Vintage Computer: IBM RAMAC COMZ EU 1960's IBM 7330, 7010 (NATO, Logistics)

090920 Like and subscribe. This is an archive, check the link in the end if you are owner. Preview and Draft for comment: This brief presentation focuses on some of the IBM computers used by the COMZ organization in the 1960’s. COMZ (“Communications Zone – Europe”), was a vast military logistics organization established by agreement between the U.S. and France in 1950 in support of NATO. In the 1950’s-1960’s, this involved military supplies, petroleum, repair parts and thousands of items vital to the operation and strength of NATO nations. Color video footage of the IBM RAMAC and associated peripherals in operation at the COMZ, circa 1961-1963. * * This is a work in progress, presented here for comment. If you have any specific knowledge of the RAMAC or related equipment in use at COMZ during this early period, please feel free to share your experience in the comments.

This 5 minute video excerpt of a U.S. Army film shows some of the late 1950’s early 1960’s computer equipment in use to process the vast amount of data relied upon for the daily operation of COMZ. Military images are from the COMZ organization early 1960’s, based in France.

Equipment shown includes the 1957 IBM RAMAC 305, the first commercial computer that used a moving-head hard disk drive for secondary storage.

An IBM RAMAC 305 leased for about $3,200 per month back in 1957 (roughly $29,000 in 2020 dollars). Over a thousand RAMAC 305 systems were manufactured before production ended in 1961, and the 305 was withdrawn in 1969.

The film also shows the IBM 7330 Magnetic Tape Units, 1403 printer and other devices.

The COMZ data processing centers had also acquired IBM 7010 computers. In 1967, under Operation FRELOC, all of the 7101 computers of two data processing centers were loaded onto six rail cars and moved to Kreuznach Kaserne in Zweibrücken, Germany. This was to help locate the computers wherever S&MA was prior to the creation of a fixed site for installation of newer IBM System/360 equipment.

Acknowledgements:

"COMZ" film courtesy of U.S. National Archives
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NOMOlDK3cg

IBM RAMAC video courtesy of IBM Archives
https://www.ibm.com/ibm/history/exhibits/storage/storage_PH0305.html

IBM 7010 Computer Photos, courtesy of Computer History Museum
http://www.computerhistory.org

COMZ Europe historical information
http://www.usarmygermany.com/Sont.htm

Mr. M. David Egan, Professor Emeritus, Clemson University, who served in 1962 to 1964 in France (TFAD and Verdun), is working on a written history of the American military presence in France from 1947 to 1967. Working title of the book: The Cold War Lifeline in France (1949 to 1967)

Article: "A Personal Story of Operation FRELOC
(Fast Redeployment of the Lines of Communication,)"
by Basil J. Hobar, Colonel QM, USA (Ret.)

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