Talk:Rhein-Main Air Base

Vietnam

Somebody should add some lines about Rhein-Main ABs role during the Vietnam War. --Paul Pot (talk) 15:02, 28 June 2008 (UTC) During the VIetnam era, the sign at Rhein-Main read "Gateway to Europe"

--Cold War-- Is this the place or is anyone interested in the 7406 Sq. ACFT, what they looked like inside, the missions they flew, etc, etc? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.105.204.18 (talk) 05:57, 15 February 2012 (UTC)

Red Army Faction bombing

A seperate section about the Red Army Faction bombing, along with more information about the events, would be of use. Space_Balls (talk) 23:14, 19 September 2008 (UTC)

The Rhein Main Officers Club Club Bombing was December 1976, conducted by the terrorists group Revolutionary Cells, loosely affiliated with the Red Army Faction and Baader Meinhof gang. I was a Firefighter Stationed at Rhein Main from 1975/1979. No fatalities several injured. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 156.146.197.133 (talk) 16:43, 7 July 2022 (UTC)

There was some bombing of the officers club in the 1970s. I remember my mom talking about it and seeing the damage. I dont remember if anybody was hurt though. I dont remember the year sometime 76-78. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 99.155.58.160 (talk) 01:02, 4 June 2009 (UTC)

Yes, there was a bombing of the Rhein Main Officer's Club, in 1977 I think; I was there. As I recall, there was no loss of life. Where this event preceded the Internet as we know it today, I'm trying to dig up facts that could be used here. Renoel-nh (talk) 16:31, 3 March 2011 (UTC)

It was in 1985. Was in the UK at the time, remember hearing about it reading Stars & Stripes Hit the BX I believe. Red Army Faction were the culprits... The Baader-Meinhof Gang was the 70's terrorist group in the FRD... Bwmoll3 (talk) 16:40, 3 March 2011 (UTC)

I was stationed there in 1977 when the Officer's Club was destroyed. The bomb went off at 1:05 p.m. on a January day, and the fire was finally under control around 4:00 a.m. the next morning, but kept burning till about noon. I watched it burn to the ground from the dormitory building I lived in. Most offices went down to a skeleton crew, and I worked in the Communications Center and they sent almost everyone back to their homes or their dorms. My dorm was on the 3rd floor of the same building I worked in...it was the WAF dorm, (womens' dorm). From the reports that we received while there, one woman broke an arm and a man broke his leg, or vice versa. Miraculously, no deaths occurred as the bomb went off while several people were eating lunch there. There was also a Hindu Indian shop attached to the club and they sold Indian artifacts, carpets, glassware, brassware, etc. It was a beautiful store, but one I couldn't afford shopping in. The store was destroyed along with a fur store attached to the club. The Officer's club was just a few blocks from our dorm building that housed several mean and women, as well as the Command Post, Comm Center, and I think a few other offices. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 165.206.224.97 (talk) 15:22, 19 February 2013 (UTC)

I was a Chapel Manager at Rhein-Main between '76-78. I remember the destruction quite well. 2 or 3 civilians who had been eating at the club made their way over the the Chapel across the Parade Grounds. The had some minor cuts and were in a bit of shock. Watched the building burn and it was only later that we learned it was destroyed by a device placed by a terrorist group.65.25.68.125 (talk) 13:41, 5 September 2013 (UTC)

I was a U.S. Army officer stationed in the FRG from 1977-1980. Rhein-Main AFB was the major arrival and departure point for US Forces Europe and their dependents. I don't think the O-Club bombing was as early as January. Arrived in April 1977 and asked where the O-Club was so I could get something to eat as there was considerable time to kill before my train to Ludwigsburg left from the Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof. I remember vividly being told that I'd have to get something at the train station and could change a few dollars to DM there if needed as the O-Club had just been gutted by the bombing. It was being blamed on the Baader-Meinhof Gang at the time with investigation on-going. Asked about casualties and was also told they were exceptionally lucky that nobody was killed. That left an indelible impression on me. I've searched for more on that particular bombing and it's as if nothing exists about it on line, except here. Makes me feel better that a few others recall that one as usually the 1981 and 1985 bombings pop up immediately in searches and people think you've got years and details confused if you mention a 1977 bombing there.--Jlind (talk) 22:44, 13 September 2016 (UTC)

I thought the bombing was later in '77 as well. It was just after or before the second Terrace Club bombing in Frankfurt. I believe that it was eventually determined that the device was planted by a Baader-Meinhof/RAF splinter group (calling themselves the 76ers - to antagonize the US just after the bicentennial). We were on our way from Herborn to dinner at the Officer's Club at the time of the bombing. One thing I remember about the aftermath (that evening) was there was a large jewelry shop/exchange in the Officer's Club and the in light of the remaining fire and the spotlights that were set up around the perimeter you could see precious gems on the lawn and in the outer debris. All under heavy guard. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 132.236.88.148 (talk) 15:58, 30 April 2018 (UTC)

If anyone can find reference material online of either bombing, I’d be willing to take on editing this article. Somebody needs to badly. This base was a huge part of Cold War European progression and most of that history is not really even hinted at. TadgStirkland401 (talk) 23:52, 22 July 2018 (UTC)

References

RM officer’s Club bombing December 1976/January 1977

I was stationed there. We were practicing maneuvers. It was supposed to be the Base Exchange but the explosion was Real and we were informed to look around the BX and go lend a helping hand to those at the Officer’s Club as there was a real explosion. We were informed that one died and they had not opened yet for lunch. Approximately 10 years ago, I work for the VA, I met a man who was in severe pain and continues to experience PTSD due to being in an explosion while performing a part-time duty in the Officer’s Club back in 76/77 in Germany. I asked him which base. He said Rhein Main AFB. I said I was there and we were informed that no one else was involved other than the one that died. He said - your looking at a survivor lady! I had an artificial knee, elbow and shoulder and severe back pain since the explosion and am 100% service connected bc of it. He was Army. That was 30 years after the incident. I have never met or spoken to anyone I was stationed with ever about it since I was discharged until I met this Disabled Veteran who was in that explosion. If you look up the bombing in the Government records, it reports that it occurred on 12/5/1976& no one died or was harmed. Also it could have been a gas leak? Yet the Radical Group called the Revolutionaere Zelle claimed responsibility for the bombing. They also claimed the bombing of the Abrams Building in Frankfurt. I’m still learning that the Government will never give provide the entire facts. AIRFORCESGTLMM (talk) 22:16, 5 January 2019 (UTC)

My Time at Rhein Main 1975-1979 as a Dependent including the O Club Bombing

I am glad I found this page this morning after talking about the O Club bombing at the office.

My dad was an officer in base engineering and moved us to Germany in 1975. We stayed at the base hotel for several months waiting for housing. We eventually got an apartment in Ruesselsheim on Matthias Gruenewald Strasse. We stayed there about a year and a half. When base housing became available we moved on base to Gateway Gardens. We stayed there until we left on June 29, 1979.

I was in the O Club when the bomb went off in 1977. I was in the 4th grade. I was there with my friend, Damien. His mom had some business in the club and I tagged along because they were going to the BX afterwards. Damien and I went into the James Jewelers shop while we waited for his mom. We were standing in front of the ring case next to the cash register. The register sat higher on a counter. On the side of that counter was an orange plastic box. I pointed at it and said, "what's that?" and the bomb in the cloak room next door went off. For a while I thought that I had triggered the explosion with that box. It was just a pen holder. The wall came down smashing the cases and filling the room with smoke. Damien got pinned under a bookshelf. I ended up next to a woman who put her hands on my shoulders. In what seemed like seconds, a window broke and a firefighter appeared. The woman pushed me to go to that window. I remember thinking that I was going to get burned by the radiator trying to climb out the window. I was taken to the clinic where they put cotton pads on my eyes and said I had smoke inhalation. Damien ended up with a cut on his toe. He told me later that while he was trapped he was tempted to grab a ring off the floor, but it was too hot to touch. I got out of school for two days looking at mug shots. I didn't see anyone and was no help. It was my first indication that there were some Germans who didn't like us.

While at Rhein Main I played 3 seasons of little league football. We had 4 teams. My first season I played for the Rams. The next two years for the Bears. Coach Ruffalo was either a Master Sergeant or Senior Master Sergeant. The Chicago Bears sent us the C stickers for our helmets. I have been a Bears fan ever since. Coach Ruffalo showed us the letter from Chicago. Unfortunately, the jerseys we got looked like Steelers jerseys.

I went to the DoDDS school at Gateway Gardens. Looking back, it was one of the best schools I ever attended. Most teachers were spouses of service members and were quite good. In 3rd grade I had a teacher who taught us Oceanography in depth and in 5th we had a focus on Japan. 5th grade was also when they started teaching us German, but I wasn't interested then. Star Wars had come out by then and that was all I cared about. I realized my missed opportunity a few years later.

I saw Star Wars at the Frankfurt Flughafen in 1978 because the AAFES theaters didn't have the right projectors. This was a major crisis in my peer group. Otherwise the theater was great. Once I got my ID card in 1978 I was able to go to the movies by myself. New releases cost $1 to see and it was 75 cents for reruns. We had about 3-5 movies per week. There would be one Mon-Tues, one Thurs-Fri and then a few for the weekend. It was a great time for me because I could just walk 5 minutes to get to the theater.

I also had freedom to go to main base using the hitching posts. Seems crazy now, but you could wait at what was a bus stop for a ride from Gateway Gardens to main base. I used to hitch rides all the time to go to the Four Seasons shop where the toys were. I would spend my money on model airplanes. I'd also hit the BX and Stars and Stripes bookstore.

In 1976 we celebrated the Bicentennial and I thought it was really cool with the quarters and the ice cream (strawberry, vanilla, blueberry).

For TV we had one channel of AFN. When we got there it was still black and white. I don't remember when it went color, but once it did I enjoyed the shows like Chips, Space 1999 and Baa Baa Black Sheep. When we'd visit our german friends, I'd wonder why they got 3 channels (ARD, ZDF and maybe WDR). No one could answer that question or why their picture was sharper. I finally got the answer when I was in college (NTSC vs PAL).

I really enjoyed my time at Rhein Main. That bombing didn't change it.Arschbombe (talk) 17:37, 11 December 2019 (UTC)