European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - August 13, 1950, Darmstadt, Hesse                                A Cross Section of ordnance automotive Center operations in German mechanics at Kassel top left inspect motor blocks on an Assembly line after they at Esslinger top Center a Mechanic gives a rebuilt jeep its final heavy track vehicles awaiting repair at Aalen top ambulances at Schwabish Chamund lower left await distribution after while workmen Center rebuild truck at lower rebuilt trucks await rebuilt Down to the last nut and Bolt be the next time you climb into an army vehicle take a look at the nameplate on the right pit win probably indicate the vehicle was renovated at an ordnance rebuild this Means the vehicle was badly dam in a wreck or just too worn out for smaller ordnance outfits to repair and has been rebuilt Down to the last nut and Bolt in a shop of Ord automotive s much the same As medical scientists introduce hormones into the human body to give it renewed vigor and so f ordnance injects mechanical hormones vehicles become useful it takes a efficient organization accomplish this Mission on a scale As As that demanded in the the of the automotive Center began Hijji Nuary 1946 when he 178th Ord in in near to makeover operation of the Bobingen Ord a electing Point from this beginning grew the largest automotive rebuilding Center operating l the world Ord automotive directly under Brig Ray of and commanded by col ies with head at near Stutt has nine rebuild shops in Oliree Hilary posts and covers the zone from Sel in the North to Munich in the lit East years departing troops left Points in Germany and Austria aed with rusting and apparently use raw damaged vehicles of every rms ions of tax dollars were being in these the occupation had an acute shortage of trans 178th Ord in was ordered to wild As Many jeeps As by the with 600 German was producing 10 rebuild jeeps f Jay at their Assembly line set up at a German signal Barracks at Ess successful operation led to orders tube Section ordnance vehicle shops remake like new worn out tanks and sedans a stars and stripes report for other Type and within a year five rebuild shops were in operation in the Stuttgart called the Ord base maintenance a former aluminium foundry  was rebuilding  trucks a crankshaft Plant was converted into a truck tractor rebuild Plant and a former Plant began turning out rebuilt three Quarterson and on and on Halfton two Andone Halfton gasoline air compressors and Power units were coming from a former motorcycle factory in while All types of trailers rolled from the lines at and even further expansion Sedan rebuild was and in 1949 the present Center was formed by adding Kassel Ord shop and Karls Feld Ord in the present Day Center has operated vehicle Parks and the Neucom motor maintenance and Supply school for German the newest unit to join the Center is the 93d Ord Light aircraft maintenance new Type of army unit this organization operates at Echter Dingen near Stuttgart the activities of the Center have employed As Many As skilled germans to produce nearly in addition to thousands of Gen Luj who be chief of ordnance for the army in col James co of the ordnance automotive transmissions and other assemblies for constabulary and 1st inf div Ord Nance but All of the operation is not for Mclnerney Dur ing the Berlin air when millions of tons of supplies had to be moved from warehouses to two shops worked around the clock turning out tractors and semitrailers to keep Rhine a in and Tempelhof air bases in equipment Mother example of special the colonel is the new pm clothing store Semi they Are the last word in com pact fully equipped Mobile they had to be rushed through so in the command could Purchase his items of uniform when the clothing Al Lowance system went into effect other special projects include the re building of Cadillac and Packard sedans for generals and number of ordnance officers civilians who run this operation Are justly proud of their is this the Way we would Doit if we were operating this As a private business and the Money was coming directly out of pockets is the guiding to the entire operation Mclnerney and until the answer to that ques Tiona is we Are never he when the Center was the reeling German Economy was materially aided by food and clothing provided refugee and German workers at toe now both american and Ger Man taxpayers Are benefiting from the program of consolidation and manage ment which is resulting in Large Al the War damaged have1 been but the Center is Bush rebuilding trucks from Neucom units supplying rebuilt vehicles for Mutual defense assistance program and providing engines anti powertrain assemblies for the entire that the picture of the Overall pro continued on Ivy til