European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - July 25, 1968, Darmstadt, Hesse The stars and stripes b germans at Helm in cruising Down the River River operations Oil 1st it. Bruce h. Merle right briefs his Crew. At right Landing Craft is viewed from col. E. J. Holliman s helicopter. By Amis Nixon staff writer Karlsruhe Germany is elements of signal support group 516 moved out at Dawn to test increased mobility by Riding German Landing Craft Down the Rhine Valero 11, a five Day exercise designed to test communications included training for the 736th River Pioneer co. A German riverboat unit. The German unit moved five boats loaded with . Army signal equipment and vehicles about 30 Miles Down the liver from Karlsruhe. Signal group soldiers did Little to dispel the envy of less fortunate members of their unit and a Holiday atmosphere surround ing the operation. They carried cameras and snapped photographs fee tourists during the five hour trip Down the col. Earl j. Holliman co of the 516th, observed the opera to on with anxious eyes relaxing somewhat Only after the Success Ful loading was completed. The More critical aspects for the signal soldiers came during the loading and there were no hitches As the Well trained men moved the vehicles onto the boats and then up the Steep ramp at Rhei Duerk Heim a Small town North of Worms. Is photos by Phil Dodson after the 9 to 11,000-Pound-vans and jeep were Safe on land the German boats moved Back up the River under the command of capt. Heinz Bechmann and m. Sgt. Edwin Herzog. Members of the it. Bruce h. Merle co b. 72nd signal in briefed his men on the next phase of the move. Trucks were loaded and turned onto German Highway 9 to move into an operational site near Kaiserslautern and tie in with other Rhine River cruise As the soldiers called the waterborne operation was Over and the serious business of everyday work was taken up by the two nato partners. It s time out for Chow for a member of the German 736th River Pioneer co. A Yum thur to and Driver spec. 4 Gerald Wilson move out at the Landing near worm. At right crewman steadies the lauding Craft
