The Babenhausen Kaserne

       The Babenhausen Veterans

                                          & Friends


     

     

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The Babenhausen Veterans and Friends were founded to uphold the memory's shared by the Soldiers, Spouses, and Civilians during their tenure at Babenhausen.
This Organization has over 300 Members in both the U.S. and Europe.



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Meet Walter B. Duke Jr.

Director Babenhausen
                                     Veterans & Friends



1LT Walter Duke
 receiving Seventh Army Aviation Safety Award
from BG H. Twitchell at Stuttgart.
-1965-





Walter Duke as we know him.....:)


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             Happy 100th Birthday 

CW5 Sevino J. Mozzochi






CW5 Sevino J. Mozzochi 
1st Bn., 38th Arty (MSL) Bn.
personal Officer in Babenhausen
from 1958 - 1962. 

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Among other things to do since his retirement from the US Army, he tracked all the men and their families as the Unofficial keeper of the battalion events.
The "Babenhausen Bandits" were a fore runner of the BV&F








1968



 
Babenhausen Vetrans & Friends
Bob Zebell:
 
I went to the Mozzochi ("MO") birthday party near "Little Washington, Virginia" and stayed for the entire event from 1230 to 1630 hours.
Upon my arrival, I was honored to be seated next to MO.
There were about 45-50 attendees. I was quite impressed by the extensive and quite nice preparations of the party site in the old schoolhouse.. elegant and elaborate.. many hand-made decorations; fine dinner with wines (with handmade Mozzochi 100-vintage labels) delicious hors d'oeuvres, lasagna, shrimp, spaghetti, etc. with several desserts including the 100-year birthday cake.
 
After dinner, there were gifts and presentations. Some noteworthy ones including: a flag flown in DC on 9/11; a plaque signed by President Obama and Michelle. I talked about Babenhausen then and now and the units there during our times. I especially noted his honorable career with his three war service. I also presented him with two 24X30" photo mosaic with 54 photographs I took in Babenhausen during several recent trips to Babenhausen and showed several mosaics from the 2 Bn 5th FA. Only a few in the crowd had military service and they had lots of questions about the mosaics and interest in military matters.

After serving the birthday cake, we were treated to a "This is My Life" from birth in Brooklyn, NY to the present including: going to school and growing up in the depression; marriage/family/daughters, WWII where he served in Italy & Austria, Korea & Vietnam (he says Korea & Vietnam were without value); his social activities (he's a Mason) and many other interesting activities too numerous to cover in this note.


I thoroughly enjoyed my fast moving multi-hour discussions with MO. He asked me to stay in touch and if there were any nearby Babenhausen reunions soon. I told him "no" but we'd let him know if and when one is planned.

Bob Zebell
September 2013






Korea, 1953



Bob Zebell's pictures from Sevino J. Mozzochi's 
100th Birthday party at Sperryville, Virginia

September 2013




          ©Bob Zebell
"Mo" with Summer Deeds" who is the great granddaughter of Mo's brother's Til (not present, he passed away four years ago) at his 100th Birthday party in September 2013




©Bob Zebell
The 100 year, Stars and Stripes Birthday cake




©Bob Zebell
"Blowing out the Candles"




©Bob Zebell
"Mo's" party gift table,
Babenhausen Vertans & Friends presented two mosaic photo boards of our wonderful Babenhausen Kaserne



©Bob Zebell
A very tasty Birthday dinner


©Bob Zebell
The Presentations to MO after dinner





©Bob Zebell
"100 years in the making"
the 100 year vintage wine label



©Bob Zebell
"Mo" with his family, left to right, Daughter Betty, Brother Paul, Sister Gloria, Brother Ray and Daughter Frances.



©Bob Zebell
Some 50 party guests, honoring a great Veteran




©Bob Zebell
Close up of Mo's guests



©Bob Zebell





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Meet George Rebane


George Rebane speaking at a forum for the use of Dolphins. He was a founder of the task force which developed the Dolphins during the Vietnam War for harbor security .

George was a member of the 2nd Bn, 5th Arty, 36th Arty Gp in 1963-1966.


to read more,


click here


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The Babenhausen visit

October 14.-19. 2010



Werner Gunkel, BV&F Director Walter Duke, Ute Wittenberger,Helgard Zebell, Gabi Lennertand Gabi Coutantin Buergermeister of Babenhausen.


Group foreground –Charles Chapman, Ute Wittenberger, Nancy Chapman, and Sheryl Fritz.



Director Walter Duke & Buergermeisterin Gabi Coutandin.


Walter Duke, David Dodge, Ute Wittenberger, and Robert Haldeman.


Director Duke, Beverly Gillette, Ute Wittenberger, Fritz Homann, Helgard Zebell


Waltraut McKenna, on-post.com Webmaster - Don McKenna and Walter Duke


Walter Duke, Connie Higerd, Robert Haldeman, and Bob Zebell in front of Rathaus.


Walter Duke and Connie Higerd.


Gene Gillette, George Rebane, Martell “Bud” Fritz, and Nancy Chapman.

Connie Higerd, Bob Zebell, Bill Higerd, and Robert Haldeman.


The East Entrance to the Kaserne.


Parade Ground Quadrant in front of Btry B, 2nd Bn, 5th Arty.


Deteriorated Building.


Rear of Btry C, 2nd Bn, 5th Arty.


Cross Street Service Club.


Parade Ground Quadrant looking West to Officers Club.


Left front of HQ 36th FA Group and right front 14th QM BN Headquarters.


Flag Pole


Inside the Officers Club - Bud Fritz, Dave Dodge, Gene Gillette, Bob Zebell and George Rebane


Officers Club, - Jo Ann Rebane, Bob Zebell, Bud Fritz and Sheryl Fritz.


Officers Club – Nancy Chapman, Bob Zebell, and Dave Dodge.


Chapel Marque.


Inside the Chapel – George Rebane.



Inside the Chapel – Bill Higerd, Bud Fritz, and Helgard Zebell.




Plaque in Chapel for Stained Glass Window – September 1953.




Stained Glass Window.




Chapel front yard – Walter Duke.



Field Grade Quarters.




Street in Field Grade Quarters.




Airfield – 36th FA Group hanger – 2010.




Airfield – 2nd Bn, 5h Arty hanger- 2010




- Airfield –
Walter Duke and Don Mannion in front of 2nd Bn, 5th Arty hanger office door – 2010.




Downtown Babenhausen – Frau Hohmann, Sheryl Fritz, Bob Zebell, Bud Fritz, Nancy Chapman, Robert Haldeman, Son Hohmann, Charles Chapman, and Gene Gillette.



Blue Hat - Bill Higerd, Bud Fritz, Ute Wittenberger, George Rebane and Jo Ann Rebane.




Bill Higerd and George Rebane.




Jeanne Dodge, Jo Ann Rebane, Connie Higerd, Beverly Gillette, Burgermeisterine Gabi Coutandin and Erica Haldeman.




Buergermeisterin Gabi Coutandin, Ute Wittenberger, Georg Wittenberger, Walter Duke, and Fritz Homann.




Wall – Director Walter Duke and Buergermeisterin Gabi Coutandin.





The city wall - with the covered plaque.






Unveiling the plaque.











At the Wall – Duke, Rebane, Zebell, Dodge, Plaque, Fritz, Gillette, Mannion, and Haldeman.






B. Higerd, C. Higerd, J. Rebane, G. Rebane, N. Chapman, Charles Chapman, B. Zebell, H. Zebell, G. Coutandin, M. Fritz, S. Fritz, Gillette, Duke, Mannion, R. Haldeman, E. Haldeman, D. Dodge, and J. Dodge.

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The Babenhauser Zeitung

10/21/10













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