MANEUVERS OF 735TH SEPARATE RADIO COMMUNICATION BATTALION

Document Type: 
Collection: 
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
CIA-RDP82-00046R000500080005-3
Release Decision: 
RIPPUB
Original Classification: 
C
Document Page Count: 
7
Document Creation Date: 
December 22, 2016
Document Release Date: 
September 15, 2009
Sequence Number: 
5
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
June 20, 1955
Content Type: 
REPORT
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PDF icon CIA-RDP82-00046R000500080005-3.pdf435.33 KB
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Approved For Release 2009/09/15: CIA-RDP82-00046R000500080005-3 CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY This material contains information affecting the National Defense of the United States within the meaning of the Espionage Laws, Title 18, U.S.C. Secs. 793 and 794, the transmission or revelation of which in any manner to an unauthorized person is prohibited by law. DATE OF INFO. PLACE ACQUIRED DATE ACQUIRED Maneuvers of 735th Separate Radio Communications Battalion REPORT DATE DISTR. NO. OF PAGES REQUIREMENT REFERENCES ARMY review completed. IFBI AEC Approved For Release 2009/09/15: CIA-RDP82-00046R000500080005-3 20 June 1955 25X1 Approved For Release 2009/09/15: CIA-RDP82-00046R000500080005-3 CONFIDENTIAL COUNTRY Austria DATE DISTR. 24 May 1955 SUBJECT Maneuvers of 735th Separate Radio NO. OF PAGES .6 Communications Battalion DATE OF INFORMATION REFERENCES: PLACE ACQUIRED THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION General the 735th Separate Radio Communications Battalion at Baden N 48-01, E 16-14), Austria partici- pated in two field exercises, both during summer 1954. The battalion function in both exercises was to provide decimetrio radio communic- ation.between two simulated front headquarters, one located in Baden, the other at some unidentified location in Hungary, possibly even east of Budapest (see sketch on page g 25X1 25X1 The first field exercise took place in July 1954, and the second in August 1954. Both of them lasted approximately 10 days. The entire battalion participated in these exercises and both exercises were identical in so far an could tell, the method of operation. was the eamei or example, 0 unit went by truck each time to the same spot near Sopron (N 47-14, E 16-36), Hungary. battalion's participation in the exercise began when the entire battalion motored from the unit easerne in Baden to a concentration point area due east of Baden, which was about 17 kilometers from the caserne. Here the battalion CO called the officers of the unit together and gave them specific 'assignments. At this `point, the chiefs of the 12 battalion radio units,' all of them lieutenants or senior lieutenants, were each given maps that showed exactly where his particular station was to be located during the exercise. Ten of the stations were identical 2Q4' $KTLAj 25X1 Approved For Release 2009/09/15: CIA-RDP82-00046R000500080005-3 Approved For Release 2009/09/15: CIA-RDP82-00046R000500080005-3 CONFIDENTIAL -2- relay units and two were terminal units. 2 After the assignments were made, the entire battalion, with the exception of relay unit station, motored back to Baden. Battalion Aspects of the Exercises The sites for all of the relay stations had been chosen by the battalion CO and chief of staff on a preliminary reconnaissance about two weeks prior to the first exercise in July. The absence of these officers and the purpose of their reconnaissance were common knowledge after I_ _~I both exercises, three radio stations had left the unit in Baden. Of the three stations, two remained in Baden to make up an operational terminal station con- sisting of one relay unit,and one terminal unit to provide communications at one of two simulated front headquarters. The third unit, a relay type, also remained in the Baden area as a reserve unit. The remaining eight station units were loaded on a train at Baden and transported by rail to Hungary. some of the trucks were.loaded one to a flatcar ana some were 10 kilometers beyond Budapest, Hungary. The Baden echelon, with its echelon relay unit and terminal unit, formed one end of a line of units. I The other relay units were deployed somewhere to the east, in a line extending eastward, with an operational terminal station at the far end of the line (see Sketch on page 6 ). 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 I 25X1 25X1 25X1 Upon arrival by truck at their designated point, the station unit did nothing for the first day. On the morning of the second day, the station antenna was set up and the station chief oriented the antenna with the aid of a map and compass. During this operation,an RBM-1 radio was used to maintain communications with the adjoining station units on either side. After the antenna had been oriented for clearest reception. and the decimeter communications had been established, the 50O-cycle service channel of the RVG-902E was used for necessary intra-battalion commun- ication between stations. 3 The RBM-1 was then reverted to standby status to be used only as an emergency expedient between stations, in the event that decimetric communications failed. At 2400 hours of the second day in the field station began to fulfill its mission of maintaining communications; i remained operational .day and night for an eight-day period. Frequencies were assigned by CQF and ,call-words were assigned by the battalion CO. For antra-battalion matters all, personnel were assigned numbers by the battalion CO according to their 'duty with the station. The chief of station, an officer, had a certain number, the duty radio mechanics another, and the generator mechanic still another; when a particular station was called, the identifying number was given and the proper party was summoned. These numbers, remained unchanged throughout the exercises. when data was being transmitted, between the simulated headquarters Approved For Release 2009/09/15: CIA-RDP82-00046R000500080005-3 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 Approved For Release 2009/09/15: CIA-RDP82-00046R000500080005-3 CONFIDENTIAL -3- which the unit was supporting, the relay stations normally could not out in unless specifically directed. For-that reason F--]station had no idea of the actual maneuver transmissions. Concealment and Deployment stressed in training that whenever possible, the stations would be had a pick, an axe, and a two-man saw for clearing an area where the trucks could be concealed. For further concealment each truck carried a green and yellow camouflage net. Theoretically these nets should have been over the trucks during the exercises, but the station chief did not deem it necessary. During both exercises, station crew of one officer and nine EM furnished a sentry at night who walked the perimeter of the station. wartime conditions. Also, the officer in charge of the station told him that all the unit's trucks would be rigged with explosives to be detonated }if` under threat of imminent oapture in wartime. During the exercises, three station trucks were disposed about 20 meters from one another. This was contrary to all the theoretical SOP that the unit had received in garrison training. During the training lectures they were told that the terminal truck would be located at a distance of 200 to 300 meters from the decimeter truck. The antenna, however, was set up according to SOP, i.e., within,20 meters of the decimeter truck, to allow sufficient antenna lead-in for maximum extension of the antenna mast, which was 30 meters. Three 50-meter antenna lead-in cables were carried in the antenna truck, with one being, held an a spare. The generator truck was also parked bN, according'to SOP, i.e., 20 meters from the decimeter truck it supported. Food and Other Supply Procedures During Exercises Food was brought daily by one of the battalion trucks that was assigned to the Service Platoon. Fuel for either the trucks or the diesel generators was never brought up. Even though the generators were in operation for eight days on a 2L-hour, basil under the':, chassis of the generator truck was a tanx witn a capacity of 260 liters of diesel fuel. Accompanying Unidentified Soviet Signal Regiment on Exercises .During both of the field exercises an unidentified Soviet signal regi- ment which was garrisoned in the same compound n went by rai~ with the train echelo exercises. the signs regiment I had enough men, approximate y 0, and equipment to operate 50 radio and RTT stations. unable to identify the RTT equipment other than calling it "Baudot , but stated that the radio, equipment was designated by toe abbreviation "RAP" the,expansion of which was unknown the "RAF" units were mounted on a GAZ-51 chassis and a ey utilized a whip antenna which was seven meters high when extended. The units got their power from a . these radio stations could operate while the vehicle was mov CONFIDENTIAL Approved For Release 2009/09/15: CIA-RDP82-00046R000500080005-3 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 Approved For Release 2009/09/15: CIA-RDP82-00046R000500080005-3 CONFIDENTIAL 15.I the RTT mobile stations "Baudot" were mounted on 25X1 chassis but could give no further information on these stations. indefinite as to the mission of this signal regiment but thought 25X1 that its mission during the exercises was to furnish signal support to Army or Corps headquarters and their respective subordinate units. 5 Critique of Exercises 16. Both exercises held during the summer of 1954 were observed by Gen::-Maj. Prekhaday (fnu), the former CO for communications, CGF, and Col,YefimoY (rnu), the CO for communications, CGF. Prekhaday had been relieved of his command duties in May 1954 and we give' 'aitsr unknown i'_ with CGF. After the first exercise,which was held in July 195+ id not 25X1 know of any critique being held. However, after the second exercise in August 1954, both the unidentified signal regiment and 25X1 battalion assembled at Sopron, Hungary, where a critique was con- 25X1 ducted by the two above-listed officers. All officers of both units attended. The session lasted about three h r After returning from the critique, station chief, told the 25X1 men that the exercise was a success and that the CGF officials were pleased with it. 25X1 Maneuver Hung A SoviMAW 25X1 17. in late August and early September 1954, a Soviet Army maneuver was held in Hungary and approximately 15 telegraphers and about the same number from the Signal Regiment were sent 25X1 to Keeikemet (N 46-54, E 19-41), Hungary, to participate in the maneuver they were gone for approximately 15 days. . 25X1 Comment: referred to "RAP" as being an abbreviation Radio tan s ya-.rmiya-Frontovaya". 'Comment: (during 25X1 the exercises, a regimental RTT stations were occasionally sta- tioned at decimetric relay stations On these occasions wire was laid from the regimenta truc s to the deeimetric relay trucks, and the FTE-3B terminal sets in the latter trucks were utilized to channel signals to the regimental 4, ?"1 A Ir OR CONFIDENTIAL Approved For Release 2009/09/15: CIA-RDP82-00046R000500080005-3 Approved For Release 2009/09/15: CIA-RDP82-00046R000500080005-3 Soviet Zone Austria-, Baden . X ---1 (Simulated Front Hq) 2 y i 187 Sta I Mt dravn to Seale) Budapest * Sta Relay Sts. Bela] Sta Relay Sta Relay Sta x Simulated Front Hq. Approved For Release 2009/09/15: CIA-RDP82-00046R000500080005-3 Approved For Release 2009/09/15: CIA-RDP82-00046R000500080005-3 CONFtDETTIAL -6. the 735th Sep Radio-Comm n ro oses Hill in u9an ague scale: 1s1 , r 40pron,, vagary CO NFTDENTIAL Approved For Release 2009/09/15: CIA-RDP82-00046R000500080005-3