Field artillery Part 2 army lineage series Compiled by Janice e. McKenney CenTer OF miliTary HisTOry UniTeD sTaTes army WasHingTOn, D.C., 2010 The 762MM Rocket is a short-range weapon designed primarily for targets of opportunity. Usually, one or two of the men had a copy years later and sent to the Association. Each GI was allowed one time to exchange and some people made a lot of money buying script dirt cheap. Also, if you have a photo your dad, that would be great. It looks like the picture was of an inspection or something. We did learn the story of when he was wounded by a landmine near Monchau while looking for a break in the wire. also his papers say he was on a 5in gun but i can find no other mention of a 5 in gun his papers also say he was awarded 5 bronze stars any info you could provide me with will be greatly appreciated thanks in advance. His detailed service records were lost in the St.Louis fire. In one letter, he sent me a color picture of a 400 pound tiger carcass tied to a pole in the middle of one of the firebases. I'm trying to trace where he was during WWII. The field was another story all together. Once the fire mission is received at battalion the firing data is computed and final missile preparations are completed. My father just passed away last week and I've been trying to find out about the actual unit he served in. I just read that recently, don't remember where, but couldn't find it at google. One of the pictures on your site (3. The 808th was part of the 9th Army, XIII Corps. Please email at the address provided in my profile. Because of the separately loaded powder, it was vital that the powder chambers of the 155mm tubes be swabbed and inspected after each round was fired. Start with the 4th Infantry Division Association page. He completed the Quartermaster Officer Basic Course at Fort Lee, Virginia, in . Up front were tank divisions, then armored infantry, then 105s, then 155s then 8 inch guns and then us. Guns are moved frequently to make their location by the enemy more difficult. I have a lot of links and contacts for you. I'm heading to the Veterans of the Battle of the Bulge reunion next month (here in Seattle). There were also units called cannon companies that used the M3 105mm, a lightweight, short-barreled version of the gun. My first assignment was in the radar group, which didnt last very long. I have been trying to find out more information on the service of the 689th FA battalion (155mm). Much appreciated. In November 1944 the division arrived at Camp Shanks, New Jersey, its final stop before being shipped overseas. I'm not sure that the 196th was part of the 79th. Click here to open 'USArmyGermany' The SS then opened fire with machine guns and bazookas killing my granddad and PFC Lusk with the other two managing to escape. Fine article. 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. 264th Field Artillery Battalion - Army Unit Directory - Together We Served Find 264th Field Artillery Battalion unit information, patches, operation history, veteran photos and more on TogetherWeServed.com. Mr. Burr, I do a "Red Leg of the Week" on my Facebook and I would be honored could send a photo. His service records were burned in the ST Louis fire when I contacted NARA and did get one page which stated he spent 20 months with the 894th Ord HAM Co; however, I don't think that is correct. We were there from Fall 1966 - Feb/Mar 1968. Upon command of the chief of section, the weapon is fired sending the 200 lb HE projectile on the way to the target. 2023 The Arena Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers on this website. The ammo men would disassemble the shell, pack the bags based on the firing orders, and reattach the fuse. 169 Giessen, Germany 264th Field Artillery Battalion Airmail to Detroit, Mich. LEGAL SIZE. The jungle environment created unique problems for observers because of the tree canopy. He was a Florida licensed real estate broker and owner of Harmon Realty of Winter Haven, specializing in citrus groves. The 266th Engineer and 366th Medical battalions performed their usual duties. FA Btry (762-mm Rocket), 7th US Marine artillery crew on Guadalcanal operating a 75mm pack howizter. Looking for more information from military/civilian The fire control area must be a minimum distance of 1,000 yards from the launching area, and there must be line-of-sight between the two areas. and velocity is again measured and compared to the standard trajectory. 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. I would like very much to find out what happened to a large number of the Officers and EM I served with. If he has any pics he would like to share, please send. Let me know if you have trouble, and I can just list them here. But it was the work those battalions did in World War II that set the stage for the rest of the 20th Century and beyond. What I have had difficulty finding is information about the duties in a battery. If you can, use the email provided as it will be easier for you to contact me. LTC Ring was the commanding officer of the 2nd of the 82nd (8" self-propelled howitzers). The division was formed and had its initial three months of training at Camp Blanding in northeastern Florida. 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 CORPORAL Battalion is the firing battery rather than the battery. As you might expect, a number of these personnel turned out to be considerably less than desirable, and caused no end of problems. There were seven different propelling charges, with TNT being the most frequently used. We were over here!" 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. A series of lights and a meter show the battery control officer the number of rounds prepared for firing and the progress of the fire unit in accomplishing the steps Usually, two men were sent out. Lt. Col. Ricardo Jones is a native of Kansas City, Missouri. 224th Field Artillery. OPERATIONAL CONCEPTS 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". I lucked out and was given KP duty, which I didnt like at first. On September 27, 1939, Headquarters Battery, 1 st Battalion, 264 th Coast Artillery at Statesboro was reorganized as . In a tactical situation the guns are placed in positions of concealment with batteries separated by about 8,000 to 12,000 meters. Field Artillery Brigade SFC Stewart saw potential in me as a clerk instead of a gun bunny because when I was at A 3/6 FA, Ft. Riley, I OJT'd as a 94B (cook). Since I had been there such a short time, I didnt know where we went to train. The reading was then given to each gunner while the howitzers were at zero deflection and a minimal elevation from level. The story was that the perimeter guard/patroller heard a rustle in the bushes, turned, and saw the tiger coming at him in mid air. The spade is dropped and the weapon is backed onto the spade. They completed their training at Camp Rucker, Alabama. Although this concept was much more limited in the artillery branch than in other branches, in practice each batterys CO had great autonomy on officer assignments. Hi Mr. Oakley, I'm assuming this is WWII? The Missile Assembly and Test Building provides facilities for the uncrating, assembling, and testing of the missiles in the battery. 264th x 2 187th Field Artillery Battalion x 2 x 2 x 2 401st Field Artillery Group 809th 275th 400th Armored Field Artillery Battalionx 2 x 3 460th Parachute Field Artillery 254th Field Artillery Battalion x 2 x 9 509th Parachute Battalion (attached) x 3 x 1 x 9 551st x 3. He may have landed in Scotland. If not West Pointers, many were from military schools such as the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) or the Citadel. I don't remember if I got to fire one. I'll have to confirm that. I can send you a description of his duties as an FC Operator. This included self-propelled units such as the 275th Armored Field Artillery, who were positioned just north of the 106th. Other stakes are used to mark the direction of fire. In this request, the assistant adjutant commented that the FSM had been discharged as a master sergeant to accept a battlefield commission as a second lieutenant. Arriving at the 264th in Bad Kreuznach I started one of the best experience and times of my life. Scott. A 155mm battalion had approximately 550 enlisted men with 30 officers, with each battery having around 120 men. The Battalion, and especially A Battery, lost a large number of officers during the first half of 1956. http://memory.loc.gov/diglib/vhp/story/loc.natlib. CJ Kelly (author) from the PNW on January 02, 2018: Glad to hear from you. It is very interesting and quite humbling. World War II By the end of World War II, the U.S. Army had established several hundred temporary burial grounds around the world. frameset, 868th We would play cards till lights out. The other calibers were the 8-inch, the 240mm, and the 4.5-inch gun. Hi lions44-- I have a picture of my father in uniform, are you looking for those, or only with the howitzers? I also drove a Gamma Goat. Jones graduated from Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri, and commissioned as a Quartermaster Officer in December 2002. One or more of the battalions of a group might be attached for direct support to an individual division. I think both were part of the 79th Infantry Division. From there, they would splice into the line with their own EE8A telephone, and crank it to ring back to their starting place. With this information, knowing the rules of engagement and the restricted areas, the battery control officer determines the most advantageous time to fire the round. He is living in Temple, TX and can be reached by phone or mail. You should be able to find it on my profile page. I left out a lot, but that's the easy synopsis. The Firing Battery is composed of two platoons each of two sections. It seems they needed to replace the man who did the calculations during the surveys and the review of my schooling made me their choice. The crews on the 155mm had different challenges. If you have an email I can send them to you. While exciting, it can get confusing. The projectile is fuzed and placed on the loading tray, and power rammed into the breech recess. Thanks. The 106th Infantry division (including their artillery units) were composed of nearly 30% ASTP men. CJ Kelly (author) from the PNW on September 25, 2017: Hi Mr. Rodgers. 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. Thanks! CJ Kelly-- We have corresponded before (see way below); my dad was the CO of the 908FAB B Btry, 83rd Inf Div. After shut-off the missile follows a ballistic trajectory toward the target and is guided by the radar in azimuth only. My Dad was in the 745th Field Artillery Battalion in World War II firing the 240 Howitzer over the Rhine River. Zaloga, Steven. U.S. Army 1966. If it wasn't in the Library of Congress, is it likely they would have anything? He may charge a fee to do a search. The skills of these men also translated into high quality artillery observers. This gave me the envious position of sitting in the jeep while the other men pulled the measuring chains and recorded the angles. The group owner very kindly sent us a photo copy of the page where it describes in detail how my grandad and three others were driving two trucks from a supply depot in the rear back to their position with rubber tracks for the prime movers on April 18th 1945 (three weeks before the war ended!) A 105mm battalion contained just over 500 men. 108th Air Definition Artillery Brigade. The Field Artillery OCS at Fort Sill (one of three during the war) produced 25,993 second lieutenants during the war years, which included over 3500 ROTC cadets who had completed between six and eight semesters of ROTC. (7) 1 Jul 58 to 10 Dec 58: Battalion Asst S-3, Special Weapons Training Officer The powder charge is inserted with the primer. Thanks, Mr. McCasland. The battery is 100% mobile. Can you tell me where I can find this information? Went to a few bistros, a few gasthauses, the bahnhof. These officers and men make up the Battalion Headquarters, Headquarters and Service Battery, Medical Detachment, and Firing Battery. A few minutes before the arrival of the gun, the line of fire and center of the turntable are marked with white tape to guide the chief of section and driver, in employing the piece. Each shell could take up to seven bags of powder, which were wrapped in silk and tied together. A split second later a gust of yellow orange flame bursts from the nozzle end of the rocket. Thx. The remainder of the battalion was concurrently inactivated. Hope to get it to you by the end of the week. But please send anyway. Any sources would be appreciated. The maximum range for the 105mm was approximately seven miles (12,205 yds). He had a simple strategy if war ever broke out. Paul Hampton Hickman in the U.S. Army, including panoramic photograph of Company B, 18th Battalion, I. R. T. C. [Infantry Replacement Training Thank you, Mr. Kelly. The collection is comprised of organizational and operational records and miscellaneous historical material from the files of army units that served in World War II. 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 will check the 20th Corps order of battle just to confirm. King of Battle: A Branch History of the U.S. Army's Field Artillery. After 1st formation we had about a half hour to do section chores. Charles (Mac) Armstrong 283nd. I remember one of the Lieutenants (a company commander?) FAB. In late May1945 the 66th Division moved again, this time to the Marseille area on the southern coast of France to staff the staging areas in Marseille, Arles, and St. Victoret from which troops were being sent to the war in the Pacific. I have info for you as well as a possible contact in Europe. Once situated near Marseille, the 263rd staffed the St. Victoret staging area and the 262nd and 264th staffed the Arles staging area. This was important for the married troops who lived off base because it gave them an extra hour and a half in the AM. Each Nike missile battery is divided into three principal areas: The administrative area, the fire control area, and the launching area. I believe that gun ("Atomic Annie") is the one now on display at the Artillery Museum at Fort Sill. Maj. Robert White is a native of West Palm Beach, Florida. 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. I'll post your story. http://www.lonesentry.com/gi_stories_booklets/84th https://history.army.mil/documents/ETO-OB/84ID-ETO https://web.archive.org/web/20020409040148/http:// https://archive.is/20030327053614/http://www.battl Not sure how useful these will be, but give it a shot. Their officer would take a reading from the aiming circle so that the four guns of the battery would be aligned and shoot parallel with each other. As these operations are being accomplished, the rocket specialist is inserting the igniter in the pedestal, sealing the forward end of the rocket motor with the heavy closure plug, and arming the spin rockets. I read that the first guns got there in Oct and not Novas I remembered it. Lt. Col. Ricardo Jones264th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion commander. The jobs of the enlisted members of each firing battery varied depending on their training and circumstances, with many personnel being cross-trained to do a variety of work. 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. The battery control officer, stationed in the battery control trailer, is provided with all of the information and controls necessary to engage targets effectively. He was a World War II veteran who participated in the Battle of the Buldge, where he was a Staff Sergeant in the 264th Field Artillery Battalion. (3) 7Jun 56 to 11 Oct 56: Gun Platoon Commander, A Battery (2nd Gun Platoon) Another radar, the missile-tracking radar, locks on the missile prior to firing and tracks that missile throughout the entire flight. Hope you can help. If you would like to send a photo, that would be great. Also, where did the term red leg come from? The position of aiming posts could vary depending on the unit and terrain. I would be interested in the 908 FAB if there is one! Find A Battery, 264th Field Artillery Battalion unit information, patches, operation history, veteran photos and more on TogetherWeServed.com. 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. LOL, I often wondered how my old Army buddies turned out. The artillery commander has at his call a weapon capable of neutralizing strategic-sized targets, yet requiring only a minimum of notification or support. 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). A group of Marylanders who had recently returned home from voluntary military training . To be commissioned, those ROTC cadets had to attend OCS after going through basic training and AIT. Service or Relationship: Army Veteran. I read the above about the communication, wire and phones. Frank's Facebook Page. My other assignment in the section was to drive the Lts jeep. Church steeple) and line up the angle on that. 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. Just gain enough time for the SAC Bombers to get there and be sure we were out of the way. Another key feature of American artillery during the war was the role of non-divisional artillery battalions of all calibers. CJ Kelly (author) from the PNW on June 27, 2020: Hi Ms. Goetschi, great to hear from you. While I have found quite a bit of information about his unit, including a book published by the South Dakota Historical Commission, a book by Richard Cropp, and the daily reports for his battery. The people I remember were our CO Capt. 264th Pioneer Battalions . They were just fascinating. That is what I had when I arrived and a year later what I had when I left. From the information provided by the acquisition radar, the target-tracking radar acquires the designated target and tracks it throughout the engagement. When I ETS'd & came home, my accent was thick, broken English! My plan is to base a novel on his exploits and service. General Lauer commanded the division until its deactivation in November 1945. FA Bn (280mm Gun), 216th 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 third area, which is apart from the Administrative and Control Areas, is the Launching Area. It mentions that in the UK they were stationed in a small town in Devon called Torrington. We saw a huge convoy approaching us in the passing lane and someone saw that it was the same outfit that Elvis was in. CJ Kelly (author) from the PNW on May 25, 2017: I believe the 221st was assigned to the Americal Division, which ended up on Guadalcanal at the end of 1942. Great time, at night we drank beer from a truck some local Comrade brought out to us. H&HQ as well as A Btry were there in April 1958 and B & C Btry were at Rivers Barracks. Lou was assigned to the 264th Field Artillery Battalion and received his basic training at Camp Swift, TX, and became a Gunner on an 8' Howitzer. At the end of the war each member was given a copy and is called Scatter Come Together. It is impossible to know what will be in a given AAR. HubPages is a registered trademark of The Arena Platform, Inc. Other product and company names shown may be trademarks of their respective owners. CJK -- how do I send you a photo? Keywords: For 13 days B,Battery 11th Field Artillery Battalion[November 12 to 24] was attached to the 52nd FieldArtillery Battalion and to reinforcing the fire ofthe 52nd in their support of the 27th British Brigade[Middlesex] and the 3rd Australian Battalion [Argyle] Entry: 79785. Hi Mr. Walters, do you mean Service Battery? Anything out there?? No Frozen Chosan for him again. The CORPORAL Battalion is assigned to a Field Army and may or may not be attached to a Corps. (1)In January 1955, the 259th FA Msl Bn (Corporal)was deployed to Europe with full Type I CORPORAL field equipment. The simplicity of operation and highly mobile characteristics of the HONEST JOHN makes it of prime importance in tactical use. (2) 1 May 56 to 7 Jun 56: Executive Officer, A Battery Great snackbar and a big ballroom and formal bar upstairs. CJ Kelly (author) from the PNW on October 22, 2019: Hi Mr. Schulte, great to hear from you. But Fort Sill might be come through for me. I know that Corps Artillery Units are hard to trace and that units were disbanded and soldiers with low points were transferred to other units. Since diodes and chips were not available, the Q-10 radar set operated on vacuum tubes. The following records were acquired from the American Battle Monuments Commission on June 17, 2016. about practically any U.S.Army unit contact: jcontrovich@comcast.net. The term Red Leg began in the Civil War, First during the Kansas border wars and then the Army adapted it later. So i just wanted some info even if vaguely describes the 282 during the war. Under the pressure of a fire mission, these tasks were hellish in the freezing, wet weather of Northern Europe. I'm not finding information about the 325th FA after that. The Battle of the Bulge in December 1944 caused such a manpower crisis in infantry units that even some artillery units ended up sending non-essential personnel to the infantry as replacements. Sgt. Within the first couple of weeks the outfit went to the field for training for a week. The 94th division was sent to the Battle of the Bulge. Will do my best and get back to you as soon as I can. I do mean Service Battery. Regardless of the theater in which they operated, the branch was able to put all of these innovations into use. I had always thought that he had 175mm SPHs there. The 666th was a non divisional battalion which frequently moved to different groups so wondering if this battalion was made up of field artillery replacements. This capability is useful in engaging targets of opportunity to the flanks or rear, and in those situations in which the direction of fire is such that transporters could not set the gun down and have room to move away. Always a popular feature and in some cases, it has brought old friends together. 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'm looking for pictures of the C Battery 81st Field Artillery. The 224th became a separate unit at Fort Meade, MD on March 12th, 1942 after being the 2nd Battalion of the 110th Field Artillery. There was a lot of pressure to Buy Bonds. Until I figured it out, I thought it was strange that so many people were concerned about my savings plans. Everything in his records say that he served in the 274th Field Artillery Battalion from his inscription to discharge. Welcome to the 324th Field Artillery Battalion documents section. I returned to the University of Illinois and let Uncle Sam pay for my degree in Mechanical Engineering. I came to Rivers Barracks while the whole post was at REFORGER, so it was basically empty. Would such a book exist for all of the FABs? Many of the men who were replacements in the final 6-8 months of the war were from ASTP units back in the States. Any predictable range error will result in a computation of a final range correction maneuver which is sent to the missile immediately. CJ Kelly (author) from the PNW on December 26, 2018: Hi Liaisonpilot, thanks for reading and commenting. This great weight makes detailed route, and especially bridge, reconnaissance extremely important. FA Msl Bn (Cpl), 557th There also was a 155 outfit at Rivers Barracks so there was plenty of competition between the troops. Reported to the 265th FA Bn on 16 Jan 56 Some after the war. All us kids were issued dog-tags with our name and my Dad's serial number on them) instead of Army ID cards, which we were used to having back in the States. The days were pretty much the same so we looked forward to being in the field. Between the wars, there were important changes to the standard practices of the branch. Is prin Military History Online, "US Army in World War II: Artillery and AA Artillery." One of the keys to the success of the artillery branch in World War II lays in the structure of the battalion and its personnel. Im grateful to have found a book entitled Under Cover that in their own words provides a G-rated history of the 406th Field Artillery Group from January 29, 1944 through Ju;y 7, 1945. The Division has an excellent veterans association which is very helpful to families, see americal.org. Working on another unit right now but I can put together a list for you this weekend. Officially, it was called the M12A2 panoramic telescope. Every time it was moved, it took hours to get it up and running again. Figure it would be easier via email. 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. Arriving in England in February 1944, the 333rd and 969th battalions shipped over to Normandy in July and provided vital artillery support to American forces through months of hard fighting, including at the siege of Brest, France. However, it was to inform me I was now in the survey section. My Father was a Pvt with Btry B of the 221st Field Artillery Battalion with the Americals in WWII. During the Bulge, many of these Corps units were on the move every 12 to 24 hours. 999th Armored Field Artillery Battalion (155mm) 99th Field Artillery Battalion (105mm) 8219 Artillery Topo Map Service . When I woke up in my sleeping bag the first morning a fire had been started and all our boots were around the fire getting warm. I am incredibly proud of my history and thanks for keeping this alive through your work, i appreciate everything you are doing thank you. Obtaining information and reports from non-divisional battalions is extremely difficult as the National Archives has not formally cataloged their after actions and daily rosters.
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