Warner Barracks Closure

[Todd A. Mercer]

The end is nearly here.

After many years of on-again, off-again plans to shutter Warner Barracks, the final closure ceremony is this coming Friday, 12 September 2014. Last year, all the troops moved out. The last units there were with the 173rd Airborne Bde. These were the soldiers "north of the Alps" for that Vicenza, Italy-based brigade.

I went to Warner Barracks back in June to run my retirement flag up the community flag pole. The Community NCOIC was very helpful, and gave me a nice plaque in addition to helping me with the flag. It was nice to be back, but very sad that Warner Bks was such a ghost town. Already, most everyone was gone, only a handful of military, and a few more civilians there to turn over the place to the Germans.

So many careers had incubated, grown, thrived and were grounded there. So many lives. So many roads and paths in life and careers crossed there. I always say it was a wonderful place to serve, and for me was probably the chief reason among many that I stayed in for a whole career.

I will be there for the closure ceremony on Friday at 1600. The city is also hosting a reception downtown after the ceremony. I will gladdly take photos of anything that people might want pictures of, but frankly without the people and tracks, families and lives, pictures won't tell much of a story, methinks.

So, the end is truly almost here for that magical place and time where our lives crossed.

And then, like the old soldier she was throughout the Cold War and after, USAG Warner Barracks, Bamberg Germany will fade into memory and history.

[Roy M. Davis]

The 173rd Abn Bde was my unit in Vietnam. Started out in B Co 1/503rd and then went to N Co. 75th Inf (LRRP)

[Kenneth A. Moore]

Thank you for your service for our country, Todd Mercer.   "Ready Rifles" still today.