- Title: WEST GERMANY: MASSIVE U.S. ARMY MANOEUVRES BEGIN NEAR CZECH BORDER.
- Date: 29th January 1969
- Summary: TANKS AND GUNS: HELICOPTERS OVER BATTLE AREA: SHELLS EXPLODING: CARGO-CARRYING HELICOPTERS. Initials PW/VS/CT/OS Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 13th February 1969 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: GRAFENWOHR: WEST GERMANY
- Country: Germany
- Reuters ID: LVACCCV3WTJWDMTJTEL919AV0SIU
- Story Text: FIFTEEN THOUSAND UNITED STATES TROOPS ARE INVOLVED IN A MASSIVE EXERCISE WHICH BEGAN TODAY IN WEST GERMANY, NEAR THE BORDER WITH CZECHOSLOVAKIA. INFANTRY, BACKED WITH TANKS, ARTILLERY AND HELICOPTERS, SIMULATED AN INVASION OF THE AREA: OTHER UNITS -- MANY OF THEM AIR-LIFTED FROM THE UNITED STATES, MOVED TO BLOCK THE ADVANCE UNDER REALISTIC BATTLE CONDITIONS.
THE EXERCISE IS NAMED "REFORGER I" -- REDEPLOYMENT OF FORCES FROM GERMANY -- AND IS DESIGNED TO PRACTISE THE RAPID MOVEMENT OF UNITED STATES TROOPS FROM BASES IN EUROPE AND THE UNITED STATES TO THE DEFENCE OF WEST GERMANY.
THE EXERCISE BEGAN JUST BEFORE DAWN TODAY WHEN TROOPS STATIONED IN GERMANY BEGAN THE "ATTACK" NORTH-WEST FROM THE BAVARIAN TOWN OF RIEGEN. TWO BRIGADES OF INFANTRY AIRLIFTED FROM FORT RILEY, KANSAS -- INCLUDING MANY VIETNAM VETERANS -- WERE USED TO COUNTER-ATTACK.
AIR SUPPORT FROM PHANTOM JET FIGHTER-BOMBERS AND CLOSE SUPPORT FROM HELICOPTERS IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE EXERCISE. HELICOPTERS ARE ALSO BEING USED TO TRANSPORT HUGE LOADS OF EQUIPMENT AS WELL AS TROOPS.
THE EXERCISE IS BEING CARRIED OUT ONLY 25 MILES (40 KMS) FROM THE CZECH BORDER AND SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS ARE BEING TAKEN TO PREVENT TROOPS STRAYING ACROSS THE FRONTIER DURING THE EXERCISE.
"REFORGER I" WILL CONTINUE FOR A WEEK.
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