PIRMASENS, Germany -- Marina Hilbert received a commander’s coin of recognition Friday for her ongoing operations of a Facebook page titled simply “Pirmasens Kaserne.”
The page documents changes, conditions and memories of the Kaserne, which housed U.S. Army Medical Materiel Center- Europe since 1975. USAMMCE formally left the kaserne in a ceremony Friday, in which Hilbert was praised for her efforts. Her mother worked at the kaserne for more than 30 years.
“Now you have me in tears,” she said upon receiving the coin.
Hilbert said the Facebook page did not originate with her.
“It was started by Oscar Clavus,” she said. “It started about 12 years ago.”
She said she became involved out of her mother’s years at the site and started taking more pictures and doing more on the site when Clavus moved home to the United States.
“It was never planned,” she said. “I work at a car dealership just across from the gate, and I could take pictures of some of the changes.”
Over time she said she was guided to the correct connections who allowed her to gain more access. The page also contains pictures of scenes around Pirmasens that would be recognizable to those who served there in the past.
“I’m glad if I can help someone see what’s going on,” she said.
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