May 2013 Book of the Moth: The Berlin Candy Bomber by Gail S. Halvorsen

The BerlinBrigade.com May 2013 Book of the Moth: The Berlin Candy Bomber by Gail S. Halvorsen

Celebrating the end of the Berlin Blockade on May 12, 1949, the BerlinBrigade.com Book of the Month for May 2013 is The Berlin Candy Bomber by Gail S. Halvorsen.


Read the story of the Col. Halvorsen's journey to and from Berlin during one of the hottest times during the Cold War.

From the publisher: "The Berlin Candy Bomber is a love story-how two sticks of gum and one man's kindness to the children of a vanquished enemy grew into an epic of goodwill spanning the globe-touching the hearts of millions in both Germany and America.

In June 1948, Russia laid siege to Berlin, cutting off the flow of food and supplies over highways into the city. More than two million people faced economic collapse and starvation. The Americans, English, and French began a massive airlift to bring sustenance to the city and to thwart the Russian siege.

Gail Halvorsen was one of hundreds of U.S. pilots involved in the airlift. While in Berlin, he met a group of children standing by the airport watching the incoming planes. Though they hadn't asked for candy, he was impressed to share with them the two sticks of gum he had in his possession. Seeing how thrilled they were by this gesture, he promised to drop more candy to them the next time he flew to the area.

True to his word, as he flew in the next day, he wiggled the wings of his plane to identify himself, then dropped several small bundles of candy using parachutes crafted from handkerchiefs to slow their fall. Local newspapers picked up the story. Suddenly, letters addressed to "Uncle Wiggly Wings" began to arrive as the children requested candy drops in other areas of the city.

Enthusiasm spread to America, and candy contributions came from all across the country. Within weeks candy manufacturers began donating candy by the boxcar.

In May 1949, the highway blockade ended, and the airlift ended in September. But the story of Uncle Wiggly Wings and the candy-filled parachutes lives on-a symbol of human charity."



You can order your copy of "The Berlin Candy Bomber" from Amazon.com

What Happens Tomorrow

"Nobody knows what's going to happen tomorrow" is what the song says.

When all of us woke up on the morning of Monday, April 15, 2013 no one knew just how much the world was going to change by sunset. The Boston Marathon Bombings brought the world of terrorism back to American soil and right smack onto our television sets as tonight's leading story.

While the two suspects are off the streets (one dead, one captured) their motives are yet to be fully revealed as well as what their ultimate plan was.  Maybe we'll know one day soon. In the meantime, we have to keep moving forward. 

As we move forward, there is something to always remember and never forget: Never Let Your Guard Down. Evil is everywhere because it very seldom hides in the shadows.

Those two jokers, in Boston, were living in plain sight when they decided that their agenda was more important than the lives of the people they lived among. Their logic escapes me as it did in April of 1986 when Libyan backed terrorists bombed the LaBelle Disco in West Berlin and as it escaped me after Pan Am flight 103 blew up over Lockerbie, Scotland, UK by Libyan backed terrorists. Logic most certainly escaped me on September 11, 2001 as well as in London and Madrid and every place else that individuals decide that terror is their only choice when it comes trying to create change.

Ghandi made change happen. King made change happen. The people of East Germany in the summer and fall of 1989 made change happen as did the people through out Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union. These were welcomed changes.

Terrorism in the name of someone's perception of religion is NEVER a good change. Terrorism in any form is never a good thing.

However, it is an unfortunate byproduct of the world we live in today. Therefore, it is up to each and every one of us to stay vigilant and know that we are in this together and together is how we will get out of it. 

Stay Safe and Stay Alert

Goodbye To The Iron Lady

Yesterday, Monday, April 8, 2013, here in the United States it was just after daybreak that we received the news that Baroness Margaret Thatcher had passed away. She was 87 years of age. She was the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom ('79 - '90).

She was the "Iron Lady" to her nation and to the world. She led her nation during some of the most illustrious times in our world's history; the Cold War. Then again, she also led her nation through some rough economic, political, and civil times and still managed to come out on top.

 To me she was one of the symbols of the Cold War. Though I never met the former Prime Minister, I did get a chance to work in direct contact with the Soldiers and Officers that were members of the British Forces in Berlin when I was based in Berlin. I remember those Soldiers spoke very highly of their Prime Minister.

For the most part, I do not recall a time that I ever heard a Brit talk bad about the leader of their nation on the contrary they were full of praise for their leader. I recall that for the most part they were not happy with their pay or their government food rations, then again ALL soldiers complain about their pay and that which is attempted to be passed off as military food. However, it says a lot about a nation and the soldiers that protect that nation when they completely believe in and stand firmly behind their leaders and the leadership they instill in those they lead.

Then again, it comes as no surprise because of her uncompromising politics and leadership style the nickname "Iron Lady" given to her by a Soviet reporter stuck with her till her last day and beyond.

Baroness Margaret Thatcher will always stand among the great World Leaders of all time.

Requiescat In Pace


(image courtesy of wikipedia.org)

April 2013 Book of the Month: Lucius D. Clay: An American Life by Jean Edward Smith

In honor of his April 23rd birthday, the BerlinBrigade.ocm April 2013 Book of the Month is "Lucius D. Clay: An American Life" by Jean Edward Smith.

An American Life takes you through early childhood of Lucius D. Clay to his time at the US Military Academy at West Point all the way through his time as Military Governor of Germany. It also covers the story behind his crowning achievement as the architect of the Berlin Airlift (1948-1949) when the USSR blockaded the western sectors of the city of Berlin, Germany.

You can tell that Jean Edward Smith, author, spent much time meticulously researching the life and times of General Lucius D. Clay. Smith not only goes beyond the raw data that is anyone's life, he goes into such detail that the reader can't help but feel to be a fly on the wall that is witnessing the life of General Clay unfold.


You can order your copy of "Lucius D. Clay: An American Life" from Amazon.com

Attention Berlin Veterans: I Have One Question to Ask

As the title states; I one question that I have been meaning to ask. Here goes:

What do you think about BerlinBrigade.com launching a VETERANS BUSINESS DIRECTORY?

Here is what I am thinking: I am thinking of creating a directory of the businesses that the Veterans of the Berlin either own or a work at or do. This is to help facilitate finding the right people for the right job. Who else to do that job than another Berlin Brigade Vet.

The process would be simple. You fill out an online form containing some basic information about you and your business. Then that information is broken down into at least three business categories and then posted online.

So let's say you are looking for an RV Mechanic in Michigan. You look at the Berlin Brigade Business Directory and find an RV Mechanic in Northern Indiana. He might not be next door but depending on where in Michigan you the Berlin Brigade Vet might be close enough to try.

So what do you think?

Would you use a Berlin Brigade Veterans Business Directory?

Would you submit your organization's information?

March 2013 Book of the Month: Mercedes and The Chocolate Pilot by Margot Theis Raven

The BerlinBrigade.com March 2013 Book of the Month is "Mercedes and The Chocolate Pilot" by Margot Theis Raven.

From Amazon.com: During the Berlin Airlift of 1948-1949, Lt. Gail Halvorsen and his squadron dropped over 250,000 candy-loaded parachutes and twenty tons of chocolate and gum to West Berlin's 100,000 children. He received thousands of letters from children, and only the most important were translated and given to him for his personal reply. This is the true story of a little girl named Mercedes, who waited anxiously for candy drops from Lt. Gail, known as the Chocolate Pilot.

This book is written with the child in mind but Mercedes and the Chocolate Pilot is a story of such historical value that everyone, of any age, will enjoy this wonderful story.


You can order your very own copy of "Mercedes and the Chocolate Pilot"

International Holocaust Remembrance Day 2013

Today, January 27, 2013, is International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

BerlinBrigade.com takes time to reflect on and remember the victims of the Holocaust, the genocide that resulted in the annihilation of approximately "6 million Jews, 2 million Gypsies (Roma and Sinti), 15,000 homosexual people and millions of others by the Nazi regime and its collaborators."

We, the Veterans of the US Army's Berlin Brigade, served in the city where all this began.

We are honored to have helped the city of Berlin, the country of Germany, the European Continent, and the World move forward and beyond those atrocities. However, we must always continue to take time and look back at the past to ensure that such horrors never happen again. To confirm that the events of today are no where close to what happened in the 1930s and 1940s are exactly why we need to remember and never forget.


The photo was taken by David Guerra, on November 8, 2009, at the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, also known as the Holocaust Memorial in Berlin.

February 2013 Book of the Month: The Batter's Out (Baseball Training Manual) by Charles R. Sledge Jr.

Jan/Feb 2013 Book of the Month: The Batter's Out (Baseball Training Manual) How to Play Defense: For Parents, Coaches, and Kids By Charles R. Sledge Jr. (Berlin Brigade Veteran)

Just as Pitcher's and Catchers are due to report and in time for spring training. This is the book you want your budding young athletes digging their cleats into. This book offers some of the greatest information on how to play the game, of baseball, was meant to be played: As a game that has strategy, tactics, and requires little skill but leaves plenty of room for mastery. Mastery at levels that are bound to take even the novice of players to the next level of the Great American Pastime.

From the Publisher: "The Batter's Out is a book of instructions on how to play baseball defensively. It teaches how to play all nine positions properly on the field by showing how each player moves during the course of a play through illustrations. The Batter's Out is a detailed description of what each player on any given team should do when the baseball is being hit to any given position. The illustrations are colorful and simulate real action. This book also holds a glossary of all the terms used for playing great defense. It's ideal for Parents who want to become Coaches, Coaches who want to improve there coaching skills and Children who dream of playing professional baseball everywhere."

January 2013 Book of the Month: Voices Under Berlin: The Tale Of A Monterey Mary by T.H.E. Hill

The BerlinBrigade.com Book of the Month for January 2013 is  Voices Under Berlin: The Tale Of A Monterey Mary by T.H.E. Hill.

This is a great story that will give you a fictionalized and unique insider's view of how things may have happened in 1955 Berlin's Spy Tunnel. While it may be hard to imagine how things such as this were going on beneath the feet of the citizens of Berlin but it was the Cold War after all.

From Amazon.com: Dr. Wesley Britton, author of "Spy Television", "Beyond Bond: Spies in Fiction and Film", and "Onscreen and Undercover: The Ultimate Book of Movie Espionage", writing at SpyWise.net writes "Throughout the Cold War, the divided city of Berlin was the epicenter of spy films and literature, especially in the hands of masters like John Le Carré and Len Deighton. For decades, we saw and read about Western agents sneaking in and Eastern defectors sneaking out of East Berlin--over, under, and through the most iconic symbol of the times--the Berlin Wall.

But T.H.E. Hill's new 2008 "Voices Under Berlin: The Tale of a Monterey Mary" has nothing to do with such spy vs. spy duels in Germany. Instead, his subject is the long-neglected Berlin Tunnel of the 1950s and the cryptographers, linguists, and analysts sifting through intercepted intelligence from East Germany to the masters in Moscow. Better--Voices Under Berlin is, in fact, perhaps the funniest spy book ever written. It's not a parody or satire of the 007 mythos nor is it a continuation of themes in the novels by the likes of Graham Greene or Eric Ambler poking fun at the ineptitude of clandestine services. Still, in the tradition of Greene and Ambler, Voices Under Berlin contains many literate qualities that make it a work of special consideration, worthy of an audience much broader than that of espionage enthusiasts or those interested in Cold War history."


You can order your copy of Voices Under Berlin by T.H.E. Hill:

NUTS!

I was so gently reminded this morning that not only is today the 22nd day of December but it is also December 22, 2012 which is exactly 68 years from December 22, 1944.

What's so special about December 22, 1944 and what do NUTS have to do with it?

Well, that is the day that an event of epic proportions took place and the word "Nuts" played a huge role.

Let me take you back in time a bit.

Fresh off the heels of the Allied invasion of Europe just a mere six months earlier, then past fighting along the French hedgerows and then the Liberation of Paris. It seemed that US and Allied Forces were going to hit Berlin faster than anyone imagined. That is until they entered the BENELUX (Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg) region of Europe then things started to slow down. The German forces started to feel that their backs were to the wall and they were not prepared to let any foreign invaders enter their country. So they "amped" up operations and really tried to put it to the ALLIES.

It was not until the winter started to settle in. Trust me folks, if you have never experienced a winter in Europe you really would not begin to understand just how much of a game changer the weather is, but I digress (only a little).

OK, so the US Forces are making their way to the small but critical crossroads right in the middle of a town in southeastern Belgium; Bastogne. They were somewhat rather swiftly encircled by fast moving German forces that were intent on cutting off the supply lines of the Allied Forces, in what they hoped would turn the tide of the war in favor of the German Forces.

So the two forces met at Bastogne with the German Forces taking the upperhand and surround the US Forces. It was late December and as I mentioned the weather was not cooperating making air drops almost impossible. Thus as the ensuing battle raged ammo, food, medicine and cool weather gear were running out or non-existent. Nothing demoralizes the fighting man more than lack of bullets, beans, and band aids.

By the 22nd of December the US Forces were starting to think that everything was lost as they were surrounded by the enemy, supplies were running out, and their leaders had forgotten about them, until. Until under a white flag a small contingent of German Soldiers (two officers and two enlisted) the following ultimatum to Gen. McAuliffe:

To the U.S.A. Commander of the encircled town of Bastogne.
            The fortune of war is changing. This time the U.S.A. forces in and near Bastogne have been encircled by strong German armored units. More German armored units have crossed the river Our near Ortheuville, have taken Marche and reached St. Hubert by passing through Hompre-Sibret-Tillet. Libramont is in German hands.
            There is only one possibility to save the encircled U.S.A. troops from total annihilation: that is the honorable surrender of the encircled town. In order to think it over a term of two hours will be granted beginning with the presentation of this note.
            If this proposal should be rejected one German Artillery Corps and six heavy A. A. Battalions are ready to annihilate the U.S.A. troops in and near Bastogne. The order for firing will be given immediately after this two hours term.
             All the serious civilian losses caused by this artillery fire would not correspond with the well-known American humanity.
 The German Commander. 

The response by General Anthony McAuliffe had to be something that not only seemed rational, considering the situation but also fair to all the men under his command. Thus his response was simple and to the point:

Once word of Gen. McAuliffe's response to the Germans got out the morale of each and every soldier shot up. Those the situation was hopeless that one word changed the outcome of the war. It offered enough motivation to each soldier to hold on just a little bit longer. The weather finally cleared up a few days later and air drops of supplies were accomplished. That along with reinforcements from Patton's 3rd Army arrived to help break the siege of Bastogne and return the allied advancement towards Berlin. About five months later, the war in Europe comes to an end.

As we approach Christmas 2012, please take a moment to remember the men and women that have served and are serving in defense of our nation. As you are at home warm and cosy getting ready to enjoy your Christmas and New Years, be grateful that men like those that were in Bastogne 68 years ago who sacrificed so much that we may be here today.

Merry Christmas! and NUTS!!!

Nov/Dec 2012 Book of the Month: C Trick by Donald M. Cooper

The November - December 2012 Book of the Month is by former member of the Berlin Brigade Donald M. Cooper: C TRICK.

His entry into the literary world is the book "C Trick" which has be considered as THE Cold War "memoir for the common man."

C TRICK reads sort of as a glimpse into life during a wartime military (Vietnam) and "[b]efore the all-volunteer Army, there was the draft. This meant that most young American men had to decide how they were going to meet their military obligation. As the Cold War dragged on and the Vietnam War heated up, how a person met this obligation assumed critical importance. The choices were stark. If you were in college, you were safe. If not, you could wait to be drafted with the understanding that you could be sent to Vietnam as a combat soldier, or you could volunteer for an assignment that offered the chance of avoiding infantry combat in a rice paddy. Volunteering, however, also had a price. You would serve for a longer time, often in a foreign country far away from friends and family. "C Trick" tells the story of some of those who volunteered. The book is a tale that describes how one group of young citizen-soldiers met their military obligation during the last half of the Sixties. The book describes what it was like to be a soldier in a special Army unit stationed in what may have been the most important Cold War hot spot. Using prose from the era, the book captures all the humor and frustration experienced by young men coping with the rigors of military life. The reader will experience the frustration of these men when they were expected to perform difficult technical work in an important national security facility while also dealing with military absurdities. This book captures all the details of how these soldiers worked, played and tried to avoid military life while serving in the Army. It is a very refreshing account of how Cold War soldiers spent their time while their lives were on hold." (Amazon.com Book Description).


You can order your copy of C TRICK by Donald M. Cooper:

Congrats to New York Times Best Selling Author Rebecca Cantrell

BerlinBrigade.com wants to extend the most Heartfelt CONGRATULATIONS we can collectively muster to our good friend Rebecca Cantrell (www.RebeccaCantrell.com) who recently became a New York Times Bestselling Author. Rebecca joins that prestigious list of authors for the work that she along with James Rollins (another NYTimes Bestselling Author) did in writing the novel "City of Screams" (Kindle edition).

"City of Screams" is a story set  in the "highlands of Afghanistan, amid the ruins of Shahr-e-Gholghol, an archaeology team is massacred in the night. Sergeant Jordan Stone and his crack forensic team are called in to examine the site, to hunt for the perpetrators of this horrific act. But the discovery of a survivor—a child of ten—will shatter all the team knows about life and death. Among the crumbling bones of dead kings, something hoary and murderous stirs out of the ancient past, lurching forward to claim vengeance on those still living."

You can order your copy for the Kindle:



Also, did you know in Episode 30 of the BerlinBrigade.com Podcast I interviewed the author of the Hannah Vogel series of books; Rebecca Cantrell?  That's right!

Rebecca Cantrell was interviewed in April of 2011 which was right around the time that her second book, "A Night of Long Knives", was being published.

I invite you to listen to the that interview on the EPISODE 30 page by clicking here. Once the page scroll down to the INTERVIEW ONLY player and you can here the wonderful conversation that I was fortunate enough to have with Rebecca Cantrell.

CONGRATULATIONS REBECCA!!!!
 

It Was 23 Years Ago Today (November 9, 1989)

23 years ago on this day the world came to a sudden halt. So very few times in World History has one event been able to stop everything and make the world pay attention. November 9, 1989 is that day. The Fall of the Berlin Wall was the "astonishing event" that change the world.

I recorded a small video message to on the occasion of the 23rd Anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall.

Congratulations to Germany and the World!

October/November 2012 Book of the Month: Battleground Berlin: CIA vs. KGB in the Cold War

The BerlinBrigade.com October/November 2012 Book of the Month is Battleground Berlin: CIA vs. KGB in the Cold War by David E. Murphy (Au, Sergei A. Kondrashev, & George Bailey.

Battleground Berlin: CIA vs. KGB in the Cold War takes you behind the scenes of Spy vs. Spy life in East and West Berlin from just after the end of the Second World War to the construction of the notorious/infamous Berlin Wall.

If all you know about the spy-craft and the Cold War is what you have seen in the movies or on some History Channel special, well you have another thing coming with Battleground Berlin. This book brings to you some of the characters that played the game of move and counter-move during some of the most OVERT and COVERT events of the epicenter of the Cold War: Berlin.

On the surface this 556 page hardcover is not light reading but for anyone interested in getting an insider's look to the CIA's and KGB's operations in Berlin then this book is one you cannot pass up. You can order your copy of Battleground Berlin from Amazon.com.

September/October 2012 Book of the Month: Istanbul Passage by Joseph Kanon

The BerlinBrigade.com September/October 2012 Book of the Month is the latest offering by JOSEPH KANON: Istanbul Passage.

Istanbul Passage begins just after World War II comes to an end and set as the title so aptly suggests in Istanbul, Turkey. As the crossroad from Europe to Asia, Istanbul continues to be a critical channel to those escaping war torn Europe and those wanting to get to Geo-political land rush that post war Europe has found itself in. At the center of the story is an Expatriate American, Leon Bauer, who was doing his part for the war effort but now that's over finds himself quickly back into the middle of a life he thought had come to an end. In Istanbul Passage, the realization that in some places of the world wars will continue to rage on becomes crystal clear very early on in the story. In this case, the Cold War is just starting to heat up. This book will leave you wanting more and when it ends you'll wish it didn't.

If you have never been to Istanbul then you are in for a treat because Kanon paints the city with such vivid detail you can almost taste the coffee and smell the cigarette smoke as you turn the pages. You might even be tempted to stop at one of the stalls of the bazaars to purchase a souvenir of your visit to Istanbul.

As the days get shorter and the nights get longer, I invite you to enjoy the Fall evenings with this wonderfully entertaining book by the author who brought us The Good German, Joseph Kanon. You can order your copy of Istanbul Passage over at Amazon.com.


Enjoy!
Visit the Joseph Kanon website: http://josephkanon.com/

Enjoy all the other great novels by Joseph Kanon

About A Cold War Museum am Checkpoint Charlie

On the Deutsche Welle website an article titled “East-Westdivide remains at Checkpoint Charlie” (08.08.12) by Melanie Sevcenko. The article dealt with the attempt to create a new museum near the area that was Checkpoint Charlie at the intersection of Friedrichstrasse and Zimmerstrasse in Berlin. The new museum would be called the Cold War Museum.

The interesting thing about the museum is that it would reflect the Cold War from both sides of the Berlin Wall. It seems that there is not enough to address that the game that was played for over 40 years since the end of World War II by the two sides.  This is an interesting concept that I for one would like to see become a reality. As a US Soldier during the Cold War, I would like to know what my counterparts were doing because from what we were told they certainly knew what we were doing. However, very little info ever made it back to the line troops on the day-to-day life of a Soviet or East German or Warsaw Pact soldier. I am more than certain someone knew. So it would be interesting to see what they had to deal with and how they dealt with it.

 

So from a selfish point of view a Cold War Museum is a great idea. Then again, what about those that were oppressed by the Soviets and their puppet regimes? Do they want to be reminded of those dark days when neighbors spied on neighbors or worse still when family member spied on family member?  Is that a memory that anyone wants to relive? It remains a very harsh reality for many, I know of one individual, personally, that is still haunted by the actions of the former DDR.

I hope that this dilemma does not become the start of another Cold War. Then again, wars have started over lesser things than this. It will be interesting to see how it all plays itself out. 

A City of Broken Glass / BerlinBrigade.com Book of the Month

The BerlinBrigade.com Book of the Month for August/September 2012

A CITY OF BROKEN GLASS
                                             by Rebecca Cantrell

Rebecca Cantrell has done it again. This time she delivers her fourth book in the Hannah Vogel series: "A City Of Broken Glass"

In this book, we find ourselves traveling with Hannah Vogel to Poland just as things start getting very interesting, not just for Poland and Germany but for all of Europe, as rumblings of the start of the Second World War are starting to see the light of day. As a reporter, Hannah is traveling to Poland to cover a festival, the Feast of St. Martin, when she is made aware that thousands upon thousands of Polish Jews are being deported out of Germany. Now here is where things start to get interesting, because if you have read any of the Hannah Vogel books, you know that Hannah cannot help herself and has to dive into the deep end head first. If this is your first Rebecca Cantrell work, then let me the first to introduce you to Hannah Vogel. Hold on tightly because with "A City of Broken Glass" you are in for one heck of a ride.

"A City of Broken Glass" is loaded with action, intrigue, a very real dose of human characters and humanity, all of which is set in a world that is quickly spinning out of control and into the inevitable bloodshed that was World War II. Before I get any further, I will leave it here but I know Rebecca Cantrell won't leave it here, there is still plenty more to come from Cantrell and Hannah Vogel. So be on the look out for future adventures with Hannah. If this is your first venture into the Hannah Vogel series be sure to check out the previous books in the series: "A Trace of Smoke", "A Night of Long Knives" and "A Game of Lies"

If you are looking for a Late Summer or Early Fall read then Rebecca Cantrell's latest installment is for you. "A City of Broken Glass" will keep you turning page after page. If you are looking for a good mystery, high speed thriller, something that will not only keep you interested but have you rooting for Hannah Vogel, all the way to the end, then "A City of Broken Glass" is for you.

If you haven't already, you can own your copy of "A City of Broken Glass" by purchasing it online from Amazon.com (see below) or stop by your local bookstore.



Enjoy!

Visit the Rebecca Cantrell website: http://www.rebeccacantrell.com

The Hannah Vogel series by Rebecca Cantrell

 

August 13, 1961

August 13, 1961...
Almost overnight in Berlin, the city is cut-off as construction begins on what is to become known as the Berlin Wall.

Today, 51 years later, we do not celebrate the construction but remember that day and all the 10,315 days until the wall fell on November 9, 1989.

We remember those that lived with the wall as a sore that snaked through the wonderful city of Berlin, those that died trying to get to Freedom, those that were unable to even contemplate escape, and especially those that Defended the Freedom of the city of West Berlin.

(photo of Berlin Wall taken Fall 1986 between Brandenburg Gate & Reichstag)

Airplane or Thunder (or Military Training) In Berlin / Flugzeug oder Thunder (oder militärische Ausbildung) in Berlin

Last week, I read a blog post titled "Flugzeug oder Donner" (Airplane or Thunder) on the HIN UND WEG blog found on the Berliner Morgenpost, a FANTASTIC Berlin newspaper, website about how the citizens of Berlin, particularly those that live close to TEGEL AIRPORT and the noise aftermath of a recent rainstorm that grounded flights out of Tegel. It seems that the citizens were not taking to kindly to the fact that once the weather cleared the aircraft took for their respective final destinations after the 11:15 pm "quiet" time cut-off.

The "Quiet" time is something that I never really thought about until I read about it. I can remember training at Doughboy City (US MOUT (Military Operations in Urban Terrain) Training Area) & Ruhleben in the British Sector. There was plenty of High Speed Training conducted in those mock villages with their buildings and S-Bahn stations, rail lines, sewer systems, warehouses, and the Rathaus (town hall), every assault and defense was different, no two were ever the same. REALLY!!!

However, there was one thing that was the same when it got dark and late at night, we shut down operations (OK, OK we scaled them "way" back). It seems that the our civilian neighbors wanted a good night's sleep and with our night attacks and artillery simulators and flash bangs and the ever present hooting and hollering of US Army Infantrymen, a good night's sleep was not a certainty. So we had to keep it down.

I had never experienced such a unique set-up when it came to training in the field. Of course, excusing the fact that the training was conducted in a city that housed a couple million people it was unique nonetheless. A couple of million people are more apt to make some kind of noise especially during the "quiet" time but that wasn't our concern, we were out there training and had to do it when we could.

Then again, no one could forget that just outside the city limits (aka the Berlin Wall) there were several Soviet military divisions that also had to conduct their training and sometimes they would back their howitzers right up against the wall and fire their rounds well into the night. I wonder how our Soviet counterparts put up with the complaints from the locals regarding the violation of the Ruhezeiten?

Don't get me wrong, we tried our best to follow the rules but the occasional Artillery Simulator would certainly do its best to rattle a few windows. Then again, there were those welcomed evenings around the fire barrel where the bond among the Infantrymen was solidified and made stronger. 


I would like to hear your take on "Quiet Time"

Thanks
Dave Guerra
A Co. 6th Bn 502nd Inf
US Army Berlin Brigade
1985 - 1987

Memorial Day 2012

In the United States the last Monday in the month of May has been set aside as Memorial Day. This year that honor falls on the 28th day of the month.

Memorial Day is the one day a year we take pause and remember those men and women that have died while serving their country in time of war. This tradition of honoring our war dead started just as the Civil War ended, then it was called "Decoration Day."  Originally, it was to commemorate the fallen Union soldiers of the Civil War. However, over time it was extended to all war dead (to include the wars, conflicts, and campaigns prior to the Civil War).

This Monday, I ask that all my family and friends please take a moment (or two) and pause to reflect on the ultimate sacrifices made by those individuals when they died while serving our nation and defending our freedom during the time of war.

While you are at it, also keep in mind everyone that is currently in harm's way and remember the Veterans of all the Armed Forces.

Have a Safe, Happy, Fun-filled, Weekend and above all remember Memorial Day and be grateful to be part of a nation that can produce such men and women.

Peace,
Dave Guerra
A/6/502 - Berlin Brigade - '85 - '87




P.S. The following is a list of the Wars, Campaigns, Conflicts, Expeditions, Interdiction, and Operations that our nation's military has participated since the American Revolution up to the current Global War on Terror:

• American Revolutionary War or American War of Independence
• Northwest Indian War or Little Turtle's War or Miami Campaign
• Quasi-War or Franco-American War or Half War
• First Barbary War or Barbary Coast War or Tripolitan War
• Tecumseh's War or Tecumseh's Rebellion
• War of 1812 or Second War of Independence
• Second Barbary War or Algerian War
• First Seminole War
• West Indies Anti-Piracy Operations
• African Anti-Slavery Operations
• Callao Affair
• Arikara War
• Aegean Anti-Piracy Operations
• Winnebago War or Le Fèvre Indian War
• Black Hawk War or Black Hawk Campaign
• First Sumatran Expedition
• United States Exploring Expedition
• Second Seminole War or Florida War
• Second Sumatran Expedition
• Capture of Monterey
• Battle of Kororareka
• Mexican–American War or Mexican War
• Navajo Wars
• Cayuse War
• Pitt River Expedition
• Apache Wars
• Bombardment of San Juan del Norte or Bombardment of Greytown
• Battle of Ty-ho Bay
• First Fiji Expedition
• Yakima War
• Rogue River Wars
• Puget Sound War
• Third Seminole War or Billy Bowlegs War
• Second Opium War or Second Anglo-Chinese War or Second China War
• Second Fiji Expedition
• Paraguay Expedition
• Reform War
• Paiute War or Paiute Indian War or Pyramid Lake War
• American Civil War or War Between the States
• Dakota War of 1862 or Sioux Uprising or Sioux Outbreak of 1862
• Bombardment of Qui Nhơn or Colorado War
• Cochinchina Campaign
• Battles for Shimonoseki
• Powder River Expedition or Connor Expedition
• Snake War
• Red Cloud's War or Bozeman War or Powder River War
• Formosa Expedition or Taiwan Expedition of 1867
• Comanche Campaign or Comanche War
• Battle of Boca Teacapan
• Korean Expedition or Shinmiyangyo
• Modoc War or Modoc Campaign or Lava Beds War
• Oahu Expedition
• Red River War
• Black Hills War or Great Sioux War of 1876–77 or Little Big Horn Campaign
• Nez Perce War or Nez Perce Campaign
• Bannock War or Bannock Campaign
• Cheyenne War or Cheyenne Campaign
• Sheepeater Indian War
• White River War or Ute War or Ute Campaign
• Egyptian Expedition or Second Anglo-Egyptian War
• Colombian Civil War
• Samoan Crisis or First Samoan Civil War
• Pine Ridge Campaign or Ghost Dance War
• Bering Sea Anti-Poaching Operations
• Chilean Civil War
• Rio de Janeiro Affair
• Second Samoan Civil War
• Spanish-American War
• Philippine Insurrection or Philippine–American War or Philippine War of Independence
• Moro Rebellion
• Boxer Rebellion or The Boxer Uprising
• Occupation of Nicaragua or Nicaraguan Campaign
• Mexican Revolution or Mexican Expedition or Pancho Villa Expedition
• Occupation of Haiti or Haitian Campaign or Caco War
• Occupation of the Dominican Republic or Dominican Campaign
• World War I or First World War or Great War
• Russian Civil War
• World War II or Second World War
• Cold War
• First Indochina War or French Indochina War
• Korean War or Korean Conflict or The Forgotten War
• Second Indochina War or Vietnam War or Vietnam Conflict
• Laotian Civil War or Secret War (part of the Second Indochina War)
• 1958 Lebanon crisis or Operation Blue Bat
• Bay of Pigs Invasion
• Cambodian Civil War (part of the Second Indochina War)
• Invasion of the Dominican Republic or Operation Power Pack
• Invasion of Grenada or Operation Urgent Fury
• Lebanese Civil War or Multinational Force in Lebanon
• 1981 Gulf of Sidra incident or First Gulf of Sidra Incident
• Action in the Gulf of Sidra or Operation Prairie Fire
• Bombing of Libya or Operation El Dorado Canyon
• Iran-Iraq War or Operation Earnest Will or Tanker War
• 1989 Gulf of Sidra incident or Second Gulf of Sidra Incident
• Invasion of Panama or Operation Just Cause
• Gulf War or Persian Gulf War or Operation Desert Storm
• Somali Civil War or Operation Restore Hope
• Bosnian War or Operation Deliberate Force
• Operation Uphold Democracy
• Bombings of Afghanistan and Sudan or Operation Infinite Reach
• Kosovo War or Operation Allied Force or Operation Noble Anvil
• War on Terror
• Operation Enduring Freedom - Afghanistan or War in Afghanistan
• Operation Enduring Freedom - Philippines or Operation Freedom Eagle
• Operation Enduring Freedom - Horn of Africa
• Operation Enduring Freedom – Trans Sahara
• Operation Iraqi Freedom or Iraq War
• War in North-West Pakistan or Operation Freedom Eagle
• Yemeni al-Qaeda crackdown
• Second Liberian Civil War
• 2004 Haitian coup d'état
• 2011 Libyan civil war or Operation Odyssey Dawn

WOW! Springtime already????

Hello, everyone! Can you believe it has been since December 18, 2011 that I last posted something here?

Yep, it has been that long (far way too long). Since then we started a new year, HAPPY NEW YEAR 2012 and have had five (5) new episodes of the BerlinBrigade.com Podcast go online.

But that's not all, the Facebook group page crossed over the 1,500 member mark...who will be #2000???

I also started a Fan page on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/BerlinBrigade) check it out. While it is not as active as the Facebook group page the fan page I will use to communicate to the Facebook crowd as to the happenings here at BerlinBrigade.com.

The Twitter (@BerlinBrigade) is still up and running and we are twittering away. Mostly, on the weekends and evenings. Be sure to check us out.

Also, be on the lookout for random SPREECASTS (http://www.spreecast.com) I will announce the next one on Twitter & Facebook so be on the look out for that.

Let's see what else...over the coming days I am going to start incorporating video into the Website nothing fancy, but it is a start.

That's about it for now. Until next time, which I promise will NOT be five months from now.

Tschuß,
Dave

Vaclav Havel (1936 - 2011)

Just weeks after the Berlin Wall falls the Czechoslovakian Communist leadership steps down and Vaclav Havel becomes President without a shot ever being fired. That was, for the most part, the scene across Eastern Europe throughout the very, very late 1980s and very, very early 1990s.

Want to take a moment and say: Rest In Peace Vaclav Havel! Thank you for your commitment, dedication, and doing what had to be done. We thank you for being one of the countless many that helped take the world out of the darkness that was Communism and into a new change, a new age, a new light.

For good or bad today, we live in a world no longer darkened by a sinister shadow that hangs over Europe. It is because of men like those that served in Berlin throughout the Cold War as did those that saw that our commitment and dedication to that beacon of freedom was to emulated throughout Eastern Europe did events such as the Velvet Revolution bring about change.

Change is above all how we become better people.

We Change Thus We Change The World!

Thank You and Rest in Peace, Vaclav Havel


KEYWORDS: • Cold War • Berlin • Berlin Brigade • West Berlin • Berlin Wall • NATO • Warsaw Pact • Vaclav Havel • Communism • Czechoslovakia • Eastern Europe • Velvet Revolution

Episode 33 is now online

Folks, just to let you know that Episode 33 of the BerlinBrigade.com Podcast is now online.

I invite you to take about 42 minutes to listen to a speech given by the, then, Ambassador to the United States from the Federal Republic of Germany, Dr. Klaus Scharioth on the occasion of the 20th Anniversary of the Day of German Unity on October 1, 2010. Then we are joined by Bundeswehr Lieutenant Colonel D. Eric Offermann, Deputy Army Attaché assigned to the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany. We have a great conversation running the gamut of topics from the growing pains of a unified Germany, US Forces in Germany, Operations in Afghanistan, and of course we talk about Berlin.

You can hear the entire conversation at http://www.berlinbrigade.com/podcast/33/index.html

50th Anniversary of the Construction of the Berlin Wall

This August 13th marks the 50th Anniversary of the construction of the Berlin Wall. It marks that day in 1961 when the world was changed this time by putting a physical scar on what used to be, up to that point, purely a virtual mark on a map. On the morning of Sunday, August 13, 1961, the citizens of Berlin, Germany woke up to the sounds of construction crews quickly erecting a barrier that snaked through the middle of the city. Up to this day, the only formal notice of division within the city of Berlin were signs declaring the impending departure of the Soviet, US, British, and French Sectors into the other sectors, throughout the entire city. Now a formal demarcation line was being put in place. At first, it was just some barbed wire and some guards, then the construction of the concrete wall that the world came to know and despise was subsequently built.

Over the years, individuals successfully and in some cases, unsuccessfully, attempted to escape from the Communist nation of the Deutsches Demokratische Republik (DDR). Then 28 years later, on November 9, 1989 the gates were opened and the wall ceased being the notorious symbol of division of one German people. Then, just as quickly as the wall came down, on October 1, 1990 the two German nations were unified as one, again. Thus the Federal Republic of Germany was born. Now, 50 years after the construction of the most horrific man-made symbol of division of people, countries, and way of life, we take time to remember the boundaries that were imposed on that Sunday morning in 1961 and we rejoice in the the limitless boundaries that are left to be discovered since that November Thursday evening in 1989.

You can visit our commemorative page at http://www.BerlinBrigade.com/50

image of Berlin Wall is a copyrighted image of David G. Guerra, All Rights Reserved.

Memorial Day 2011

Want to take a moment of your time to ask you to take a moment tomorrow and remember what is the reason for Memorial Day.

From the US Memorial Day dot org website (http://www.usmemorialday.org)
"Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service...Memorial Day was officially proclaimed on 5 May 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, in his General Order No. 11, and was first observed on 30 May 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery."

Take a moment and remember all those that have paid the ultimate price as well as those that go in harm's way now. It is their sacrifice that allows us to enjoy the freedoms we have now.

Don't forget to fly the US Flag & Enjoy Your Day!
-Dave

About the German Reunification Monument

I was reading an article on the REUTERS website regarding a planned German Reunification Monument. If you have not seen the concept drawings or the scale model, it is a very interesting and unique design. It looks like a cross between a long serving bowl and a seesaw. Apparently, the "bowl" is designed to "teeter-totter" just like an actual child's seesaw as people climb in. This design makes so much sense.

A new, young nation (it is only 21 years old, after all) and the struggles continue between the eastern and western parts of the country. Assimilation while on paper has taken place the reality is that there will be long difficulties for many years to come, more realistically like for generations to come. I firmly believe that the German nation will continue to grow, move past its former histories and continue to be a world leader. However, on the inside just like any and every nation on the planet, there will be troubles.

Then again, isn't that what freedom is all about? The ability to publicly disagree and show that one side is no better than the other and that ALL people are valued and respected. That they can protest and agree to disagree without fear of being sent to some far off forgotten gulag or being imprisoned because some friend or family member turned their name in to the Internal Security Police.

There it is a child's seesaw that teeters and totters, gives and takes, goes forward and backward. Thus the giving and the taking, the ups and downs of a re-unified nation, a new country is exactly represented in this monument to the new spirit of a 21st century Germany. It should also be noted that this is a great testament to the commitment and determination of the ALLIES that helped rebuild a post-war Germany, with plenty of difficulties, ups and downs, giving and a lot of taking. In the end, they all knew the day would come when both East and West Germany would be one nation again.

Of course, there are those that say, "we don't need another monument," "we must not spend the money it takes to build it," and so on. So not taking a political stand on whether it is politically right or wrong, I do say, if and when it comes into being the understanding and realization of what the monument is to the German Re-unification will be crystal clear.

-David


image of monument model used without permission from AP.

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here are some technorati tags:
Berlin German Reunification Germany East Germany West Germany Cold War USA Berlin Brigade American Sector British Sector French Sector Soviet Sector Reichstag German Reunification Monument The Berlin Wall Die Berlin Mauer

The April 15 2011 Update

Here we are again and I just wanted to post a quick update as to what's happening around here are the BerlinBrigade.com World Headquarters.

Registry: 100% up-to-date (as of 04/15/11)

Registry Development Projects: Be on the lookout for changes regarding how you can view the registry. First change is by YEAR (of arrival). Let's say you arrived in 1985, soon you will be able to click on the 1985 in the Registry and you will see all those that arrived in Berlin the same year you did. A BerlinBrigade.com Community Member first brought this idea to me. Thus, if you have an idea or suggestion please drop me a note and if it is feasible we'll get it done.

Website: No Issues
Website Development Project: We got VIDEO coming REAL SOON!!!

Podcast: Episode 30 (waiting for the Interviewee to clear the interview for publication)
Podcast Development Projects: No Plan to have a Video Blog go live anytime soon, but that may change (at any time).

Commerce: No Issues
Commerce Development Projects: Be on the lookout for a new Unit to come online with their own gear. I say within in the next week or so. Again, this unit is coming online because a BerlinBrigade.com Community Member sent in a suggestion.

BerlinBrigade.com RealTime Meetups: None Planned for APRIL 2011. However, if you find yourself in the South Texas area please drop me a note. Once plans are finalized for Summer 2011 and Fall 2011 I will pass along info.

That's about it in a Nutshell.

Thank you for ALL your support.
-Dave

Earthquake & Tsunami: The Aftermath

While the story continues to unfold in Japan there is something to remember: the humanitarian efforts underway. At last count, resources from all over the planet are on their way to help on all aspects of recovery in the wake of last Friday's Tsunami and Earthquake. Working together the world can help Japan get out from under the rubble and rebuild. That means all of us have to lend a hand or two. How does one do this and WHAT CAN YOU DO?

Right now you can:
• Donate Money to the RED CROSS at http://redcross.org and click on the DONATE FUNDS button.

• Donate your unique service or skill to the RED CROSS at http://redcross.org and click on the VOLUNTEER YOUR TIME link.

• Give Blood. Donate your blood and help save lives at http://redcross.org and click on the GIVE BLOOD link.

• Get TRAINED. Get training and become certified in CPR and/or FIRST AID http://redcross.org and click on the TAKE A CLASS link.

Do this, the sooner the better. Please don't wait until it is too late.

An Update

How is everyone doing? Every once in a while I will post on how things are going here are at the BerlinBrigade.com Command Headquarters and today is one of those times. This in no way replaces the podcast but is more of a behind the scene look at how things are here and now.

I do hope everyone has been in good health. Since my last update, things around here have been pretty steady. Seems like the weather all over has started to stabilize and that's a very good thing.

Here are the Command Headquarters I am working hard to bring you the constant variety of life at Berlin Brigade and with that comes interviews from all sides of the 4th of July Platz (from the parade field to the review stand to the bleachers). Thus, I am issuing another call for those interested to be interviewed on the podcast. By now, I am certain you know the interview format (if not, I invite you to check out the latest episode #29 at http://www.berlinbrigade.com/podcast/29/index.html)

Next, some changes on the horizon to the layout of the website. If you have been following BerlinBrigade.com over the past years, you know that I am always messing with the layout. Again, this is for the site visitors to say "Hey, this wasn't here the last time." Something to remember, the changes are minor and nothing that will impact the load time or functionality of the website will ever be implemented (maybe tested but not implemented). So be on the look out for that in the coming weeks/months.

This goes out to everyone that is having or planning a reunion please drop me a note so that we can have you or a representative join us on the podcast to help spread the word and help make your reunion more of a success.

Other than that, (knocking on wood) things are on the positive side. So that means you need to Stay Positive, Stay Safe and Stay Ünique.

Later.

Ronald Reagan Strasse or Ronald Reagan Platz?

This past February 6, 2011 the world celebrated what would have been former US President Ronald Reagan's 100th Birthday a debate was taking place in the German capital city of Berlin. The debate was that of whether or not to name a street or square in honor of US President Ronald Reagan for his role in the bringing the Cold War to the end.

Of course, President Reagan did not end the Cold War by himself but when a leader of a Nation takes the lead to make something happen certainly the commitment and determination of those that support and follow such leaders will do what they can to make it happen. Such leadership against the Cold War, the Soviet Union, and Communism lead to its inevitable conclusion: The Fall of the Berlin Wall, the eventual break up of the Warsaw Pact and finally, the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Thus the Cold War came to an end.

Now the question: Why not, at least, a street or square in honor of the man who went to the Berlin and stood near the Berlin Wall close to the base of the Brandenburg Gate and called out to General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev on June 12, 1987 when he said, "..if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization, come here to this gate. Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate. Mr. Gorbachev, Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!"?

Since the end of World War II until the Fall of the Berlin Wall other men and women have gone to Berlin, some were Presidents, some were Diplomats, some were even Soldiers. All were there to ensure that Freedom was Defended and that the Right of Access to West Berlin was maintained. When all was said and done, the wall did fall and it was not until everyone was certain that the mission was accomplished that the Soldiers of the Berlin Brigade and other Allied Forces departed the city they came to Know, Live in, and Love.

So, to answer the question of whether or not to name a Berlin street or square after US President Ronald Reagan this US Army Veteran, who proudly served in Berlin, is a Most Definite: YES, Please and Thank You!!!

US President Ronald Reagan, Berlin Brigade, Cold War, West Berlin, Berlin Wall, Tear Down This Wall, Ronald Reagan Strasse or Ronald Reagan Platz

Egypt's "Fall of the Berlin Wall" moment?

Another (semi-) Peaceful Revolution has change the landscape of the world forever. Over the past few days the citizens of this planet were witnesses to another dramatic change in the history of Earth.

Much like the events of 1989 that lead to the eventual fall of the Berlin Wall, the events of the 2011 are based pretty much on the same needs of people to have their voices heard, to demand that their governments be transparent, to be a government of the people and above all a government FOR THE PEOPLE.

What happens in Egypt after all the dust settles is truly up to the people and those still in power as to how they want to shape the future of Egypt, the Middle East, and the World.

For so long there was an uneasy fight for leadership in the Middle East between Saudi Arabia and Egypt. Both countries though very close geographically but are thousands of miles part when it came to politics. One was very much a close knit Royal Family that ran the show while the other well it we all saw what it was. These two countries became the de facto leaders of the region in that whenever a crisis arose one or the other was right in the middle of it or dragged into it. One thing was certain neither were satisfied being bystanders. At times many smaller Middle East nations took their cue from Egypt. They would wait and see how Egypt acted to an action or threat before reacting. I don't think that is going to change and in fact it may lead to more revolution.

Much like the very Late 80s and very Early 90s when revolution was sweeping across Eastern Europe, the "winds of change" taking place in numerous countries in the Middle East are moving so fast that I would not be surprised that once all is said and done this change becomes known as the "Sandstorm Revolution"

No matter what it is eventually called, one thing is certain: At this moment in time we are witnesses to Egypt's "Fall of the Berlin Wall" and that is a very good thing.

Happy New Year!!!

Greetings,

The first full week of 2011 has come to an end and now we have no choice but to go forward. I trust that everyone had a great first week. If not, then you have only one place to go and that is up from here. If you were fortunate enough to have a great week then keep it up. No matter what happens from here please pace yourself as there are still 51 weeks to go.

As for here at BerlinBrigade.com, there are many projects that are lined up through 2011 and well into the future. So be on the lookout for things to happen and happen fast. It will be nice working with others from the BerlinBrigade.com Community on the upcoming events and projects.

//////////////////////////////

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Grüße,

Die erste volle Woche von 2011 ist zu einem Ende gekommen und jetzt haben wir keine Wahl aber, vorwärts zu gehen. Ich vertraue, dass jeder eine große erste Woche hatte. Wenn nicht, dann haben Sie nur einen Platz, zum zu gehen und der ist oben von hier. Wenn Sie genug glücklich waren, eine große Woche zu haben dann sie aufrechtzuerhalten. Egal was von hier gefallen geschieht, schreiten Sie sich, da es noch 51 Wochen gibt, zum zu gehen.

Was hier anbetrifft bei BerlinBrigade.com, gibt es viele Projekte, die durch 2011 und gut in die Zukunft ausgerichtet. Seien Sie so auf dem Ausblick, damit Sachen schnell geschehen und geschehen. Es ist nette Funktion mit anderen von der BerlinBrigade.com-Gemeinschaft auf den bevorstehenden Ereignissen und den Projekten.

Have a Prosperous, Healthy, and Wonderful 2011!!!
Haben Sie wohlhabendes, gesundes und wundervolles 2011!!!

All my best,
David Guerra
BerlinBrigade.com

Using Creative Commons Credit: The image New Years Eve from 7th floor at Theodor-Heuss-Platz, Berlin, Germany courtesy of Benno Hansen at http://www.flickr.com/photos/bennohansen/5321698626/

Vielen Dank / Thank You Very Much!

Hello, How are you doing? It certainly has been a while since I last wrote something here and I have no excuse for the wide gap between postings. However, after the events of this past weekend I really need to do a posting before it gets too late.

If you have been following the BerlinBrigade.com fan page on Facebook or the Twitter page, you may have read on a posting that I was looking for people in the Washington, D.C. area that were up for an impromptu BerlinBrigade.com meet-up. The reason as to why I was going to be in Washington, D.C. was kept on the down low until everything was set.

I was invited to the Residence of the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to the United States to celebrate the Day of German Unity on the evening of Friday, October 1st. The Ambassador, Dr. Klaus Scharioth, and his wife were most gracious hosts and it was most wonderful of them to open their home to all that were present on Friday evening to share in the celebration of 20th Anniversary of German Unity.

Of course, we all know that it takes more than one person to say "Hey, let's have a party" and make the party happen. It takes a support staff to pull it off. Therefore, aside from a great big BERLIN BRIGADE(dot)com THANKS to His Excellency Ambassador Dr. Klaus Scharioth, I want to extend that same Big Thanks to Tanya Jones, an Editor at the German Embassy's Press Department and the countless other Embassy staff members, Security Personnel, Contractors, Caterers, and the Bundeswehr Musikkorps Band and a couple of others that will be named later.

It certainly was a thrill and I am so glad to have been able to attend. Vielen Dank!

A Cold War of Spies and Swaps and Berlin...

Yesterday, a friend asked me what I thought about the recent spy swap that took place between the United States and Russia. I told him that it was no big deal as spy swaps have been occurring for as long as there have been spies that have been caught and it obviously continues after the fall of the Berlin wall. Swapping Spies will continue long into the future.

This time the question should be why did the exchange take place in Vienna and not in Berlin?

First a little history: since the end of World War II there have been numerous spy swaps that took place between in what was formerly known as East Germany and West Berlin. The swaps to place at a bridge connecting West Berlin to East Germany, the bridge was called (and still is) Glienicke Bridge otherwise known as the Freedom Bridge. The most famous of the Glienicke Bridge spy swaps was that of U2 pilot Francis Gary Powers and Rudolf Ivanovich Abel on February 10, 1962. Then over the years many other exchanges took place on that bridge. The last known official spy swap took place on February 11, 1986 when Soviet Jewish dissident Anatoly Shcharansky was exchanged for nine other alleged and convicted spies.

Now to answer the question of why not Berlin? The answer is quite simple. There is no more West Berlin; there is no more army of occupation. From 1945 to about 1991 the British, French, and U.S. Armed forces occupied the city of West Berlin and the Soviet Forces occupied East Berlin. That meant that the respective occupying governments governed both sides of the Berlin wall. It also meant they controlled how information processed and disseminated within the city of West Berlin. Therefore, when an exchange took place it took place out in the open but under tightly controlled conditions. That meant the media circus was kept to a few official military photographers and videographers that would release images to the top media exchanges of the day such as the Associated Press (AP), United Press International (UPI), and Reuters.

To even attempt the type of exchange that took place in Austria on the tarmac of the city's Vienna International Airport in the city Berlin would only be feasible if it took place on one of the city's currently operating two airports (Tegel Airport or the soon to be Berlin Brandenburg International Airport (BBI)). In this the modern, 24/7 always on world there are very few locations that are still under government control where access control is highly maintained. This makes airports such suitable facilities, for several security reasons there are areas that will never be photographed up close and there are certainly several areas, on the airport grounds, where aircraft can sit uninterrupted for extended periods of time where such exchanges can take place. This is especially important when the anonymity of the participants is not only needed but also expected.

The answer to the question of when can the next Spy Swap take place in Berlin? So long as the next spy swap happens after Berlin Brandenburg International Airport officially opens in 2012, Berlin can be next. Currently, Berlin Schönefeld Airport (Flughafen Berlin Schönefeld) is undergoing an expansion that will accommodate the air traffic generated with the closure of Tempelhof Airport in 2008 and Tegel Airport in 2012 when Berlin Schönefeld, which will be renamed to Berlin-Brandenburg International, will be ready for operations. At this time, BBI is full of construction equipment and personnel throughout the airport and the city of Berlin’s growth around Tegel Airport makes both sites not conducive to executing such spy swaps. However, in 2012 Berlin can then reclaim it's standing as the premier "Spy Swap" location on the planet.

In the meantime, back in the Gulf of Mexico...

Technorati Tags:
• Cold War • Berlin • West Berlin • Berlin Brigade • US Army • British Forces • French Forces • Soviet Forces • Spies • Spy Swap • Glienicke Bridge • Freedom Bridge • Tegel Airport • Tempelhof Airport • Berlin Brandenburg International Airport • Flughafen Berlin Schönefeld

Memorial Day 2010

Memorial Day Greetings To All

I want to take a few seconds of your time to pass along this Memorial Day message to everyone.

Memorial Day is the one day that we as a nation take time to pause and pay homage to those soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines that paid the ultimate price while in service to this great nation, the United States of America.

If you haven’t done so please take a moment to remember all that have died in the name of keeping this nation free and allowing its citizens to continue living as one nation that has remained free for over 233 years.

If you have not done so that is OK because today Monday, May 31, 2010

At 3 PM EASTERN 2PM CENTRAL 1PM MOUNTAIN 12PM PACIFIC you are asked to observe the National Moment of Remembrance

As established by Congress you are asked to stop whatever you are doing and observe a minute's silence.

I agree 100% with the White House Commission on Remembrance when they said that the time was chosen because it is when most Americans are enjoying their freedoms on this national holiday.

I want to further add to the National Moment of Remembrance during that minute please include in your moment of remembrance those that served and are still serving.

Thank you.

You can hear this message on the BerlinBrigade.com Cinchcast at http://www.cinchcast.com/berlinbrigade/63255

Spring Forward

How is your Spring Break going? Also I hope you made it through the spring forward of Daylight Saving Time or as I like to call it the "Long Night of 1 less hour of sleep."

Either way here we are and the latest episode of the BerlinBrigade.com Podcast is online. Right now, we are letting the episode propagate through the iTunes network before putting it on the front page (which should be later tonight (Sunday)).

If you didn't get a chance to listen to John Bolden, Jackie Dunn, Ray Williams, Michael Broadway talk about the escape from East Berlin to the West in episodes 17 & 18 don't worry those episodes can still be found on the PODCAST archives page, along with all the other podcasts.

Hope you are following us on the BerlinBrigade.com Fan Page on Facebook. We are having a lot of fun, sharing plenty of images, having a great conversation, and having a great time.

I will post a follow up message once the podcast is fully online.

Thanks for your time,
Dave

March Madness Already?

Greetings again everyone,
Hope things are going good with you and yours. Can you believe it's March already? Talk about time flying. Just wanted to take a few minutes to bring you up to date with what's been going on around here at BerlinBrigade.com.

1. I do hope you liked the past two podcast episodes. It was certainly a treat having John Bolden, Ray Williams, Michael Broadway, and Jackie Dunn share their unique story. However, editing has begun on a new episode of the BerlinBrigade.com podcast and another exciting interview is on tap for you.

2. I will also mix in the quick interview that I had a couple of weekends ago with Tom Hartney of the Berlin U.S. Military Veterans Association regarding their upcoming reunion to Berlin in August.

3. I will talk about something very special that I received from one of our Allies.

4. Plus, I will answer some email and give a few shout outs, as well.

In the meantime, this evening I updated the Registry Database and added the Blog page to the website. So check them out. I do hope you are liking that new registry display page that shows the latest additions or changes to the registry.

Before, I sign out for the evening be sure to follow us on Twitter and on Facebook, the links are on the home page. I invite you to come join the conversation with all of us.

Thank you for your time,
Dave Guerra

Presidents Day 2010 and a word or two about holidays.

Made it through the holiday season. Whether you were at home right here in the United States, at home in Berlin, or deployed forward at some FOB I do hope that everyone had a wonderful time. Today is Presidents Day here in the United States pretty much that's it for holidays until Memorial Day.

Of course, we have Easter, St. Patrick's Day, and Earth Day between now and then. In the meantime you can't forget Sunday March 14th that's when Daylight Saving Time starts (Spring Forward...which means that those on CQ get one less hour of duty but if you are up late it means one less hour of sleep, as well).

Better not forget Sunday May 9th is Mothers Day. Of course, the start of parade season begins with Armed Forces Day and this year Monday May 31st is Memorial Day.

While there might not be any more Federal (day off) holidays between now and the end of May there is still plenty to celebrate. Heckm if you need an excuse celebrate then pick any day and celebrate or wait until International Polar Bear Day on February 27 or April 29 as it is National Shrimp Scampi Day.

Enjoy this Presidents Day and remember Spring begins on Saturday, March 20th.

January 10, 2010

Just want to pass along that REGISTRY has been updated. All submissions for addition, deletion, and change between late November 2009 and January 10, 2010 have been made and are now online.

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Is it 20+ years already?

By now, I hope you have had a chance to check out the new BerlinBrigade.com re-design. I also hope you like it. If you had not had a chance to see the new look please stop by.

Right now, I find myself with my family in a hotel room in Houston, Texas getting ready for our flight to Berlin to be in town for the 20th Anniversary Celebration of the Fall of the Berlin Wall.

The last time I was in the city was 22 years ago, two years before the wall fell. Though I was there when President Ronald Reagan gave his famous "Tear Down This Wall" speech, I never thought that I would see the wall fall anytime soon. However, there was that crazy night in November 1989 that the world changed and it changed forever.

I was in Houston (coincidence???) when I saw the late Peter Jennings reporting that unexpected things were happening in Berlin. The first thing I thought was that it was feint and the Warsaw Pact was making an unprovoked first strike. Once the news really started to flow, I knew that it was not an invasion of armed forces but an invasion of the people those forces were in place to keep behind the Iron Curtain.

It was also at that moment that I, along with all others that ever served in Berlin, realized that we did it. We won the Cold War, we accomplished the mission, we did it. Everyone that ever served in the city of Berlin; British, French, and US forces along with everyone that ever served during the years of 1945 to 1989. We did it. We did it together.

That being said and if you are in Berlin on Monday November 9, 2009, I invite you to stop by the Allied Museum (Outpost Theater) on Clayallee just north of Clay Compound for a special presentation that afternoon.

A few last words about the website. Next to my family, the love and passion that I have for BerlinBrigade.com cannot be rivaled. You could say that the website has grown into another member of the family. Therefore, as families grow they also change and you can rest assured that look of BerlinBrigade.com will change again. However, it won't be anytime soon.

Out Here.

Registry Update

Greetings. Hope everyone is having a great weekend. Just wanted to pass along that the registry is up-to-date. All entries from May 24 to August 8 (12:00pm) are now online. Hope you find an old buddy with this latest update.

More changes to the site coming soon.

Thanks for your continued support,
Dave

June 21, 2009 Update

Happy Father's Day!!!! Hope all the Dads out there have a wonderful day.

Also, a new podcast is now online. Enjoy!

Dave

Registry Update

Hope your Memorial Day Weekend is going great. Just wanted to let you know that ALL entries between April 1 and May 23 appear on the registry database.

A new podcast coming this week.

Thanks
Dave

April 21, 2009 Update

Just a quick note to let you know that the REGISTRY has been updated with the Changes, Additions, and Deletions that have been requested from 03/17/09 to 04/01/09.

More Changes and Adds coming this weekend.

Thanks
Dave

March 18, 2009 Update

Good Day All,
Just a quick note to let you know that the REGISTRY has been updated with the Changes, Additions, and Deletions that have been requested from 02/22/09 to 03/17/09.

Thanks
Dave

March 15, 2009 Update

Greetings everyone. Hope these recent winter storms are not keeping you from doing what you need to do, but if they are then here is a little something to pass the time. The latest episode of the BerlinBrigade.com podcast is now online. I invite you to set aside about 45 minutes and have a listen.

Thanks,
David

Sunday March 8, 2009 Update

Folks,
I have a really important podcast interview to post. However, I have not received the approval to post it. Typically, when an interview is recorded I tell the interviewee that I will not post the interview until I get their approval. In order to do this I format the interview into a cohesive format and post it online for their review and approval. If the approval is given I proceed with posting it in the form of a new podcast.

Right now, we are on hold until the approval is given. So if you and I recently talked please check your email as there may be a message waiting for you.

Also, for everyone else please do not be discouraged by the process, I do this to ensure that the interviewee does not get surprised by what is being posted online.

Lastly, I do continue to invite everyone to drop me an email so that we can get you on the podcast. I know you have something to say, we all have something to say, so come on say it.

Thanks
Dave

Registry Update (02/21/09)

Registry has been updated for add, removal, and change submissions from 1/29/09 to 2/21/09.

Thanks

Podcast #11 Now Online

Seems that I had my days mixed up. However, better a day late than none at all. Podcast #11 is now online please enjoy.

Talk to you soon, Dave

January 23, 2009

Registry updated for all entries submitted between 12/24/2008 - 01/23/2009.

New Podcast Scheduled to be online on 01/24/2009.

Thanks for your patience
David Guerra

Merry Christmas

From Me to You and Your Family: MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!!!

12/14/08: Registry Update

Happy Holidays All,
I found myself with some free time this Late Fall/Early Winter Sunday. I am pleased to announced that as of 3:00PM Central Time on Sunday, December 14, 2008 the registry submissions are caught up.

Next to work on will be the Podcast and Part 2 of Rob Pellington's interview, some new images will be online and to ring in the new year a very special surprise for everyone.

Season's Greetings to All
Dave

11/09/08 Update

Today commemorates the 19th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. As well, Podcast #9 has been uploaded. Check it out.

11/02/08 Update

As per BERLIN BRIGADE Directive 08-1101: You are hereby ordered to assemble at your closest place of polling/vote between the hours of 0700 and 1900 local time on 4 NOVEMBER 2008. Once assembled you are hereby directed to VOTE for candidate(s) of your own personal choice.

Once you have completed that task you are dismissed for the day.

If anyone tells you different you tell them that this is as per BERLIN BRIGADE Directive 08-1101.

Seriously, VOTE!!!

Also, the Unit Registry has been updated with the entries submitted between SEPTEMBER 16 and OCTOBER 15.

Talk to you soon,
Dave

Registry Update (10/11/08)

The Registry has been updated with entries from 09/01/08 to 09/15/08.

October 4 Updates

Here we are again. Just a quick note letting you know that the registry has been updated for submissions submitted between August 18 to August 31.

Further entry submissions will be uploaded throughout the weekend.
Thanks
Dave

Post Hurricane Ike

Greetings all,
Just wanted to take this time to give ya'll a quick update. We should have updated registry entries online this weekend.

Part two of the Rob Pellington Interview is forthcoming. We had a slight administrative hold but now that things have started settling down we are getting back on track.

On a side note, just want to let those that are in the Houston/Galveston area know that you are in our thoughts and prayers. Keep fighting the good fight.

Everyone else, please consider making a donation to the American Red Cross to help their efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Ike.

Thanks
Dave

Alert Notice: 09/05/2008

Attention All Personnel...

Just wanted to express to all that our thoughts and prayers are with those in the Carolinas and the entire Eastern Seaboard as you prepare to feel the effects of Tropical Storm Hanna. Stay Safe.

BERLIN BRIGADE ALERT NOTICE

ATTENTION ALL PERSONNEL.....ESPECIALLY IN THE U.S. GULF COAST REGION.

You are hereby directed to Stay Safe, Be Careful, Protect yourself, Protect Your Loved Ones.

Our prayers and wishes for your safety as Hurricane Gustav makes his approach into the Gulf of Mexico and anticipated landfall are with you.

If anyone needs anything please drop us an email and we post it online for all members BerlinBrigade.com to see and act on.

Until the all clear has been given, please know we are thinking about you.

Take Great Care,
Dave & BerlinBrigade.com

-----nothing follows

August 16, 2008 Update

Greetings all...the registry has been updated and a new podcast is now online. Please enjoy.

Thanks for your patience,
Dave

About the Podcast

I will be putting up another podcast up. There have been a few personal and technical glitches that have been slowing me down. Not to fear the Episode #8 is coming soon.

Thanks
Dave

August 6, 2008 Registry Update

With the storms behind us now, things are getting back to normal. With that being said, the Registry has been updated. All registry entries from mid July to August 6, 2008 have been added to the database and are now online for your review.

Thanks
Dave