Was the lack of cammo due to there really being little hope for units trapped in Berlin? That would not be my choice of a duty station during the cold war...

Not like we had much of a choice where we went. When your're young, the last thing you're worried about is something as silly as a war breaking out. You just wanted to end up in the choice party spots. We would much rather be in Berlin, than some dump like Bamberg, or the hole I ended up in on my first assingment, Wildflecken.

I travelled a few times on the British Army train from Hamburg to Berlin. Now that was an experience all on its own... Mooning the Osties and waving wads of monopoly money at East German conscripts was only part of the fun...

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That would not be my choice of a duty station during the cold war.

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Not like we had much of a choice where we went. When your're young, the last thing you're worried about is something as silly as a war breaking out. You just wanted to end up in the choice party spots. We would much rather be in Berlin, than some dump like Bamberg, or the hole I ended up in on my first assingment, Wildflecken.

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That would not be my choice of a duty station during the cold war.

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Not like we had much of a choice where we went. When your're young, the last thing you're worried about is something as silly as a war breaking out. You just wanted to end up in the choice party spots. We would much rather be in Berlin, than some dump like Bamberg, or the hole I ended up in on my first assingment, Wildflecken.

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It all depends on what you did back then. Some of us volunteered and were accepted to be there, but not to party. Berlin was a very serious place for some of us. I was there when Major Nicholson was murdered. I was also there when LaBelle's was bombed and knew two of the people killed in the attack. It was far from a party spot. (Greg, you were there at the same time, I see)

However...

For the right group of guys, the duty train could be a highly rewarding experience. The barbecue grill in the baggage car, the trades with the Sovs, and a lot of other cool things most people never had exposure to.

As for the Chicken, some of us actually enjoyed brief forays to Wildflecken. It got ridiculously cold there, more so than Berlin. And when all you have is what's on your back, the suck factor is high, which of course we liked.
I still have two steins from the Kreuzburg monastary, not far from there. It was voted the world's best one of the years I was there.

I went back to Berlin in '03 on a three day pass from Afghanistan. It had obviously changed quite a bit, and in more recent trips, continues to do so. All of my old haunts are gone, save for the Irish Pub by the Gedaechniskirsche, which was always good for watching a fight break out. Now AlexPlatz is the place to be.

Did you ever do the US Army duty train?

Good for you, Robert. Some of us aren't so high speed, low drag.