He was in the Pensacola convoy and then was in Darwin in early 1942. I returned to the University of Illinois and let Uncle Sam pay for my degree in Mechanical Engineering. Firing positions are prepared in advance and survey completed to a stake which marks the location for the center of the turntable. All we had to go on was a name from my gran. The 1-151 FA provides combatant commanders with a trained and ready force to destroy, defeat or disrupt the enemy with timely, accurate and integrated fires; additionally, the 1-151 FA is prepared to support the State of Minnesota with troops capable of assisting in a disaster. A 105mm battalion contained just over 500 men. HubPages is a registered trademark of The Arena Platform, Inc. Other product and company names shown may be trademarks of their respective owners. My grandmother had a newsletter from the 666th field artillery, which was a non divisional battalion, telling about their travels in Europe so I was thinking he was with this battalion. My grandfather was in the 282nd fab and i saw you respond to mr. Armstrong in the comments and was hoping that u still had access to the information id love to find out more but its very hard to find info in his personell file bc alot of what they actually did differs from what it says they did. That baffled me til someone pointed out that in his situation, points wouldn't matter, and exactly what you said--the regrouping of men. This may be what you are seeing. This order detonates the three missile warheads simultaneously. Because my Mom didn't want to go back to the States, we lost our PX privleges and had to live "on the economy". By having this record the gun could go to a known position and not have to wait for a survey. Also from my research, I discovered the CIB was only awarded to Infantry men in combat but after the war in 1946, an exception was made for other soldiers who fought in direct combat did earn the CIB and thus awarded the Bronze Star. After the battle he jumped ship, changed his name to Jack England and joined the Somerset Light Infantry in the army and was sent right to Flanders in the front line. My father was in WWII. They may have been detached, but these are the assigned battalions. On payday they were filled and SPs as well as MPs roamed the town to prevent trouble. However, it was to inform me I was now in the survey section. But there is stuff out there and I will put together a page w/links. My dad volunteered for Vietnam in 1968 and we stayed in Munich, Germany while he was there (Central Highlands, Pleiku, Da Nang, Nah Tran, etc). I was allowed to go into the kitchen anytime 24/7 and get food. CJ Kelly (author) from the PNW on January 30, 2017: John, go to my homepage and contact me via FB or email, etc. Also, if you have a photo your dad, that would be great. CJ Kelly (author) from the PNW on May 15, 2020: Thx, Greener. Please note: I have an artillery tribute page and try to put up a "Red Leg of the Week" feature a few times a year. The majority of the shells expended during fire missions were usually high explosive (HE). From there, they would splice into the line with their own EE8A telephone, and crank it to ring back to their starting place. Using the vernacular of today, they could be described as a heavy weapons company on steroids. I left out a lot, but that's the easy synopsis. Their response was which corner. A 155mm battalion had approximately 550 enlisted men with 30 officers, with each battery having around 120 men. According to it's unit history - the 274th Field Artillery also fought in the Kassel, Regansburg then ended the war in Austria? Self-propelled artillery took on a greater role, and of course, missile and rocket technology changed the branch forever. A 155mm battalion had approximately 550 enlisted men with 30 officers, with each battery having around 120 men. In Europe, having one FO for each infantry battalion was unacceptable since it was the infantry company that was basic to infantry operations and each needed to call directly for artillery support. 108th Air Definition Artillery Brigade. The first of three radars is the Acquisition Radar which is a search radar. That probably was a good thing because the winning team got a trip to the US to participate in the all army tournament. The Lt. then put it in a classified record for use if hostilities broke out. But his task did not end there; he also operated the breech block, set the primer, and pulled the lanyard upon the order, Fire! Yes it was WWII. Another radar, the missile-tracking radar, locks on the missile prior to firing and tracks that missile throughout the entire flight. O, Lt. Wegman, Our section S3, Lt. Aldrich and one of the gun officers, Lt. Hightower. Keep me posted. The 266th Engineer and 366th Medical battalions performed their usual duties. Battalions were also formed into field artillery groups of various calibers. He would like to remain in contact with any members of the service he served with during this time. 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. (3) 7Jun 56 to 11 Oct 56: Gun Platoon Commander, A Battery (2nd Gun Platoon) I was introduced to my new Sgt. I have a lot of links and contacts for you. After his military service, he attended the University of Florida where he was a member of the ATO fraternity and where he became a lifelong Gator fan. On September 27, 1939, Headquarters Battery, 1 st Battalion, 264 th Coast Artillery at Statesboro was reorganized as . He was discharged in NYC on December 26, 1945. 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". One or more of the battalions of a group might be attached for direct support to an individual division. Finding the break in a line required both skill and a little bit of luck. My sister cleared some information. A group was usually assigned from two to six battalions. 14710 Colleville-sur-Mer, France. The assignments were made back in the US and continued upon deployment. 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 will pass it on. 264th Infantry 66th Reconnaissance Troop (Mechanized) 266th Engineer Combat Battalion 366th Medical Battalion 66th Division Artillery 870th Field Artillery Battalion (105mm Howitzer). It is impossible to know what will be in a given AAR. He was corporal gunner. If not West Pointers, many were from military schools such as the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) or the Citadel. Lt. Col. Ricardo Jones264th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion commander. Other stakes are used to mark the direction of fire. My duty assignments with the 265th FA Bn (later 3rd Gun Bn, 81st Arty) were as follows: He served in the U.S. Army, 264th Field Artillery Battalion, in Germany. dates given are day-month-year [e.g. The unit crest on his IKE Jacket is the 2nd FA Obv Bn and he attained the rank of Tech 5. The CORPORAL Battalion is the firing battery rather than the battery. He's to the right of the breech responsible for elevating the gun and attaching the firing pin. But Fort Sill might be come through for me. Some after the war. The pictures of the 8" Howitzer in the Phillippines, 1944 really brought back memories! I know he also went to Edgewood Arsenal at some point (I don't know my own history!). OPERATIONAL CONCEPTS If anyone can share any knowledge or similar experiences, I would appreciate it. Keep me posted on what you find and if you need any clarification. CJ Kelly (author) from the PNW on September 25, 2017: Hi Mr. Rodgers. CJ. The SS then opened fire with machine guns and bazookas killing my granddad and PFC Lusk with the other two managing to escape. AP580304E--LS $10.00: Add to Cart U.S. A.P.O.'s 6c Air Force 1958 Army-Air Force Postal Service A.P.O. Home Counties Division 44th (Home Counties) Division 44th (Home Counties) Infantry Division It is possible he was assigned after the massacre from another unit. Is there a list of the names in his Battery B? I would like to find out my Dad's route of travel in Europe from his arrival in 1942 to his departure in 1945. You would think I would have realized that after reading your site and getting a LOT of education on what they went through. Neither of us including my mother new of each other existed. I really appreciate it. CJK. Many 66th Division athletic teams played on another on newly constructed athletic fields. 264th Infantry Regiment Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 66th Infantry Division Artillery 721st Field Artillery Battalion (155 mm) 870th Field Artillery Battalion (105 mm) 871st Field Artillery Battalion (105 mm) 872d Field Artillery Battalion (105 mm) 266th Engineer Combat Battalion 366th Medical Battalion The fuses were shipped in crates, about 25 per box. Maj. Robert White is a native of West Palm Beach, Florida. It referred to Unionists in the State. As the vehicle stops with its sight mount over the surveyed hub, three crewmen lower the side and rear jacks while other crewmen elevate and extend the launching beam to the firing position. From the information provided by the acquisition radar, the target-tracking radar acquires the designated target and tracks it throughout the engagement. These documents are provided for by Dave Curry, historian of the 83rd Infantry Division Association. Artillery Antiaircraft . I believe that gun ("Atomic Annie") is the one now on display at the Artillery Museum at Fort Sill. All units in the last year of the war were short men on their roster. 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. The Nike system is designed to operate with three sections per battery and four launches per section, but may use a smaller number. It rotates constantly at a predetermined speed and targets coming within its range are presented pictorially on a radar scope to the Battery Commander at his tactical control position. about practically any U.S.Army unit contact: jcontrovich@comcast.net. The Battalion was awarded a Meritorious Unit Commendation (MUC). The people I remember were our CO Capt. during WWII ], [ 15th Infantry Division - Did not exist Empty shell casings near gun section, Elsenborn Ridge, 1944. Usually, two men were sent out. Will do. Radar transmits these commands back to the missile. in Germany from 1945 to 1989. On this version, there were no split trailers. Any information you have would certainly be appreciated. On October 1st, 1940, the three battalions of the 26th Field Artillery were re-designated as three separate battalions under the Commanding . If your frostbitten hands were not already cut up from separating the silk powder bags with a knife, you got soaked kneeling down in the puddles and mud that formed around the gun pit. 254th Engineer Combat Battalion 187th FA Group (751st and 997th FA Battalions) 190th FA Group (62nd, 190th, 272nd, and 268th FA Battalions) 406th FA Group (76th, 941st, 953rd, and 987th FA Battalions) 1111th Engineer Combat Group (51st, 202nd, 291st, and 296th Engineer Combat Battalions) Can you help me to find anything about where they went and what they did? We bowled, played softball, went to the library or just tried to look busy. Even the famous infantry replacements rarely moved. Upon receiving the orders from the firing officer, such as Command Left 10 or Right 20, the key task for the gunner was to get the aiming stakes and the gun sight lined up on the vertical crosshair in the scope. Forward observation team near Cherbourg, France, June 1944. They were responsible for guarding the perimeter and hauling extra ammo. Since diodes and chips were not available, the Q-10 radar set operated on vacuum tubes. After 1st formation we had about a half hour to do section chores. I realized why when we hit a storm in the North Atlantic and spent three days at sea anchor during which time we were feeding 85 troops that could still eat. FA Bn (280mm Gun), 265th The 95-pound shell required separate-loading bagged charges that were loaded with the shell according to the orders given by the firing officer. Duty as an observer usually occurred on a rotating basis for the officers of each battery within the battalion. Can I ask one more question? Rank was hard to come by because the 280s were being phased out and the battalion seemed to be a place for Officers who were being phased out. I have often wondered how that boy turned out, since at the age of twelve he spoke fluent Polish, English, German, and French. Like Ms. Southall, my father was in two different FABs, and someone at the 83rd site said that because he, my dad, was regular army (West Point), he would be staying for the Occupation, which he did, for another year, and that's about when the change occurred, I think, from the 908 to the 323. Continuous commands are sent to the missile to correct for evasive action of the target. There were instance after the Bulge were survivors who were in units wiped in the battle were farmed out to other battalions until their original units were reformed or the war was over. I'm trying to assemble their route to share with family, but of course I'd also like to make a Bucket List trip and follow the route. We then did a half hour of PT followed by a half hour of DD. Here is where I lose track of him and can find no records of what battalion he was assigned . It's a great place to begin the search. To be commissioned, those ROTC cadets had to attend OCS after going through basic training and AIT. If you served in A Battery, 264th Field Artillery Battalion, Join TWS for free to reconnect with service friends. I dont know why he changed units. We were paid in "Script." There were also a few officers and large numbers of enlisted men who were transferred to the Battalion when the "Pentomic" reorganization took place. Estimates of the number of German forces left behind in these pockets ran from fifty to one hundred thousand. I would like very much to find out what happened to a large number of the Officers and EM I served with. It could be rotated manually 360 degrees. I also have the two small booklets that were published about the 2nd Infantry Division. FA Bn (280mm Gun), 867th He landed on D-Day +2 and the book covers a few engagements and on the back cover is the list of those killed which list my grandad. Each gun crew was considered a section, and within each section was a sergeant (Section Chief), a corporal and assistant gunner (known as the #1), two other assistant gunners, and three cannoneers. 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. I already have the 1946 yearbook of the 15th FAB and also the 2nd Infantry Division book that was published. At appropriate zenith of its trajectory, the missile's location She was worried about the German toilet paper (too rough), so just before he left we bought a big freezer and bought a side of beef and tons of American toilet paper. No. Thanks! In addition, steering commands received from the computer are transmitted to the missile which directs it toward the predicted intercept point. Several places could have reports and other info, like NARA. It's a mix of WWII, Korea and Vietnam, but their webmasters and historians are good. On 01 October 1940, the three battalions of the 26th Field Artillery were re-designated as Artillery, and the old first battalion then became the 26th Field Artillery Battalion. Thank you, Mr. Kelly. Their Division was the 2nd Infantry Division aka as the Indianheads. Like most Army units, sports was a big part of off hours. Retirements and budget cuts have occurred but I will dig into it, let you know what I find. The wide dispersal of an exploding shell, which could be more than 50 yards, gave the gunners room to be off a little bit. CJ Kelly (author) from the PNW on September 28, 2017: Hi Mr. Burr. I just missed a man who served under my dad, died two weeks before I found him, but I have at least one of his descendants and hope to talk to her. Arrived Bremerhaven on theUSNS Gen. Butner on 15 Jan 1956 . My dad, Eugene F. Southall, was a field lineman (technician 5th grade) with HQ and HQ Battery. This area is composed of the buildings and items of equipment necessary for assembling, testing, fueling, and firing a NIKE missile. I came to Rivers Barracks while the whole post was at REFORGER, so it was basically empty. who had been a college math instructor but drank too much and ended up in the Army. 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. Since I sent you the first e-mail, I have had a chance to read some of the other emails on your site. 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. I emailed you about information on his unit. Many others were reserve officers with established professional careers in civilian life. 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. At night, signals are given by the chief of section to the drivers and winch operator by the use of socially modified flash lights. I am assuming that my father was in a 3rd Army towed 155 mm battalion until VE-Day and then transferred to the 274th in Austria during the reorganization & disbanding of units. The 870th was assigned as an MP unit, the 871st guarded the Miramas Depot, and the 872nd was stationed in Marseille. I assumed because of the increase to 6 guns that there were more observers, but I was not sure if the 3 FO was a standard. It was very common for the men to be reassigned to other units after the end of hostilities, as some units were rotated home as well as individual personnel based on points. The command element of the groups was structured very similarly to that of a divisional artillery HQ with such features as a fire direction center, H&H battery and service battery. It consists of a firing battery headquarters, four howitzer sections and an ammunition section. Enough about me lets talk about the 264th FA Battalion. (He passed 10 years ago, having said little about his service!) Sometimes brings in units' other families looking for info too. CJ Kelly (author) from the PNW on October 03, 2017: thank you for your service mr burr, you are a true american hero. (4) 11 Oct 56 to 27 May 57: Battalion S-1 and Adjutant I remember a black guy (Pvt/Cpl/Sgt? Please take as long as you need. Or did the units adjust while in the field during Korea? Officially, it was called the M12A2 panoramic telescope. Stay well. This was important for the married troops who lived off base because it gave them an extra hour and a half in the AM.