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RE: Berliner Wall in danube front'85
The question has already been answered, but for those who may not know, Checkpoint Charlie was a very well defended crossing, from the East German side. I was stationed with the Berlin Brigade (US) from '73 to '75 and then remained in that city for another 3 years as a civilian. I passed through the border checkpoint there a number of times. Actually, Charlie was our third checkpoint. Checkpoint Alpha was at Helmstedt on one of the three corridors leading to Berlin from West Germany, Checkpoint Bravo was at Dreilinden at the southwest of Berlin entering the west zone of the city, and Charlie was, of course, one of the crossing points between West and East Berlin. Charlie was the only crossing point the US forces were allowed to use. The MP's at the checkpoint gave us a quick briefing before we entered East Berlin. We were required to go in in class "A" uniform with nametags removed and to ask for a Soviet officer if the East German authorities tried to detain us. According to the Four Powers Agreement (US, GB, France and Soviet Union) we only recognized zones of occupation, the three Western powers never recognized any East German government or military and police authority. Because of that, we passed through Soviet checkpoints on the road through East Germany on the way to Helmstedt, West Germans passed through East German checkpoints on the same road.
I also had the opportunity to go on a few recon flights. Our air detachment flew around the wall at least once a day, usually around the US sector and less often around the entire western sector. I had that opportunity because I serviced the secure communication equipment on the UH-1 helicopters.
I'll say one more thing about the idea that NATO could ever have been surprised by a Soviet attack. I worked in the Communications Center at Berlin Brigade HQ at that time. We had daily reports of convoys, maneuvers, air force and maritime activities in East Germany. I can't go into any detail about those reports, but I will say that the idea that NATO would have been surprised by any Warsaw Pact attack, or even mobilisation, is entirely unthinkable to me.
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