Bremerhaven is located in the state of Bremen, northwest Germany at the mouth of the Weser River near the North Sea. It is one of the largest fishing ports in Europe and is a major freight port. Founded in 1827, Bremerhaven was incorporated in 1939 by the town of Wesermünde. In 1947 the combined municipality was renamed Bremerhaven and returned to the state of Bremen. During WWII, Bremerhaven suffered heavy damage, especially on September 18, 1944 when the central town area was completely demolished.
On June 29, 1951, the Naval Security Group began its first operations in Germany with the arrival of five Communications Technicians (CT) at the Herzog, Germany base. In the Fall of 1951, the team moved to Bremerhaven and was attached to the 23rd Detachment of the 2nd Radio Squadron Mobile.Prior to the establishment of the NSG Dept, Net Control Station Todendorf, Germany at Naval Advanced Base Bremerhaven maintained a Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) Van that deployed to the U.S. Army Firing Range at Todendorf and other locations along the East-West German Border.
On February 9, 1953, the Naval Security Group Detachment, Naval Forces Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean were established at Bremerhaven, under an officer in charge. The detachment was composed of seven officers and 107 enlisted men, and was administratively and logistically subordinate to the Naval Advanced Base. The station was designated Navy Communications Unit Thirty Two Dog (NCU-32D)
On June 11, 1956, NSGA Bremerhaven was commissioned. Sixteen years later on December 31, 1972, NSGA Bremerhaven was disestablished and closed with most of the personnel and all the mission and functions transferred to NSG Det Augsburg, Germany. The command was formally disestablished on June 30, 1972, but operations continued beyond that date. During the period from May to December 1972, most sailors assigned to NSGA Bremerhaven were reassigned to NSGA Bremerhaven’s detachment at Augsburg.
As a result of NSGA Bremerhaven’s disestablishment, the detachment at Augsburg was redesignated as NSGA Augsburg. Of the 700 Navy and Marine Corps billets allocated to NSGA Bremerhaven, approximately half were transferred to NSGA Augsburg with the remainder transferred to NSGA Edzell, Scotland or NSGA Rota, Spain. Company “F” Marine Support Battalion was relocated to the Naval Station at Rota, Spain. At the time of official disestablishment NSGA Bremerhaven was the largest overseas NSGA.
Source: http://www.navycthistory.com/
Edited by Mario Vulcano
31 December 2015 at 13:27
I'm pretty sure I was the last sailor stationed at Bremerhaven. I transferred out in September 1972 but was sent for duty with the Army by counseling GIs on their HHG shipments from close of ops until my transfer to Ft. GG Meade in September 1972.
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31 December 2015 at 13:44
Fantastic, John! Thanks for stopping by and thank you for your service.
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31 December 2015 at 16:14
Having been stationed at NSGA Todendorf in 1968, I was wondering if Todendorf was disestablished too at the same time.
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31 December 2015 at 17:26
Mr. Euchre,
NSGA Tordenforf closed on May 15, 1976. Today, Todendorf is the site of a German Air Defense Firing Range, where live-fire demonstrations are conducted in support of NATO initiatives aimed at finding rapid and effective technological and non-technical counter-measures to counter the threat of terrorist attacks. Below are the historical dates of the command.
NSG Dept, NCS Todendorf, Germany 20 Jul 1956 – 01 May 1958
NSG Det Todendorf, Germany 01 May 1958 – 01 Jul 1960
Detachment of NSGA Bremerhaven, Germany
NSGA Todendorf, Germany 01 Jul 1960 – 15 May 1976
Thank you for stopping by our blog!
Sincerely,
StationHYPO
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31 December 2015 at 22:37
I was stationed in Bremerhaven from 1966 to 1969. I was a CTR Brancher, Charlie Section. Any of my old shipmates around?
Terry Jackson
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1 November 2018 at 17:47
I was stationed in Bremerhaven from 67 to 69. I transferred from Morrocco where I went after A school in Corry field as a CTR. Charlie Young and Dan Wood were friends. Also a Marine by the name of Paul Fripp. Had some good times at the Blue Angel Bar.
John Vincent
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2 February 2017 at 10:14
I was stationed at nsga brmrhvn 1970 to early spring of 72. xfrd to nsa at ft meade md. navy had just changed duty station svc to 3 yrs from 2yrs..never knew base closed so shortly after I had left.
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14 April 2019 at 01:38
I was stationed at Bremerhaven from August 54 until Sept 56 and then sent to Winter Harbor ME to finish my enlistment Apr 57. Played baseball 2 summers for Bremerhaven Blue Devils.
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27 June 2017 at 07:08
I was a Marine stationed at Wederwaren, Bremerhaven in ’67 and ’68. Stationed at Co. “F” Marine Support Bn, I was an R, T, and I brancher (German). Was trained at 5 different Class A schools. Corry Field Fla. for R and T branch. DLIWC in Monterey Ca. for I branch and Voice intercept school at Goodfellow AFB in Tex. Also attended Radar Intercept school at Ft. Devans in Ayer Mass, but never worked in that field. Enjoyed it all. Was pals with Navy E-6 Walter Gill and Pete Joyner while in Bremerhaven. Remember the Blauer Angel or the Rokie Dokie?
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27 May 2018 at 21:48
I liked your story of Bremerhaven.I was stationed there from November of 66 to May of 67( CTR).I can’t remember if we were Bravo or Charlie Section.I do know we were the only building that had the Swastika in stone on it. Funny story,down town a dive bar Sleazy’s,you had to drink 3 shots of ratzeputz for initiation.
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24 July 2018 at 16:07
I’m looking for my dad’s birth certificate. He was born here in Bremenhaven, Germany in 1971. Where can you go to get it?
Please and thank you.
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9 August 2018 at 02:06
I was stationed in Bremerhaven 1962-64.
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8 January 2019 at 00:40
I was stationed at NSGA Bremerhaven from 1957 to 1960 and again from 1970 to 1972 when I took charge of the detachment sent to AUGSBURG detachment I was the Senior Chief in charge of the detachment until relieved by LCDR Ruler when set was preparing to become an NSGA. CTRCS Thomas E. MOSHER
PSI was saluted by the Army people until they found out what I was. An Army major asked me what I would be if I were in the army. I told him I would be aBrigadier General.
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8 January 2019 at 00:44
That LCDR was Ruler who was later relived by a CDR.
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8 January 2019 at 00:48
That LCDR was Riker who was later relived by a CDR.
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13 January 2019 at 05:35
Commander Donald Haines was the first commanding officer at NSGA Augsburg. I came down to field station Augsburg from Bremerhaven in June 1972. Jim Mcelfish
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16 April 2019 at 15:53
I arrived at USNGA Bremerhaven on September 29, 1969 following training as a Communications Technician O-branch in Pensacola, Florida and departed on October 4, 1971 following reassignment to SUSLAK in Seoul, South Korea. My first six months of duty were during the time of year when days were very short and often rainy, dreary and damp. However, when Spring 1970 arrived I was able to take advantage of the great Deutsche Bundesbahn to spend much of my off-duty time traveling around western Europe. I also took many free trips on the US Army’s duty train that traveled nightly between Frankfurt and Bremerhaven to provide transportation for US military personnel dropping off or picking up their cars for shipment out of or in to the port of Bremerhaven. By traveling on the duty train when space was available I was then able to travel via the DB to Munich, Augsburg, Berchtesgaden, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Nuremberg, Regensburg, Bamberg, Vienna, Innsbrueck,and elsewhere in Bavaria and Austria. I have very fond memories of my time at USNGA Bremerhaven and would love to go back to see how the city has changed since I left almost 50 years ago. I’m wondering if the 19th-century sailing ship “Seute Deern” is still berthed at the Columbus Quay.
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25 May 2019 at 22:15
The “seute deern” is still berthed in the harbor as a museum. Have been there a number of times over the years. I was stationed with USNGA from 63-66.
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8 September 2019 at 23:14
I was a T brancher there in ’65, ’66 and part of ’67. Bravo section. lived in that barrack with the swastica at first then “out on the economy”. Did a morning radio show on AFN as a sideline on weekday mornings. Was on that murderous 2-2-2 schedule. Went back in ’94 and coerced my way onto the staging area past a German security guard since I had worked there “way back”. Of course it was long closed down. The Sawstika was still there. There was a USAF pick up at the old operation building but no other sign of life. Sleazys was still there too! What an adventure!
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8 September 2019 at 23:16
see above t brancher
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30 September 2019 at 12:36
I was there from Aug. 69 to Feb. 70. Many of us over the years received early order to NACFAC Nicosia Cyprus.
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7 October 2019 at 20:58
The last three CTs to leave Bremerhaven did so in late spring/early summer 1973. CTOC Joel Johnson, CTA1 Mac Macauley and myself, CTA1 George Hagerty. I am still in the process of writing an article for The Cryptolog on activities between June 72 and June 73. As the Captain’s Writer, I had the cat bird seat on everything that transpired.
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