| With the RECON PLATOON in Berlin Written by Grant Shelby Jackson, -3rd Batt., 6th Inf. and 4th Batt., 18th Inf., (later 4th Batt., 6th Inf.)- Hello, Reinhard, my name is Grant S. Jackson and I have recorded some of my Berlin memories for you. I'm proud to say like our famous president John F. Kennedy once did, "I AM A BERLINER". I served two tours in Berlin; with Recon Platoon, 3rd Battalion, 6th Infantry, Jan 1966- Dec 1968, and with Recon Platoon, 4th Battalion, 18th Infantry, later, 4th Battalion, 6th Infantry, Sep 1971-Sep 1974. As a scout, I patroled along the Wall and in East Berlin. Because I was a very aggressive patrol leader during my first tour I was assigned there a second time. I will tell of my first tour. While stationed in Korea in 1964, a buddy Harold Mauko, who had been stationed in Berlin, constantly talked about how good and exciting Berlin duty was. He always said that if I got orders for Germany, pray that it would be Berlin. A couple of years later at Fort Riley, Kansas, the unit clerk told me that I was on orders to go overseas. I asked if it was Vietnam. He informed me that it was #APO NY-09742. I asked around the company where was #APO-09742. No one had heard of it. That night I dreamed that it was Berlin. Next morning I rushed to the post office to learn where that APO was. When the postal clerk told me it was Berlin I almost fainted. I relocated my family to Illinois to join me in July and reported to Berlin on 6 January 1966 after prosessing thru 21st Replacement Company in Frankfurt. I arrived in Frankfurt 4 January 1966 with orders for 3rd Bn. 6th Inf. Everything I'd heard about Berlin was good so I was very excited to be in Frankfurt and looking forward to proceeding to Berlin. However, I had to process thru the 21st Replacement Co. in Frankfurt like everyone else assigned to Germany. Everything was new to me and I was extremely excited about what I was seeing. Those of us assigned to Berlin were taken to the Hauptbahnhof (main railway station) and assigned compartments on the Duty Train. Before long I saw a Berlin MP. He was immaculate, from the heels of his gleaming, perfectly bloused boots to his snowy white cap. As the train got under way to Helmstedt, he and another MP moved about the train chatting with us and answering questions. After stopping at Helmstedt and with the excitement of crossing the "Iron Curtain" we were exhausted and went to sleep; waking up as the train pulled into the Berlin RTO. My impressions of the MPs let me know that Berlin Brigade was a unit built on MORALE, ESPRIT, PROFIENCY and DISCIPLINE: all US Army's "indicators of leadership." |
| I don't recall the procedure for processing into Berlin Brigade after arriving at Berlin RTO, but do remember arriving at Combat Support Company, 3/6 Inf. The first Sgt was Don L. Patrick, a sharp, stern, no bull shit soldier. Later, I found him to be a good, compassinate man and a soldier in every way who looked out for his troopers. I was taken down to Recon Platoon which was in the basement of the building just to the left of the guard shack at McNair, across from the motor pools. I believe the street was Goerzallee -- the main street in front of McNair. I was assigned a room on the second floor looking down on the bus stop. I was immediately impressed that most of the guys in Recon used flags of communist countries as dust covers on their beds. When on patrol in East Berlin they'd go to the flag store and buy communist flags. Because Berlin's Recon troops were considered elite, company commanders and first sergeants cut a little slack on things like that. I was restricted to McNair Barracks for 14 days -- the longest two weeks of my life. Before I could go on patrol I attended TM 19 school run by G2 BB to learn all of the rules of patrolling -sector sector- (2-G4), -sector zonal- (2-G6) and East Berlin patrols (2-G2). I found TM 19 school to be very informative and exciting. I settled into the unit and was taking intense training; preparing to be a patrol leader on the Wall and in East Berlin. I learned to identify all East German and Soviet vehicles and weapons, the uniform markings, and train markings. When to use force and what force to use was constantly instructed so as not to create incidents. The guys in the barracks took me under their wings also. Competition between Berlin Brigade's three recon platoons was keen and each platoon wanted to be considered the best by G2. Every day I would be taught the dos and don'ts of patrol members. Items would be placed under a blanket which was then jerked away. I needed to discribe each item in detail. We did this over and over until I could write a complete report on the items I had seen. They also prepared me to go out on the town. As we looked out the window at the bus stop below they would tell me how to be accepted or rejected by beautiful frauleins that got on or off the buses. I was told that to say "zie haven sherna biena nie legs" was alright, if I saw a girl with nice breast that were bouncing as she walked, it may be all right to say "swap-swap." I may get a smile or a frown. But I should never, ever whistle at a fraulein as it was considered a gross insult in Germany and I would quickly be told to save my whistle for my dog. After two weeks of intense TM 19 training and looking out the window at the lovely ladies I was excited about going on patrol and seeing the Strasse. Time finally came for my first Wall patrol and I was allowed to go down to the Hauptstrasse (district of Schoeneberg). I was eager to do both but went on pass before my first patrol. The guys had been telling me about Berlin's downtown bars. I'd heard, even before I left the States, that coats and ties were mandatory when going on pass. That rule changed a few months later but I had suits and sport coats anyway. Bars welcomed anyone. White soldiers usually went to the Haendeleck and KBS and black soldiers to the "International", "Cha Cha", "Blue Mirror" (moms), or "Stingray" on Columbiadamm. When the bars closed, black and white GIs all gathered at the Sportpalast bar. The "International" was owned by a fellow known as Doug Seward and the "Blue Mirror" was owned by his former wife Ruth. The "Cha Cha" soon became my favorite. I can't remember if my first patrol was a 2G4 (wall) or 2G6 (sector zonal) but one battalion was in "the Zone" (West Germany) for winter training so the other two battalions filled in and pulled its patrols. We kept 2G4 and 2G6 patrols out from dawn to dusk and an American patrol was in East Berlin 24 hours a day. Following four hour of patrol, a car came out of the East and another car went in. East Berlin patrols were in Ford sedans with a four man crew consisting of a car commander, driver, recorder, and observer. Wall patrols were two M151 jeeps (a squad); three men per jeep. Each man was armed with an M14 rifle, the patrol leader also had a 45. cal. pistol. Jeeps had M60 machine guns on pedastel mounts. Each jeep had 500 rds of M60 ammo and each rifle 40 rds of life ammo. Weapons were not loaded but most patrol leaders loaded their pistols when preparing for patrol. Instructions were, if East German or Soviet soldiers fired into West Berlin we should return fire. Before long I was into patrol routine and adjusting to the social aspects of Berlin. I quickly realized that I really liked Berliners; their humor and compasssion was apparent along with their appreciation of American soldiers. I always got a kick out of the kids as they ran after us or peddled madly on their bikes to catch us on patrol and yell "Ami, Ami." They'd give us flowers in the summer time or plums from their trees. We'd make sure to have chewing gum or candy to give to them. I fell in love with the ladies at Konditoreien (pastry shops) on our patrol routes. We often stopped at meat shops to get Kaese, Schinken und Broetchen (cheese, ham and bread). Soon, I began to love the smell of pastry and Wurst shops with all of the different sausages. I also fell in love with the wine, bier and cognac. A bottle of cognac and two cokes were 10 Marks and a Schultheiss or Berliner Kindl was one Mark and 20 Pfennigs. Then there was the "Schwarzer Kater" shnaps. I would go down town with 50 DM and return with 30 DM. As months passed I came to love Berlin more and more. The quality of soldiers assigned there was exceptual and the leadership was outstanding. Most officers and senior NCOs looked out for their troops. The Brigade was so elite we were all proud and happy to be in Berlin. My family arrived in July 1966 and I obtained excellent quarters at 12 Taylorstrasse ("BB" Housing Area) where my family became very comfortable. On my days off, after pulling night patrols in East Berlin, I took my baby daughter Kathy to the "Cha Cha" and sat her up on the bar. People would give her marks and call her "eine kleine puppelein." Whenever I waxed my car, hikers would hold her and play with her. I took my children to the homes of wonderful people I'd met on patrol. Many of those great folks were invited into my home for dinner and parties -- so many beautiful ladies in Berlin! It's often said that Berlin duty was unique. Yes, Berlin was and is unique in every way. Our training, emphasized combat in cities and riot control. We supported the German-American Volksfest and rotated biannually to West Germany for training. Other exclusive duties included pulling guard duty at Spandau Prison, waxing and polishing vehicles and gear for our annual "parade season." Next to the Presidential Honor Guard (1/3rd Infantry, Washington, DC) we were the most elite unit in the US Army. All of this made Berlin and Berlin Brigade unique. I'm so proud to say -- "I am Berliner!" THANK YOU BERLIN! Yours Grant Shelby Jackson |