Leighton Barracks
Wuerzburg, Germany
Leighton Barracks is centrally located in Germany, approximately 70 miles southeast of Frankfurt near the city of Wuerzburg. During World War II, the German Air Force built a small air base here. The facility is now called Leighton Barracks after CPT John A. Leighton, Commanding Officer, Company G, 10th Armored Infantry Battalion, 4th Armored Division, who was killed in action July 18, 1944. American troops occupied the airfield on Easter, 1945. Leighton Barracks now serves as headquarters for the 1st Infantry Division, along with subordinate military intelligence, signal, and maintenance units.

The 101st Military Intelligence Bn. is headquartered at Wuerzburg's Leighton Barracks and provides the Division with special information through secure channels. The 1st Military Police Company is also headquartered at Leighton Barracks in Wuerzburg and performs law enforcement and security duties throughout the Division.

The 3rd Infantry Division was redesignated the 1st Infantry Division Feb. 15, 1996. The reflagging ceremony took place April 10, 1996, at the Residenz in Wuerzburg, Germany.

The soldiers of 1st Infantry Division?s Headquarters, Headquarters Company began training and preparation for the covering force mission in mid-1996. The main body of HHC soldiers staged their vehicles on the airfield at Leighton Barracks. The soldiers then convoyed to the railhead at Harvey Barracks, Kitzingen, to load their vehicles on the train bound for the Intermediate Staging Base at Taszar, Hungary.

Victory Park, near Division headquarters on Leighton Barracks, commemorates the Big Red One. The First Division Victory Lady stands atop a granite pedestal in the place of honor at the center of the park. Victory Walk continues to grow, as Big Red One units and soldiers are memorialized by bricks purchased for that purpose.

The post has a commissary, Post Exchange, theater, and hospital, as well as clubs and banking facilities. The hospital provides both medical and dental services. Shopping, a swimming pool, tennis courts, soccer fields, and a riding stable are available in Wuerzburg.

As part of the AAFES Europe Strategic Modernization Program, Wuerzburg (Leighton Barracks) was identified to become a key regional shopping hub for Eastern Germany to replace the assets from the nearby Nurnberg/Fuerth closure. In October 1998 a new PX Shopping Mall (the largest in Europe) and a new 24-hour shoppette with a 14-pump gas station was opened. Another part of this project was a relocated/expanded Popeye's Restaurant.

Many people in the Leighton Barracks go to the Commissary to shop for food products all the time. Only American ID card holders are allowed to shop at the Commissary. The Commisary sells dairy, produce and meat products. The meat products that are sold come from the USA. The produce comes from many tropical islands, like Hawaii. The Commisary also sells drinks, cereal and many other products. The Commisary has a variety of food products, that is why it is a good place to shop.

The PX is a place on Leighton Barraks Wurzburg Post where you can shop, eat, and just hang out 7 days a week. You must be an American ID card holder to buy anything at the PX. There are different restraunt you go to at the PX Food Court. You can go to Anthony's Pizza for delicious pizza. You can also go to Baskin Robins. You can buy lots of stuff at the PX, including American and German products. There is an electronics section with video games, movies, computers, games, cameras, DVDs, and other electronic products. There is also a toys section. You can buy anything from Pokemon to Barbies. There is also a flower shop.

One popular place to eat out in Leighton Barricks is Burger King. The Burger King on post opens at 6:00 am and closes late. Of course, the beef there comes from America. Burger King serves salads, hamburgers that come with french fries, and soda. They serve Fish Burgers if you like fish. If you are a vegeterian they serve vegeterian salad. They even serve you for free if you have a coupon, but they only serve you what is on the coupon. If you are on the go, then you can always go through the driveway. But you better make sure you're early because they can fill up quickly, especially on the weekends. They do the same thing they do in the inside, but the only difference is they serve it to you in a bag.

Leighton Brackers has a theater that is open all week. They show movies that are for kids and adults. The movies are all American movies in English. They show new releases, too. They have a snack bar that sells popcorn, soda, and candy.

AFN Wuerzburg, located on Leighton Barracks in Franconia serves the US military communities in Kitzingen, Giebelstadt, Schweinfurt, Bad Kissingen, Bamberg, Ansbach, Illesheim and Wuerzburg. AFN Wuerzburg broadcasts information and entertainment to soldiers of the 1st Infantry division, 98th Area Support Group. The affiliate joined the AFN network in May 1980.