I got to Berlin in Sept. 1968. Before going to B Company as CO I was the S-3 Plans and Training Officer in the FSB HQ 2nd floor "cage" [that was also called the "Head Shed] at Andrews. Sgt. Bill Kursinsky and I brought you those monthly training classes, rifle range and gas chamber fun. I also did a stint as Crypto Security Officer for all locations at FSB and for the Brits. Played 2nd base on the H&S fast pitch softball team for awhile too.
Other LTs there included Bill O'Neil, Wes Sugden, Russ Wilkins, Danny Hope, Ken Pittman.
I ETS'd [ended term of service] from FSB in July '70 as a First Lieutenant after 2.5 years active duty. Then I did 3 more years in the Army Reserve. Had I not ETS'd, I would have gone straight to Vietnam as a captain. That would have been my Variable Re-enlistment Bonus! Instead, I declined the promotion and was allowed to extend for 4 extra months in Berlin before ETS. I'm early retired now and living in northern NJ (New Milford) with my wife of 32 years.
I went back to Berlin in Apr. '96 and walked through B Co. and the racks of papers, files, etc. there in the DDR archive buildings. I shed some tears all over town, of course. My wife and I were married in Berlin (Zehlendorf), and our son was born in the Army hospital on Unter den Eichen.
Best wishes to all FSB'ers,
Andy Fraser
In my BOQ Living Room on Pritchardstrasse in '68
B Co. change of command ceremony
with CPT George Mooza and
1SGT (SFC) Jim Steckbeck
I took over for George Mooza as CO of Company B in mid '69. George and I each took home dark blue BMW 2002 cars from Berlin They cost $2,700 then. '>) Still the 2002 was a potato cart parked next to SP6 McPherson's red (VRB funded) Alfa Romeo Spyder. Where are you now McPherson?
Our Wedding Day (10/68)
at the Standesbeamte (Registry Office) in Zehlendorf in October, 1968. I married Joanne, my college sweetheart.
Our best man and maid of honor were A Co. CO CPT George Williams and his wife Barbara. George was also my official sponsor (nursemaid) when I arrived in Berlin. That was a nice FSB tradition and George did a great job of teaching me the ropes at FSB. Thanks again, George!
B Company Orderly Room (right side)
The FSB unit crest (Vigilant Always) on the FSBVG History page [and shown here on the B Co. orderly room counter] was worn starting in mid '69 and was being worn in July '70 when I left Berlin. I still have two at home in my jewelry box. '>)
I believe ASA had standardized its crests then. It may have been ASA world-wide, given the world on the crest. We were all sad to see the old crest with the Berlin Bear go.
Joanne Fraser and Andy, Jr.
in the shot of the left side counter in the B Company Orderly Room taken in June '70. This was the new orderly room area that we moved to in mid '69.
My office as B Co. CO
with son, Andy, Jr. This was the B Co. CO's office in June 1970. Pres. Richard M.Nixon's official photo was hanging just out of camera range to my left. '>)
In '69 we had relocated the Orderly Room offices to larger rooms in the middle of the first floor on the El Oso Club side of the building. Every B Co'er who didn't have AMEXCO direct deposit visited me here on pay day each month. SGT Morton was often my armed guard on pay days. Pay day was tough on trick workers who often had to get out of bed to collect their cash. First SGT Bob Anderson (our official greeter) always welcomed everybody at the door with a smile.
My wife Joanne and our son Andy, Jr.
relaxing on that familiar Berlin Brigade furniture in my B Co. office. The German government paid for the furnishings in the US military housing, barracks and offices; not the American taxpayer.
Here are some treasured snaps from my FSB days (9/68- 7/70). These photos are mine, or were sent to me by old FSB friends to display on the FSBVG website.
Many thanks to FSBVG Secretary/Webmaster Bruce Ford for his kind assistance.
FSB MP Tom Fisher
Tom was at FSB from '67-'70 and left as a Buck Sgt. E-5. You'd often see Tom on Duty at places like the FSB HQ "Cage" entrance at Andrews, or at one of our operational sites. (Photo - Tom Fisher)
Kramer's Pizza
A touch of home at Kramer's Pizzaria circa 1968. Dan Quayle must have done their spelling then. TOMATOE. Har, har!
FSB Mailroom crew circa '68
Possibly the most popular people at FSB were the mail clerks at the Andrews Barrack's HQ. That's SP5 McReynolds with the mustache. Can anybody help us with Mac's first name and the names of the other guys? Thanks for all those letters and magazines from home guys! (Photo - Tom Fisher)
Mementos from Field Station Berlin
Everyone who departed FSB in the '68-'70 period received a "Sentinel of Security" certificate. Officers also received a small Berlin Bear award from the FSB Officer/Civilian association, our social activities group.
1969 - Two tickets to Memories
Here are tickets to two of the biggest soldier events in 1969 Berlin: The Bob Hope Christmas Show (at Deutschlandhalle) and the annual British Forces Tattoo at the Olympia-Stadion. I recall that they made our dependents sit in the balcony at the Bob Hope show (out of camera range) so that it wouldn't look like Berlin was too cushy an assignment for the troops. '>)
U.S. Army Hospital Berlin
Our son Andy, Jr. was born here in '69. Lots of other American babies were born here over the years. The hospital, located on Unter den Eichen (under the oak trees) is now a part of the Free University. This is an official photo from the '60's. (posted 6/7/01)
Captain George Mooza and our Son, Andy, Jr.
This may be the last photo of George Mooza before he left FSB in July '69 for civilian life back in MA. Our son Andy was almost 3 months old by then. (posted 6/7/01)
Bill Kursinsky (Sgt. Ski) in Summer '68
S-3 Training NCO Bill Kursinsky and I worked in the Head Shed at Andrews.arranging FSB's monthly training classes. Ah yes, gas chamber, rifle range, drug, alcohol and VD awareness classes, among other more mundane subjects. Bill arrived at FSB in '67 and departed FSB and the Army in June '70 as a SSG. He's now in AZ and we're still buddies 31 years later. (photo Sgt. Ski)
In my BOQ Living Room on Pritchardstrasse in '68
