504th Signal Battalion
The Years in Germany: 1961 - 1965
SEVENTH INVENTORY CONTROL CENTER (7th ICC)
I was at the 504th Signal Battalion Headquarters in Mannheim-Kafertal, Germany from October 1964 until the unit was deactivated under the COSTAR reorganization of supply units in late 1965. I was re-assigned to the newly formed 7th Inventory Control Center (7th ICC) in Taylor Barracks, and moved to the 7th Inventory Control Center HQ in Karlsruhe Germany in March, 1966. My tour of duty in Germany ended and I became a civilian again in October 1967.
The main gate of Smiley Barracks in Karlsruhe in 1967
7th Army Support Command and COSTAR
The Seventh Army Support Command was an organization reactivated during the summer of 1965 as part of the program to realign the Seventh Army logistic structure in accordance with the new COSTAR concept of operations. This concept of operations centralized the control of all field Army non-divisional combat service support resources. The 7th Inventory Control Center, which was responsible for the major items supply functions for Seventh Army, was one of the support units so designated under the Seventh Army Support Command. The activation and organization of the subordinate units of 7th Army SUPCOM occurred during the period 25 May 1965 through 21 December 1965.
Under the COSTAR concept, requirements for Class I, II & IV, and III supplies were placed by divisional units upon the division support command. Non-divisional units placed their requirements on a direct support group. Delivery of these classes of supply was normally made by unit distribution. If the supplies could not be furnished from resources of the division support command or the direct support group, the demands were passed to a general support group. If not available at the general support group level, the demands were forwarded to the 7th Inventory Control Center (7th ICC) of the 7th Army Support Command.
Utilizing automatic data processing equipment, the 7th ICC located and directed shipments from other general support groups within Seventh Army or, when necessary, passed demands to the Communications Zone (COMZ) in France and arranged for shipments from that command. Insofar as possible, all shipments were made directly to the unit or the nearest forward supply point.
PEOPLE OF THE 7TH ICC
A few names I remember of people assigned to the 7th Inventory Control Center while I was there from 1965 to 1967. If you were assigned to the 7th ICC during that period, you are invited to submit your life profile, photos, and memories to me at neagle504@yahoo.com for inclusion on this site:
MAJ Adonis Creel: Originally from Winnfield LA, he lived in Hohenwald TN after he retired from the Army in the early 70s. Died at age 77 on June 14, 2003 in Columbia, Maury County, TN. Survived by his wife Margaret Ann (Simpson) Creel and daughters Donna Stein, Cheryl Cross, and Carolyn Taylor.
CPT Richard Reeves
CPT Arthur Howard (Transportation Supply): Lives in Wayne PA
LT David Teasdale (Engineering Supply): Lives in Stockton CA
CWO Walter Lemme and SGT Danielson were reassigned to the 7th ICC from the 27th Engineer Co. in Mannheim, which had the Engineering supply function prior to the COSTAR reorg in 1965. Walter Lemme lives in Blacksburg VA. (Photos contributed by Dick Nielson, who was also in the 27th Engineer Co.)
SGT Wesley Pedersen: Lives in Creswell OR
SPC Nelson Wasserman: Lives in Andalusia AL
KARLSRUHE MILITARY INSTALLATIONS IMAGES
Photos of Paul Revere Village, the US military housing area
The Minute Man Theater in Paul Revere Village
Paul Revere Village, now a German housing area, in 2000
Karlsruhe U.S. military installation maps and photos