My Dad was in the 745th Field Artillery Battalion in World War II firing the 240 Howitzer over the Rhine River. Great snackbar and a big ballroom and formal bar upstairs. Hi Mr. Oakley, I'm assuming this is WWII? He was in the Pensacola convoy and then was in Darwin in early 1942. Many 66th Division athletic teams played on another on newly constructed athletic fields. The 908th should not be a problem. Stay well. 9. By the way I used a lot of high angle fire to get defensive fire coverage in close to FEBA, thank you i'll be waiting and thank you for this site i think i may be able to add some pictures i will dig them out and see what i have. One of the members of the 83rd group. Field Artillery in the European Theater Radar transmits these commands back to the missile. Battalions were usually headed by a lieutenant colonel with an executive officer who was usually a major. For those of you who are looking for info. CJ Kelly (author) from the PNW on September 16, 2016: Absolutely, Nancy. The 264th Field Artillery Battalion, Latz's unit, landed at Utah Beach in Normandy 10 days after D-Day. The simplicity of operation and highly mobile characteristics of the HONEST JOHN makes it of prime importance in tactical use. Please note: Or did the units adjust while in the field during Korea? Another time we spent 3 days in a mosquito infested swamp along the Rhine River while a Company of Engineers built pontoon bridges for us to float the 280s across the river. I remember one of the Lieutenants (a company commander?) The Battalion, and especially A Battery, lost a large number of officers during the first half of 1956. Would you to feature him as a Red Leg of the Week on my page. I remember, in Giessen, we had to have two weeks worth of rations ready at home in case the Russians came in and we (dependents) had to bug out. CJ Kelly (author) from the PNW on October 14, 2016: Ms. Southall, thanks so much for sharing your dad's story. On this page documents related to the 324th Field Artillery Battalion can be downloaded in the PDF format. I remember playing with race car sets and the day we melted down a bunch of .45 cal slugs on the stove and made a lead Frisbee like the one "Odd-Job" used in the James Bond movie, "Goldfinger". Yes it was WWII. FA Msl Bn (Cpl), 558th Armored field artillery battalions had the same command structure within their organic divisions as the infantry but contained 18 self-propelled howitzers instead of the usual 12 for the towed variety. For my father, I am hoping that there Are papers there on him, and that they are not duplicate information, and Morning Reports, a good source of information. A split second later a gust of yellow orange flame bursts from the nozzle end of the rocket. I passed your name along. We got along great with my math background. 105mm crew preparing the shells during training exercise. For an instant the Honest John appears to nudge forward hesitatingly on the launcher rail. Appreciate the reminder. Gimme a couple of weeks. I think both were part of the 79th Infantry Division. CJ Kelly (author) from the PNW on September 15, 2016: Nancy,the 908th was part of the 83rd Infantry Division during WWII. Paul Hampton Hickman in the U.S. Army, including panoramic photograph of Company B, 18th Battalion, I. R. T. C. [Infantry Replacement Training Then went back to duty. during WWII ], [ 18th Infantry Division - Did not exist Other battery and battalion personnel included radiomen, wiremen, instrument operators (survey team), cooks, drivers, and mechanics. How can one find a unit history? That baffled me til someone pointed out that in his situation, points wouldn't matter, and exactly what you said--the regrouping of men. Using this information, the computer continuously determines a predicted point of interception and issues those steering orders necessary to guide the missile continuously toward the predicted point of interception. 264th CSSB Phone: (910) 396-4218 Location: 2420 Quartermaster St., BLDG M-1433 Fort Bragg, North Carolina Hours of Operation: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., M-F Closed on weekends, training and federal. World War II era item - Christmas 1943 Service Battery 264th Field Artillery Battalion Camp Hood Texas - 4 page program with an ornate cover - good to very good condition with some handling wear and a couple of light stains - Buyer pays $6.00 shipping, US only, no international orders - Email with questions. In Korea I was the Fire Direction Chief as a Major, 64th Field (Lancer 3) - the T&O gave me 3 FO's per firing battery - whether that was a permanent change I have no idea. I found out that there was a book written by two serving men from the 200th at the time who wrote it as they were going along and is a detailed account of their exploits and experiences and has 165 pages. The fire direction center computes the mission and sends firing data to the weapons. Army Regulation 615-365 (Enlisted Personnel . Giving NARA another shot. The Nike system is designed to operate with three sections per battery and four launches per section, but may use a smaller number. I have info for you as well as a possible contact in Europe. My Mother (Muriel) or we kids got to fire the howitzers (pull the cord). His name was Gayle W. Huston and he died in 1975. I used to speak with two different librarians/assistants at the library in Fort Sill (I'm calling the library, it could be the office for Field Artillery Journal mag). I was 8 years old (3rd grade - 4th grade) at the time so my memories are not crystal clear. The 274th was an Armored Field Artillery unit using the "Priest," 105mm on an M7 chassis. The sergeant in the middle is instructing the soldier on attaching the shell (top part) to the casing below after it has been packed with ammo bags. Ft. Jackson, 1943. Any information you have would be great - I'm just trying to put together some detailed information for my sons about their grandfather who served in World War 2. If you would like to send a photo, that would be great. There were 1,098 battle casualties and 849 non-battle casualties. I have seen them, but I hope to add them to my You Tube channel soon. Can you help me to find anything about where they went and what they did? LOL, I often wondered how my old Army buddies turned out. We did learn the story of when he was wounded by a landmine near Monchau while looking for a break in the wire. Later in the war, field commissions for qualified noncoms became commonplace. I also have some general information about the 280mm Gun, including a photo copy of the pamphlet "Test of the 280mm Gun" published by the Artillery Center in May, 1953. Their 6:30 signoff was: If the good Lords willing and the creeks dont rise, we'll see you in the morning at 6:05.". during WWII ], [ 21st Infantry Division OPERATIONAL CONCEPTS I was sent to Camp (now Fort) Chaffee for my eight weeks of basic training. They were just fascinating. Artillery Antiaircraft . Our first formation was 7:30 instead of 6. Thank You! The author of this history is unknown The officers jobs within the battery varied. Once the orders were received, he would spin his wheel to the correct angle. CJ Kelly (author) from the PNW on September 25, 2017: Hi Mr. Rodgers. My question, were field artillery replacement soldiers moved around from battalion to battalion wherever they were needed? It consists of a firing battery headquarters, four howitzer sections and an ammunition section. I remember his children, Wally, Shelly, Pam, Barbara, Earl, and Nancy (my age). Hello- My grandfather served in WWII with the 20th Field Artillery Batallion as a T/5 with the 155 mm Howitzer I believe. But they were part of the infantry regiment and used at the discretion of the regimental CO. I remember the U-shaped layout of staff/office buildings with the Officers Club, NCO club, and chapel in the NE corner (as you came in the gate, not sure of the absoulte orientation). LTC Ring was the commanding officer of the 2nd of the 82nd (8" self-propelled howitzers). No way the Seventh Army was going to stop 65 tank divisions located across the Eastern Boarder in the Fulda Gap. I lived with them mostly from Friday eves to Sunday eves to learn everything about them. The HONEST JOHN Missile Battalion is authorized by TO&E, a total of 19 officers, 4 warrant officers, and 261 enlisted men. I can send you a description of his duties as an FC Operator. He was a tough old man but great for the troops. He enlisted Feb 42 and was sent to Ft Sill, then to CP Bowie TX until deployment 21 Aug 1943 from NY to ETO arriving Oran Algeria 2 Sep 1943. I will put an ad up and keep you posted. Retirements and budget cuts have occurred but I will dig into it, let you know what I find. On September 27, 1939, Headquarters Battery, 1 st Battalion, 264 th Coast Artillery at Statesboro was reorganized as . talion. 3 M 12 81 mm 412 AIRBORNE 40 (H) 32 M-7 Priest 60 36 It consisted of a battery headquarters, operations platoon, communication platoon, an air observation section, and a maintenance section. There is an active Div Association. My father left behind a narrative of his service years. After lunch we had an hour of motor stables followed by either more section training or R&R. () Gene Bane Stars and StripesBad Kreuznach, West Germany, September, 1956: 264th Field Artillery Battalion soldiers from Battery C's 2nd Gun Platoon, who set a 280mm gun firing record, pose. V Corps Artillery Just like the enlisted, the cross-training of commissioned personnel was essential in every battalion. Towards the end of summer 1958 the Army switched to dollars and I remember waking up to hear women screaming along the depot fence. My father went to Camp Roberts for replacement field artillery training as a lineman. During my time there he received his Captains bars. Also, using my Red Leg FB page to turn something up. After firing, the breech was opened by the #1, and the shell casing would drop out automatically, where it was picked up by one of the loaders to be tossed aside. In a postwar study, the Army noted that the group command structure was one of the keys to success during the war because it permitted the commanders to shift artillery battalions from army to army, corps to corps or even to support individual divisions. I also have a Kemper Military School paper that said he was with battery A of the 666th. Maybe he was using both. The 66th Division consisted of the following units: 262nd , 263rd, and 264th Infantry Regiments, Headquarters Battery, 721st, 870th, 871st, and 872nd, Field Artillery Battalions, 266th Engineer Combat Battalion, the 366th Medical Battalion, 66th Counter Intelligence Corps Detachment, 66th Quartermaster Company, 66th Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop, the 566th Signal Company, and Headquarters Special Troops, including a Headquarters Company and a Military Police Platoon. Hi Mr. Walters, do you mean Service Battery? He told me numerous times that he served in a 155 mm Howitzer Battalion that used high speed tractors to pull the guns, Corps Artillery attached to the 3rd Army, and at times attached to the 20th Corps. I saw a former A 3/6 member, Pfc David Lee Marcum, in the same unit. TWS is the largest online community of Veterans existing today and is a powerful Veteran locator. 999th Armored Field Artillery Battalion (155mm) 99th Field Artillery Battalion (105mm) 8219 Artillery Topo Map Service . The rocket itself is free-flight, that is, there are no electronic flight control gear since the accuracy of the weapon depends solely upon an initial azimuth lay. First, with regard to artillery replacement, for the part, once a soldier was assigned to a artillery battalion, he stayed with them. to the 35th FA Gp), the other four 280mm battalions (59th, 264th, 265th and 868th FA Bns) remained attached to the 42nd FA Gp, which was assigned to Seventh Army Artillery. The third area, which is apart from the Administrative and Control Areas, is the Launching Area. The administrative area is composed of the facilities necessary for billeting, feeding, and recreation of the personnel of the battery. I also drove a Gamma Goat. But I will pursue Ft. Sill and see what they say--always worth a try! The 159th batteries were often employed with infantry task forces. The tank battalions are now shown as present in the source document, but an armored division isn't much of an armored division without its armored battalions. The gunner and one canoneer set the firing deflection and elevation and stand by to apply final low level wind corrections. Part of the division sailed for England on November 15, 1944 aboard the. Normally the battalion occupies a position area with a common perimeter, requiring an area of about 1000 by 1500 meters. From what I have gathered he was with 5th Army as part of II Corps and or VI Corps Artillery through North Africa, Italy, then with VI Corps, VII Army through Southern France, and into Germany. Another radar, the missile-tracking radar, locks on the missile prior to firing and tracks that missile throughout the entire flight. My information is at my house in Arizona, and I'm now at our place in Juneau. and velocity is again measured and compared to the standard trajectory. Discover unknown details about your veteran's family: civilian occupations . I did not see you mention, so I'm assuming you have not seen it. Dastrup, Boyd. In addition, steering commands received from the computer are transmitted to the missile which directs it toward the predicted intercept point. I really appreciate it. The spade is dropped and the weapon is backed onto the spade. The dentist put them in a cast, but could not save the left front one. At that time which will result in the highest kill probability, the computer issues a burst order to the missile. Born in March 1920 in Flagstaff, Arizona, Mr. Mendoza enlisted into the United Army and joined the 264th Field Artillery Battalion saw action in the European Theater in the following battles and campaigns: Northern France, Ardennes (Battle of the Bulge), Rhineland, Central Europe and Battle of Hrtgen Forest. The artillery commander has at his call a weapon capable of neutralizing strategic-sized targets, yet requiring only a minimum of notification or support. I came to Rivers Barracks while the whole post was at REFORGER, so it was basically empty. Officially, it was called the M12A2 panoramic telescope. The history of the 26st Field Artillery Regiment from the early days of the horse soldier to the modern, highly trained, mission ready, assault force of today. Each Nike missile battery is divided into three principal areas: The administrative area, the fire control area, and the launching area. We were assigned the task of burying trig marks (a piece of rebar in concrete) in the intersections of all the dirt roads in our part of Germany. This great weight makes detailed route, and especially bridge, reconnaissance extremely important. Duty as an observer usually occurred on a rotating basis for the officers of each battery within the battalion. The NIKE-HERCULES Battalion consists of a battalion headquarters battery, with 17 officers and 101 enlisted men, and 4 firing batteries containing 8 officers and 133 enlisted men. They may have been detached, but these are the assigned battalions. Ned Burr, Col USA Ret on September 28, 2017: A couple of changes made that helped in Korea( I'm sure there were more but the two important to me as FDC Chief of 64th Field) - one was that we went to 6 gun batteries, 18 gave me a lot more firepower and, second, we increased number of FO's to 3 per battery so I had 9 on the line. We ended Dismounted Drill with a 10-15 minute double time jog around the area. There is a 10-page postwar The 270th Field Artillery Battalion in the E.T.O.. pamphlet you may be able to get as a copy from the Army Historical and Education Center library at Carlisle, PA. Comments: Ed McCrea was part of the U.S. Army 865 Unit in the Korean War. A lieutenant led the small team of 3 or 4 men to a forward outpost to spend up to several days manning a front-line position. Gardner. Also, if you google the following, some interesting pages about the 200th will come up: http://ww2veteransmemories.com/bill-graham-200th-f Another person just contacted me through Facebook about the 200th, there is a homepage. Artillery, Regimentat Combat Team. From there, they would splice into the line with their own EE8A telephone, and crank it to ring back to their starting place. The surviving descendant of the 20th FA is 2nd BN 20th FA which is now MLRS. The remainder of the men in the 66th Division who did not have enough points to return home was either sent to Delta Base in southern France or to Germany and Austria to serve as occupation forces. I do know that he landed in England February 26, 1944 and France on June 14, 1944. The days were pretty much the same so we looked forward to being in the field. We took a trip last fall to the areas where both of my parents were during the war (my mother was a nurse at an evacuation hospital closest to the Battle of the Bulge, outside Liege), and Myra found wonderful information for me on where my father was at various times, places we visited, like a farmhouse command post, and a church where he was observing as it was being shelled. On October 1st, 1940, the three battalions of the 26th Field Artillery were re-designated as three separate battalions under the Commanding . 264th Infantry Regiment; History of Leopoldville; Temporary Cemetery; Glossary; External links. Hope you can help. Also, if you have a photo your dad, that would be great. My first assignment was in the radar group, which didnt last very long. Please contact me again the first week of December. Greg Lawson, just to name a few. The command for this maneuver is stored on board the missile until it reaches denser atmosphere where its control surfaces are most effective. Is there a list of the names in his Battery B? From the information provided by the acquisition radar, the target-tracking radar acquires the designated target and tracks it throughout the engagement. The CORPORAL Battalion is the firing battery rather than the battery. FA Bn (280mm Gun), 265th My other assignment in the section was to drive the Lts jeep. I have been trying to find information about my father during WW2 and hoping you can answer a question I have regarding field artillery replacement troops. We have been putting together some information about my granddad recently after putting out a Facebook message. Whilst driving their truck under blackout they found a steel wire across the road and stopped. We went all the way to the championship game which we lost 2 to 0. I'm not sure that the 196th was part of the 79th. Activation of these spin rockets as the missile leaves the launcher reduces inaccuracies caused from thrust malalignnent. One of my big thrills occurred while hanging out the back door of my sections 2-ton truck driving on the autobahn. I believe. At night, signals are given by the chief of section to the drivers and winch operator by the use of socially modified flash lights. That would be common. (4) 11 Oct 56 to 27 May 57: Battalion S-1 and Adjutant But I'll keep trying. The following records were acquired from the American Battle Monuments Commission on June 17, 2016. during WWII ], [ 15th Infantry Division - Did not exist The supply and cooks sections rounded out the unit. The remainder of the battalion was concurrently inactivated. Why his arm did not fall off is amazing, he pitched 6 games in five days. We would play cards till lights out. 264th Division (Einheiten) Support Units . During the following days, the 26th Field Artillery continued to provide a supporting fire for the 39th Infantry Regiment, as of the 9th of August 1944. However I have not been able to discover that fact. Prior to firing, the predicted point of intercept and the present position of the target are continuously displayed on the two plotting boards in the battery control trailer. I was associated with another descendant of the 20th, the 4th Bn in Lansing, MI. . He was discharged in NYC on December 26, 1945. They would follow a dead line some distance, usually to a place that had just been shelled. Continuous commands are sent to the missile to correct for evasive action of the target. (7) 1 Jul 58 to 10 Dec 58: Battalion Asst S-3, Special Weapons Training Officer He was a Florida licensed real estate broker and owner of Harmon Realty of Winter Haven, specializing in citrus groves. The lineage and honors of 2/20th is in the link. Thx. We were not the first unit he had befriended. Scott. Accountable for providing direct support and ensure the XVIII Air borne Corps' are relocated worldwide meeting their operational readiness timeline in 18 hrs and its subordinate units; manages NCO development and enlisted personnel matters; advises Commander of Soldier issues, and maintained organizational and installation property valued at over $3. If too much powder residue built up in the barrel, it could cause a catastrophic explosion when a round was fired. Hello - I'm trying to find out some detailed information about my fathers service record from WW2. Since your dad was assigned in late '43, he probably ended up on Bouganville and then the Philippines. Although the shells were shipped semi-fixed with the fuse already installed, it was the powder that provided the punch, so that had to be added to the shell. I am especially interested in his duties, but also how the battery functioned as a whole. 224th Field Artillery. Gouttes Kaserne, composed For the larger caliber units and the armored field artillery, the number of guns per battalion differed from those of the standard infantry division artillery. I do mean Service Battery. If you served in A Battery, 264th Field Artillery Battalion, Join TWS for free to reconnect with service friends. If you can, use the email provided as it will be easier for you to contact me. We were evaluated by Brass from the 42nd as well as from V Corps. The first units which have been described in some detail are the British 15th (Scottish) Infantry Division & British 52nd (Lowland) Infantry Division. His name was George Irwin Brown and we have since found out he was a Master Sergeant with the 200th Field Artillery Battalion and was from Slippery Rocks, Pennsylvania. My dad was a wire corporal with the 268th FA 8in gun. Looking through the sight once again to determine that he was still lined up with the aiming stakes, his last task would be to level the bubble and shout Ready! This told the Section Chief that the gun was ready to fire; he then held up his right arm as a signal to the gun crew. CJ Kelly (author) from the PNW on December 29, 2018: Yes, most units had a yearbook published, one while in the State training. That happened to most of the 589th FAB survivors. Running a spool of black telephone cord from HQ to an observation post could put one under fire from mortars, machine guns, snipers, shelling, both friendly and German, as well as enemy patrols. I have some info. 419th CSB Sponsorship; 406th Army Field Assistance Trupp. And I didn't really think about how the army wouldn't stop practicing, because my father's section, at least, thought they were going on to Japan. A 105mm battalion contained just over 500 men. In the first two years of the war, the 105mm self-propelled and 75mm howitzer were their main weapons. If any of you guys who served in the late fifties or sixties want to see what your contemporaries looked like check this book out. 155mm battery during the Battle of the Bulge. Let me know and that can help the search be more specific. Battery D was descended from Capt. The assignments were made back in the US and continued upon deployment. Here's the links: 1) http://indianhead-roster.com/roster/15th-field-art My uncle Charles David Knight served in WW 2 in Battery B 15th Field Artillery Battalion under the 2nd Infantry Division (Indianheads). The size of the battalion depended on its main weapon. The shells had lifting rings attached to their nose during shipment, and they had to be removed to install the fuse. CJK. 15 minutes prior to firing the countdown is started. frameset, 868th That happened a lot in the wake of the Bulge. In the 280mm Gun Battalion, movement to a firing position is normally done only under the cover of darkness or during period of very low visibility. CJ Kelly (author) from the PNW on July 15, 2020: CJ Kelly (author) from the PNW on July 14, 2020: Just realized my email is not up there. The bigger the gun, the more men you needed, though the basic battalion structure for both the 105mm M2A1 and 155mm M1 units was similar regardless of the gun. The battery control officer, stationed in the battery control trailer, is provided with all of the information and controls necessary to engage targets effectively. CJ Kelly (author) from the PNW on October 15, 2016: Hi Ms. Southall, I would like a picture of your dad in uniform. Arrived Bremerhaven on theUSNS Gen. Butner on 15 Jan 1956 . (part of the Green Series). I impacted some girl's forehead with my front teeth. My father was with the 662nd FA Battalion in Europe in WWII. Dad passed a decade ago, so I started this idea too late to ask him. But overall, no, the guys rarely moved if the unit was intact. Stay well. My father was in Battery B 563RD Field Artillery Battalion and he did not talk at all about his service. If they received an answer, they had to keep moving, and the procedure was repeated until they did not get an answer. There was even an instance within the 106th ID when a battery commander was actually manning an observation outpost at the time of the initial attack during the Bulge. Osprey 2007. 416th Artillery Battalion . Each GI was allowed one time to exchange and some people made a lot of money buying script dirt cheap. Figure it would be easier via email. Field Artillery Battalion in action in Normandy, France in 1944. I dont know if he found out about my mother before he left or in fact if he ever did? In some of his personal effects was a patch for the 44th Inf Div and a CIB. 264th Signals Battalions . Many times I would climb the fence (8ft with three lines of barbed wire atop it). The 280mm Gun Battalion is composed of a Headquarters, and a Headquarters and Service Battery, which directs, administers and furnishes logistic support, and three firing batteries of two guns each. I am researching the 259th Artillery Battalion. It is probably the only gun in existence which was designed specifically to fit the ammunition. NEW ! external powder bags), the duties of the 155mm crews were essentially the same. This way, the additional fire support went where it was needed quickly. Finding the break in a line required both skill and a little bit of luck. He died in 1984. The use of artillery reached its zenith in World War II. the World War II years (1942-45). My older brother said he got to drive a 2 1/2 ton truck (he was 12). I am uncertain whether this gun accompanied the 867th in its later deployment to Germany, referred to by some on your web site as "AWOL". We had gone to Grafenveer to fire the guns; we couldnt go to Baumhilder because the range was not long enough, and so we drove to the FO cement bunker on the range to observe the firing. (Everyone who wasnt GI was "Comrade.") He went in with the 406 Field Artillery Group and was discharged with the 196th Field Artillery Battalion. My grandmother would provide info to the school on my fathers whereabouts. This happened in March in Germany which can be and was quite cold. This smaller version of the 105mm howitzer replaced the 75mm gun in Army airborne units and cannon companies. His closest living relatives are we nephews and nieces so we appear not to be able to obtain his D D-214. Bet you cant guess the name of the Battalion Commanders daughter. who does research at the Library of Congress, did a search on my father for me. The aiming circle was a small scope graduated with 6,400 mils as opposed to the usual 360 degrees (a mil is 1/6400 of a circle).
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