CEREMONY
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the commander of
the 7th Army Training Command, Brig. Gen. Charles H. Baumann, former
Wildflecken Training Area commander, Col. Thomas O. Plant, former
Wildflecken community commanders, Henry O. Johnson and Robert L. Holland,
former deputy community commander, Randall Jackson, German government
officials, Bundeswehr military personnel, post employees, family members
and local citizens. Three individuals were given The Department of
the Army Commander's Award by Brig. Gen. Baumann for their public
service and long standing support and friendship to the Americans
in Wildflecken. Mayor of Wildflecken Walter Gutmann, mayor of Bad
Brückenau Hans Rohrmueller, and former mayor of Bischofsheim
Hans Repp were sited for their exemplary performance and devotion
to peace and freedom, as well as being instrumental in bringing about
an end to the Cold War by providing extraordinary support, a sense
of purpose and dedicated participation in public activities that directly
impacted on the welfare and combat readiness of numerous U.S., German
and NATO soldiers living and training at Wildflecken. As a symbolic
act to signify the 283d Base Support Battalion's inactivation, "Attention
to Orders" was called and Ogilvie, along with the 100th Area
Support Group Commander, Col. Gary Tobin and 283d BSB Command Sgt.
Maj. Mark Rudd, neatly rolled and tied the battalion's colors, and
cased them for retirement to the Department of the Army Military History
Museum Division for safe keeping. The colors will be kept in a place
of honor either permanently, or until such time as the battalion is
called upon to reactivate for a new mission. The battalion's inactivation
also brought with it an end of the American presence in Wildflecken.
"We have another victory celebration for winning the Cold War,"
Ogilvie said during his farewell speech. "A battle won through
the hard work and training of all our predecessors who stood the vigil
for peace, freedom and right. Yes, it was a long battle, a battle
that we thought would never end this way, but made even sweeter by
the fact that we didn't have to fire a single shot." Ogilvie
spoke of his excitement when he was first told he was selected for
command and compared his 21 months as the 283d BSB commander to crossing
the "line of departure" every time he walked over the threshold
of his quarters each rnorning. "Now we are engaged in consolidation
and reorganization after seizing the objective," Ogilvie said.
"We are dismantling this organization to reconstitute other organizations.
On the 15th of June we will say, 'mission accomplished, Sir,' and
move on to another organization to accomplish yet another mission."
Ogilvie thanked the people who had contributed to his successful command:
the soldiers of the BSB, the civilians both U.S. and local national,
fellow BSB commanders, the supportive ASG staff, the "great group"
of Burgermeisters and other elected officials, with special acknowledgment
given to Burgermeister Walter Gutmann, ASG commanders, Col. James
Snodgrass and Col. Gary Tobin and two "super" commanding
generals, Brig. Gen. Montgomery Meiggs and Brig. Gen. Charles Baumann.
Then, with his voice quivering, Ogilvie also thanked his wife Ruth
for sharing this command with him and for her never- ending support,
and daughter Kristina and son Erik for sharing their
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"dad"
with all the other families in the neighborhood. "Thanks, guys,"
Ogilvie said. "I love you."
Taking the podium, the 100th ASG commander, Col. Gary Tobin, spoke
of national resolve and the irony of victory. But first he praised
the ecumenical service for giving religious tribute to the day's
event and acknowledged Burgermeister Walter Gutmann for his musical
performance during the service.
"I've never been so moved, Herr Burgermeister," Tobin
said. "I've never been so moved by words because words only
scratch at the surface. And the symbolism of what's happening today
should not be lost on us. The irony of victory, the irony of success,
and the sadness of good-bye. Sweet irony." Tobin said that
the German and American flags standing bei'ore them represented
a partnership: national resolve, nations' wealth, life blood, forbearance,
and the sweat and tears involved in sweet victory. "Together
with our partner in NATO, the Federal Republic of Germany, the symbolism
of victory is evident," he said. "It is what has precipitated
what is occurring today. Sweet irony." After acknowledging
the people involved in the team work effort in the mission of closing
one of the U.S. Army's major training areas, to include the former
Wildflecken Training Area commander, Col. Thomas O. Plant, Tobin
looked towards the outgoing and last 283d BSB commander and said,
"Vince, mission complete."
Concluding, Tobin thanked the Germans for being such "gracious
hosts" for over 49 years, and stated that the German - American
partnership will not dissolve with the casing of the base support
battalion's colors. "The victory: After June 15, the red, white
and blue will no longer be unfurled on Wildflecken, but the colors
of our proud partner nation in NATO will be," Tobin said. "The
good news."
At the conclusion of the ceremony, the USAREUR Band played the Army
song then led the crowd in a procession down Main Street towards
the flag pole for the dedication of the German/ American friendship
memorial.
MONUMENT DEDICATION
As a "thank
you" to the Americans and the U.S. Army, the local national
employees from the Wildflecken post unveiled an engraved stone monument
during a dedication ceremony. The 10 - ton, 15 - feet - tall stone
was given a permanent place ofhonor at the flag pole island. The
Directorate of Engineering and Housing's mason shop chiseled a picture
of a handshake on the front, which was directed and created by forman
Emil Schrenk with assistance by Marcel Annon. Above the handshake
a plaque reads: "In remembrance of the long - lasting, good
- working relationship with our
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American
friends, 1953 - 1994, the German Workforce."
The monument began as an idea by the DEH Chief of Work Coordination,
Bruno Kleinheinz, and the Wildflecken Training Area Chief of Training
Support Branch, Richard Boehm. The monument is to remind everyone
of the long - standing cooperation and relationship between Americans
and Germans during the past 50 years.
"We wanted to do something different," Kleinheinz said.
"We wanted to have something for the future so everybody can
remember the way things were. What happened (the post closure) -
we have to live with it. And it's still nice to do something for
the Army, now."
"I am standing here today with a laughing eye and a crying
eye," Works Council President Norbert Fiedler said during the
dedication ceremony. "Even though the time has come for us
to say good - bye to our American friends, this farewell also means
a chance for a new start. If one wants to go to new places, the
old ones have to be left first.
" Addressing his fellow colleagues, Fiedler said that they
together have experienced the years of the Cold War and mastered
critical years together. "This region blossomed with our military
community," he said. "And all of you have contributed
to this."
Fiedler also gave his thanks to the Americans. "At the end
of an era and at the end of such a long way stands the gratitude
to you, dear Americans, which comes from all of our hearts,"
he said. "After all those years of cooperation I thank you
on behalf of all German civilian employees for the trust and friendship
given to us."
FRIENDSHIP FEST
The Mayor of
Wildflecken, Burgermeister "Pitzi" Gutmann desired to
have a final farewell fest in conjunction with the 283d BSB inactivation
ceremony to allow the local townspeople of Wildflecken and surrounding
communities to have an opportunity to individually say good - bye
to Americans before they leave.
Banquet tables, decorations and a stage were set, transforming a
former motor pool, building #405, for the event. Musical entertainment,
folk dance demonstrations and refreshments also contributed to the
festive atmosphere.
At the beginning of the fest, Gutmann, along with the commander
of Panzerartillery Battalion 355, Lt. Col. Michael Mueller, officially
ended the sponsorship they had originally made in 1987 with community
commander Col. Jerod Lemoine and the Wildflecken Military Community,
and said good - bye to Lt. Col. Vicente C. Ogilvie, the first and
last commander of the 283d BSB and the last unit commander of Wildflecken.
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Monument Dedication