Worldwide, organized by location, family name
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357th Arty Det. | Stetten | . | |||
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| . | Fink, Larry,
Hercules Nuclear Warheading team member, PFC - I trained with the 357th Artillery to replace
high explosive warheads with nuclear warheads on
Nike Hercules missiles, and shipped out in July 1962 for Stetten Germany. At Stetten, following thirteen days
on a troop carrier called the USS Rose, and a couple days on fast German trains, we were the custodians of
the nuclear warheads for our hosts (The French Air Force). The 357th manned a total of three French Herc
sites in the Southern Germany area, and Stetten was the headquarters site. Basically we practiced mating
warheads to missiles and had timed practice inspections quarterly. The food was great... with eggs cooked to order,
the German beer was cheap, and the assignment, although a serious one, was really good duty, but at the time...
I 'm sure we all would have rather been home. It was terribly cold most of the time at the foot of the Alps,
just inside Germany. I was there in Stetten when President Kennedy was killed, and it was a terrible time to
be out of the country. The German people were crying wherever we went. As Southeast Asia heated up, being
young and stupid, we all wanted to go, but it was not to be, because of our assignment. There is a lot can
be said for soldiers assigned in combat areas, but I always felt that the work we did, although less dangerous
obviously, was none the less as necessary. Would love to hear from some of those that were in the 357th,
and have attempted contacting some, but most have passed on. Perhaps from working with film badges and other
things? At this point in my life I am an old retired State Trooper; recovering from a recent heart attack,
and related surgery; a man who had the opportunity to do it all in the "fast lane" and who has no regrets.
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