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Memories of the VII Corps LRRP (LRP) 58th
Infantry Nellingen Kaserne Germany 1961-1969 |
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VII Corps LRRP-Co. C (LRP) 58th Inf.
Insignias Nellingen Kaserne 1961-1969 |
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Headquarters / Hauptquartier LRRP Nellingen |
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Original Comment of
Anselmo Rodriguez: VII Corps LRRP VII CORPS LRRP (ABN) CO. A History compiled by Anselmo Rodriguez Excerpts of the history courtesy Anselmo Rodriguez and the VII Corps
LRRP Association. For more details and contact information please see the web
site. In the mid 1950’s and into the 1960’s, the "Cold War"
between the West and the Soviets was heating up. If war were to break out,
the US Military didn’t have any units that could provide extended long-range
24 hour all weather target acquisition and intelligence from deep behind
enemy lines. THE LRRP COMPANIES AND DETACHMENTS As early as 1958, the Seventh Army in Europe published a Training
Circular 20-1 that directed that each Division maintain Long Range Patrols. In
February 1958, the first Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol evaluation tests
using Provisional Units were conducted in FTX "SABRE HAWK". "They assembled a group of personnel. They were given two or
three weeks training and were then sent to the field. There was one problem
with all the Provisional Units, they failed to establish satisfactory
communications!" –Major Hunt After initial testing using Provisional Units, a Table of Distribution
was approved and issued on 15 July 1961 and under TOE 7-157 the Corps LRRP
Companies in the Seventh Army were activated. With DOA approval, Major
Maltese proceeded to set up the VII Corps LRRP Company (ABN), APO 46. Major
Maltese became, at his request, the first Commanding Officer and Paddy Flynn
was selected to be the company’s 1SGT. The new company’s designation would be
"USA LRRP Co (ABN) 3780". A search of the VII Corps area for suitable quarters for the new
company was found at Nellingen Barracks located southeast of Stuttgart,
Germany. SP/4 Louis Durnavich, of the 558th ORD Company, recalls the day in
1961 when Major Maltese and 1Sgt Flynn walked in with orders to take over
their barracks. Louis’ recollections of this day can be found in a document
in the LRRP CD. With the takeover of these barracks, the pre-WWII building was now the
new home of the VII Corps LRRP Company. –Major Maltese and 1Sgt Flynn now
began the search for suitable personnel, and a call went out for volunteers. Many
of those who responded were veterans of WWII and/or the Korean conflict. Some
had already served in the Army’s Special Forces. Others were American or
German Ranger qualified. Still others were veterans of other US armed forces;
a few had served in foreign armies or had been born and raised overseas and
were fluent in other languages. Many of these men were former Army
Paratroopers who saw an opportunity to get back on jump status by
volunteering for the new company of LRRPs. The "Assignments NCO" at
VII Corps would give Major Maltese a call once a month and say, "I’ve
got a list of people you might be interested in." Major Maltese would go
over the list and pick out the ones he wanted. "We had a full company -
it really filled up well. We got permission to recruit - most of them came
from the "505". I remember old Herb something from B Co 505, he
tried to discourage them, called us a bunch of candy-asses, so I went up
there - hell, I'm about forty-one years old, but in pretty good shape, and I
said, "I'll take you out and we'll see who comes back." "That
was the end of that discussion." –Col. Maltese Included in this new group of LRRPs were military personnel who had
already been awarded our Country’s highest military decorations. Others would
later distinguish themselves and receive recognition for their service in
Vietnam. One former VII Corps LRRP, Glenn H. English, Jr., would posthumously
be awarded our country’s highest recognition for valor, the "Medal of
Honor," for his personal actions while serving in the Republic of South
Vietnam. Three other LRRP Companies were also formed in Europe. USA LRRP Co
(ABN) 3779, was attached to V Corps, commanded by Major Reese Jones, with
Gilberto M. Martinez as 1SGT. V Corps LRRP Co. was located in Wildflecken,
near the "Fulda Gap" invasion route. In Northern Italy, the SETAF
LRRP Company was established with Major James Stamper commanding. The 3rd
Inf. Division formed a LRRP Detachment under the command of 1Lt. Edward Jentz
(Col. ret.) with SFC Gerald M. Tardiff acting 1SGT. THE MISSION "To conduct combat surveillance and target acquisition operations
behind enemy lines in the VII Corps area of influence." –Company SOP
Fact Sheet - Co. C (LRP) 58 th Inf. 1966 (LRRP CD)
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