Arrived at Herzo base in Herzogennaurach, Germany in January 1950 at the 114th Signal Service Company. There was also the 116th Signal Service Company and the 8606 A.A.U. along with the Polish Guard Unit that patrolled the base perimeter and the antenna field. A side note to the antenna field.... One night, an Army Laison airplane landed in the antenna field which was set up on the old airstrip. The next morning, the pilot was amazed that he never hit one of the antennas or any of the guy wires. His plane was in trouble and he found this airstrip on his maps.
Herzo was a fully equipped installation. The Luftwaffe barracks had two man rooms, hardwood floors, curtains, and central heat. Operations consisted of a large hanger containing an intercept, a crypto, and an antenna room and duty watch. The Direction Finding site was located on the outer perimeter near the antenna field. In order for the 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. trick to reach the D/F site, they had to drive through the antenna field but along the way they were always challenged by the Polish Guards who did not understand English. So we had to stop the vehicle, dismount, stand in the headlights, and produce a photo I.D. One guard would check us out and the other guard stood in the shadows. The Polish Guards had pretty strict orders against anything out of the norm.
Herzo had a lot of amenities, including a nice gym, athletic fields, snack bar, PX, EM and Officers clubs, USO Club. And best of all, a German tailor that would mend uniforms, sew on buttons and stripes if you were lucky to get a promotion or unlucky enough to get a demotion.
submitted by Len Bittner, 114th/331st, 1950-1952