Camp Wollbach

Colonel (Ret) Paul Palmer commanded the 2/14 ACR from 1966 through 1968 and has provided great assistance to the web site through text and photos that recall the cavalry in Bad Kissingen prior to the re-flag of the Regiment in 1972. In his own words:

"I had the honor of taking command of the 2/14 ACR in July 1966. Prior to this, I was working on a major staff study at Heidelberg and I came to know the VII Commander, LTG Mildren.  As I got ready to move to Bad Kissingen, he told me, ‘ If you ever need any help let me know and I’ll see what I can do ...’

	Entrance to the border camp as of 1968. Much work had been done, other improvements took place over time. --Gene Meder		Newly built Border Ops Center in Winter of 1967 --Richard Harrington

The German Facilities Engineers were able to do a site survey and determine how to bring in additional electricity, water and a septic system to support an expanded and improved camp. Good fortune smiles on the bold and, at the time, France had just pulled out of NATO and the US forces in that country were departing. We were able to identify and rapidly procure from a depot,  the Quonset Huts and other "tin" buildings that had been removed from France and with General Meldren’s assistance, get them moved and placed at the Wollbach. Other smaller buildings were built on site and after three or four months, things were really beginning to take on a professional look. Before the end of 1966, all of our border troops were out of tents and the camp was essentially complete. Troopers from the squadron put in a lot of labor in addition to all the other duty requirements and I was proud of their efforts. As a way of acknowledging the great help of LTG Meldren, the newly built Day Room was named in his honor complete with a sign."

Through the years, many additional improvements occurred at Camp Wollbach / Lee. The pre-fab buildings were added in the early 1970’s taking the place of the barracks style Quonset Huts and as time and budgets allowed, further camp improvements occurred. The sign on the Day Room - in use as the Camp Beer Hall, lasted at least until 1978, the building itself was replaced in the major camp upgrade in 1985. The camp has recently been sold to a group of German investors who are exploring the idea of turning the site into a Cold War theme museum. Remaining on site, however, are at least two buildings from the first construction activities of 1966, the former arms room and the metal building initially used as an Orderly Room, then reconfigured to the Camp Lee Day Room then finally as the Learning Center.