Units
Photos
Photos
At Coleman Kaserne, Gelnhausen, the 2nd Bn, 48th Infantry was housed in the top three of the set of five modern large barracks in the upper right-hand corner. When the 1st Bn was moved to Gelnhausen from Worms, it was in the downhill half of those set of 5 buildings (Also see this site for a growing segment on the 1/48 when at Worms). Battalion Headquarters was near the center old German-built barracks near the pond. It is the building with the steeple to the right of the pond. A copy of an army 1:50,000 map of the Gelnhausen area can be viewed by clicking on the map 
image at right supplied by Jim Langan. On it you will not only find G-town, but Hailer where we pulled guard duty in addition to the hilltop ammo dump (Remember that dark nights alone on guard duty?) It shows the range at Bernbach, Lieblos, etc. Guaranteed to bring back memories. Download time at 28.8 is just under 2 minutes.
Battalion Headquarters’ Building at the left, a panoramic view toward Gelnhausen from the barracks of HHC of the 1st Battalion, and at right the HHC 1st Battalion barracks in winter. Thanks to Jim Langan for these photos. See Jim’s other photos on his photo pages.
1956
James Trahan was among the first to arrive in West Germany when SPEARHEAD was gyroscoped from Fort Knox in 1956. When his battalion arrived in Gelnhausen, it was re-flagged from the 29th Armored Infantry Battalion of the 3rd Armored Div. to become the 2nd Armored Rifle Battalion, 48th Infantry of the 3rd Armored. James, (center in the photo at left taken at the 3AD NCO academy), contributed many rare pictures of the early days with the Commo Plt.
1957-1958
Rodobaldo German Roriguez was stationed at Coleman Kaserne from 1957 58 with C Co., 2nd ARB. He was one of the original battalion members when the battalion was reflagged from the 29th AIB into the 2/48 ARB. In this photo by a 29th AIB M-59 APC he is standing 2nd from the left next to the medic, and was a Sp/4 when he left. The photo was contributed by his son George in his memory.
See the rest of his photos on his page.
1959
This 1959 photo is supplied courtesy of Jim Cunningham who was with the 122nd Ordnance Bn. It shows 2nd Bn 48th M-59 Armored Personnel Carriers at Hanau for a Division Anniversary Day parade. It is quite a large .bmp file and takes a while to download, but a beautiful picture and the oldest of the Regiment in color found. Thanks Jim. — Photos from the Dragoon 1959 Yearbook can be seen by clicking above the photo or “1959YrBk”.
1960-1962
Awww nuts! Is what I think Bob Sheppard might have said when he looked at the bulletin board and saw he was on the guard roster next weekend. Bob was in the Med Plt 2nd Bn, and has some good photos loading tracks for Graf, at the Club, MED-6 and MED-1. This was before the M-151s guys, so you see an M-38 jeep in his pictures by clicking here. Note DRAGOON crest in top right of the bulleting board.
1961-1963
Frank Seely and Ron McCreary teamed up to contribute Ron’s very rare photos of the 1st Bn 48th Infantry when it was stationed in Worms, Germany, before moving to Gelnhausen. Included are pictures and articles of the tragic drownings during APC Rhine River crossings. See the pictures on the 1/48th Worms history.
1961-1963
Mike Vickers was in Delta Company of the 2nd Battalion. Mike’s portrait shown here is cut from one taken “in the pitts” pulling targets…remember? See his pictures for the whole picture!
1962-1964
Carl Erickson, with the 2nd Bn 48th contributed photos from the 1962-1964 era. This picture shows the standard equipment of the day, M-14, gas mask, etc. The WW2 style helmet was covered with a piece of burlap sandbag, fitted to size and then soaked in water so it shrunk tightly around the helmet. When LTC Marshall took command of the Bn, they were traded in for GI issue helmet covers, one side green camouflage and the other a brown camouflage pattern.
1964-1965
Pfc Dennis Kesolitz cleaning 4.2 mortar mounted on old M84 and Pfc Henry Marcley working on one of the engines. The old M84 types had two engines, one on each side which were accessed from the inside. The picture was taken when tracks were parked adjacent to Co., top of the hill, picture taken I believe in the summer of 1964 also click on small square below picture for one of Dennis swimming track XM106 which replaced M84.
1964-1965
Andy Balaschak was with 1/48 Anti-tank platoon and shared photos from when the unit used the Entac missile. His photos also show members of the Scout Platoon.
1964-1967
Wayne Hoener started his 1/48 tour in May 1964 with C Company as the driver for C-13. After about a year he was was promoted to 1/48th S3 Operations/Communications as an E5 Sgt. He rotated home in May of 1967. See his photos of Hoehenfels winter and summer, and the Kaserne
1966-1967
James M. Langan, who was with HHC 1st Bn 48th from March 1966 through June 24, 1967 has assembled a great scrapbook page of photos.
1967-1969
John Gross was in B Co. 2nd Bn when he took, and took some great photos of his M-114, a track swimming the Rhine, and a 106 jeep. John used to drive the M-114 for Capt. Cladell.
1967-1969
Mario Quintero arrived in 1/48 HHC S3 latter half of 1966, and shortly after was assigned to 1/48th A Co. mortar platoon, and then to the
3AD Soccer Team which he was on until he rotated out in 1969. See his photos of the team and time in HHC.
1969-1970
Jonathan Brownlee has taken really excellent photos of Gelnhausen and Frankfurt am Main. Here is one taken on a hot summer night in 1969 on a small back street in ‘downtown’ Gelnhausen with the Marienkirche (built in the years 1200 AD) in the background.
1969–1970
John Gainer was with Charlie Company of the 2nd Battalion from 1969 through 1970. He has contributed some great photos of swimming our tracks, .50 cal range pictures at Graf, and the Battalion at Hohenfels.
1969-1972
Gary Cisewski was in HHC-1-48 and contributed this great picture which shows wall locker, the uniform of the day, which for medics included wearing the maroon neck scarf which had upon it the Dragoons patch with the words “Blood and Guts”. Gary has also contributed other photos which can been seen by clicking on “Gary C”.
1971-73
Ron Holland was a SP5 in the S-2 Section, and later as the 1/48th Colonel’s driver. This picture of a debonair Ron also shows how the M-577 Command version of the M-113 could be expanded with the addition of a tent on the rear. Ron contributed other pictures of his time.
1972-74
George Copeland served as an S-1 clerk in the 1st Bn. Click here to see pictures from Hohenfels..
1973-76
Robert M. Briggs (Sgt.) was in Co B 2-48 Inf. 2nd Squad 2nd Platoon. His pictures of Bad Tolz, Hohenfels, Graff and Wildflecken are outstanding. Click here to see.
1975
Ian Burrell has some great pictures from his time with B-1-48th; the old tower on the hill, a gasthaus, inside the barracks, and on a second page, all those cards we were issued, Code of Conduct, Weapons Card, etc. Click on Ian Burrell
1975
Dewey Ball pictures (’75-76, Infantryman, TOW missile gunner, Track Driver, Opns Clerk and Orderly Room clerk) donated by Jim MacClay. At left is a TOW missile firing. At right shows LTC Livingston reenlisting SGT Hart and another SGT. Both were from the Scout Plt. of CSC 2/48.
1977
Ed Lomongo (1977-80) was in 1st Squad, 2nd Platoon, C Company of the 1st Battalion 1977-78. Click on his photo to go to his photo page.
1978
At left is another picture by Jim Langan, taken in June of 1978 while on a business trip to Germany. It is the signpost by the main gate, and shows the crest of all the units in the 2nd Bde at the time.
1984-1986
Leif Daddow sent us a nice pack of pictures from his era with the 1st battalion, 1984-1986. Click to see.
1986-1989I
David Priode was stationed in Gelnhausen from 1986-1991, and later served with 4/18. He has contribute fantastic color photos of Fulda Border Duty in 88, Berlin MOUT training 89, Reforger 87, Transition to Bradleys at Hohenfels, and , Cpt Burstein’s Change of Command.
1987-1989
Travis Sinnard was with the B-1-48th Dragoons. Note the 48th Infantry Regiment flag behind Travis on the right with the Dragoon shield on the eagle’s chest. Travis was with the Dragoons when they were re-designated to 4/18th Infantry. See his photos.
1989
Photo (click on photo to enlarge) of the Last Command and Staff members of the 1st Battalion, 48th Infantry, before it was reflagged as the 4/18th Infantry on 16 June 1989. The people in the photo are identified from Left to Right as follows: Chaplain (CPT) Charles Howell (who contributed the photo and the following names), CPT Joseph Prysbyzewski, Battalion Motor Officer (BMO); LT David Stapleton, S1; CPT Joel Hardin S2; MAJ Brian Haig, (S3 and General Al Haig’s son); CPT Anthony Phillips S4; MAJ Francois Labrecque, BN XO; LTC Robert St. Onge, Jr., BN CDR; CSM Arthur Harvey, CPT Ben Williams, HHC Cdr; CPT Marshall Pilcher, Alpha Cdr; CPT Mark Hayhurst, Bravo Cdr; CPT Tom Long, Charlie Cdr; CPT Kenneth Burstein, Delta Cdr; CPT Mark Mattice Echo Cdr.
1990-91 personnel as 4-18 Infantry
SSG John Kelly, with the rest of the 1st of the 48th, reflagged to 4/18th Infantry. He has sent us some amazing photos of his time in the desert.
