Anti-aircraft missile group 38
The anti-aircraft missile group 38 was an anti-aircraft missile group of the German Air Force .
history
The anti-aircraft missile group 38 was set up on August 1, 1959 in Nörvenich near Cologne as LwFlaBtl 46. Equipped with the BOFORS 40 mm L70 cannon, on September 1, 1965, it was renamed to Air Defense Missile Battalion 38 and relocated to Krummenort, Schleswig-Holstein. The battalion was equipped with the anti-aircraft missile system HAWK on December 10, 1965 and on May 1, 1966 the air defense positions of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th squadrons in Hude , Nordfriesland (1st), Dellstedt , Dithmarschen (2nd) .), Windbergen , Dithmarschen district (3rd) and Wesselburener Deichhausen , Dithmarschen district (4th). The relocation of the battalion to the Heide site on July 1, 1967 and the subordination of the unit to NATO concluded the development phase of the anti-aircraft missile battalion 38.
As part of Air Force Structure 3, the anti-aircraft missile battalion 38 was renamed the anti-aircraft missile squadron 38 on October 1, 1989 and subordinated to the anti-aircraft missile command 4 and the 2nd Air Force Division on July 1, 1990. As the only FlaRak association, the Flugabwehrraketengeschwader 38 changed in August 1990 with complete personnel and material from Schleswig-Holstein to North Rhine-Westphalia and Hesse . This was followed by the dissolution of 2./38 (formerly Dellstedt) and integration of the former 4./39 ( Eckernförde location ) as the new 2./38. The squadron staff, the supply squadron and the 2nd squadron relocated to Burbach ( Siegerland , North Rhine-Westphalia), the 4th squadron to Homberg / Efze (Hessen), the 3rd squadron to Lich (Hessen) and the 1st squadron to Bad Arolsen (Hesse).
As a result of air force structure 4, the 3rd squadron of the Flugabwehrraketengeschwader 35 in Nienburg and the 4th squadron of the Flugabwehrraketengeschwader 35 in Delmenhorst were subordinated to the anti-aircraft missile squadron 38 as 5th and 6th squadrons on October 1, 1992 and relocated from Nienburg and Nienburg, respectively. in July 1993 from Delmenhorst to Bad Arolsen. On January 1, 1993, a new STAN came into force. The anti-aircraft missile squadron 38 became the anti-aircraft missile group 38. In November 1993 the Lich site was given up and the 3rd squadron relocated to Homberg / Efze.
With effect from January 1, 1996, the 3rd and 4th squadrons in Homberg / Efze were deactivated and partially integrated into the squadrons that already existed at the Bad Arolsen location. On January 1, 1997, the 5th and 6th seasons were renamed 3./FlaRakGrp 38 and 4./FlaRakGrp 38. Since January 1, 1997, the anti-aircraft missile group 38 has thus included 4 active combat squadrons, 2 cadre mob squadrons (since disbanded), the supply squadron, the staff squadron and the medical squadron (subordinated to the ZSanDstBw since April 1, 2002) at the Burbach and Bad Arolsen locations. The FlaRakGrp 38 was subordinate to the anti-aircraft missile squadron 4, which was also stationed in the Siegerland barracks in Burbach.
As a result of the decision to reform the German armed forces, a mixed HAWK / ROLAND association, the AA rocket group 14, was reorganized on January 1, 2003 from parts of the anti-aircraft missile group 38 and the anti-aircraft missile group 42. In the course of a renewed restructuring of the air force, the squadron staff and anti-aircraft missile group 14 were released from their mission with effect from December 31, 2003. As a result, both offices were dissolved and the HQ EADTF relocated. After completion of all measures, the Burbach location was finally given up on June 30, 2005.
Locations
Bad Arolsen
In addition to the Prinz-Eugen-Kaserne, the Bad Arolsen location included the peacekeeping operations (FAST) in Flechtdorf, Freienhagen and Diemelstadt / Rhoden. A military training area and the Georg Friedrich Casino also belonged to the site. Within different time periods up to 5 HAWK anti-aircraft missile squadrons were based here, the 1./Flugabwehrraketengruppe 38, the 3./38, 4./38, 5./38 and 6./38. The Bad Arolsen location included the
- Prinz Eugen barracks,
- FAST Freienhagen,
- FAST Flechtdorf,
- FAST rhodes / tassels .
The history of the Bundeswehr location in Mengeringhausen began on May 27, 1958 with a unanimous decision by the city council. On November 7th, 1961, the field artillery battalion 45 moved into the Prinz-Eugen-Kaserne after three years of construction. The newly formed tank battalion 44 followed on January 11, 1962. In the course of the years up to 1994, among other things, the tank battalions 61 and 63, the tank artillery battalion 65 and the tank destroyer company 60 were stationed on the Mengeringhäuser Hagen. Many local residents still have fond memories of the roar of engines and the rattle of chains from the tanks - even at night - and the noise of the fighting from the handguns when the wind blew from the direction of the training area into the city. And motorized users of Hagenstrasse can also tell a song about how often they had to turn around in front of the closed barriers in all those years when the army (and later the air force) had once again closed the "Panzerstrasse". Many people cursed the military for the unexpected detours. When the Belgian anti-aircraft missile units stationed here were relocated from their sector to their homeland at the end of the 1980s, the 38 anti-aircraft missile battalion from Schleswig-Holstein was stationed in the area before the fall of the Berlin Wall and the radical change in the east-west relationship Bad Arolsen / Burbach (NRW) and Homberg (Efze) / Lich initiated and completed. The 1st squadron of the 38s moved into the new building of the Mengeringhausen barracks and in 1990 was the first air force unit in the Waldecker Land. The "blue coats" with their rockets remained exotic until their comrades of the 5th and 6th squadron moved in in 1993/1994 - this was accompanied by the gradual withdrawal of army units.
When a renewed change in the FlaRak in the mid-1990s resulted in the HAWK units falling from six to four combat squadrons per group, the two surplus squadrons were deactivated as equipment units and parts of their material were stored in the Prinz-Eugen-Kaserne. The years 2001 and 2002 saw drastic structural reforms of the FlaRak once again. Mengeringhausen was supposed to give up his old "air defenders" by deactivating two HAWK units including their field positions in Rhoden and Flechtdorf, as well as the relocation of the last HAWK squadron from Bad Arolsen to Schöneck near Frankfurt, but then there were four new PATRIOT units of the anti-aircraft missile group 21 from North Rhine-Westphalia intended for the barracks. The future of the Prinz Eugen barracks in Mengeringhausen and thus the Bad Arolsen garrison seemed secure for years. Extensive rebuilding and renovation work in the barracks and on the on-site training area was carried out, three of the four units had already moved in, when the end came on May 21, 2003 in the middle of the super-hot summer and shortly before the mega-event Hessentag.
Burbach
The Burbach site with the Siegerland barracks had been the seat of the Air Defense Missile Squadron 4 and the headquarters of the Air Defense Missile Group 38 since 1990. It also housed the 2nd Squadron of the Air Defense Missile Group 38, the Supply Squadron 38 and, since 1999, the Headquarters Extended Air Defense Task Force. The associated peacekeeping position (FAST), in which the 2nd squadron operated the weapon system, was located on the Lipper Höhe next to a small airfield. After its completion on April 17, 1969, the Siegerland barracks was officially handed over to its intended use by the then commander of the former 5th Air Force Division, Major General Gralka. With the move into the Siegerland barracks, a nine-year provisional arrangement in the Stegskopf camp for the anti-aircraft missile battalion 22, which was equipped with the NIKE weapon system, came to an end. From this point on, a division of the 52nd US Army Artillery Detachment was stationed here in addition to Battalion 22. Due to the conversion of the anti-aircraft missile battalion 22 from the NIKE weapon system to the PATRIOT, the US Army left the Burbach site in the spring of 1987. A short time later, the NIKE weapon system was decommissioned. In October 1988 the first soldiers of the anti-aircraft missile battalion 22, which had meanwhile been renamed the anti-aircraft missile squadron 22, left the Burbach location and moved to their new home in Penzing (Bavaria). The successor to the Siegerland barracks on August 20, 1990 was the anti-aircraft missile squadron 38, which was equipped with the HAWK weapon system. On January 1, 1993 the renaming took place, from the anti-aircraft missile squadron 38 became the anti-aircraft missile group 38. On November 30, 1993 the staff relocated anti-aircraft missile squadron 4 from the location Lich to Burbach. From this point on, the duties of the site elder were transferred to the commodore of the anti-aircraft missile squadron 4. In addition to the anti-aircraft missile squadron 4 and the anti-aircraft missile group 38, the headquarters of the Extended Air Defense Task Force (HQ EADTF) were located in the Siegerland barracks from December 1999. As a result of the decision to reform the Bundeswehr, on January 1, 2003, parts of the anti-aircraft missile group 38 and the anti-aircraft missile group 42 became the mixed HAWK / Roland group 14 released from mission. As a result, both offices were closed and the HQ EADTF was relocated. The Burbach location was given up after the dissolution.
Peace Deployment (FAST)
FAST 1./FlaRakGrp 38
The former FAST (peace deployment) of the 1st FlaRakGrp 38 (anti-aircraft missile group 38 or 14) on the Heitzelberg near Freienhagen (Hesse) is one of the 3 HAWK positions that belonged to the Bad Arolsen location. The units (1./38, 3./38, 4./38) that occupied the position areas were stationed there. The Freienhagen position and the position areas in Diemelstadt (Rhoden auf dem Quast) and Flechtdorf were integrated into the HAWK belt along the inner-German border. Before the anti-aircraft missile group 38 moved from northern Germany to this area, the positions were occupied by Belgian HAWK units. The garrison of the Belgian Hawk unit that occupied the HAWK position in Freienhagen was Korbach.
FAST 3./FlaRakGrp 38
The peace deployment position of the 3rd anti-aircraft missile group 38 and 14, formerly the Belgian HAWK position, was located near the village of Flechtdorf. Flechtdorf is a district of the Diemelsee community in the Waldeck-Frankenberg district in the north-west of North Hesse. The radar hill was in the center of the position. In contrast to many other deployment positions, the launch areas are located to the right and left of the radar hill.
FAST 4./FlaRakGrp 38
The peace deployment position of the 4th anti-aircraft missile group 38 or 14 is an originally Belgian anti-aircraft missile position, the remains of which are located near Diemelstadt / Rhoden on the Quast. The two launch areas face east. Only the ground plans / contours can be seen on the satellite image. The staging area was completely dismantled. Today there is a viewing platform on the former radar hill.
FAST 2./FlaRakGrp 38
The peacetime deployment of the 2nd anti-aircraft missile group 38 and 14 is right next to a small airfield on the Lipper Höher near Burbach. The satellite image clearly shows the launcher's positions. The typically round pitches are surrounded by an open wall and point in the main direction of the battle. The two launch areas, the alpha and bravo sections, can also be seen very clearly.
coat of arms
The coat of arms of the former anti-aircraft missile group 38 had a modern shape and was split twice on the left. The background of the coat of arms consists of the colors blue, white (silver) and red. These are the state colors of the federal state of Schleswig-Holstein as a reference to the old location. The squadron was stationed in Heide and Husum from 1967 to 1990. White and red are also the colors of the state of Hesse, in which three combat squadrons found a new home. In the left half of the coat of arms, usually shown on a blue background, is the golden, erect, double-tailed, red-armored lion of the former (until 1815) Principality of Nassau-Siegen, accompanied by seven upright golden (yellow) shingles, in whose old borders the location of the Squadron lies. This form of the lion (Nassau lion) is also part of the coat of arms of the Siegen-Wittgenstein district and the municipality of Burbach. The external shape of the lion can be found in the regional coats of arms of the Bad Arolsen (formerly Principality of Waldeck), Lich (formerly Principality of Solms-Lich-Hohensolms) and Homberg / Efze (formerly Electorate of Hesse), but each has a different color. In the right half of the coat of arms there are three ascending guided missiles of the HAWK weapon system on a white background, with which the former anti-aircraft missile group 38 was equipped. The Arabic numerals “38” are placed on a red background in the lower area.
Commanders anti-aircraft missile group 38
Anti-aircraft missile group 38 (Burbach, Siegerland barracks)
- 1990 Lieutenant Colonel Roland Herz
- 1993 Lieutenant Colonel Manfred Hahn
- 1995 Lieutenant Colonel Walter Krüger
- 1997 Lieutenant Colonel Axel Schmidt
- 2000 Lieutenant Colonel Uwe Dietrich
- 2001 Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Lorber