Photo Courtesy Jeff Hill

The beginning...

While the photo on the left is not from the precise beginning of the 4th USAFAD, it is a very good opportunity to see what the 4th looked like early on. Many of those who served in the days of the 'Honest John' System will remember the 4th USAFAD (then perhaps known as the 4th FA Det) as being housed in the building you see here. At some point in the late 70's or early 80's the unit's quarters were replaced by a new building across the street (shown on pg. 1 of this "history" linkage). From that point on the 4th's "old" barracks was known as "Signal Site", as it was the home of the large, easily recognizable microwave communications tower which served as part of the redundant communications network that every special weapons unit had at it's disposal.

 

The broad story...

The 4th U.S. Army Field Artillery Detachment was activated in September 1962 at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. It was originally designated the 4th U.S. Army Missile Detachment and assigned to the 5th U.S. Army Artillery Group. In January 1963, the 4th Missile Detachment, along with other units of the 5th USAAG, left for Germany and arrived in Bremerhaven in February. In September 1970, the 4th Missile Detachment was redesignated the 4th U.S. Army Artillery Detachment. In October 1978, the 4th was reassigned to the 570th USAAG.

The 570th USAAG (United States Army Artillery Group) was located in Münster, Germany. The top photo (to the right) is the Group Crest. A larger image may be seen by clicking the picture.

The 570th was under the command of the 59th Ordnance Brigade, located in Pirmasens, Germany. Second photo (right) is the brigade patch.

The 59th Ordnance Brigade came under the command of NORTHAG (Northerm Army Group), and CINCUSAREUR (Commander in Chief, US Army, Europe). This allowed for a great deal of command control for NATO host units (strategically), but still mandated that Special Weapons 'release' was controlled by a command structure that ONLY involved the US chain of command, on up to the President of the United States (Commander in Chief).

The 4th USAFAD was inactivated in June 1992.

 

 
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