6901st Special Communications Group
United States Air Force
Zweibrucken, Germany
Zweibrücken, Deutschland
Alumni Website
--
SAEPE EXPERTUS,
SEMPER FIDELIS, FRATRES AETERNI
(Often Tested, Always Faithful, Brothers Forever)
Happy New Year 2019
Dig out your old photo album and send
on pictures of your days at the 6901st. Stories are also encouraged. Content is requested from alumni for this web site. It
can be sigint, commint, humint, photoint, bsint, anyint. Send to dularson@bellsouth.net
Welcome. This website provides a reference source for United States Air Force Security Service alumni,
family and friends to access details about the 6901st Special Communications
Group as it existed in Zweibrucken, Germany from 1955 until 1968. The website is
intended to serve as a contact point for the alumni. Detailed information is
provided to allow alumni to reminisce about their time living in Germany. Alumni
are encouraged, and expected, to support the website through submission of
content to include text, images and related hyperlinks. Many hyperlinks to related websites are also provided.
Suggestions for
improvement are encouraged. Send to webmaster dularson@bellsouth.net
A new publication from an AFSS member: Cold War
Warrior
Publication Date:
September 28, 2012
Cold War Warrior is the memoir of a boy who grew to
manhood in the service of his country during the height
of the Cold War. As a Russian linguist in the United
States Air Force Security Service, Warren Knight bore
witness to the construction of the Berlin Wall, the U-2
incident, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and an adversary's
Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile test. While manning
a high-tech listening post on a remote Far Eastern
island, or on a jungle survival course in the
Philippines, the author's stories are both compelling
and informative and document a chapter in the American
saga that was as fraught with genuine peril as any in
our history.
Here with aerial view of Zweibrucken. See if you can find the base. Clue:
Amerikastrasse upper left.
http://www.webcamgalore.com/EN/webcam-map/Germany/Zweibruecken/city-1254.html
Photos from Jim Crawford 1964-1966
HERE
What's New:
"Freedom Through Vigilance"
Another opportunity to obtain your own copy of our USAFSS history! In 1,658
pages, my recently completed three-volume set "Freedom Through Vigilance"
addresses Air Force Security Service (USAFSS) ground site history in detail
(1948-1979)--with decreasing coverage of Electronic Security Command (ESC), AF
Intelligence Command (AFIC), Air Intelligence Agency (AIA) and the Air Force
Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency (AFISRA). Volume I, which
is now available, discusses the command's general history with emphasis on
CONUS-based USAFSS ground units and activities, including intelligence support
during the Cuban Missile Crisis, command support to NSA and Space Command,
USAFSS intercept sites in the States, USAFSS schools at Brooks, Kelly, March
and Goodfellow AFB's, etc. Volume I concludes with a chapter on female
intercepts operators, linguists and analysts in USAFSS, ESC, AFIC, AIA and
AFISRA. A recent review from Burton Knotts--1st RSM Morse intercept operator
in Japan-Korea (1950-52)--puts Volume I into perspective.
Subject: Volume 1--Excellent
!!!
On Oct 10, 2010, at 12:06 PM, Burton Knotts wrote:
Larry,
I have finished
reading your Volume 1, and I want to praise you for gathering so very much
information to go into this book. The amount of material covered is massive,
you must have had a room in your home (or on your computer hard drive)
filled with information from interviews, records, etc. All of which you have
organized into one well-composed, easy-to-read, book. I can't say enough
about how impressed I am!!! I liked the little additions to the histories,
such as your trip to Russia, too; and the data you collected about the women
in the USAFSS was something that needed to be written--they are generally
neglected in history books. I liked the photos such as the Hammarlund
SP-600, which I used in radio schools, in Japan and in Korea. I remember
while I was in Japan the technicians installed Collins 51-J in place of one
of my two Hammarlunds. I did not like it as well, as I got better reception
on the Hammarlund using the same antenna. I took the Hammarlunds to Korea
with me. I remembered the intercept classes at Brooks where I was assigned
as a teacher after I returned from Korea when I saw that photo. Again, the
book is very informative, and easy for the reader to return to a desired
article. I can't wait to read the other three.
Your friend, Burton
Knotts
Volume II—available later this month--covers USAFSS ground sites in Europe and
the Middle East, and Volume III—in final print by Thanksgiving--documents
USAFSS ground sites in Alaska and the Far East, including USAFSS in the Korean
War and the Vietnam War. For completeness, the section on USAFSS in the
Vietnam War also addresses 6990th and 6994th Security Squadron airborne
support of the war I will be completing Volume IV (USAFSS airborne
operations) in 2011. Full details are available on my website
<www.larrytart.com/>.
If you want to obtain a copy of Volume I ($24.00 plus $5.00 USPS Priority
Mail), please send me your snail mail address via email. You can mail your
check ($29.00) to my current (snowbirding) address:
Larry Tart
2936 Scenic Gulf Drive, Condo 206
Miramar Beach FL 32550
HINT! HINT! With the Christmas holidays rapidly approaching, Volume I (and the
other volumes when they become available) will be excellent gifts for yourself
or to inform family members about your Silent Warrior days in the Air Force.
Thank you for serving.
Larry
Great news for those with an interest in the history of USAFSS ground units in
Europe, Libya, Turkey and Pakistan, i.e., "Freedom Through Vigilance, Volume
II. My publisher and UPS came through again, and I now have copies of Volume
II available for shipment. The less happy news is that the publisher's Volume
II list price is $1.00 more than Volume I's price--Volume II is priced at
$25.00 + $5.00 USPS flat rate Priority Mail ($30.00 total cost). Visit my
website < www.larrytart.com> for details
on all three volumes of the three-volume FTV set.
I am now in place in Florida for the winter. To purchase Volume II (or Volume
I), please mail your check to:
LARRY TART
2936 Scenic Gulf Dr, Condo 206
MIRAMAR BEACH FL 32550
Provide me your snail mail address via email & I'll mail your copy
pronto--please specify Volume I or Volume II as appropriate. I do not have a
firm availability date for Volume III, but I believe it will ship o/a
Thanksgiving. My
goal is to complete Volume IV (USAFSS airborne recon) by Fall 2011.
For procrastinators who have not already obtained Volume I and who can
accept less timely delivery via "Media Mail" instead of expedited delivery
by USPS Priority Mail, I am willing to share shipping costs and send both
Volume I and Volume II as a single Media Mail shipment for a total cost of
$50.00 (a $9.00 savings over the $59.00 cost for the two volumes shipped
separately as Priority Mail). Per the post office, expect 7-10 day delivery
time for Media Mail vs. 2-3 business day delivery for Priority Mail.
Please help me get out the word by passing this announcement along to others
who may have an interest in our USAFSS history.
Thanks in advance.
Larry Tart
Currently 'snowbirding' in Destin, Florida
Destin phone: (850) 837-4597
P.S. In a recent
review, USAFSS Korean War veteran Burton
Knotts--1st RSM Morse intercept operator in Japan-Korea (1950-52)--gives
Volume I high marks.
Subject: Volume
1--Excellent !!!
On Oct 10, 2010, at 12:06 PM, Burton Knotts wrote:
"Larry,
I have finished
reading your Volume 1, and I want to praise you for gathering so very much
information to go into this book. The amount of material covered is
massive, you must have had a room in your home (or on your computer hard
drive) filled with information from interviews, records, etc. All of which
you have organized into one well-composed, easy-to-read, book. I can't say
enough about how impressed I am!!! I liked the little additions to the
histories, such as your trip to Russia, too; and the data you collected
about the women in the USAFSS was something that needed to be
written--they are generally neglected in history books. I liked the photos
such as the Hammarlund SP-600, which I used in radio schools, in Japan and
in Korea. I remember while I was in Japan the technicians installed
Collins 51-J in place of one of my two Hammarlunds. I did not like it as
well, as I got better reception on the Hammarlund using the same antenna.
I took the Hammarlunds to Korea with me. I remembered the intercept
classes at Brooks where I was assigned as a teacher after I returned from
Korea when I saw that photo. Again, the book is very informative, and
easy for the reader to return to a desired article. I can't wait to read
the other three.
Your friend, Burton
Knotts"
P.P.S. With the
Christmas holidays rapidly approaching, Volume I, Volume II (and/or Volume III
when it becomes available) will be excellent gifts for yourself or to inform
family members about your Silent Warrior days in the Air Force. Thank you for
serving.
LRT
Product Description
THESE GUYS: Cold War Stories Told by Cold War Warriors, is one of
the first books of its kind. It is a collection of anecdotes by
United States Air Force Security Service men. These men served in
many capacities in Intelligence Communications during the cold war
between the USSR and the US. It has been regarded as an excellent
book of history of the vets of the USAFSS, during WWII, Korea, Cold
War, and Vietnam. This book is dedicated to her brother who, during
his last two years of excellent military service, fell victim to
having been in this situation and how it affected him. Click this
image to go to Amazon to purchase this item.
What's new: HERE
are photographs and memories of an AP at the 6901st from 1961-64: Ron Smillie.
Don can you place this note on the site. When in Zweibruecken, be sure to
visit Café Drumm, where the Wirt is the
Former Bartender at the Kreuzberg NCO Club. He has an affinity for USAFSS
Guys, and some damn fine Park (formerly Parkbräu) Pilsner !!
The Address is Café Drumm
Gutenbergstraße 26 (just a few feet off the HofenfelsStr (the
big street at the foot of “the Hill”) Also my new eMail is jrgrubbs67@att.net
Fresh images of Zwei September 2009 from James D. Kent 203
Russian 1963-66.
Click HERE
to see postcard images of McGuire Air Force Base in
1965.
Click Here for
ordering details about a new book written by Trish
Schiesser
These Guys: Cold War Stories Told by Cold War Warriors
It is a 718 page copy of 240 stories by USAFSS guys and
Vietnam, pilots.
Snapshots of the train station today.
  
Four new pictures from 1960-1961 Don MacLeod Venice Florida Dmaclvefla@aol.com Click
on picture to enlarge. #1 #2
#3 #4
Click HERE
for a list of many USAFSS Units and their locations.
Click HERE to visit
the website for the Zweibrücken Air Base. You remember. That place across town
where really great food was served off of real dishes? The place where there
were real glass glasses, knives, forks and spoons? The place where there was an
ice skating rink and tennis courts? It was Canadian when I was in Zwei. Then it
went over to the Americans. Find details at this website. dularson
USAREUR - Here is a look at the Army history with Kreuzberg
Kaserne.
USAFE - Here are details about the US Air Force in
Europe.
Mainstreet Pictures HERE
Barracks Row Pictures HERE Chapel Pictures HERE
Zweibrücken
Fachhochschule Kaiserslautern now uses many of the former 6901st operations and
support buildings for their shinny new campus as of 2007. Find details HERE.
Invitation to Join USAFSS Rollcall
I do not know if you or any of the former
6901st people have joined a group called usafss rollcall. It is not an open
site, you have to be invited. (these are the rules). It is fairly easy to join
all that is needed is an invite. all the info needed is name, organizatio(s)
and email address. If anyone wishes I can contact the webmaster, Jim Kaus.
with the info
New Photographs of what became of the 6901st. Identification
follows. Perhaps you can figure out what you are seeing. Pictures compliments
of George King - 202 - Zwei Aug 64 - Apr 66. These are large files so give
them time to load if you are on dial up. With a broadband connection they will
snap.
These pictures are as if you left the ops
entrance and turned right, walking to the barracks road and then to the mess
hall.
Picture the ops entrance (262) - walk up past
the building that housed the mail room where you crossed the main road and
down the steps to the barracks road (264 -266 - 267) continue down barracks
road and look right (268 - 270 - 272) continue on down to the gym and look
right (273) then look straight ahead to the theater (274).
262 - Ops entrance
264 - Standing on main road to town between
ops and barracks. There is a traffic circle there now.
266 - Same location as 264, looking toward
barracks road. There use to be steps here before you crossed the road to the
mail room.
267 - Same location as 264 and 266 looking
down barracks road towards the mess hall.
268 - A few yards from 264, 266,267 on
barracks road looking right.
270 - A few yards down from 268 further down
barracks road looking back to ops.
272 - Same location as 270 looking back up
barracks road.
273 - Standing on barracks road in front of
gym looking toward MP station.
274 - Same location as 273 looking at movie
theater with athletic field on left and mess hall on right.
NEW page for Biographies. Add yours. HERE
NEW Guest Book entries have returned HERE.
NEW Directory for the History pages HERE.
NEW Alumni
Websites- This is a beginning effort to list websites where a 6901st alumni
is a contributor. If you are a
6901st Alumni with a website that you contribute to, get it mentioned HERE. Send
your URL to dularson@bellsouth.net
New. Here is a narrative in English about the recovery of
Zweibrucken after WWII by a German resident. Click HERE.
New. Click HERE to see old postcard
images of Zweibrucken.
Zweibrucken High School Alumni Association is interested in
hearing from you if you went to school there. Here is their recent announcement:
The
Zweibruecken American High School Alumni Association (ZAA) was formed
to promote a spirit of alumni unity, community and camaraderie through
communication and reunions among alumni; location of alumni and acquisition and
maintenance of school memorabilia; and to represent the high school in
historical events. Students who attended ZAHS at anytime are welcome as are
educators, parents and those who were associated with the high school.
ZAA's role in preserving our history will take on greater significance when the
American Overseas Schools Historical Society opens it's museum in Wichita,
Kansas in the future. ZAA's website is www.zweihigh.org
and AOSHS is www.aoshs.org
Use this link rack to quickly navigate this website. Many of
these references take your computer to other locations on the internet. Use your
back button to return to this link rack. Consider a right click to "create
a shortcut" on your desktop or save as a favorite. http://www.6901st.org/index.htm
Here with links to Vietnam Vet websites:
Note: Due
to illness, Don Levesque has transferred the duties of webmaster to David U. Larson.
Don has service connected medical
issues which prohibit him from continuing as webmaster at this time. He
can be reached at drlevesque@roadrunner.com
If you are FrontPage savvy and a 6901st alumni who would like to take a turn as
webmaster for the 6901st, great. Send an email to dularson@bellsouth.net
There is no hurry, but a seat change by the first of next year would be fine. If
no one is interested, I will continue to serve. David U. Larson 2010
2005 Pictures of Zweibrucken by John Fisher. Click HERE.
Send comments you would like to add to the webmaster.
You just have to go to this website for modern day pictures of Zweibrücken:
http://www.zweibruecken.de/
Don Levesque and Al Lapine at the Annual Cold War Association Memorial for
our fallen Cold War Vets.
Here are some great offers for Air Force flags and other
related merchandise that is very reasonably priced. All are available from
Flagline, with thousands of different items. Click on any image and you will be connected with this great
source of national pride items automatically. These helpful folks have everything you could ever want.
Click on any image to go to the order page for that specific item.
USAF Air Force: flags, magnets, patches, decals, pins, neckties, stickers, license plates, seals, and on and on.
|
