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SADM: Tragbare "Atommine" |
Die ADM (Atomic Demolition
Munition) spielte eine wesentliche Rolle bei den Planungen und
"Kriegsspielen" im Bereich Fulda GAP.
Ein direkt Beteiligter, Charles M.
schreibt (in Auszügen):
... the Fulda Gap. I was in the 58th
Engineers, Fulda, from Dec 1963 till Aug 1965.
We were the keepers of special weapons (Anmerkung: ADM). Find
that this information - as best as I can tell - is still "Secret", so
will only give vague information ... Anyway, we (58th Engineers) were
stationed in Fulda at Downs Barracks and in our basement were three (3)
Nuclear Weapons. All of different sizes and for different purposes. The
smallest being to take out Downs Barracks, middle one I am not sure
about, but the largest being just a bit larger than a 55 gal. drum to be
taken to the Fulda Gap to stop the Soviets.
Being in First Platoon and the Platoon Leaders driver, it was our job to
take the largest one up to a specified point on the border where we were
to set the timer and protect it till it went off. "DAMN!"
Were told it was approximately 100 times stronger than either of the two
used in Japan but I could be wrong because that was a LONG time ago. But
it would have created one helluva pond anyway, I'm sure. Oh, the reason
I don't know where the middle one was to go is because we were not
allowed to know but had heard about the small one by accident.
Can remember several outfits (such as the 14th ACR) having exercises in
our area and I had gone on several with just my Lieutenant and myself
for several weeks at a time. He and I were the only ones from Downs
Barracks there plus a lot of Generals on down running around playing
their games which I was not allowed access. Had a two star General sit
on my jeep one day while we smoked a cigarette...
Anyway, you asked about the special weapons. They
were in our basement and it was the Engineers job to Arm/Ignite them -
as Always! This is just one of the many things we did. The 14th Cav. may
have been charged with escorting us up to the border, this I do not know.
But I do know MY job was to drive us three and the larger weapon up
there where the Officer armed it then we were to guard it till it went
off. As for what the 14th Cav. or the 3rd Armor was to do I do not know.
I know the 58th Engineers / Fulda's main job was this and once the
problem went away the 58th was disbanded, as I might add it had before.
The 58th was part of V Corps.
Auf einigen Webseiten ist heute noch zu lesen, es sei
"unklar" ob der Einsatz von ADM in Deutschland vorgesehen war; dies ist
veraltet. Heute steht unter anderem anhand der NATO Planungen (General
Defensive Plan V. AK/USA), aber auch durch Aussagen von ehemaligen
amerikanischen Armeeangehörigen (siehe oben) fest, das für bestimmte
Objekte und Gebiete auch nukleare Zündung geplant war.
Die "Sprengschächte" allerdings waren dafür NICHT vorgesehen. |