Berlin Brigade

After the end of World War II, under the conditions of the Yalta and Potsdam agreements, Allied forces occupied West Berlin. This occupation lasted throughout the Cold War. The Berlin Brigade was a term used to describe the brigade-sized garrison forces based there by the British and American armies; the French army also maintained a garrison, but did not use the name.

United States

The Berlin Brigade was an United States Army unit; its shoulder sleeve insignia was the U.S. Army Europe patch with Berlin tab.

During the Berlin Wall Crisis of 1961, the army reorganized the command structure of the forces in Berlin and created the U.S. Army Berlin and created the Berlin Brigade from the units already in the city. At this time, the infantry units of the Brigade were organized according to the "pentomic" structure: One "battle group" consisted of five line (rifle) companies, a combat support company, and a Headquarters & Headquarters company. Berlin Brigade had the 2nd & 3rd battle groups of the 6th US Infantry Regiment assigned to it from 1960 through 1964, when structure reverted to battalions.

),The only allied Artillery behind the Iron Curtain Battery C 94th Field Artillery,was there for over 20 years and deactivated to bring in Echo Battery 320th Field Artillery, Company F of the 40th Armor, 42nd Engineer Company, 42nd Military Police Company (Customs), 287th Military Police Company (Separate), 43rd and 76th Chemical Detachments, 279th Station Hospital (became US Army Hospital Berlin in 1976), 168th Medical Detachment (Veterinary Service), and 298th Army Band. The 168th and 298th share the distinction of being the longest serving units in Berlin. They both arrived to the city in a 37-vehicle convoy on July 3, 1945. The commanders of both units were old high school classmates.

Until the end of the Cold War members of the Brigade were eligible for the Army of Occupation Medal with Germany clasp. Because of the legal status of West Berlin, it was technically "occupied" territory left over from World War II.

After the reunification of Germany, the Berlin Brigade was no longer necessary and it was officially deactivated by President William Jefferson Clinton on July 6th, 1994.

The Berlin Brigade was the first combat unit selected to deploy as member of the United Nations Protectionary Forces (UNPROFOR) to the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia in March 1993; later to be renamed Task Force Able Sentry. Members of the Berlin Brigade also deployed in July 1994, to Entebbe, Uganda as part of Joint Task Force Support Hope, to help prevent a humanitarian crisis resulting from large-scale refugee movements caused by the civil war in Rwanda.

United Kingdom

The Berlin Infantry Brigade of the British Army consisted of some 3,000 men in three infantry battalions, an armoured squadron, and a number of support units. It may have initially not been part of the British Army of the Rhine despite being based in Germany. However, it is recorded, at the very least, by the mid-1980s, that the brigade was indeed part of BAOR, being its second major component after I (BR) Corps. [David C. Isby & Charles Kamps Jr, Armies of NATO's Central Front, Jane's, 1985, p.303]

The actual 3 infantry battalions and armoured squadron assigned to Berlin were rotated regularly; the single armoured squadron was detached from an armoured regiment assigned to I (BR) Corps. 7 Flight Army Air Corps, based at RAF Gatow, provided aviation support. Other units such as 62 Transport and Movements Squadron RCT, REME, RAOC, 38 (Berlin) Field Squadron RE, 229 Signals Squadron R Signals, 247 Provost Company RMP and British Military Hospital Berlin were also permanently based in Berlin.

External links and references

* [http://www.Berlin-Brigade.de Berlin Brigade Memories]
* [http://www.western-allies-berlin.com History of the French, American and British Berlin Brigades]
* [http://home.att.net/~rw.rynerson/index.html Berlin 1969 - the Allies in Berlin at midpoint of the Cold War]
* [http://home.att.net/~rw.rynerson/british.htm Photos and information on the British Military Train to Berlin.]
* [http://turnertankers.org Co F 40th Armor site by Bob Decker.]
* [http://www.berlinveterans.com/ Reunion group of U.S. Berlin Military Veterans ] Includes information on reactivation of 287th MP Co.
* [http://www.baor-locations.com British Army of the Rhine Locations]
* [http://www.west-alliierte-in-berlin.de West Alliierte in Berlin e.V.]
* [http://maps.berlin-brigade.com/ Berlin-Brigade Installations]

References