Merrell Barracks Nurenberg Germany

Merrell Barracks
Sudkasern Nurenberg
Former SS Honer Gaurd Barracks
Renamed after
PVT MERRELL, JOSEPH F.
Medal of Honor Winner

Rank and organization: Private, U.S. Army, Company I, 15th Infantry, 3d Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Lohe, Germany, 18 April 1945. Entered service at: Staten Island, N.Y. Birth: Staten Island, N.Y. G.O. No.: 21, 26 February 1946.
Citation: He made a gallant, 1-man attack against vastly superior enemy forces near Lohe, Germany. His unit, attempting a quick conquest of hostile hill positions that would open the route to Nuremberg before the enemy could organize his defense of that city, was pinned down by brutal fire from rifles, machine pistols, and 2 heavy machineguns.
Entirely on his own initiative, Pvt. Merrell began a single-handed assault. He ran 100 yards through concentrated fire, barely escaping death at each stride, and at pointblank range engaged 4 German machine pistolmen with his rifle, killing all of them while their bullets ripped his uniform. As he started forward again, his rifle was smashed by a sniper's bullet, leaving him armed only with 3 grenades. But he did not hesitate. He zigzagged 200 yards through a hail of bullets to within 10 yards of the first machinegun, where he hurled 2 grenades and then rushed the position ready to fight with his bare hands if necessary. In the emplacement he seized a Luger pistol and killed what Germans had survived the grenade blast. Rearmed, he crawled toward the second machinegun located 30 yards away, killing 4 Germans in camouflaged foxholes on the way, but himself receiving a critical wound in the abdomen.
And yet he went on, staggering, bleeding, disregarding bullets which tore through the folds of his clothing and glanced off his helmet.
He threw his last grenade into the machinegun nest and stumbled on to wipe out the crew. He had completed this self-appointed task when a machine pistol burst killed him instantly.
In his spectacular 1-man attack Pvt. Merrell killed 6 Germans in the first machinegun emplacement, 7 in the next, and an additional 10 infantrymen who were astride his path to the weapons which would have decimated his unit had he not assumed the burden of the assault and stormed the enemy positions with utter
fearlessness, intrepidity of the highest order, and a willingness to sacrifice his own life so that his comrades could go on to victory.

 


 
  The Photos that follow were compiled from many sources.

Many thanks to all

 


1940

    Main portal of the SS-Barracks, 1940

architect Franz Ruff

The SS-Barracks, referred to by the Nazis as the "Gateway to the Rally Grounds", was built by the architect Franz Ruff and erected between 1937 and 1939. Consequently, it was first used during WWII and not during the years of the rallies.
The barracks document the claim to power of the SS, which wanted to be represented in Nuremberg by its own units right next to the rally grounds.
 During the war radio operators for the Waffen SS were trained here. Some of the operators took part in the long and futil seige of Leningrad.
In the years 1944/45 a small section of the building served as accommodation for around 100 prisioners from Dachau and Flossenbürg concentration camps.
After 1945 the barracks were occupied by the US Army. Today, after extensive alterations, the
 building houses the Federal Department for the Recognition of Foreign Refugees.
 
 
 
 

1980
Home of HHT Troop 2nd ACR



 

 

 

Unknown Date

 

 

 


 

1940

 

Quadrangle Entrance

 

 

1942

 

 

 

 

 

1945

 

1955

 

A view of the newly opened Merrell Barracks Service Club in Nurnberg. The clever placing of mirrors in strategic points in the room and on supporting pillars, lend the room added enchantment, making it a popular rendezvous.

 

Map of Complex Late 70's

 

 

Click Here for a Detailed Map of the Nurnberg Feucht area

 

After Renovation in 1999

 

 

2001

 

 

 

 

 

The Story of the Halftrack

(Not the one pictured)


Myself and a Sergeant we called "Reb" (His name
was Reb Norton) worked on this half-track to get
it running in our free time. It took 3 months
working  every spare minute we had when we were
back in garrison. Also since parts for it were
Nonexistent we scraped together parts off of junk
vehicles that were behind the old motor pool. The
motor pool was located (as you face the front of
Merrill) to the right rear corner of the complex.
Some parts we even had to make from other parts
from other vehicles.
Finally we got to make our first attempt at
starting it.
It coughed, spitted, but started with a bang and a
cloud of black smoke and ran Horribly!!!
But it Ran! First Time Since just after WW2!
And what a commotion it caused. The Regimental
commander (Col. Wagner) came out of his office to
see what was going on, along with about 25-30
troops in garrison at the time.
We got to make one small drive around the complex
before returning it to the cement pad it was
parked on.
We were actually lucky it got back to the pad. It
sounded awful and turned like a crippled ox.
After that Col. Wagner asked (not ordered) us to
leave it there and not attempt to further repair
it.
We left it alone after that because I think we had
reached our skill level on halftracks.
But it was a Blast to get it going.
As for the 4/2 flag.
Regimental HHT was reorganized into the 4/2 ACR.
It said at the time HHT over 2.
I don't know the original origin of the halftrack;
 
 

 


 

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