[skydoc60A5G]

ORGANZIATION (June 1960):

8th Div Abn School Wiesbaden AB

In anticipation of the arrival of the 504th and 505th Abn Infs, the Airborne School was assigned to the 8th Division in the later part of 1958. At that time the cadre consisted of personnel who originally taught at the now deactivated 11th Abn Div Jump School. As the instructors from the 11th Abn began rotating, they were replaced by personnel from the 504th and 505th, many of whom had taught at the 82d, 101st, or Fort Benning Jump Schools. With this blending of experience, the 8th Inf Div Airborne School has one of the finest staffs of airborne instructors in the world.

The majority of the 1400 students who have been graduated from the school since its inception have attended only one of the seven courses taught at the school.

Airborne units assigned to the 8th Infantry Division in the PENTOMIC configuration (1958-1963):

UNIT DESIGNATION
STATION COMMENTS
1st ABN BG, 504th Inf Lee Bks, Mainz [1] [3]
1st ABN BG, 505th Inf Lee Bks, Mainz [2]

[1] The unit was redesignated as the 1st Airborne Battle Group, 504th Infantry on 1 September 1957. On 12 December 1958, the 1/504 became part of the 8th Infantry Division and was based at Lee Barracks, in Mainz-Gonsenheim, Germany. On 1 April 1963, the battalion was relieved from assignment to the 8th Inf Div and assigned to the 82nd ABN Div.
[2] Co A, 505th Abn Inf was reorganized and redesignated as the 1st Airborne Battle Group, 505th Infantry on 1 September 1957. On 15 January 1959, the 1/505 became a part of the 8th Infantry Division and was based at Lee Barracks, in Mainz-Gonsenheim, Germany. On 1 April 1963, the battalion was relieved from assignment to the 8th Inf Div and assigned to the 82nd ABN Div.
[3] It appears that some or all airborne units moved to Rhein Kaserne in Biebrich (Wiesbaden) at some point, maybe during the Berlin Crisis, 1961.

Airborne units assigned to the 8th Infantry Division in the ROAD configuration (1963-1973):

UNIT DESIGNATION
STATION COMMENTS
HHC, 1st ABN/Mech Brigade Lee Bks, Mainz
1st ABN/Mech Bn, 509th Inf Lee Bks, Mainz [1]
2nd ABN/Mech Bn, 509th Inf Lee Bks, Mainz [2]

[1] On 27 March 1963, Co A, 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion was redesignated as HHC, 1st Bn, 509th Inf and assigned to the 8th Inf Div (organic elements concurrently constituted). The Battalion was activated on 1 April 1963 in Germany.
[2] On 27 March 1963, Co B, 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion was redesignated as HHC, 2nd Bn, 509th Inf and assigned to the 8th Inf Div (organic elements concurrently constituted). The Battalion was activated on 1 April 1963 in Germany.

In 1973, the existing 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 509th Infantry were replaced by two mechanized infantry battalions (2d Bn, 28th Inf and 2d Bn, 87th Inf) which brought the 8th Infantry Division to fully mechanized status and provided it with the enhanced cability to defend Central Europe, its primary task. To provide greater mobility to the Mediterranean area, the 1st Battalion of the 509th Infantry (ABCT) was assigned to Vicenza, Italy.