MANEUVERS OF 735TH SEPARATE RADIO COMMUNICATION BATTALION

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• 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
• Publication Date: June 20, 1955
• Content Type: REPORT

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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
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20 June 1955 25X1
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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
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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
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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 ).
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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
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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
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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.
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Maneuver Hung
A SoviMAW
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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
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Soviet Zone Austria-,
Baden
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(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.
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-6.
the 735th Sep Radio-Comm
n
ro
oses Hill in u9an ague
scale:
1s1 , r 40pron,, vagary
CO NFTDENTIAL
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