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History
The history of the 59th Ordnance Brigade and its forerunners, the Advanced Weapons Support
Command (AWSCOM) and the Special Ammunition Support Command (SASCOM), reaches
back into the 1950s, several years before the command's headquarters was organized.
In April 1955, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 71st Ordnance Group was organized
and assigned to the Seventh U.S. Army and stationed in Pirmasens, Germany.
In June 1959, the 71st Ordnance Group was officially redesignated as AWSCOM as part of
Theater Army Support Group.
AWSCOM was redesignated as the 59th Ordnance Group (Ammunition) in March 1962. The
Group assumed a record of service that went back to 1943 with the Headquarters and
Headquarters Company. By May 1962, 21 units were assigned to the 59th Ordnance Group. In
June 1965, AWSCOM was authorized as the official abbreviation for the 59th Ordnance Group
(Ammunition).
While the 59th Ordnance Group was undergoing its 12-year metamorphosis, events were taking
place that were to have a shaping influence on the 59th Ordnance Brigade as it is known today.
In 1957 President Eisenhower offered certain special weapons to NATO. Congressional
restraints prevented this offer from becoming an outright grant. Instead, it was provided that
weapons should be positioned in allied countries but these weapons would remain United States
property.
June 23, 1958 marked the first, of what would be later called, Special Ammunition Support
Command (SASCOM) units on foreign soil (Turkey), and the first special weapons support
provided to an allied nation. The establishment of SASCOM was a slow process due to the types
of agreements that had to be concluded between the United States and the NATO nations before
special weapons could be made available and the program could get under way.
Once all agreements had been concluded the Special Ammunition Support Command, born on
April 15, 1960, became a significant part of the United States commitment to NATO.
Headquartered in Frankfurt, SASCOM, was organized with two types of units, artillery and
ordnance. The 1960s saw SASCOM grow at a tremendous pace as new groups were activated
and detachments assigned to them. By 1967, SASCOM was composed of 10 artillery groups
commanding 38 missile artillery detachments.
On Oct. 20, 1972, the command envisioned by the NATO Advanced Weapons Division 13 years
before came into being. The artillery detachments, the ordnance companies, and the depot
companies were combined into one command. The similar, but separate missions performed for
so long by SASCOM and the 59th Ordnance Group (Ammunition) AWSCOM, were now
assumed by one command - the 59th Ordnance Group, later to be officially called and accepted
as the 59th Ordnance Group (SASCOM).
The new command, headquartered in Pirmasens on Husterhoeh Kaserne, saw many changes
during the next few years. As a result of the formation of the new command, several artillery
groups inactivated and joined their forces under the new command, and two ordnance battalion
headquarters were activated.
Effective Aug. 22, 1977, the 59th Ordnance Group was redesignated as the 59th Ordnance
Brigade and increased its mission to include support of guided missile systems and land combat
systems used by the U.S. Army Corps in Europe.
Mission
The brigade's mission was to provide direct and general special weapons support for all U.S.
Army, Europe, and NATO forces. In reality, this mission was one of the most unique, complex
and difficult to be found in any army in the world.
Organization
At the time of the inactivation announcement, the brigade was composed of five artillery groups,
two ordnance battalions and a headquarters support battalion, totaling more than 2,900 military
and 100 civilian personnel.
The artillery groups consisted of an ordnance company, artillery detachments and a headquarters
detachment. The groups provided custody, control, maintenance, and supply of ammunition for
our NATO allies. Some detachments had the dual mission of performing technical support and
maintenance, while simultaneously performing custodial agent functions.
CENTAG, covering the middle and southern areas of Germany, consists of two German corps,
two U.S. corps, and a Canadian mechanized brigade. There was also a 59th Ordnance Brigade
staff element at CENTAG headquarters.
Exercising operational control over the 2nd and 4th ATAF, AAFCE is responsible for deterring
air attacks and responding if attack should occur.
As can be seen, Allied Command, Europe, is a complex organization combining the armed
forces of many nations and requiring close liaison to ensure cooperation and, ultimately, the
ability to respond in the event of war. The 59th Ordnance Brigade was an important part of this
command and an integral element in NATO's deterrence of aggression.
AWSCOW and the former Special Ammunition Support Command (SASCOM) were
consolidated and merged to form a "new" SASCOM in 1972. The new 59th Ordnance Group
(SASCOM) moved from Frankfurt to the old AWSCOM headquarters in Pirmasens.
On 22 August 1977, 59th Ordnance Group (SASCOM) was reorganized and redesignated as
Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 59th Ordnance Brigade. HHC, 59th is scheduled to
inactivate in September 1992.
While they lived in Heidelberg, "the home of the general," members of the staff element were
often called upon to host as well as attend high level conferences, special functions, and be
specially trained to monitor, support and participate in major NATO exercises to accomplish
their mission while under direct supervision of the 59th Ordnance Brigade commander. (See
page 62 for history of CENTAG.)
6th MP Company
The 6th Military Police Company was constituted in the national Army in November 1917 as the
6th Training Headquarters and Military Police, an element of the 6th Division. The unit was
organized at Camp McClellan, Ala. in February 1918.
The unit deployed to Europe and received credit for participation during World War I, the only
brigade unit to do so.
During World War II the unit was deployed to the Asiatic-Pacific, participated in two campaigns,
and was awarded a Meritorious Unit Commendation and a Philippine Presidential Unit Citation.
The unit was inactivated in Korea in January 1949.
The 6th Military Police Company was activated at Muenster-Dieburg, Germany in September
1977 from elements of the 545th Ordnance Company and the 9th Military Police Detachment
which was inactivated. The company was assigned to the 72nd Ordnance Battalion, 59th
Ordnance Group. The 6th was inactivated in June 1992.
556th MP Company
The 556th Military Police Company was constituted in the U.S. Army in June 1945 as the 556th
Military Police Escort Guard Company and was activated at Fort Custer, Mich. The unit was
deployed to Europe and received credit for participation in four campaigns during World War II
and was awarded a Meritorious Unit Commendation. The unit was inactivated in France in 1946.
The company was activated in Siegelsbach, Germany in May 1962 as a result of a physical
security force reorganization that detached the security platoon from the 525th Ordnance
Company. The company was assigned to the 82nd Ordnance Battalion of the Advanced Weapons
Support Command.
In July 1962, the 556th was reassigned to the 193rd Ordnance Battalion and then was assigned
back to the 82nd in June 1964. In July 1965, the company was assigned directly under
AWSCOM as a result of the plan to inactivate the 82nd Ordnance Battalion. Finally, in
November 1972, the 556th was assigned to the 197th Ordnance Battalion.
In October 1990 the 556th MP Company was assigned to the 72nd Ordnance Battalion. The
company was located at Siegelsbach, Germany and inactivated in June 1992.
558th MP Company
The 558th Military Police Company was constituted in the U.S. Army as the 558th Military
Police Escort Guard Company and activated at Fort Custer, Mich. in June 1943. The company
was inactivated in March 1945 at Como, Miss., but was reactivated in the Philippines in April
1945.
The unit received credit for participation in two World War II campaigns and was awarded a
Philippines Presidential Unit Citation. Following several activations and inactivations, the unit
was allotted to the regular Army in October 1951.
The unit was deployed to Korea and was credited with participation in nine campaigns and
awarded three Meritorious Unit Commendations and two Republic of Korea Presidential Unit
Citations.
In March 1962, the company was activated in Germany as the 558th Military Police Company
and assigned to the 72nd Ordnance Battalion of the Advanced Weapons Support Command with
duty at the U.S. Army Special Depot, Kriegsfeld, Germany.
The 558th was inactivated on Nov. 1, 1991, at Kriegsfeld.
Redesignated as the 9th Ordnance Company (Direct Automotive Support) in November 1952,
the unit was inactivated in March 1953. The 9th Ordnance was again activated in November
1953 at Fort Bragg, N.C., but was inactivated there in March of the following year.
The company was again active from January 1955 through March 1958 at Fort Knox, Kentucky.
The unit was activated as the 9th Ordnance Company (Special Weapons and Missile) (Depot
Support) in December 1958 at White Sands, N.M. In June 1959, the company arrived in West
Germany and was assigned to the 82nd Ordnance Battalion, Advanced Weapons Support
Command, with duty at Miesau Army Depot.
In May 1961, the 9th Ordnance Company was transferred to the 72nd Ordnance Battalion, and
then in September 1965, the company was assigned directly under AWSCOM when the 72nd
Ordnance Battalion was inactivated.
In January 1971, the 9th Ordnance Company, along with the 4th Ordnance Company and the
164th Military Police Company, was made part of the Miesau Special Depot under AWSCOM.
In June 1972, the unit received the Best Mess Award from the Theater Army Support Command.
In November 1972, the Miesau Special Depot was disbanded when the 72nd Ordnance Battalion
was activated, the 9th was assigned to the 72d. Finally, in June 1983, the 9th Ordnance Company
was reassigned to the newly organized Theater Support Battalion (Provisional) which in June
1985 was redesignated as the 3rd Ordnance Battalion.
During the historic chemical retrograde, the 9th Ordnance Company was responsible for the
vehicular to rail transload phase of the operation.
On July 26, 1990, the 9th Ordnance Company received the first 20 vehicles to download at the
Reserve Support Activity, Miesau. All 100,000 chemical rounds where staged and accounted for
28 days later.
The company was also responsible for the upload of the munitions onto the trains which would
transport them to the port at Nordenham.
On July 17, 1991, the Meritorious Unit Award was presented to the 9th Ordnance Company for
distinguishing itself during the Chemical Retrograde.
In February 1991, the 3rd Ordnance Battalion was inactivated and the 9th Ordnance Company,
still located in Miesau, was assigned to the 197th Ordnance Battalion.
The 9th Ordnance Company will again inactivate in August 1992.
Company C, 70th Quartermaster Battalion and moved to Camp Gordon, Ga. in May 1942. In
August 1942, the company was converted and redesignated as the 3419th Ordnance Medium
Maintenance Company.
In January 1943, the company was reorganized as the 3419th Ordnance Medium Automotive
Maintenance Company. The unit deployed to Europe and received credit for participation in four
campaigns during War World II. Reorganized and redesignated as the 41st Ordnance Medium
Automotive Maintenance Company in June 1947, the unit was inactivated in Germany in
September of that year.
The company was activated in Japan in March 1950 and deployed to Korea where it received
credit for participation in one campaign. In November 1951, the unit was inactivated in Japan.
Activated at Fort Bragg, N.C. in May 1952, the company was reorganized and redesignated as
the 41st Ordnance Company in November of that same year. The 41st was inactivated in
Thailand in September 1966.
In September 1975, the 41st Ordnance Company was again activated, this time at Weilerbach,
West Germany, and was assigned to the 72nd Ordnance Battalion of the 59th Ordnance Group.
Two years later, in September 1977, the company was reassigned to the 3rd Ordnance Battalion.
The 41st Ordnance was transferred to Special Troops Battalion (Provisional) when the 3rd
Ordnance Battalion moved to the 32nd U.S. Army Air Defense Command. The company was
then assigned to the Theater Support Battalion (Provisional) when it was organized and then to
the 3rd Ordnance Battalion in June 1985 with its return to the 59th Ordnance Brigade.
The 41st Ordnance Company was reassigned to the 197th Ordnance Battalion in October 1990
when the 3rd Ordnance Battalion was inactivated.
Support Command with the mission of commanding and operating the Fischbach Ordnance
Depot.
In April 1962, the unit was reorganized as the 64th Ordnance Company (Special Ammunition)
(Depot Support). As a result of plans to inactivate the 82nd Ordnance Battalion in September
1965, the 64th was assigned directly under AWSCOM in July. The AWSCOM Special Depot,
Fischbach, was organized in December 1970, creating a headquarters to command the 64th as
well as the other AWSCOM units at Fischbach.
With the merger of AWSCOM and the Special Ammunition Support Command in November
1972, the Headquarters, Special Depot, Fischbach, was disbanded and the 64th was assigned to
the newly activated 197th Ordnance Battalion.
The 64th Ord. Co. inactivated in June 1992.
164th MP Company
The 164th Military Police Company was organized and activated as the 164th Military Police
Prisoner of War Processing Company in January 1944 at Fort Custer, Mich. The 164th arrived in
New Guinea in August 1944 and then on Leyte in the Philippines in October of the same year.
For its actions in World War II, the company was awarded a Philippine Presidential Citation and
received credit for participation in three campaigns. The unit was inactivated in January 1946 on
Leyte.
The 164th was activated and assigned to the 8th U.S. Army in Korea in 1951. During the Korean
War, the company participated in five campaigns and was awarded two Republic of Korea
Presidential Unit Citations. It was inactivated in Korea in December 1953.
The unit was redesignated and activated as the 164th Military Police Company in March 1962 in
Kaiserslautern, West Germany. In the fall of 1962, the 164th was assigned for duty at Miesau
Army Depot. In March 1967, the 44th and 100th Military Police Detachments were attached to
the 164th.
From January 1971 through November 1972, the 164th was part of the Miesau Special Depot, a
command subordinate to AWSCOM. In March 1971, and again in March 1972, the 164th
received the AWSCOM Commander's Trophy for having the best sports program in the
command.
In November 1972, the company was assigned to the newly activated 72nd Ordnance Battalion.
In August 1975, the military police detachments were inactivated and the personnel transferred
to the 164th.
In June 1983, the 164th was transferred to the new Theater Support Battalion (Provisional)
which became the 3rd Ordnance Battalion in June 1985.
The 164th was assigned to the 197th Ordnance Battalion in October 1990 after the inactivation
of the 3rd Ordnance Battalion.
The 164th MP Co. will be inactivated in August 1992.
165th MP Company
The 165th Military Police Company was constituted in October 1944 in the Army of the United
States as the 165th Military Police Prisoner of War Processing Company and activated at Fort
Sam Houston, Texas. The unit was reorganized and redesignated in March 1945 as the 165th
Military Police Escort Guard Company, and was inactivated in October of that year at
Vancouver Barracks, Wash.
In September 1951, it was allotted to the regular Army and the following month it was activated
in Korea. The company was reorganized and redesignated as the 165th Military Police Company
in February 1953. For its actions in Korea, the 165th was credited with participation in five
campaigns and was awarded two Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citations. The 165th was
inactivated in Korea in April 1954.
In March 1962, the 165th was activated in West Germany and assigned to the 193rd Ordnance
Battalion of the Advanced Weapons Support Command. In April 1964, it was reassigned to the
82nd Ordnance Battalion, and then directly under AWSCOM in July 1965 as a result of the plans
to inactivate the battalion.
The 165th was assigned to the Special Depot, Fischbach, in December 1970, and then to the
197th Ordnance Battalion upon the battalion's activation in November 1972.
The 165th MP Co. was relocated to Pirmasens in January 1992, and is scheduled to be
inactivated in September 1992.
Activated in Germany in June 1947, the unit was reorganized and redesignated as the 563rd
Ordnance Company in April 1953, only to be inactivated two years later in France.
The 563rd was activated in June 1964 at Fort Dix, N.J. and then inactivated there in 1967.
Activated once again at Redstone Arsenal, Ala. in September 1969, the company arrived at
Camp Perry in Wiesbaden, West Germany in March 1970 and was assigned to the Advanced
Weapons Support Command.
In August 1970, the 563rd assumed operational control of the 255th Ordnance Detachment and
its mission of Chapparal/Vulcan support. In September 1971, the 563rd assumed responsibility
for Redeye support for the Berlin Brigade. The 255th Ordnance Detachment was inactivated in
March 1973, but the support mission remained.
In September 1977, the 563rd was assigned to the 3rd Ordnance Battalion and then to Special
Troops Battalion (Provisional) in November 1982, Theater Support Battalion (Provisional) in
May 1983, and finally 3rd Ordnance Battalion in June 1985.
The 563rd was assigned to the 197th Ordnance Battalion in October 1991 due to the inactivation
of the 3rd Ordnance Battalion.
In November 1991, the 619th Ordnance Company was reassigned to the 197th Ordnance
Battalion, relocated to Hahn Air Base, and redesignated as the 619th Theater Air Support
Company (Provisional).
The 619th TASC is scheduled to be inactivated in August 1992.
Ammunition Company in March 1943. The company served in the Asian-Pacific Theater during
World War II and received credit for the New Guinea Campaign.
It was inactivated in 1947, but was activated again in 1950 in Korea as the 59th Ordnance
Ammunition Renovation Platoon. The unit received credit for eight campaigns during the
Korean War.
It was redesignated as the 99th Ordnance Detachment in November 1954 and deactivated in June
1955.
After serving in Vietnam and receiving credit for 11 campaigns, the 99th was deactivated there
in November 1972.
The 99th Ordnance Detachment was reactivated in Germany in November 1974 in Flensburg,
then inactivated in May 1992.
The 24th U.S. Army Field Artillery Detachment was organized and activated in January 1961 as
the 24th U.S. Army Missile Detachment at Fort Sill, Okla. Upon arrival in Europe in July 1961,
the detachment was assigned to the 548th U.S. Army Artillery Group and then to the 512th U.S.
Army Field Artillery Group in July 1962. The detachment was inactivated in May 1992.
The 510th Ordnance Company was constituted in the Army of the United States as Company F,
54th Quartermaster Regiment in May 1936.
The company was activated in June 1941 at Fort Dix, N.J. and in June 1942 it moved to Fort
Meade, Md. The unit was redesignated as Company F, 54th Ordnance Regiment in August 1942,
and in October 1943 it was redesignated as the 872nd Ordnance Heavy Maintenance Company.
In April 1943, the 872nd was transferred to Dawson Creek, Canada. Later that year, the company
was redesignated as the 872nd Ordnance Heavy Automotive Maintenance Company.
The 872nd moved to Fort Ord, Calif. in April 1944 and was alerted for overseas movement.
Departing the United States in January 1945, the 872nd arrived in France in January 1946. For its
service in the European Theater of Operations, the company received credit for two campaigns.
After the war, the 872nd remained in Germany until March 1946 when it returned to the United
States for inactivation later that month.
In February 1947, the unit was redesignated as the 510th Ordnance Heavy Automotive
Maintenance Company.
The company was redesignated in April 1959 as the 510th Ordnance Company for assignment to
the Armed Forces Weapons Project. The 510th was activated in June 1959 at Sandia Base, N.M.
as a special weapons and missile general support company.
In August 1962, the 510th arrived in Germany and was assigned to the 512th U.S. Army
Artillery Group. The 510th was inactivated May 1992.
arrived in Germany in March 1960. The unit was assigned to the 552nd U.S. Army Artillery
Group.
The 32nd was located in Nienburg and inactivated in June 1992.
The 7th U.S. Army Field Artillery Detachment was activated in December 1961 at Fort Sill,
Okla. as the 7th U.S. Army Missile Detachment. The detachment was assigned to the 1st Field
Artillery Brigade, Field Artillery Missile Training Command. The unit satisfactorily completed
training in March 1962 and subsequently arrived in Germany in May of that year.
The 7th USAFAD was assigned to the 512th U.S. Army Artillery Group until June 1966 when it
was reassigned to the 557th U.S. Army Artillery Group and located in Treysa. The unit
inactivated in June 1992.
The history of the 96th Ordnance Company dates back to the activation of the 8th Mobile Repair
Shop in August 1914 at Camp Hancock, Ga. The unit was reorganized as an inactive Army unit
in the 1930s and in 1939 it was disbanded and renamed the 96th Ordnance Company. The
company was activated in World War II and saw service in the Asian-Pacific Theater, earning a
Meritorious Unit Citation.
Deactivated in Hawaii in 1948, the company was reactivated in 1952 at White Sands Proving
Ground, N.M. where it remained until its deactivation in 1957. (1)
On Jan. 6,1959. the 96th Ord. Co. was activated as a Special Ammunition, General Support unit
at Sandia Base, N.M.
In January 1961, the 96th moved to Red River Army Depot, Texas where it remained until July
1966. At that time, the company moved to Germany and was assigned to the 548th U.S. Army
Artillery Group with further assignment to the 557th U.S. Army Artillery Group. The 96th was
collocated with the group headquarters in Herbornseelbach. The 96th inactivated June 1992.
Sill, Okla. in March 1951 and deployed to Korea, where it received the Republic of Korea
Presidential Unit Citation. In October 1951, the unit deactivated in Korea.
The detachment was redesignated the 26th U.S. Army Artillery Detachment in May 1958, and
activated a month later at Fort Sill, Okla. The detachment was assigned to Special Weapons
Support Command in June 1960, and assigned to the 5th U.S. Army Artillery Group, located in
Germany, in November 1963.
The 26th U.S. Army Missile Detachment inactivated in Germany, February 1967, only to be
activated again in Germany in November 1976. In March 1988, the unit was reorganized and
renamed the 26th U.S. Army Field Artillery Detachment.
During this reorganization the unit was assigned to the 570th USAAG and moved from
Paderborn to Sennelager. The 26th inactivated in Sennelager in May 1992.
In January 1953, the company was redesignated as the 583rd Ordnance Company and
reorganized as an ammunition depot. The company was inactivated in December 1954.
In January 1959, the 583rd was activated in Dahn, Germany and assigned to the U.S. Army
Communications Zone. It was later assigned to the Advanced Weapons Support Command,
headquartered in Pirmasens.
Effective Dec. 1, 1964, the 583rd Ordnance Company was assigned to the Special Ammunition
Support Command, and it was further assigned to the 570th U.S. Army Artillery Group. The
583rd Ordnance Company was inactivated in May 1991.