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Beginnings
In 1934, the German government chose the Giebelstadt area for an airfield. The area was surveyed in the spring of 1934 and that August the farmers learned why. The government appropriated the land and gave the unlucky farmers either cash or land in other locations. -
1935 - Fliegerhorst Giebelstadt
Located southwest of the town of the same name in Bavaria, approximately 250 miles southwest of Berlin. It's history began in 1928 when the German army was searching for a suitable location for an air station in the region. Due to the very favorable climate and topographical location, a spot near the town of Giebelstadt was finally chosen. The airport was built in 1935 and was officially inaugurated on September 17th 1936, being one of the first airfields in use by the Luftwaffe. -
Hitler opens Gieb
Adolf Hitler officially opened the airfield after a review of the troops on 11 September 1936. -
Training
Giebelstadt became a training facility for pilots, observers, and radio operators from 1939 until 1941. -
Messerschmitt Me 262
Giebelstadt was a secret testing site for the first jet Aircraft. The aircraft made its first successful flight entirely on jet power on 18 July 1942, powered by a pair of Jumo 004 engines. -
ME 262 Pilots at Gieb
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Bombed
Bomb run photos -
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Captured
April 1945, the 12th Armored Division captured Giebelstadt and its airfield shortly before the end of the war in Europe. Gieb becomes the 12th Armor COMMAND POST.
Photograph of William Carmody leaning against the side of a truck in Giebelstadt, Germany April 3, 1945 -
10th Tactical Fighter Squadron
Giebelstadt, Germany, 20 Apr 1945
Inactivated on 7 Nov 1945.
Redesignated 10th Fighter Squadron, Jet, on 16 Dec 1949 -
55th Fighter Group
During July 1946, the 55th Fighter Group was one of the units to receive the first U.S. operational jet fighter, the Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star. However, the Group continued to fly P-51s and according to. one source, A-26s. On 29 April, the unit moved to Giebelstadt, Germany, and on 20 August 1946, the unit was inactivated. ~ http://www.cieldegloire.com/fg_055.php -
38th Fighter Sqd - Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star
Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star
During July 1946, the 55th Group was one of the units to receive the first U.S. operational jet fighter, the Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star. -
SAC 492d Bombardment Squadron (Very Heavy) B-29 Superfortress operations
B-29 Superfortress operations
AAF extended the runway to 7200 feet and the B-29 Superfortress bombers of the Strategic Air Command arrived to conduct training during temporary deployments to Europe. -
Closed
Giebelstadt AAB airfield closed again as the last US personnel left in January 1948 -
603rd Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron
April 1950 603rd Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron arrive. http://www.c-and-e-museum.org/Pinetreeline/giebelstadt/gieb-other/other/ogieb-2.html -
Tompkins, Richard - memories
Tompkins, Richard - I arrived in Giebelstadt in October 1953 and I departed in August 1956. I was trained as a radio operator and our post was on the back of a two & half ton truck, one of those huts built on the bed...My final 18 months were spent heading a small three-man team as a cryptographer, located in the HQ building. Months before leaving in l956 a super secret "weather squadron" arrived... ~ http://www.c-and-e-museum.org/Pinetreeline/giebelstadt/gieb-other/other/ogieb-3.html -
GENETRIX program
Around July 1955, members of the 1st. Air Division Survey Team of the United States Air Force (USAF), visited the Giebelstadt airfield, to verify that the facilities were adequate for "Genetrix" a program developed by the Strategic Air Command and other agencies to obtain photographic reconnaissance of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and its satellites using stratospheric balloons carrying high resolution cameras. [GENETRIX program]http://stratocat.com.ar/bases/84e.htm -
U2: Detachment A
October 1956, Detachment "A", with four U-2 aircraft, arrived at Giebelstadt.
[Operational flights] http://www.c-and-e-museum.org/Pinetreeline/metz/other/otherm9t2.html [Det 2]http://www.c-and-e-museum.org/Pinetreeline/metz/other/otherm9s.html -
603rd AC&W Squadron moved
July 1956 - 603rd AC&W Squadron moved from Giebelstadt to Langerkopf. -
602nd AC&W
The 602nd AC&W Squadron was permanently assigned to Giebelstadt in August 1956. That started the longest stay of any US forces to be assigned to Giebelstadt as the 602nd AC&W Squadron remained active on the base until 1968. 602 AC&W Sq moved to Giebelstadt in 1956. They started building the 412-L buildings in 1962. Initially, the site was primarily used for testing & verification, and went operational in 1965. http://www.c-and-e-museum.org/Pinetreeline/giebelstadt/gieb-other/other/ogieb-5.html -
U2 Cease Operations
Detachment moves to Pakistan.
[Decline]http://www.c-and-e-museum.org/Pinetreeline/metz/other/otherm9k.html -
USAF 86th Air Division
Interceptors of the 86th Air Division used the Giebelstadt frequently as a forward base from their home bases west of the Rhine, however, new budget reductions would led to Air Force to transfer in August 1968 the base and all of its facilities to United States Army control. -
6th Bn, 52nd ADA
6th Bn, 52nd ADA HAWK was the first operational HAWK Bn in the Army. ~ http://www.thumbwave.com/d652ada/text/deploy.htm -
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3rd BATTALION, 67th AIR DEFENSE ARTILLERY
3d Missile Battalion, 67th Air Defense Artillery. Redesignated 13 September I 972 as the 3d Battalion, 67th Air Defense Artillery, assigned to the 3d Infantry Division, and activated in Germany. -
Crash landing of C-130E Hercules 68-10946
"Buffeted by high winds on final approach the landing gear collapsed and the number one engine caught fire on touchdown. The propeller disintegrated, three crew members were injured, there were no fatalities." DOD
https://www.mil-airfields.de/de/giebelstadt-aaf.htm -
KIA: AYALA, DAVID CW2
CO F, 1ST BN, 159TH AVN, TF WINGS
(CJTF-76)
CW2 David Ayala enlisted in the U.S. Army as an OH-58 Helicopter Mechanic upon graduating from high school. He served in Kosovo from Nov 1999 to Apr 2000 as a Sgt and an OH-58D Crew Chief. He attended the U.S. Army Basic Rotary Wing Training, Warrant Officer Basic Course, CH-47D Qualification Course, and SERE-C training.
In March of 2003 he joined F Company, 159th Aviation Regiment “Big Windy”. https://www.windy25.org/cw2-david-ayala.html -
Windy 25
On April 6, 2005 a U.S. Army helicopter crashed near Ghazni, Afghanistan killing all five crew members along with 11 passengers. The call-sign of the CH-47 Chinook helicopter was Windy25, one of the aircraft belonging to F Company, 159th Aviation Regiment, “Big Windy.” -
KIA: SANDERS, CHARLES RAY JR SSG
SSG Charles “Chuck” Sanders was born in Missouri on November 4, 1975. Chuck enlisted in 1995 in the U.S. Army as a CH-47D Helicopter Mechanic. He ultimately became an Assistant Platoon Sergeant and accomplished Flight Engineer. From November 1995 to April 1998 he served in Fort Wainwright, Alaska. He stayed on for a second tour in Alaska, then moved to Giebelstadt, Germany in October 2004. ~ https://www.windy25.org/ssg-charles-ldquochuckrdquo-sanders.html -
KIA: SPIVEY, MICHAEL KEITH SPC
Prior to joining F Company, 159th Aviation Regiment “Big Windy”, he was stationed at Ft Eustis, Virginia, and Ft Knox, Kentucky. Upon joining Big Windy, he served in Iraq as a member of maintenance platoon, and volunteered to be a door gunner. He served as a Crew Chief for 1st Flight Platoon. -
KIA: SYKES, PENDELTON LIDELL II SPC
He attended the aviation mechanics course in Virginia, then was stationed at Fort Story, Virginia, Richmond, Virginia, and Fort Benning, Georgia. After Georgia, he was reassigned to F Company, 159th Aviation Regiment “Big Windy” at Gieblelstadt. He arrived at Big Windy in Jan 2004, and served as a member of Maintenance Platoon. ~ https://www.windy25.org/spc-pendelton-l-sykes-ii.html -
KIA: CW2 Clint Prather
As a Staff Sergeant, he served as a Medic and was reassigned to Hawaii in July of 1999. From Hawaii he went to Ft Rucker, Alabama to attend Basic Rotary Wing Training, SERE School, Warrant Officer Basic Course, CH-47d Course, and the Electronic Warfare Officer Course.
In December of 2001, he was stationed at Giebelstadt where he joined F Company, 159th Aviation Regiment “Big Windy”. He served with Big Windy in Balad, Iraq, as a Chinook pilot and as the company’s intelligence officer. -
KIA: ROSS, KENNETH GRANT SGT
Sgt. Kenneth G. Ross, 24, was among five service members killed during the weekend when their helicopter crashed southwest of Deh Chopan, 180 miles southwest of Kabul. Ross was assigned to the Army’s 7th Battalion, 159th Aviation Regiment. -
RETURN TO RAD
the US Department of Defense announced in July 2005 plans for the return of eleven Army bases to Germany in fiscal year 2007. As a result, Giebelstadt Army Airfield was closed by the United States Army on 23 June 2006.
