when “The Mickey Mouse Club” was a favorite of daytime television for kids. Our squad reworked the words of the theme song from this show to run like this:

“Who’s the leader of the squad that’s made for you and me? R-O-B-E-R-T-D-O-A-N-E”

We learned that Bob Doane didn’t like this very much, so we stopped singing it in his presence, but we enjoyed harmonizing in the bar across the street after a few beers.

Two guys in my class were named Munzenrider and Heckenlively. The staff had a good time mispronouncing their names. Polysyllabic words were tough for them.

I understand that Fort Holabird was used for housing German POWs during WWII, and after that, Watergate-related criminals were kept there in the 1970s. I believe that it is now a housing development.

I miss you all, and wish I could see every one of you again. I can be contacted at: wkrause55@gmail.com. I would like to hear from somebody.

Bill Krause

Comment by Bill Krause — December 7, 2009 @ 11:22 pm

Bill,

Friday parades were a tradition (or abomination) for ego gratification for the Generals, some dependents and assorted visitors. Permanent party had to endure these along wih kp, guard duty,etc. And they wanted us to re-up!

Manny

Comment by manny — December 10, 2009 @ 10:30 am

I was assigned at Fort Holibird the first time in 1948 and was sent from there to Camp Lee Virginia to learn how to type. Then to the 115th CIC Detachment in San Francisco as a clerk. After about a year I was sent to Stutgart, Germany and served over 3 years in the 66th CIC Detachment. Left Germany in 1952 and went back to Fort Holibird for several months training. After completing the training I decided to leave the Army in December 1952. Would like to hear from anyone who might remember me. carlisleh@aol.com

Comment by Harry Carlisle — December 13, 2009 @ 1:18 pm

Found this sit by accident. Brings back lots of memories. I would like to hear from guys assigned to the USAREUR Liason Team in the late 1960,s.

Comment by Jerry Gilbreath — December 17, 2009 @ 1:46 pm

My name is Tom Brennan. I was at Ft. Holabird in the Spring of 1964 for the agent course (9666), then to Monterey for the German course, to Border Resident Office, Hof, in Germany as OIC from Feb 1965 to mid-1966. After Hof, I transferred to Nurnberg as the FO Commander, 511th MI Company, 66th MI Group until Dec 1967 when I separated..

My greatest memories of Holabird include Mrs. Klecka for typing and the actors who tied us up in knots during the interviews. I recall Mr. Robert?) Bandillera (phon) and Ms.(Julia?) Margolies (phon). There was one other whose name escapes me. It was very humbling to be behind the one way glass wall and hearing the laughter from the rest of the class on the other side when I made an ass of myself. Then there was the day they polygraphed me in that room and held up a Playboy centerfold in front of my face. I can still hear the laughter as the needle went crazy.

There was a classmate who was a Navy Lieutenant j.g.. who had a convertible. We car pooled from Washington every day and drove through the Harbor Tunnel. We would remove our hats because if they ever flew off in the tunnel they would be gone forever. One morning a field grade from the post observed us without our hats and saw the Holabird sticker on the car. . The Lt. was summoned to his office and berated for being “out of uniform”. The Lt. could not believe this chicken shit and just stared at the officer until he was dismissed..

I would love to hear from anyone and can be reached at walkingt@hotmail.com.

Comment by Tom Brennan — December 21, 2009 @ 4:20 am

My dad, Tom Cornwell, was in the Army Intelligence unit there around 68-71, if any one remembers him….he then went on to Vietnam. I just remember hearing stories of Holabird as a kid.

Comment by Maria — December 23, 2009 @ 12:11 pm

Hi all, Immediately after my basic training at Fort Knox, I spent the spring of 1966 at Fort Holabird training for a 96B20 MOS. Like everyone else, I soon began to wonder just what this military was all about. The two duty stations couldn’t have been more different. My memory of that time in my life is not too good except I do recall the drinking at the 123 club and the bus trips to DC almost every weekend. I also recall the food served in the mess hall being very good, the varied type of military personel constantly buzzing all over the post, and the distinct oder and color of Colgate Creek. I ended up serving in the 519th MI Bn at Tan Son Nhut Airbase from July 66 to July 67. I love reading the comments herein and god bless each and every one of you.

Comment by Ross Morgan — December 29, 2009 @ 2:13 pm

Happy New Year to all.

A terrific website!!!

My father was stationed, twice, at Fort Holabird, befroe and after Korea.

We lived in nearby Dundalk.

I remember Sunday School, Church, picnics etc. at the Fort; all the while having no idea what my father, or anybody, actually did there.

Great memories.

Thank you,

BB

Comment by Bob Bartles — January 6, 2010 @ 2:20 am

Bob Bartles,

Neither did we.

Manny

Comment by manny — January 6, 2010 @ 5:58 pm

This is a great site and brought back many happy memories. I arrived at The Bird from Dix on September 10, 1954. After a couple of months shuffling papers in Stuttgart I was assigned to Region XII (Kaiserslautern), where I worked with a great bunch of guys, explored the most beautiful part of Germany, and drank the best wines in the world. Those were the best years of my life. I’d like to hear from anybody who was at The Bird at that time or stationed in Kaiserslautern at any time.

Comment by Myron Johnston — January 8, 2010 @ 8:22 pm

I graduated from CIC school at Ft. Holabird in the winter of 1952. Out of my graduating class of some 50 students, five of us were assigned to the far east. I wound up at CIC headquarters in Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan. Was discharged in April, 1953.

Comment by Robert Livesay — January 9, 2010 @ 1:14 pm

I joined the army at the end of April 1966 and took basic at Ft. Polk. I arrived at Ft. Holabird in August and attended the Coordinator course (97D20). I remember the huge parade field in front of the large barracks building. The MPs would fire the pack howitzer at raising and lowering of the flag and made sure to check the bore to make sure that no one stuffed a roll of toilet paper in it. I still have a picture of myself standing next to the gold plated sphynx.

Upon graduation, two of us went to Korea and the rest went to Vietnam. I spent the best year of my life at Company B, 502d MI Bn at Tracy Compound (Liaison Office) in Seoul.

I was reassigned to the 113th MI Group headquarters at Ft. Sheridan (Illinois). As it was 90 miles from home, I couldn’t complain. I finished out my enlistment there in April of 1969.

In one of the comments from the 1990’s, Jerry Race mentioned that he was there at the same time. If he checks this site or anyone knows where he is I would like to contact him. (mondana47@hotmail.com)

The comments here have brought back many memories. Thanks, Dan

Comment by Dan Rundell — January 14, 2010 @ 12:01 am

My father Sgt. Joseph Lorusso was stationed on base around 1966-1970. We lived in officers housing. It was a square neighborhood with a playground in the middle.

I remember visiting soldiers and watching them shoot pool. My father was married and had 10 childern. I would love to hear from anybody that remembers him.
My email is : Soupersalad13@aol.com
Iam not sure what his job was. We moved to Pa. in 1971

when I was 7 years old.
I do remember an officer Sgt. Jim mcCann.

I do remember eating at Sqiure’s. We did visit through the years. If I remember correctly the owner/wife is named Toots or Tootise. My father passed away in 1987 and buried at Arlington. I loved reading everyones comments and memories. God Bless..
Army brat,
Angie Lorusso

Comment by Angie Lorusso — January 14, 2010 @ 8:31 pm

P.S to comment #209

we lived on College Ave.

Comment by Angie Lorusso — January 15, 2010 @ 8:14 pm

colgate ave. NOT college ave. (sorry)

Comment by Angie Lorusso — January 15, 2010 @ 8:57 pm

After attending basic at Ft Polk I arrived at Ft Holabird in May/June 1966 attending the CI agent course. My first assignment was the LA Field Office, 115th MI Group, commanded by LTC Sueda. May first boss was CWO Cheeks(PSI Team 1) followed by CW0 Bob Jenkins(SI Team 5). I subsequently was assigned to the 511th MI Company in Germany and later went to MACV Tm 42, Binh Dinh Province, Vietnam. After many more assignments I retired in 1990 as a CW4.

Post #190(Richard Duarte) I rememeber you from LA.

Post #202(Maria) I served with Tom Cornwell, but I just can’t remember where.

Comment by Ed Harris — January 17, 2010 @ 6:52 pm

Arrived at the Bird in Jan 1962 for agent training. Spent lots of time at the Acropolis on the dock, Slim Browns bar and the Holabird Inn. Managed to get in tight with the assignments Sgt and was sent back home to the 113thINTC Rgn 5 in St. Louis. Still have memories of the mandory Parade on saturdays, and being required to get a haircut every week. Was in the office in the Mart bldg when Kennedy was shot. What a mess. Would love to hear from anyone that remembers me.

Comment by Norman Minshall — January 17, 2010 @ 9:39 pm

email normm1@charter.net hoping the hear from someone

Comment by Norman Minshall — January 17, 2010 @ 9:41 pm

I went from Ft. Gordon, GA (Basic Training) to Ft. Holabird in November, 1969. I was trained as a 96D2T (Image Interpreter) and was sent to Viet Nam right after graduation in the spring of 1970. I was assigned to the 172nd MI Det with the 173rd Airborne Brigade in II Corp (Central Highlands) stationed at LZ English where I spent the year on flight status shooting my own aerial photography, making mosaics, forward observing for artillery and going on extended flights ‘over the borders’ on Mohawk camera planes. I would love to hear from anyone who was there with me!

Comment by Bill Harrison — January 21, 2010 @ 9:33 pm

Went through the “Bird” in the Fall-Winter of 68-69. Holabird was a great place. It was a well kept neatly trimmed college type campus. Wish there were more pictures. During those years the school was jammed packed with students from all over the U-S and the planet. The instructors were super,a who’s who of the I-community. Spent the next several years at the IG Farben working with some of America’s best.

Comment by RF — January 29, 2010 @ 9:06 am

Taps for one of our own, J.D. Salinger (WWII CIC).

Comment by Manny Adler — January 30, 2010 @ 2:58 pm

I too stumbled on to this great site. Never thought about how blessed we all were to land at the smelly Fort in Dundalk MD. Arrived April 69 from Knox via air to Dulles and bus to Dundalk. A month later started 97B class after a few interesting work assignments. Got to do KP and after breaking out in the worst case of prickly heat I decided to try something different if possible. Had made friends with Steve from Hammond IN who got me a job as CQ where everyone checked in. On 24 off 48. In the middle of the night I was vacuuming the CO,s office and the machine quit. I took it apart to repair it and was literally covered with dirt and grime when the OIC came in the office on his rounds. When his aid came in and shouted “attention” it literally scared the crap out of me. I managed to jump to attention and salute the officer. He was kind of a prankster himself and took one look at me and laughed and said he was glad to see that sombody was working at that hour.

Started class soon after and it was just like going to college. Had the PM Class so no early rises and that was good. My wife, 2 year old son and I lived at Chesapeake Bay Apartmments as far East of the fort as we could go. Great memories of Crabing on the bay. Assigned to 113th MI CFO out of school and then transfered to Carbondale Field Office (30 miles from home). Lived in our own house until they relocated me to the 502nd in Seoul Korea Tracey Compound. Couldn’t figure out why as I was working my butt off there. Later when I met up with the 20 other Holibird grads at Ft Lewis we figured out that we had all been doing some civilian observation that had been unappreciated by congress. Got to Seoul on Dec 21, 1970 a Merry Xmas from Uncle Sam. Sat on my butt for several months before getting an early out to come home to farm. Met some real characters at Holabird and in Korea. People wouldn’t believe the things we got to do. As you can tell a great number of memories have reappeared because of this website. Thanks

Comment by Terry Clark — February 2, 2010 @ 2:42 am

Ed Harris: I almost jumped when I read you served with my father – I will pass along that information to my brothers, they’ll be thrilled. Thank you!

Comment by Maria — February 8, 2010 @ 2:28 pm

I WENT TO THE BIRD FOR 97C TRAINING FROM 66-67, THEN TO 116TH mi in D.C. VOL VN FROM 68-69 AND THEN REASSIGNED BACK TO PENTAGON AS CHIEF OF WORLD ASSIGNMENTS FOR 97Bs

UNTIL OCT 69 THEN WAS PROMOTED TO WARRANT AND REASSIGNED TO CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS AND SUBSEQUENTLY TO 701st AT FT. BRAGG, GOT ORDERS TO KOREA, BUT RETIRED AS CWO2 INSTEAD. WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM ANYONE WHO REMEMBERS ME FROM THE 525TH, 116TH OR 701ST AND CAN ANYONE REMEMBER THE NAME OF OUR COMMANDING GENERAL IN NAM. I THINK IT WAS DILLON OR DYLON.

Comment by GEORGE KRISKO — February 10, 2010 @ 6:01 am

WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM ANYONE WHO SERVED WITH ME IN THE 116TH, 525MI, 701ST MI OR ASSIGNMENT BRANCH FOR 97Bs OR IF ANYONE KNOWS THE NAME OF OUR COMMANDING GENERAL AT THE 525TH IN SAIGON (66-69). aLSO WOULD LIKE TO CONTACT MEL GERKOVICH; JOE LONG ANF ANGEL MATOS-TORRES (OF PUERTO RICO)

Comment by GEORGE KRISKO — February 10, 2010 @ 6:18 am

Took Basic Agent course Nov61-Feb62; stationed 108th INTC Group, New York Feb62-May63; Security Service Detachment, Ft. Amador, Canal Zone Jun63-Jun64; looking to connect with agents Dale Campbell (went to Korea in ’63) & Tad Bartlett of Manhattan field office; Harry Jennings Bryan at Amador

hcrise@gmail.com

Comment by howard crise — February 10, 2010 @ 5:14 pm

From Nov. 1968 to April 1969 attended 97B school at Holabird. Had a blast. School was good, as was the food. Remember sitting in the lounge and watching Joe Namath beat the Colts. Probably the only one not rooting for the Home Team. Actually treated us with respect, maybe because we were the ‘spooks’. Had a ball in Baltinore and DC. Only one in my class that didn’t have a 4 year degree. When orders came, I was the only one to RVN. Assigned to a special ops unit with the 1st ARVN Div in Hue. All the rest went to Korea. Have a lot of fond memories of Holabird and the men in my class. They were all smart guys…..Hope they all lived a good life.

Comment by Wes Lorenz — February 11, 2010 @ 9:31 am

We lived on post when my father, Col. Gerald Duin, was stationed at Holabird ’56 to’58. Gen. Prather was the post CO. As a dependent, I went to Eastern High School; the boys went to City College. During that time, there was an instructor named Betty MacDougall whose daughter, Jill, was my best friend. Mrs. MacDougall’s husband had been killed on a golf course a few years earlier, and she later married an officer named Mclaren. Does anyone remember any of these people? Except for a mention of Gen. Prather, there seems to be a lack of information about that time period.
When I was there, there was a sports store right outside post across Holabird Ave (I think) where we used to see Johnny Unitas hanging out.
This is a great site. Thanks!

Comment by Ingrid Richardson nee Duin — February 14, 2010 @ 7:40 pm

Wes Lorenz, was your brother at the Bird before you?

Comment by Bill Leach — February 15, 2010 @ 1:23 am

To Bill Leach…

No, no brother before me. Went there right out of Ft. Dix. Remember I was able to sneak my car onto Ft. Dix during basic training. Figured I could just jump into it after basic and drive to Baltimore. Not quite..they threw me on the bus and off I went. When I checked in @ Holabird, I told my Sgt. about my predicament and he gave me a ride to the bus station where I got a ride back to Dix to get my car. Made it back to Holibird before morning formation. Had a friend going to Georgetown University at the time and almost every weekend I went to DC and had a blast. He lived in a large house with about 10 other guys. The place was always crawling with girls. Sure hated to leave Holabird……

Comment by Wes Lorenz — February 17, 2010 @ 9:19 am

To Wes Lorenz,

To Wes Lorenz,

I was stationed at Holabird from Oct 65 – Jun 68. While there, my cubicle mate was Frank(I think) Lorenz. With the spelling, I thought maybe you were related. I don’t remember what Frank did. (it was over 40 years ago) but he was a good guy.

I worked at the S-2 and we issued all the security clearances for the students and permanent party at the school. It was a great job at a great post. If I could have spent 30 years there, I would have been a lifer.

Comment by Bill — February 17, 2010 @ 8:31 pm

I first arrived at Ft. Holabird in Sep 67 for the 97B course. I was an SSG direct from the 172 Inf Bde, Ft. Richardson, AK. Wonderful time at Ft. Holabird. I was married and lived in Essex. From there I went to Region IV, 113th MI Group, Denver, CO for 10 months, including either two or three weeks in Chicago after Martin Luther King’s death, prior to joining the 101st MI Det, 101st Air Born Division, Hue (LZ Sally), Vietnam. Got out of Vietnam safe and eventually retired after two tours in Germany and an assignment with DIS in St Louis, MO.

Comment by Brace Barber — February 21, 2010 @ 7:29 pm

Brace,

What exactly does DIS stand for?

Manny

Comment by manny — February 22, 2010 @ 7:36 pm

DIS stands for Defense Investigative Service. DIS came into being in 1973, replacing the services of the responsibility for background investigations for DOD.

Comment by Ed Harris — February 24, 2010 @ 9:12 pm

Brace,

Thanks,

Manny

Comment by manny — February 26, 2010 @ 7:40 pm

Ed,

Whoops, sorry.

Comment by manny — February 26, 2010 @ 7:41 pm

Great website. Incredible memories and how fast time goes by. Would Like to here from those who went through Holabird Sept 1967-February 1968, then sent to the 502nd MI Battalion in Korea. No one on the message board so far except Dan Rundell who was a year ahead of me in that process knows what that experience was like. I know others shared it ..

Comment by Daryl Petrarca — March 2, 2010 @ 2:26 pm

Daryl, I was at the 502nd from Sept 66 until arround March or April of 68. Your name sounds very familiar.

Comment by Steve Bostick — March 3, 2010 @ 12:15 pm

Steve,
Left Holabird in Jan 1968 and arrived in Comp.B, 502nd MI., Tracy Compound, Seoul, in Feb 1968. We may have overlapped a bit.

Comment by Daryl Petrarca — March 3, 2010 @ 1:01 pm

Steve,

I arrived at Company B during Oct. 1966 (I think-been a long time) and was assigned to LIAISON, which was run by Donald Fox (civilian/ex army intell NCO). I lived in the hooch right next to the Mess Hall. I was a “Coordinator”-97D20.
Some of the names I remember are George Koopman, Ralph Stein, Steve Dobrowolski, John Smart, Colonel Russell Cogar, and Chubby Kim(one of our Korean interpeters and a good poker player).
Which office did you work in?
Dan

Comment by Dan Rundell — March 4, 2010 @ 12:38 am

When I left the Bird I first went to Offut Air Force Base to school for II then on to the 502nd. I worked for Brig. Gen. Brooks (Air Force) at the USSSD build. behind 8th Army G2 I worked with these guys almost daily. Some of the guys I remember are Al Bridges, Jon Tallman, John (red) Miller, Ed Kerr, Louie Domerese, Lynwood Fisher, Pop Atchley, Maj. Ware, Capt. Kirby, Capt. Paula Jenkins,1SG Groosman, and most important Mr. Song (bartender at the NCO club I think we called it the Hilltop Club

Comment by Steve Bostick — March 4, 2010 @ 11:29 am

It’s great to see this site still alive! Facebook has a page now looking for alumni. I took the 96B20 course from August to October 1968. Arrived on base in July and had to wait for my class to start. Got assigned to permanent KP as a cooks helper. A civilian guy. It was not bad duty. Sort of liked it. Making like 40 gallons of soup at a time. Well about a week before my class was to start, the Mess Hall Major asks me and the cook into his office. The Major wants to send me to cooks school, because I was a “natural”. I just look at this guy, and say Thank you major. I have enjoyed my time working for you, but I have my heart set on being James Bond! When our class had its turn for KP, I was assigned to help the cook again. Colgate Creek and the bouncing bridge…..Harleys and the Holabird Inn….Stepenwolf..Born to be wild. As luck would have it; the class after us got there orders before us. They went to hawaii, we went to ‘Nam. Ended up in I Corp..3rd Marine Division G2/G5 with 7th Psyop in DongHa. Then back to Fort George G. Meade. Looking back now, I wished I had stayed in.

Comment by Pasquale Vallese — March 4, 2010 @ 12:36 pm

Just remembered, we were assigned to 525 MI group in Saigon, but our plane broke down in Anchorage. We were stuck there over night. By the time we got thru the Phillipines, into ‘Nam, they had given away our assignments. Sent out to Saigon, then Danang, then Quang Tri, and finally Dong Ha. So much for an office job working with Westmoreland!!

Comment by Pasquale Vallese — March 4, 2010 @ 12:50 pm

What a great site…lots of memories here. I was in the MI Special Agent course in the fall of 1967, direct our of basic training at Ft. Gordon, GA, and went on to a one-year course in Vietnamese at Ft. Bliss. After that, spent most of my time in Viet-Nam as an agent handler with the 635th MID, Team 2 attached to the 196th LIB. I was also liaison to MACV folks in Tam Ky. Discharged in Jan.’70.
Stopped by the Ft. twice since leaving the service — once in the early 80’s, I believe, and the last time a few years ago. On the first visit, I found a sign that used to hang over the gate to Holabird Ave., “You are now entering the most dangerous place on earth — an American highway.” The guard wouldn’t let me take it — she had no sense of history or humor. The second time there, the only signs of the fort were the old officers club (now a VVA chapter), the metal bridge and part of the “stairs to nowhere” near the oval track.
— Bill Pritchard

Comment by Bill Pritchard — March 7, 2010 @ 8:40 pm

Pasquale (#239) My flight was also delayed overnight in Anchorage enroute to RVN. They put us up at the Anchorage Westward Hotel. That was in July 1971. Then arrived in country and assigned to 3rd Battalion 525th MI Group in Ben Hoa. Is that the same time you went over?

Comment by Steve Schein — March 8, 2010 @ 5:28 pm

Steve(241). We had the break down in November of ’68. We were in our Summer short sleeves, when we were removed from the plane and assigned rooms. They gave us $10 for breakfast, and I had to spend like $5 of my own, just to get 2 eggs, bacon, toast and coffee.
If Bill Pritchard reads this…your name sounds so familar. Were you ever at Ft. Meade, or did I know you from Holabird. Facebook has a couple of pages trying to get started, for those who use facebook.
Code name Poncho.

Comment by Pasquale Vallese — March 8, 2010 @ 11:54 pm

What a great site! I was a student at the Bird from Sept. 65 to Jan.66 (97D) and From Jan. 68 to May 68. The above comments brought back great memories. Does anyone remember a WAC by the name of Mary Tillman? I would love to get in touch with her, any one who remembers me.

Comment by Bill Morrissey — March 10, 2010 @ 6:11 am

Any one who remembers Mary Tillman can get in touch with me at marynbillm@aol.com I am also interested in John Farley, or Geroge Kirby. This is one of the most intersting sites concerning persons that were in the MI community. Bill Morrissey

Comment by Bill Morrissey — March 11, 2010 @ 1:46 pm

when i enlisted my reruiter was going over all these choices. none seemed to fit until he said he never recruited anyone for ais. allow me to be the first, he knew nothing and was all i needed to hear. ft knox next orders for holabird were posted 5th wk of basic=”duties as commander may direct”. i arrived sept 64 and was assigned to 97d training. halfway thru they offered perm party at holabird. i was from 90 miles from there,just married after basic and already saw the advantages fo duty at “the bird”. so i accepted and immediately arranged housing at essexshire gate apts. upon completion of the course i was assigned to dept of area studies. job title=asst instructor and while i had a lot of interaction with future agent handlers in many ways, 75% of my time and effort was overseeing the vault in das where the documents were kept and controlling distribution of said documents. i spent my entire 3 yr enlistment less basic at holabird. as such i can appreciate more than most what a unique pleasurable experience. for which i say thank you to the recruiter that knew nothing. it was already known that a future move to arizona was impending otherwise i may have reupped with the hope of a 20 year assignment to holabird, as realistic as that may sound. but alas i knew it was not to be. now as i approach 65 and my retirement for selling insurance arrives 103110 i look back on the place and people that laid the foundation for the rest of my life and say those three years from 0964 to 070467 were some of the best of my life frank stella

Comment by frank stella — March 11, 2010 @ 6:03 pm

I was in class B-2, 1948. Went from there to 66th CIC, Germany. Later to 115th CIC, Spokane Field Office. That has been one heck of a long time back. JFN

Comment by John F. Nisley — March 22, 2010 @ 2:34 pm

I was a student at Dlundalk University in 1948, Class B2. Since then I went the the Language School, at Monterey, CA. Two tours in Germany and one in Korea.
Stateside I spent my time in Washington State. Those were good times and I miss them but dream about them a lot. JFN

Comment by John F. Nisley — March 22, 2010 @ 4:25 pm

Attended Ft. Holabird 1967 Intel Analyst. Graduated 2nd in class of 65. Ended up as Ch, Intel Br, Mil Intel Div, G2, Hq, 8th Army in June 1967.

Chuck Searcy was in same class, Bob Orr.

Comment by Bob Liskey — March 23, 2010 @ 11:33 pm

Hi Everyone,

Basic in Fort Jackson, June 65, then onto the Bird sometime in September, 96B20, went through all courses, DAME, DASE, Interrogation POW, was on the night shift, 12-6am, out of our class of 50, one got kicked out, 2 went to Redstone, two went to NAC center, actually on the post, and the balance to Nam. I was one of the lucky one’s, I stayed at the Bird. Great duty, five of us, 2000 civvies, mostly girls. Just one small story, a few of us, and a few good Beret frinds went down to Baltimore to have a 1000 drinks, beat up about 100 hippies, made the Sun’s headlines, (Naturally) but will always remember our punishement, stood in front of the General, (Townsend) and all he said was you did a GREAT job, next time do a better one, kill those bastards. Loved that guy.
Lots more stories although mind is slippin a bit, but if anyone remembers me, love to hear from you. I also registered the domain; USAINTS.COM will build a nice site, could use your input.

Nick Nolter

PS

Could also use some info if any of you went through “Area Studies”

Comment by Nick Nolter — March 30, 2010 @ 4:42 pm

Attended Intell School at Fort Holibird in 1971, looking for perm personnel (WAC) with the first name of Ivy.

Comment by Star Lewis — April 2, 2010 @ 11:30 pm

Love the stories and memories.

Comment by John — April 9, 2010 @ 12:47 pm

John(#271),

What is yours?

Comment by manny — April 9, 2010 @ 2:13 pm

In the fall of 1967, while waiting for classes to start we spent several months doing Casual Duty and living next to a barracks of WACs. That was interesting. One casual duty was weekly (Wednesday) pillow and bed sheet collection from the school dorms. We rapped up 25 sheets per bundle and filled a truck with bundles to take to the Fort laundry, a large facility. There, since there was not much else to do, we would sack out on the huge piles of sheet bundles drinking coffee all morning until someone could figure out what to do next. I was young and had not much coffee drinking experience.

Fort Holabird is where I learned to drink coffee (addicted) and probably why I ended up in Seattle the coffee drinking (Starbucks) capital of the world.

I neglected to mention that I learned to drink whiskey in the evenings there, so I owe Fort Holabird a lot on forming my lifelong choice of beverages.

Comment by Daryl Petrarca — April 16, 2010 @ 5:24 pm

I arrived in late Oct 66 FROM Dix and like all of you, thought the Army had made a mistake. This could’nt be an Army post!! Went to 96B training and then to Ft Bragg awaiting shipment to VN. Came back again after VN for 96C. They goofed and thought I was going to re-up, otherwise I would have rotted at Ft Bragg waiting to get out. However, my duty at Holabird was very pleasant both times I was there. If you think it was good as a pvt, you should have been there as a student SGT. I had the world by the balls then. Even officers would say please and thank you. Spent as much time at the Holabird Inn as I did in class. Until I talked to someone from Baltimore, I thought Hamburgers was a restaurant.(clothing store) Do you remember we would pass underneath it every time we went downtown. (to the BLOCK)God it was great to be young !!

Comment by Jim Smith — April 20, 2010 @ 10:14 am

Sorry I didn’t stumble on this websiste sooner. Like many others, my arrival at the ‘Bird was a complete shock. I got there just after Easter in 1956 after a less than delightful eight week plus tour at Ft Dix. I recall that it was raining and my raincoat was somewhere in my barracks bag. As I got out of the taxi an older soldier approached and told me to be sure and get a receipt from the taxi driver, He then pick up my bag and led me into what turned out to be his office. When he took off his raincoat I could see that he was a Master Sgt. He must have seen the expression on my face as he remarked that I wasn’t in Basic any more and could expect to be treated like a human being. After signing in he took me over to the reception barracks and told me to pick a bunk. There was a bunch of guys already there, and we started to introduce ourselves. It turned out that several of us had mutual friends and fraternity brothers. I remember some names,ie. Bill Mattox, Moose Mitchel Beau Scott and John Donahue to name a few. With nothing to do we soon found the EM club and had a few beers. That was the first of many parties to follow in the next 16 weeks. We all wanted to go to agent school, but the army needed analyst that day so we became 971.3s

You could tell the way the wind was blowing by the smells you encountered when you fellout in the AM. About the second week we were there, our platoon sgt, Jack Reilly took several of us to Baltimore for a tour of Easst Baltimore Street. Having lead very sheltered lives up until then. we were like little boys at the circus. There was a minimum amount of Mickey Mouse (CS) like Saturday AM inspections and Friday Retreat Parades. We all felt a little resentful at having to salute anyh car with an officer sticker on the bumper, even if it was being driven by a wife or daughter. We went to great lengths to avoid doing this. I remember a few funny incidents, but I will save them for another time. Bill Mattox, Bob Ruby,Dave Good, Don Grey and I ended up on the USNS Upsure going to Munich Germany and the 66 CIC. Beau Scott went to Japan. To make sure that the Army system of assignment held true, the three guys in the class that spoke fluent German were also sent to Japan. I have great memories of my two years in the CIC,and will share them at another time. My college roomate and fraternity brother ,Don Brown, was Clerk of the Works for the school at the time. He got there before me and was permanent party. I haven’t heard from him in 50 years, but would love to. Ed Delehanty ed-gail@juno.com

Comment by Ed Delehanty — April 20, 2010 @ 4:50 pm

Hello all. I arrived at Ft Holabird, from Ft Dix, in October or November of 1969. Started the 97D20 Course in Late November or Early December. By that time the “casual company” had been designated “C” Company and things were beginning to get more “Army”. They had started an NCO school, the “casuals” were being used to build asphalt sidewalks, that sort of thing. But I made the move to the “big building” and avoided the worst of it. I will remember that chain bridge to the day I die. That sign that stated “Break step going over bridge” must have been the most ignored command in the US Army. While a casual I remember being used as a “border guard” on a 97C exfiltration exercise at Sparrows Point. The ones we caught were interrogated in the old powder magazines of Fort Howard. Left in Feb or March 1970 for the 902d in Falls Church, VA. Then on to 702d MID in Long Bihn in March 1971. Took the Agent Course at Huachuca in April or May 1972. Joseph Bandiera “Peter Poor” had moved out there with the school and I am proud to say, completely resisted my efforts at interrogation in the “Fish Bowl”. Great Site. It is really good to hear from folks who were there. Through the years you sort of quit talking about Holabird, because you know no one will believe you.

Comment by Farrell Tucker — April 21, 2010 @ 11:57 pm

In 1956, we lived in wooden barracks. I remember the big brick headquaarters and my old college roomate lived there. I think there was a beer hall there too. Everybody seems to know of the old chain bridge, but I cannot place it. We were off weekends unless you had KP. I only had it once and was pissed off because I had learned I was shipping out to Germany shortly and wanted to get home to see my folks before I left. I did manage to do that a week or two later. In fact I got a ride to White Plains from our CO Jack Moran. Iam trying to remember the nome of the school First Soldier. He was a short stocky guy usually with a cigar in his mouth. He turned out to be a pretty good guy. Boniface Campbell was GIC. I think he was responsible for the Friday afternoon retreat parades.

Comment by Ed Delehanty — April 22, 2010 @ 9:52 am

Hey, Bostick, how about John B. Sherman (P&O, G2, EUSA), Tom Mullaney (Intel Br, G2, EUSA), Bubba Lewis (MI Div, G2, EUSA), Neil O’Leary (OB Br, G2, EUSA), John Benkert (MI Div, G2), Bruce K. Grant (Civilian former agent handler 502d), McTaggart, LTC Martin (Ch, MI Div, G2, EUSA), LTC Sam Basille (prior Ch, MI, G2, EUSA), LT Tim Lewis (Ch, OB Br, G2, EUSA), LT Ken Chisolm, LT Stuart, Jim Houseman (Civilian Affairs, G2, EUSA), Richard MIller (Intel Br, MI DIv, EUSA assigned from 502d), SGT MAJOR Robertson (G2, EUSA), George Vukovich (MSG CTR, G2, EUSA), SGT Youngblood (MSG CTR, G2, EUSA), COL COURIS (USASSD), ….Some others on tip of beling remembered but mind not as sharp as it use to be.

Comment by Bob Liskey — April 23, 2010 @ 10:28 am

Thorpe (KMAG)

Comment by Bob Liskey — April 23, 2010 @ 10:29 am

Bob, none of these names jump out at me except Thorpe was he a 1LT but the more I think about it a Cpt. My memory is pretty much shot.

Comment by Steve Bostick — April 23, 2010 @ 8:05 pm

Steve(#260),

Kind of funny how most of our memories are “pretty much shot” except for bits and pieces of Holabird. Still can’t figure out why?

Manny

Comment by manny — April 27, 2010 @ 8:51 am

Manny,

I think it might have something to do with all the “good” memories. I haven’t read any “bad” memories on this site. Holabird was so different from what we all expected when we got there whether from basic training or another duty station. I know I spent 3 great years there and have a ton of memories, almost all good. I just wish I could find more photos of the post. It is almost like it didn’t exist. I have a 8mm home movie, about 2 or 3 minutes long but it is very grainy and not much detail.

BILL

Comment by Bill — April 27, 2010 @ 11:28 pm

Bill,

Might be interesting to post it on YOU TUBE.

Manny

Comment by manny — April 28, 2010 @ 12:23 pm

Fort Holabird Photos:
There is now a “Fort Holabird” Facebook page where photos can be attached. There are also three very good books with pictures of the BIRD, 1950s, 60s, early 70s. The books are part of the Army Lineage Series, written by John Patrick Finnegan. They can be purchased on the inter net and can be found at some libraries. The first book is “Military Intelligence” 437 pages. There’s also “Military Intelligence A Picture History”,195 pages and “The Military Intelligence Story, A Photographic History”, 153 pages. There are a few Fort Holabird photos in all three books and the CIC-MI history is a nice read.

Comment by RF — April 28, 2010 @ 1:28 pm

Like a lot of other poster – arriving at Holabird was a eyeopener. Went to Bragg for basic Feb 67. Arrived at Holabird in Apr-May 67. Class date was for Jun 67, Casual till class. Remember a Sgt Adank as part of reception group. Good guy once you got to know him. After class ended was set to go to OCS. This was cancelled because of lack of degrees. About 9-10 got order for RVN. Went home to Va before leaving. But got a call from the Pentagon recinding order to RVN – back to Bird. Went to work in MIOAC as clerical. LTC Preston Davis was the OIC. Remember a Cpt Stackman. Harry Bressler – Staff Sgt from Johnstown Pa. Finally got order for OCS. Problem was that I was not going back to MI but to Inf. Thought that was not a good idea for 1968. Thought about it for 2-3 minutes. Turned down. Next orders for RVN May 68. Assigned to 525 MI then to 55Th MID in Nha Trang at IFFV. Was in Kontum when I ran into classmates fron Bird on way home. Ended up extending for a addition four months to get an early out. Wanted to go back to college in fall but missed but 10 days. Got home Sep 69. Met a lot of great people at the Bird . Wish that I had note full names and Hometown. What a difference from basic. Was treated like a regualar human being by Superiors ant the Bird. I feel that part of the success that I have ahd in life is do to there influence . My extention was supposed to keep me in Nha Trang but ended up with Task Force South in Dalat then Phan Thiet at LZ Betty . Thanks for reading. John Doyle

Comment by John Doyle — April 28, 2010 @ 1:30 pm

Manny, I will try to get the film posted (I will have to ask my kids to help me).I will have to find it first. It might take a few days. I’ll let you know when (if) it happens.

Comment by Bill — April 28, 2010 @ 11:53 pm

Bill,

Thanks and let me know the site.

Manny

Comment by manny — April 29, 2010 @ 4:55 pm

Anybody remember George Gilmore? He was Assignment Officer at the ‘Bird sometime during the 60s. I served with him and his wife Betty in the 66th Field Office in Munich.

Comment by Ed Delehanty — April 30, 2010 @ 3:49 pm

Manny, I finally got the 8mm movie posted on YouTube. Just put in Fort Holabird in the search box. The first 17 seconds are blank but then it runs for about 4 minutes. It is a little grainy and turn down the sound so you won’t hear the annoying clicking of the old movie projector. Enjoy.

I think I took this in 1967. It is about 4 min. long. Turn down the volume so you won’t hear the annoying sound of the old 8mm film projector. What I remember:

Post Chapel

Post Library

Movie Theater

Students Barracks/Parade Grounds (Note the train moving in the background)

Colgate Creek (hold your nose)

School Building

Test track/ball field

BLANK FOR FOUR SEC.

Colgate Creek again

Post Dispensary

A friend, Gary

Old Tank/Jeep Test Track

Headquarters USAINTC with Gary and the Sphinx (which is which)?

Old wooden trestle going over Dundalk Ave and through the post

Old PX

Permanent Party Barracks

Main gate and Main Street

My nieces and nephews for about two seconds..

Sorry for the long post

Comment by Bill — May 1, 2010 @ 7:17 pm

Thanks Bill…..the 8mm home movie brought back some memories…I was surprised how much stuff I did not remember………..Thanks again for taking the time. You should post it to the facebook Holabird page.

Comment by Pasquale Vallese — May 3, 2010 @ 4:51 pm

Hi Manny,I will.
It brought back many memories for me too. I hadn’t watched it for a while. It was a great place to spend 3 years.

Comment by Bill — May 3, 2010 @ 6:56 pm

Manny, I tried to post it on Facebook, it said it was too big and it didn’t support that type of file (??) I left instructions to view it on YouTube.
Bill

Comment by Bill — May 3, 2010 @ 11:58 pm

Thanks to Bill Leach who worked for me in 1965 for this link, and also for his 4 minute Oscar winning movie.
It as a cool and foggy day when I emerged from the Harbor tunnel in May 1959 and took a right on Holabird Avenue. What a dreary area I thought. After checking in and settling, and hungry, I drove back west, then north, then west again on EAstern Avenue. After passing by Patterson Park and through that section of the city, I thought to myself, “Is this all there is to Baltimore?” Only later did I finally get downtown!

Quite memorable was the situation of the Bird. When the wind blew from the west, you could smell Lever Brothers soap factory. if the wind was from the South, the Fleishmann’s yeast factory. But… from the east? Baltimore’s sewage facility.

Yes, I remember General Prather. Was he succeeded by a General Coverdell? The Sphinx! ah yes, it’s motto, same for Intelligence corp, “Ask me no questions and I’ll tell you no lies.”

Attended a short 5 week course of orientation and then the photo interpretation course, leaving about November of that year for Ft Bragg and the old 519th.

Anything was better than Bragg, so signed up for Russian language at Monterey, CA and after that back to the Bird in October 1961 (the Berlin wall had just gone up) for 9668 training. Someone mentioned the Fort which is Fort Howard. That was where we landed one cold and snowy night in order to “infiltrate” and check out our targets.

anyone remember the Brentwood Inn with it’s wine cellar? Someone did mention Haussner’s a favorite place of mine with it’s art on the walls.

after that off to Germany for three and half years, but back to the Bird September 1965. And that is where I met Bill Leach and his buddy Nesbitt who worked for me in the S2 shop of Troop Command (Col Wimberley was CO).

After that it was ‘Nam as an advisor to Vietnamese National Police in Saigon. Our little shop later achieved infamy as Operation Phoenix.

Sigh! Thanks for the memories.

(email is hlunsford@bellsouth.net)

Comment by Harlan Lunsford — May 4, 2010 @ 4:28 pm

Bill,

Thanks for posting the film. Just finished watching it. Boy, so much one doesn’t remember.

Manny

Comment by manny — May 5, 2010 @ 10:18 am

I posted here last year. Found some paperwork from Holabird recently….all original. Some names to ponder (last only): Raycraft, Van Burk, Biegelow, Blemker, Coomes, Davis, Diamond, Dickinson, Dignan, Garner, Getter, Gody, Gorsky, Hofmann, Kunkler, Luehrs, McNichols, Murphy, Nielson, Ommen, Palmquist, Roeder, Smith, Stemme, Talerico, Trader and York. Orders dated 23 June 1967. FYI…any names ring a bell? Ron Mahinske

Comment by Ron Mahinske — May 5, 2010 @ 5:39 pm

thanks for this post mate. hope you have a good day. thanks. 

Comment by mike milton — May 6, 2010 @ 9:18 am

I posted a few pictures on FaceBook – Fort Holabird.

Comment by Bill — May 6, 2010 @ 9:36 am

There’s gotta be a few guys besides me who were there in 1956. I kow I’m getting old, but I can still walk and talk.

Comment by Ed Delehanty — May 10, 2010 @ 9:31 am

Ed #278),

Some of us were there in ’56. Where you Permanent Party?

Manny

Comment by manny — May 10, 2010 @ 5:02 pm

No Was in a class. My college roomate Don Brown was Permanent party. He was School Clerk of the Works. My class started around the first part of April and ended about the middle of June. Shipped out and ended up in Munich arount the First of July. I remember a Lt. by the name of Jack Moran was our CO at the school.

Comment by Ed Delehanty — May 11, 2010 @ 3:24 pm

Ed,

What was “school clerk of the works?” The works stymies me. Nor does Don Brown ring a bell. We had a clerk named Don Davis (law degree from University of North Carolina and a pfc) and a Don Redddick, an undertaker from Washington, D.C and also a clerk, place unknown.

Manny

Comment by manny — May 12, 2010 @ 11:38 am

Clerk of the Works just an expression. Don Brown was Company Clerk for the School, or so he told me. Come to think of it, there may have been more than one school going on at the time I think he was clerk for the school for agents and analyists. 10 years later, my brother Steve went through the school. He ended up in ‘Nam. When he came back he got on the faculty and taught servailance. He would bring the class up to White Plains where my family lived at the time and do a problem. He enlistsed my mother to stand on the corner with a newspaper under her arm etc. etc. They made her an honorary member of the Ft Holabird faculty, with an official certificate presented by some Major or Col with the appropriate cermony in her dining room where she would feed the class after the problem.

Comment by Ed Delehanty — May 13, 2010 @ 12:52 pm

Thanks for the memories, I was at Ft Holabird in 1969 from March-May taking an Intelligence Analyst course. We had some great Marines in our class as well, and one weekend we got into a brawl on the softball field playing members of another class. I remember the gritty sports bars in the area, going to Pimlico, seeing the Orioles, going to a Jimi Hendrix concert, the EM club and the famous pig sisters.

Next stop, Vietnam.

Regards to all. LK

Comment by Laudizen King — May 15, 2010 @ 5:52 pm

when i was graduated col rutledge was director of instruction and col elvin dalton and lt col thomas hessler were my bosses as commander and asst of das during my 3 yrs there also remember ssgt ken sawai head nco major joe eng, security officer, w/o peterson, had a different joke every day civilian employee and reserve general bellin, we used to bowl during lunch hour, majot ted switty, air force and close friend. during some lunch hours all of us including the colonels would play volleyball together. all gentlemen and a pleasure to work for and with. sorry for the many others not mentioned but it would be too long a post. get more of you named next time. some of you that trained w d/as will no some of these instuctors i am sure fondly

Comment by frank stella — May 15, 2010 @ 11:45 pm

post 284 was for time period 10/64 to 07/67 time frame

Comment by frank stella — May 15, 2010 @ 11:46 pm

Attended eight week Officers Intelligence Course during April and May 1970 after two years in Vietnam. As a Navy guy, I attended using an alias! Did anyone else enjoy this experience?

Comment by len — May 18, 2010 @ 9:49 pm

Regarding post above by Steve Shein: When were you at 3rd Bn at Bien Hoa. I have been trying to remember the LTC’s name and you mentioned it: Colonel Wentzel. I left in Sept. ’71 and he was still there. I was the SGT E5 who worked in the front of the S3 shop.

Larry Hamilton

Comment by Larry Hamilton — May 19, 2010 @ 1:46 pm

…for any of you who served with the 511th MI Company please feel free to come visit our web site at:

http://krookmcsmile.tripod.com/511thMICompany.html

…this includes those who served with the ROs and BROs from 1960 to 1980. There are more than 100 former members who receive our newsletter. (106 newsletters so far)

Former commanders LTC Leonard Spirito & LTC Thomas Dooley are a part of the email group.

Salute!

Comment by Gary Behymer — May 19, 2010 @ 2:05 pm

I got there in Aug 1970, after Basic at Ft Polk, waited for TS clearance for a month doing lots of KP. I was amazed to see brick barracks. All I was familiar with from visiting my uncle at Ft Ord and SF Presidio in the 50’s and 60’s, and Polk was old wooden buildings constantly being cared for by grunts like me. So, I went through the 97B course, had a blast every weekend in DC and Arlington after becoming friends with a fellow classmate, Ernie Buck. Some might remember him as “Dirty Ernie”. We both stayed on as instructors (pretty sure we were drafted) and, in my case, with absolutely NO prior combat, or military experience, went on to teach classes in Interview/Interrogation, Tactical CI, Survielance, and my favorite-SouthEast Asia Orientation for soon-to-be S2s, J2s. At first that was a bit intimidating for me, a new PFC, but after a while it became fun. I was one of the last to make the move to Arizona when the school moved. THAT was a change. No more brick. I suffer from Can’t Remember Sh.. and don’t recall many of the names of some great people that I worked with. Audited the DAME course at Huachuca. Being a Rabbit during a surviellance exercize in downtown Tucson in 1972 was not the same as running the Block back in Baltmer, as they pronounced it. Back then it was 6 square blocks and just about everything was closed on a Sunday. I miss the class parties, working with those crazy actors and trying to get the lesson point through to the hung over SEAL or SF E-6 cleaning his finger nails with a dagger.

After almost 3 yrs of USAINTS I went on to ROK and, again, stayed where I entered, assigned to the ASCOM Field Office, fun times, great people, and interesting work. Then back to CONUS to Ft Riley dor my last 60 days, oops, got there just as they were all going to play war games in the mud in Germany and I couldn’t go. I almost stayed, but since DIS took my job, I would have had to get a new MOS with no guarantees, so that was that. I have seen Ernie a few times since then, but no one else. I have a few photos of Huachuca area, but nothing from Holabird. Names I remember: 1LT Ron Pratchal and his broken ‘Vette, SFC Ralph Griest, SGT Dennis Alred, SGT Bill Keeney, SGT Russ Turner, SGT Ernie Buck…
Thanks for this site.

Comment by Dave Anderson(Sacramento, CA) — May 21, 2010 @ 8:56 pm

Regarding Post # 287 by Sgt Larry Hamilton, yes, I was in 3rd Bn, 525th MI Grp, Bien Hoa. Got there in July ’71 and LTC Jim Wensyel was the CO. Wensyel was a great boss and he had been my CO at Region 1, 108th MI Group in NYC and got me assigned to his unit in Vietnam . I was a 1st LT as was a friend, Bill Coughlin from upstate New York. I think the XO was Maj. Macias (he reminded me of Ernie Kovacs). There as a senior NCO named Noel (can’t remember his last name) who I think first came to RVN in 1963 or 64. As I recall, Noel was pretty good on the ping pong table we had in the club. We shared our Bn Hdqtrs compound with a MIBARS unit and a dental unit. There was a Cpt Mike Skidmore who was the S-4 and was from West Virginia. When he rotated back to the “WORLD” he was replaced by Cpt Roy Allen. The guy who ran the club on the compound was named Mike Lamantia and I think he was from Staten Island, NY. It was a great compound with movies nightly and a live show weekly. The bands used to show up in mini vans long before the vans became popular in the USA – mostly Phillipino groups who somehow managed to sound exactly like the bands they covered. We had chopper pilots assigned to the battalion, one of them we called, “Doc”. The two of them partied very hardy and flying with them was always interesting. As pay officer, I flew with them each month to our detachments in Tay Ninh, An Loc, Zuan Loc, Vung Tau and Cu Chi. Someone’s pet monkey in Cu Chi grabbed my badge & credentials from my shirt pocket and ran off with them. That was an interesting chase & recovery operation. Who knew about the tunnels under Cu Chi back then?

Comment by Steve Schein — May 23, 2010 @ 9:37 pm

I think this will work. Remember, the first 18 sec. are blank then it starts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqmCVoEjsWY

Comment by Bill — May 23, 2010 @ 11:33 pm

Re: Post #290. Lt. Schein. I remember the Lt. whom you replaced as pay officer. Many of the men I worked with were leaving about the time you arrived in country. I worked closely with the Ops. Officer, Major Weyand (had he left by the time you arrived?). Until shortly after Xmas of 1970 I was a case officer at one of the teams down the road at Bien Hoa and remember going to Cu Chi (I think it was headquarters of 2/25 infantry division). I remember reading about the tunnels there after the war (was glad I was ignorant of them when I was there). Before you arrived, I believe in April of ’71 the chopper went down and all four on board were killed. I have found sites on web with the names of those individuals. I remember the incident quite vividly as the LTC thought I was the best and fastest typist in the unit so he had me type all the letters he wrote to the families of those killed(was a very emotional experience for me).

Comment by Larry Hamilton — May 24, 2010 @ 11:08 pm

The bus trip sounds familiar. It seems that everyone arrives at the “Bird” in the middle of the night.I was in the last enlisted 97B class, 97B11. Does anyone remember Smenow’s (spelling ?) Tavern just outside of the main gate.

I had the opportunity to wax the floors of the OLOG Building 2 days before it was torn down. I ended up at the Ft Lewis Field Office, 115th MI Group.

Comment by Mike Hanlon — May 26, 2010 @ 8:49 pm

Waxing the floors of OLOG two days before it was torn down sounds like the Army that I remember. I was afraid things had changed. Some things did. We wore brown shoes. Ed Delehanty

Comment by Ed Delehanty — June 1, 2010 @ 6:10 pm

Ed,

That’s the Army for you. In early January, 1955, upon entering basic training, we were issued brown low-quarters. By June of that year orders came down that low-quarters were to be dyed black. Planning ahead Army style.

Manny

Comment by manny — June 2, 2010 @ 5:46 pm

Manny, you just reminded me of the old phrase
“brown shoe army”.

Harlan Lunsford

Comment by Harlan Lunsford — June 3, 2010 @ 1:31 pm

I came from Fort Ord, California to Fort Holabird in 1958. I’d finished school at UC-Berkeley but I turned down OCS; took the French language exam in Basic training and was told to go to the Intelligence School! Being African American made it difficult for me out side of the post. Baltimore was segregated. I remember two white friends sat with me in the balcony at a movie house in Baltimore to see South Pacific. I could not go to our graduation party because the club would not allow me to enter. I was scheduled to go to SHAPE headquarters in France but an NCO told me, “No way.” I went to Stuttgart, Germany. I made great friends and got to travel over Europe. I am still in touch with one friend who was in the class ahead of me but who also was in Stuttgart. Great memories.

Comment by Jerry Wright — June 5, 2010 @ 5:14 pm

BOSTICK,,,ur name sounds very familiar. I was with the 502nd from 72 to 73 and saw what happened when the ROK White Horse battalion returned from VietNam. By that time ASCOM was reduced to just a few US bodies. We went from a 10 man field office to 2 when I left. But before that I was teaching CI at the Bird and later, Huachuca. Do I remember you from there, maybe? With CAPT Harris, USMC, CI?

Comment by Dave Anderson(Sacramento, CA) — June 6, 2010 @ 8:54 pm

My husband had an entrance physical at Holabird Sept. 1970,the VA has said that they have lost all of his medical records and they also said that no one had a physical at Fort Holabird during that time.We are surching for anyone who had a physical there during Sept.1970.Any help we can get would be greatly appricated.
Thank you God Bless
Liz Bright
jb0039@yahoo.com

Comment by Liz Bright — June 7, 2010 @ 10:33 am

Now some 40 plus years later, I find memories of Fort Holabird to be both vivid and increasingly assertive. As so many of you have retold, they were interesting times and each and all of us remain as witness.

Was a student at Holabird in early 67, did a year in Vietnam in 67 and 68 at 519th MI bn./CICV and then returned to alma mater in mid 68 and remained there as an instructor until the end of September 69 (ETS). I lived in building 110 and taught classes out at the Barn, bldg 320 and bldg 1. Worked part-time evenings sliding beers and ersatz hamburgers across the counter at the 123 Club. Good times, mostly great folks.

What remains of Holabird in clearly evident on Google Earth (mainly the Officer’s Club with its filled-in swimming pool and that odorous anchor of many a recollection: Colgate Creek. The best parts live on in many a memory … the way it’s supposed to be! Still have fond memories of closing the NCO club and then walking down to Squires for a pizza and more brew. Anyone remember a tall curly headed Squires’ waitress named Colleen?

Alas, growing up is vastly overrated!

Regards all!

Tom Coughlin (fargowest@cableone.net)

Comment by Tom Coughlin — June 15, 2010 @ 4:39 am

I was an early post-Holabird 97D trainee at Huachuca, coming back later for 97B training. The instructors and support people there were still waxing nostalgic about “The Bird,” mainly I think because of the conspicuous absence of nightlife in Sierra Vista.

I had no idea that draftees had ever been routed to the Intel School; it seems…incautious to give a high level clearance to somebody who’s been rousted from his peaceful occupations by conscription. I know I would not have been happy about it. It must have felt odd, swearing to uphold a constitution that prohibits involuntary servitude next to a bunch of conscripts; by the time I went in, the draft was suspended.

Comment by Marc de Piolenc — June 15, 2010 @ 8:02 pm

Almost all of the draftees were given SECRET clearances. All of the Agents and Coordinators had volunteered and given TOP SECRET clearances.

Comment by Bill — June 16, 2010 @ 12:12 am

I was a draftee and got a top secret clearance as did the rest of the class. This was in 1956 so things might have changed since. I remember in one class that we were asked if we knew of any Communists or fellow travellers amongst our college professors. I don’t think they got too many names. Some of our instructors felt that the coalminer’s song, popular at that time, was subversive. We were also asked if anyof us would like to volunteer for CIC Airborne.
Again, no takers.

Comment by Ed Delehanty — June 16, 2010 @ 10:18 am

Draftees and RA’s both were eligible for Top Secret and Secret clearance in the mid-50′ as both worked with the same materials and there were far more draftees in intelligence (probably based on education and IQ).
Manny

Comment by Manny Adler — June 16, 2010 @ 4:34 pm

From 1965-1968 I worked in S-2, Troop Command for the school where we issued or validated the security clearances for the students and permanent party. In almost all cases, the draftees were not issued Top Secret clearances. They might have been issued at there next duty station on a need basis. All the agents and coordinators were volunteers not draftees.

Comment by Bill — June 16, 2010 @ 11:37 pm

Oh the memories! I was assigned to the Bird in 1971. Got there and no one knew where I was supposed to be or what I was doing there. The CSM gave me a choice, he would find me a job or put me up for the first available levy. I decided to stay and I became a driver for LTC James Howard who was the Headquarters Commandant. What a great assignment! I would drive to DC and spend my days being a tourist. Came down on levy seven times but was deemed critical to the Bird. Finally left there in 1973 when the Command moved to Ft. Meade.

I have been looking for some of the old timers from the Intel Command:

LTC James W. Howard
James Schlicher
The Skori brothers
Doug Magnani
Marilyn Hanna
Laurette Sturm
Sonnie Williams
Sally Kimbell

If you know where these folks are now days or you were at the Bird from 1971 to 1973 drop me a line at: big_al_oh@yahoo.com

Comment by C. G. Alvord — June 27, 2010 @ 11:21 pm

I stumbled across this site as I was searching for a definition of what a 97D40 MI Coordinator was! Apparently, it was a secondary MOS I had and never knew it! I, recently, received my complete file and saw the listing. If anyone could explain what a 97D40 did I would appreciate it. I got sidetracked reading all the posts on this site and never continued the seach! Really a great trip!''

I was a 97B40, CI Agent, and in the Army from January `68 to December `70. I read a lot of the posts with amusement, and interest, in things I forgot, bringing back many memories of Holabird and surrounding establishments especially Squires. I had to laugh at some of the posts on first reactions to Holabird directly out of Basic. I experienced much the same thing arriving late on a Friday night via train from Ft. Bragg, called the Fort and they sent a SGT to pick me up thought I as in trouble! Also, being in Casual Company for two months (March to mid May) with an SSGT in charge, who was always happy as long as we were there on Monday morning! One day a 2nd Lt appeared changing all the assignments he lasted about two days and we were back to normal, at least normal for Holabird! Or, being in class and attending afternoon sessions, getting to sleep late after partying the night before. A new SSGT in charge of quarters didn't like that and sent us out picking up cigarette butts, early in the morning. However, he did not realize the area he sent us was in the vicinity of the School Commandant's quarters who happened to appear and questioned why we were not studying on our free time – the SSGT was gone that day!

I went through the Agent's course from May to September `68 and was well beyond lucky being assigned to the New Haven, Connecticut, Field Office, 108th MI Group, where I remained for my whole tour! As I recall, my entire class got assigned to Field Offices throughout the US. After graduation from Holabird I never had a uniform on, again, until the day I processed out! Spent the majority of my time doing background investigations and, of course, the era of spying on civilians covering campus and anti-war demonstrations. Hardly any military life involved, and most of the time it was difficult to remember you were in the Army! We were far enough from our Regional Office in Boston that no one ever bothered us. Other than to process out I only went to the Group Hdqtrs, Ft. Devens, MA, once to pickup a new car! New Haven was only 80 miles from my home on Long Island, so I was there all the time it was like a commute!

One funny little thing that I took a lot of ribbing about – my RA service number ended in 007!
Frank Pavlak (fpav@aol.com)

Comment by Frank Pavlak — July 1, 2010 @ 11:08 pm

Frank, a 97D40 compiled the reports from all the agents, FBI, local police, and military records on a “subject” , the object of an investigation (BI or NAC) to determine the course of action to take. Most of the time it was weather or not to issue a security clearance.
A 97B40 could be used as a coordinator if needed and a 97D40 could be used as a 97B40 if needed.(rarely).

Comment by bill — July 2, 2010 @ 11:15 pm

GREAT SITE !!! I served FAFO, 113th MIG, Chicago from Mar 1965 to Aug 1967. One of my SAC’S was Bill Yantis.
I would like to talk to him if you can forward on my email address!!! I have info on George K.B. Choi that he mentions in his posts, also Civilian employees that he speaks of.

Thanks again,
Bob Davey

Comment by BOB DAVEY — July 5, 2010 @ 12:10 pm

Went to Holabird in 1962, right out of basic at Ft. Jackson. Completed the “Coordinator” course and was assigned to the 109th INTC Group working out of the US Customs House in Baltimore. I returned to Holabird in 1965 for the “Agents” course and was shipped to 401st, later changed to the 710th in Honolulu, Hawaii. Would enjoy hearing from anyone who might remember me. adjusterr@myactv.net

Comment by Ron Amos — July 6, 2010 @ 12:44 am

Bill: Thank you for defining what a 97D40 did. Now I know where all those Agent Reports went!

Comment by Frank Pavlak — July 6, 2010 @ 11:40 am

Like many others, I also stumbled onto the site, just like finding the Fort. Who would have believed it was so small after the Basic Training forts we all attended. I think Jim runs the blog and kudos to him for an excellent site. His archives are also worth a look! Thanks to Bill(?) for the U-Tube video. I can’t believe any more of us took the time to document the place. I’ll bet those of us who served outside of CONUS have more pics. Any chance of getting them uploaded by MI Group on the site?

Comment by Bruce Hagar — July 7, 2010 @ 3:21 pm

Bruce, have you checked out “Facebook”?
“Fort Holabird Alumni” and
“United States Military Intelligence”

Comment by bill — July 7, 2010 @ 11:07 pm

Fort Holabird Photos: Check out post 264 referencing three authorized books with pics from the “Bird” and other intell installations. You may recall there were no pictures allowed at Holabird Graduations..not many photos of anything..discretion was a factor and probably LIDMAC, which was preached constantly. On the 97D MOS, they were generally those under 21 years old not yet allowed to carry B/C’s until cross trained.

Comment by RF — July 8, 2010 @ 11:15 am

CONUS Agent Reports (AR’s) ended up at the Central Records Repository, or the “barn” as we called it. First left before the RR tracks. Most of the blog posts deal with the School. A tour of the Repository would have been equally impressive. The records went back to WWII, at least, and were all on paper. The storage area and movement of dossiers from the stacks was something I’ll never forget. Can’t imagine how long it would take to computerize them. Dossiers of people of “extreme interest” would require shopping carts to get them to the civilians who reviewed the reports. Retired officers, DOD civilians, and a smattering of Permanent Party. Truly, an amazing combination. An indivdual named fnu Doyon(sp)had the time to collect what he called “Doyon’s Collected Errors” from AR’s. If anyone knows him, or has a copy, you owe it to the individuals who wrote them to post it. It’s a classic only Holabird’s would appreciate!

Comment by Bruce Hagar — July 8, 2010 @ 4:58 pm

Stumbled on this site and spent several hours reading the comments. Wow! It was a great trip down memory lane. After basic training at Fort Jackson, SC,I arrived at Fort Holabird in April 1965 for the 97B Agents Course. My route to “the bird” mirrored that of many of my classmates, college; then a job while I sweated out the draft. The draft finally caught up with me in January 65. While at the induction station, a silver tongued recruiter convinced me that an extra year of enlistment in Intelligence was better than the Infantry. Many of us were smart-ass college boys with little affection for the military. Our unofficial class song was the “Mickey Mouse Club Song, which we sang with great bravado in the barracks to protest any task that we thought was unnecessary harassment. We yelled “chair-borne” when dismissed after marching to class. Fort Holabird was like a small college campus with just a small amount of the military BS, like morning police call, KP, and marching to class. Baltimore was a fun city. Just didn’t have the pay grade to fully enjoy it. After graduation, my first assignment was the Jackson Mississippi FO, a small office with just three of us. My Holabird classmates teased me when they learned that I was going to Mississippi, land of racial tensions and klu kluxers, but it was a great place to work;lots of driving and knocking on doors. We covered more than half of the state. Best of all I met my wife there. From Jackson,MS I was sent to the 201st MI Detachment, Uijonbu, Korea in late 1966. Things had started heating up in Korea the previous year and continued to escalate in 1967. I worked in the Special Operations Branch(SOB) and had contact with five ROK Division CIC units stationed along the DMZ. Things got very interesting at times. The ROK’s were real “kick ass” soldiers and good people to work with. Left Korea in January 68 and back to the land of round eyes and big PX’s for discharge. My time in Army Intelligence was well worth that extra year of enlistment. I cherish those memories and experiences. Anyone out there who may have crossed paths with me or shared experiences, please contact me. jonsucone@comcast.net

Comment by John M. Cone — July 8, 2010 @ 9:29 pm

Bill, I checked out Facebook and unless I’m doing something wrong it doesn’t hold a candle to this blog. I saw your post and the pic of the bar, nothing else. Jim, or anyone else have any ideas where to upload pics of the 525th, 135th, and Saigon during Tet?

Comment by Bruce Hagar — July 10, 2010 @ 3:56 pm

Jim of Parkway Rest Stop here. I am amazed at the response this blog post has received. As many of you know, it was the last of a series of posts I did about basic training. I did not include any information about what happened after training at Fort Holabird, because I didn’t think it would interest most of the people who visit the blog.

Given that this post has drawn an audience of MI Types, I will share some stuff that MI Guys would “get.”

Virtually all the interrogators in classes prior to mine went to Vietnam, and I had assumed that I would also be assigned to Vietnam. As it turned out, the assignments were largely driven by language capability. The guys who spoke Korean were assigned to Korea and the guys who spoke German (I was among that group) or East Bloc languages were sent to Germany. We had a guy who spoke Italian (Charlie Scudder), and he was sent to Italy (only a few miles from his parents’ summer home). The guys who spoke no foreign language or who spoke French were sent to Fort Hood, after which I presume then went to Vietnam.

I was assigned to the 511th MI Company in Nuernberg and from there to the Border Resident Office in Passau (part of FO Cham). There were about five or six of us there, and it was great duty, except for the all-too-regular visits by officers on “TDY” to “inspect” the place on their way to spend leave time in Austria. They really loved to visit the office, because one of the interrogators stationed there (Ray Potter) happened to have been a Wurzburg-trained chef who, prior to being drafted, was the chef for the Governor of Florida. Filet Wellington seemed to be the favorite of the visiting officers.

Once, one of the visiting officers asked Ray for some salt, and Ray ate his face off. “Sir, I spent hours preparing this dish and it absolutely does NOT need salt.” Another time, another high ranking officer asked Ray for Ketchup, and I thought Ray was going to have a stroke. “Ketchup? On my filet Wellington? Absolutely not!” I figured that outburst would get all of us transferred to the Mekong Delta, but I guess the officer realized that, even though the BRO was an Army Installation, our dining room was not a mess hall and Ray was not a mess cook.

Many more stories. I’ll hop in once in a while and tell them.