Articles

 Articles 

The following are copies of articles which appeared in the 3AD Spearhead newspaper ( Thanks to Jim MacClay ) 
and Stars and Stripes (Thanks to Mario Quintero) for sending them to us.

SPEARHEAD, 1962 "Champion Seed Spitter Gets Stateside Challenge"
Gelnhausen The 2d ARB, 48th Inf's claim to the world distance record for watermelon seed spitting was challenged last week in a letter to the unit from the Raleigh, N.C. Chamber of Commerce.  Lt. Col Ben F. Marshall, Bn CO, and Capt Lonnie Alston, HQs Co CO, have accepted the challenge for Sp4 Eugene McCarthy, champion spitter.  Under terms set down by Wade Lucas, manager of the Raleigh team, the contest will be held "using Wake County, N.C. watermelon seeds, under recognized conditions, to determine the legal world champion".
    The Chamber of Commerce will supply the necessary propellants for the Spearhead team."  Lucas said.  Capt. Alston has specified that a whole Wake Count watermelon must be supplied, rather than just the seeds.  
    The contest, to be held simultaneously here and in Raleigh under similar conditions, will be conducted under the supervision of officials recognized by both sides with the results of both contests relayed by post card to the opposing ream.
    The North Carolina challenger is the result of an article in The Stars and Stripes about the 2d ARBs contest last month in which McCarthy set a new world record by spitting a seed 37 feet, 2 1/2 inches.  Commenting on the challenge, McCarthy says he is "willing and ready to spit".

SPEARHEAD, Friday, April 12, 1963  "Infantrymen Self-reliant, Aggressive"
   During the warm, dry days of August, fourteen 48^th Infantrymen completed a 42 mile march from Fulda to Gelnhausen, stopping only for food and sleep.  In September, the unit demonstrated its ability in combat gymnastics in a full program of Ranger-type training.  In October, 48th Infantrymen turned out in force for instruction and practice in the fundamentals of hand-to-hand combat.
    Twelve Infantrymen from the battalion went to Bergenhohne for maneuvers with the Bundeswehr's 62^nd ARB, 62^nd Panzer Brigade in one of a series of such exchanges between the Spearhead Division and the Bundeswehr.  To complete this exchange, 12 Bundeswehr soldiers underwent 10 days of intensive training with the 48th during the unit's three-week summer training period at Hohenfels. 
   In July, the battalion turned out to welcome Lt. Col Thomas D. Drake II to his post as battalion CO.  Colors were brought out again for the 48^th's 45^th Anniversary in September which featured competitive tent-pitching, racing and tug-of-war contests which were spirited despite the mud and drizzle, which greeted observers and participants.
    Taking on a force three times its size, the 48^th Dragoons acted as aggressors in exercise "Northern Express", an ATT for the 4^th Armored Group which covered approximately the same ground as exercise "Sabre Knot".  The entire battalion supported by the 23^rd Engr Bn and Co A, 33^rd Armor took to the field as Task Force Ivan.  Also supporting were scouts from Hqs. CCB.     In April testing, the 48^th Infantry Scout Platoon was picked as tops in CCB and later were chosen as the top scout platoon in the Division.
    In May two hundred men from the 48^th journeyed to Bremerhaven to represent Seventh Army and the 3rd Armored division  in a NATO Armed Forces week parade.  The Dragoons were the largest marching unit at the review which included troops from all four branches of the American forces as well as forces of the other NATO partners.

SPEARHEAD Friday, August 9, 1963 “Troops Tested in Cities – 48^th Inf Captures Village”
    Hohenfels – Members of Co C, 2^nd ARB, 48^th Inf, battled their way through the mock village of Willertsheim in a training exercise here last week.  The exercise, a part of Combat in City training, was designed to give the men experience in taking an enemy-held village and avoiding booby-traps. According to instructor S Sgt Walter E. Brunty, city fighting can be “rough and bloody.” Experienced troops are needed to combat the sharp sniper fie and deadly booby-traps involved.     Willertsheim, a mock village built especially for this type of training, provided the Spearheaders with a realistic setting for this exercise.  The exercise was started by Sgt Brunty, who presented an orientation and demonstrated methods used to enter and seize a town.  The men were taught to use individual and team deployment in flushing snipers from a building, and how to clear upper story rooms using a rope and grappling hook.  At 3:15 PM the troops began to invade the town.  Three platoons of friendly forces led by 2d Lts Mark Propper, James Daniels, and Thomas Dueppen, slipped into Willertsheim from the north and began mop-up operations as heavy artillery fire drove the aggressors out.  The exercise ended with friendly forces in possession of the town.

SPEARHEAD Friday, August 9, 1963 "Threesome Join 48^th For Tests"
    Hohenfels – A German Officer and an NCO, 1^st Lt. Hans Uwe Ullrich and SSgt Guenter Kuche, jointed Co A, 2d ARB, 48^th Infantry for eight days during the company's platoon test last week. The visitors, from the 20^th Panzer Training Company of the Lager at Munster, are participating in an exchange program between the German and American armies in an effort to familiarize officers and NCOs of both armies with other's weapons, equipment and armored infantry doctrine and employment.    Training along with the German and American troops was USMA Cadet Frederick W. Ammerman.   Ammerman is one of several platoon leaders who will participate in the actual platoon testing Aug 11-13.  During training last week, the visiting Germans and Cadet Ammerman participated in a mounted attack with armored personnel carriers, while tank and artillery fire was simulated. Training also include a heli-borne operation, during which the troops were carried to the objective area, where they were met by harassing fire from aggressors, members of Co. B, 48^th Infantry.

STARS AND STRIPES ARTICLE OF 1966 "Show Triggers EM Club Riot"
contributed by Mario Quintero (Martinez)

STARS AND STRIPES ARTICLE c. 1968 – "Spearhead Soccer Team trains for Upcoming season in Soccer League" 
contributed by Mario Quintero (Martinez)

SPEARHEAD, Friday, April 12, 1976 "Project Partnership Taking on Hohenfels," By William Schell 
Project Partnership moved into full swing with the 1st Battalion, 48th Infantry as they hosted two squads from their sister unit, the 152 Panzer Grenadier Bn, for a week of joint maneuvers. The visit­ing Germans were afforded all the The Germans, using their Marder APC?Combat vehicle, impressed everyone in the Battalion with their capabilities as well as the flexibility and firepower of their "tracks". Working as aggressors against the scouts of the 1st Battalion, 33rd Armor, attached to the Blood and Guts for the MTA, the Germans appeared repeatedly from nowhere, 20mm cannons blazing, racking, up an astounding score of 16 "kills" on 6 scout tracks. The deadly capability of the Marder prompted the Americans to try a little "Yankee horse trading". But, with the bidding up to 10 U.S. Army APC's for one Marder, the Germans were still saying "No Sale". Korea , and the perfection of heliborne operations in Vietnam ; the helicopter has grown to occupy a place in American mili? planning, on a par with armor or artillery, that is unknown in other armies. The Germans showed tremendous enthusiasm for these techniques and were apt pupils; quickly mastering the lessons taught them.
    After a week of studying Ameri­can tactics, the visiting Germans took to the field to give what can only be called an amazing demonstration. Members of Company A, 1st Battalion, 48th infantry, stood on top of their tracks to watch a Marder come slamming over a hill, flying two feet off the ground and come down, without breaking stride, spitting 20mm shells at 250 rounds a minute, pausing only long enough to let out an equally impressive infantry squad. After the dust had settled, the Americans inspected the Marder with its power steering, built in NBC filtering system, sloped armor, and the one piece of equipment dear to every infantryman's heart a heater system that works.
    Off the field, the Germans adjusted quickly to living with American troops, everyone sharing and exchanging everything from “Flippies” in the Blood and Guts beer hall, to the traditional exchange of uniform parts. The Germans especially liked the American mess halls. Even the "C" rations went over big which may say more about their mess halls than our “C’s”.
    On the last evening there was a small ceremony in the battalion briefing room, as the Battalion Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Chaudrue pinned marksmanship awards on the Germans, who had qualified to the man on the unfamiliar M16's. There were a substantial number of experts including one man who picked off 80 out of 80 targets. Each man was given a Project Partnership certificate from the Battalion and then it was off to the unit beer hall, where the suds flowed as the men of both armies said a "beery" goodbye to the new friends from their sister battalions.