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During August
1956, six modified Special Forces Operational "A"
of the 10th Special Forces Group
(Airborne) stationed at Flint Kasern in Bad Toelz, West Germany,
were relocated to West Berlin under the name 7781 Army
unit (also known subsequently as 39th SFOD) and embedded
within Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 6th
Infantry Regiment, Regimental Headquarters. Each team at
that time was comprised of one master sergeant and five
team members.
Overall Officer in charge of the group was a Major
Maltese, assisted by Captain Barton who was the Platoon
Leader.. On 1 September 1956, the group moved officially
to the top floor of building 1000B at McNair Barracks,
West Berlin, under the name of Security Platoon,
Regimental Headquarters, 6th Infantry Regiment.
APO 742.
In April 1958, the unit found its final home in Building
904, Section2, at Andrews Barracks, West Berlin, and
assigned to HHQ Company, US Army Garrison Berlin with a
new name - Detachment "A" (Det-A).
Detachment 'A', Berlin Brigade, was a
clandestine unit of six Special Forces Teams
on high alert status 24-hours a day (monthly
unannounced practice alerts). This 'covert'
unit was made up of selectively trained and
language qualified members of Special
Forces, including many former German and
Eastern European immigrants who brought much
needed culture, geographical and language
skills to this assignment. Their actual
missions were classified and changed in
later days; they dressed mostly in civilian
clothing made and locally purchased in East
and West Germany, and carried - if required
- appropriate non-American flash
documentation and identification.
In 1962,
Detachment "A" was separated from the Garrison and
became Detachment "A", Berlin Brigade, US Army (USAREUR),
which it remained until its deactivation on 30 December
1984.
Source: Hilmar H. Kullek, SGM, US Army, Retired |
