Getting the timing right can be tricky and slow the rate of firing. I am wondering if this could be him? The aircraft was painted olive drab, equipped with a radio, and modified with the addition of a window was placed in the top of the fuselage behind the wing. In addition, there was a self-propelled version of the Long Tom. The Field Artillery branch had developed clear ideas of what guns were needed for the mobile war it saw coming. Keeping the gun aligned properly was a difficult task when under the pressure of multiple fire missions, so the gunners had ways of cheating a little bit. Howitzer), formerly attached to the 3334 Group, was at first given the task of reinforcing the fires of the 2d Division and later placed under the control of the white 402d Field Artillery Group, through which it supported the … VI Tiger tanks put out of action in North Africa was knocked out by a French 75 mounted in the back of a half-track. CJ. The setting sleeves also mirrored those on the 105mm ammo. The wide dispersal of an exploding shell, which could be more than 50 yards, gave the gunners room to be off a little bit. I have a lot of links and contacts for you. Section Sgt is on phone. 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. The multitude of different caliber weapons combined with pre-configured firing tables meant no escape from its power. The 95-pound shell required separate-loading bagged charges that were loaded with the shell according to the orders given by the firing officer. I also have a Kemper Military School paper that said he was with battery A of the 666th. As mentioned earlier, the first mobile tank destroyers consisted of 75mm guns mounted on half-tracks. After seeing you very interesting page I noticed the photo of a destroyed truck and a battalion mess sergeant wrapped in a poncho on the ground in April 1945. I meant when you go to the Battle of the Bulge reunion, if you hear of anyone there interested. Hoping get something out of that. When the Army decided to build such vehicles, the Wehrmacht was making successful attacks with massed tanks. Field Artillery Battalion, 69th Infantry Division Lt Col Iienry E. Strickland, 016140, Comnanding Officer, 79th Field Artillery Group . CJ Kelly (author) from the PNW on December 29, 2018: Yes, most units had a yearbook published, one while in the State training. Duty as an observer usually occurred on a rotating basis for the officers of each battery within the battalion. It was an M110 (8" SP) Bn. FAB. 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 Allies planned to begin using it against ground targets with the beginning of the New Year, but the German surprise offensive in the Ardennes, later known as the Battle of the Bulge, hastened its introduction by a few days. Thank you, Mr. Kelly. Under the pressure of a fire mission, these tasks were hellish in the freezing, wet weather of Northern Europe. Will keep you posted. Officially, it was called the M12A2 panoramic telescope. American artillerymen did not try to combat the enemy’s artillery by building bigger guns. A truck could carry between 50 and 60 shells per trip. I did find a guy who runs a blog/website. American artillery enjoyed another advantage that is hard to quantify:  superior quality of the ammunition it fired. The supply and cooks sections rounded out the unit. Is there a way to know who survived the war in his Battery B? 5th INFANTRY DIVISION. We were established in 1983 as a member-based, charitable 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Even the famous infantry replacements rarely moved. The skills of these men also translated into high quality artillery observers. 155mm "Long Tom" battery training in England. Author of Red Legs of the Bulge: Artillerymen in the Battle of the Bulge. In World War II, both German and American artillery fire direction was normally done at the battalion level. According to Weigley, this limited the effectiveness of U.S. artillery. Extra men were needed just to carry the shells. By 1942, Germany was drafting workers of military age out of factories and munitions plants and replacing them with POWs and slave laborers. But I will pursue Ft. Sill and see what they say--always worth a try! I’m 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. There are vets with home pages, etc. Using the vernacular of today, they could be described as a heavy weapons company on steroids. C1: S: 9. The shells had lifting rings attached at their nose during shipment, and they had to be removed to install the fuse. A component by component examination of American and German artillery shows that almost from the beginning of America’s participation in the conflict the U.S. Army had the superior system. Thank you so much for sharing this information. On 29 March the Battalion was relieved from attachment to 30th Infantry Division and attached to 75th Infantry Division. My other granddad was on HMS Iron Duke at the Battle of Jutland during WW1 and was originally called Jack Bishop. Can I ask one more question? Hi Mr. Kelly- I did not have much luck on the 4th Infantry Division Association Page in finding anything on the 20th Field Artillery Batallion- do you have any other page suggestions- any advice is much appreciated! For example, if the setting sleeve was turned parallel to the shell, it was set for superquick. Any assistance will be appreciated. CJ Kelly (author) from the PNW on January 30, 2017: John, go to my homepage and contact me via FB or email, etc. In the fighting for Hill 192 outside of St. Lô, the 2d Infantry alone fired up to twenty TOTs a night to keep the defenders off balance. This is the best article I have read on the US Army Field Artillery in World War II. The risk of being spotted by enemy observers was ever present. Each fired during the countdown at a time that caused the initial rounds from all of the guns to impact the target simultaneously. Rich Anderson, 2007. Last week we found a Facebook group for the 200th and sent them a mail about if they knew of the book as it might mention my grandad. A Russian slave laborer told them that when they had occupied the farm a German captain had been on leave there and had stayed behind with a radio when the rest of the defenders pulled out. So i just wanted some info even if vaguely describes the 282 during the war. Memorial to the Wereth 11 The unit landed at Normandy in early July 1944 and saw continuous combat as corps artillery throughout the summer. The three 105mm battalion were assigned to one of the three infantry regiments to support, forming a combat team. There is an active Div Association. Good luck and I will keep you posted. My father taught at Ft. Sill right after the war, and again at various times over the years for shorter stints (summer camp?) These were designated the M7 and nicknamed the “Priest” for their pulpit-like machine-gun ring. CJ Kelly (author) from the PNW on September 15, 2016: Nancy,the 908th was part of the 83rd Infantry Division during WWII. Was the increase in FOs officially part of the T&O? Hope you can help. Allied troops on the ground in all theaters were extremely grateful. 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. 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. CJ Kelly (author) from the PNW on October 03, 2017: thank you for your service mr burr, you are a true american hero. 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 would like to find out my Dad's route of travel in Europe from his arrival in 1942 to his departure in 1945. If you have an email I can send them to you. Thank You! It referred to Unionists in the State. I am doing a blog on the 182 letters he wrote home while at Camp McCoy and then in the European Theater. Usually, one or two of the men had a copy years later and sent to the Association. It appears to me to be more pre Bulge. Germany continued to improve its tanks, so the Army developed the M36, which carried a 90mm antiaircraft gun. Thanks for the quick response and that would be amazing if you could turn up something to add to our story. The use of artillery reached its zenith in World War II. Under favorable conditions, an American heavy artillery battalion could road march up to 160 miles per day. Great to hear from you. My question, were field artillery replacement soldiers moved around from battalion to battalion wherever they were needed? I cannot find either a towed 155mm Howitzer or Long Tom 155mm battalion (non-divisional) designated as the 274th. CJ Kelly (author) from the PNW on April 01, 2020: Mr. Ferandes, I'll do the best I can. I would be glad to furnish you with that. '44/'45. That GI was from a divisional artillery unit. It's a mix of WWII, Korea and Vietnam, but their webmasters and historians are good. Their assembly areas were so raked over by American and British artillery that the attack got off to a late shaky start and was called off less than twenty-four hours later. During peacetime, the unit saw no combat action but did serve during the prison strike. Until the M10 tank destroyer became available, the Army used this expedient to provide units with a mobile antitank gun. Nevertheless, evaluating an army’s artillery requires a good deal more than looking at the standard guns that it deploys. I'm not certain if that means they are attached to each other or used independently. However, by the end of World War II, this gun was withdrawn from service despite its exceptional range. Our uncle, Richard V. Fritts, was a Technical Fourth Grade in the 993rd Field Artillery Battalion, in the Pacific Theater in 1944 and 1945. I have seen them, but I hope to add them to my You Tube channel soon. The Germans could have side slipped the axis of their advance into that gap but they never discovered it. Have been researching my Dad's WWII service for past 2 years. I'm looking for whatever I can find. A 105mm battalion contained just over 500 men. 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. In the first two years of the war, the 105mm self-propelled and 75mm howitzer were their main weapons. Red and white aiming posts were laid to the rear of the sight, almost in a straight line. After firing, the breech was opened by the #1 and the shell casing would drop out automatically, where it was picked up one of the loaders to be tossed aside. The most dramatic proof is that in 1978, a former World War II observation pilot received a letter from a former infantryman. Our funding helps to acquire and conserve Army historical art and artifacts, support Army history educational programs, research, and publication of historical materials on the American Soldier, and provide support and counsel to private and governmental organizations committed to the same goals. 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. 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. I know his headstone states he was a Sergeant but he must received that at Camp Swift in Texas in the three months before being discharged on October 14, 1945. The sophistication of American fire direction developed at Fort Sill included the uniquely American ability, at that time:  to have several batteries fire “Time on Target” (TOT) shoots. Two types of 105mm howitzers were assigned to infantry divisions. ... With the exception of those in the 8-inch gun and 240-mm. He was sure that the spotter had saved his life. (He passed 10 years ago, having said little about his service!) Upon arrival at a position, using such equipment as aiming circles, range finders, and other survey equipment like steel tapes and chains, the enlisted men of the section would lay in the guns to prepare them for aiming direction and elevation. It moved to Marl on 31 March, the end of the period. I do know that he landed in England February 26, 1944 and France on June 14, 1944. Also found in Hugh Cole's The Ardennes: Battle of the Bulge. He listed many names and addresses on the back with their location in the picture. The 908th should not be a problem. Major, later General, Anthony C. McAuliffe studied the FM radios that the Connecticut State Police had began using and convinced the Army to develop FM vehicle radios. Thanks! Prewar studies had made it clear that a synergistic effect occurred when infantry, artillery and armor fought as a closely coordinated whole. The relative lack of mobility of Germany’s artillery was caused by the limitations of the German economy, desultory planning, and the initiation of hostilities long before the planned expansion of the Wehrmacht was complete. There were seven different propelling charges, with TNT being the most frequently used. Those fire direction centers must be able to co-ordinate with other artillery units to mass fires as needed. Changes: Type: Pages. The 105mm M3 is seen above in France, 1944. Thank you. As with the 105mm, color markings were used to differentiate the type of shells. We have been putting together some information about my granddad recently after putting out a Facebook message. Keep me posted on what you find and if you need any clarification. Many Thanks Chuck Armstrong son of Sgt. Everything in his records say that he served in the 274th Field Artillery Battalion from his inscription to discharge. Thank You for your quick response. US Army Table of Organization and Equipment Intro to TOE. Hi Mr. Walters, do you mean Service Battery? If so, info is scarce because it was a non-divisional unit. 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. Its high explosive round had the same impact as the 105mm shell, and it was often used to supplement other supporting weapons. The Field Artillery units in the state of Colorado are the largest and the oldest of the Colorado Army National Guard. They were also capable of plunging fire, which allowed the guns to engage targets in defilade, unlike the flatter trajectory of the French 75. This fact may be startling since at the beginning of World War II, American artillery was armed with obsolete French guns that were transported via horses and unreliable trucks. He was a Artillery Mechanic and recently celebrated his 99th birthday! The climate was also corrosive to ammunition. Artillery) in twelve major campaigns including Manassas, Fredericksburg, Antietam, Gettysburg and Appomattox. The text is ... a motorized artillery battalion, a troop transport battalion, special troops, and services. I will start checking into the unit ASAP. Batteries were headed by a captain with an exec who was a lieutenant. But they were part of the infantry regiment, and used at the discretion of the regimental CO. The sophistication of American fire direction is illustrated in an anecdote in My War, a memoir by Dr. Don Fusler, a soldier who served on a 57mm antitank gun crew. There are numerous anecdotes about sabotage that caused shells to fail to explode at crucial times. Each battery calculated the time of flight from their guns to the target. I believe the 15th FAB has a Facebook page too. He shipped over to the Pacific on 29 October 1943 and returned to the US in late 1945 after being with the occupation forces in Japan. 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. They were supported by the fire of 348 guns and a battalion of 4.2-inch mortars. Can you help me to find anything about where they went and what they did? Thank you for any other sources that I can be directed to. In addition, it hampered German attacks by separating infantry from its accompanying armor. 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. In Normandy I was a 155 RO sent forward as an FO because the lights only had 1 per battery. Thank You for the links to the Artillery Battalions in the European Theater. Will do. In part he commented “an observation plane directed the fire of numerous batteries on all worthwhile targets throughout the zone.”. If you can, use the email provided as it will be easier for you to contact me. During the Bulge, many of these Corps units were on the move every 12 to 24 hours. There are some resources on the 666th as well as a book that was published. However I have not been able to discover that fact. I will keep at it. He may charge a fee to do a search. Battalions were also formed into field artillery groups of various calibers. Hi Mr. Oakley, I'm assuming this is WWII? Please email at the address provided in my profile. It consisted of a battery headquarters, operations platoon, communication platoon, an air observation section and a maintenance section. It sometimes has mentions of the 20th Field Artillery, although references to World War II are becoming fewer and fewer. The entire VII Corps was on the move, and the 951 st was attached to the 188 th Field Artillery … Dastrup, Boyd. CJ Kelly (author) from the PNW on December 26, 2018: Hi Liaisonpilot, thanks for reading and commenting. He also said that his unit was emplaced for a couple weeks around Kassel, Germany during the Rhineland Campaign as he got strafed by German fighters. After the war, they were disbanded. Their Division was the 2nd Infantry Division aka as the Indianheads. Thank you! There was a replacement system, but the exigencies of combat left all units in the combat arms (infantry, armor, engineer or artillery) short of men. It is possible he was assigned after the massacre from another unit. He did not talk much about his experience except one instance when he was in Italy as a Forward Observer being shelled so badly one night that his buddy's hair turned white by the next morning. Sorry for the delays. This depended on how it was turned. Others were graduates of rigorous artillery ROTC programs from around the country. I also know a researcher who will go to NARA in St. Louis, Myra Miller, where more records are due to arrive (the M-to-Z batch, which would include my John McNamara), and though many military papers were burned in a fire, she has found quite a few good papers that survived or can be reconstructed. The 100th Battalion was absorbed into the 442RCT as its 1st battalion. I'll post your story. It will be very much appreciated. For example, after the capture of Avranches and the breakout from the Normandy beachhead, the Germans launched Operation Lüttich, a foolhardy attempt to cut off American spearheads now penetrating deep into France. Self-propelled artillery took on a greater role and of course, missile and rocket technology changed the branch forever. The unit ended the war near Hitler's Eagles Nest. Crew of 105mm (M2). He did not speak of his service- wondering if you have any leads that might help? How can one find a unit history? Batteries were further subdivided into sections. I am especially interested in his duties, but also how the battery functioned as a whole. Date. The term Red Leg began in the Civil War, First during the Kansas border wars and then the Army adapted it later. Years later he succeeded in tracing down the pilot to personally express his gratitude. He went in with the 406 Field Artillery Group and was discharged with the 196th Field Artillery Battalion. Organization: Home page Table of contents. I have an artillery tribute page and try to put up a "Red Leg of the Week" feature a few times a year. This map highlights the dates and locations where the 173rd Field Artillery Battalion served in WWII. So even after the plodding German batteries arrived at the front, they were often silent. The effectiveness of American artillery, even at this early stage of American involvement, impressed Rommel. I also have the two small booklets that were published about the 2nd Infantry Division. My Father was a Pvt with Btry B of the 221st Field Artillery Battalion with the Americals in WWII. While exciting, it can get confusing. and were ambushed by SS. This seems overblown. Its strength was 3,300 men. There are lots of photos of guns and crews, but not one L-4 and pilot. I'm very rarely stymied, but in this case, hard case. I'm not sure that the 196th was part of the 79th. They were also very useful as infantry support weapons. That impact was observed in both the European and Pacific Theaters. On three occasions German artillery fire came in on them with suspicious accuracy, twice hitting tank destroyers and once the unit mess. These vehicles made American artillery far more mobile than German guns, which still relied heavily on horses for movement. I am trying to write a history of the 147th from November 1940 when his National Guard unit was activated and November 1945 when he was discharged. Headquarters Company, 5th Infantry Division. Production problems, massive bombing raids on German manufacturing centers, and air interdiction of lines of communication all combined to seriously impede Germany’s ability to move ammunition and other supplies to its forces in Africa, Italy and the European campaign. That happened to most of the 589th FAB survivors. A gun section of the 333rd Field Artillery preparing for action in Normandy. Also, if you have a photo your dad, that would be great. Item No. Intense Allied bombing of German railways slowed the movement of troops, equipment, and supplies. It is very interesting and quite humbling. During World War I, fire was adjusted by individual batteries. The 274th was an Armored Field Artillery unit using the "Priest," 105mm on an M7 chassis. The bits and pieces I have seem to point to him being in the 325th FA 84th Infantry Division Railsplitters. Once the orders were received, he would spin his wheel to the correct angle. I’m especially curious as to why he changed units. One of the members of the 83rd group. Then the fuse had to be set using a special wrench. Detailed information on the artillery untis' structure and the artillery systems the U.S. used in WWII. Thx. In The Day of Battle:  The War in Sicily and Italy, 1943-1944, Rick Atkinson wrote that half of the Wehrmacht’s artillery pieces on the Eastern Front were French guns. The raids also caused heavy losses in men and materiel. If they received an answer, they had to keep moving and the procedure was repeated until they did not get an answer. The surviving descendant of the 20th FA is 2nd BN 20th FA which is now MLRS. Its effect was shattering. The unit crest on his IKE Jacket is the 2nd FA Obv Bn and he attained the rank of Tech 5. ... Medical Detachment, 50th Field Artillery Battalion 21st FIELD ARTILLERY BATTALION, 155mm. This is the official Facebook page for the 1st Battalion, 40th Field Artillery. The M10, the first purpose-built tank destroyer, mounted a 3-inch naval gun (which was available because the Navy had phased it out) on a Sherman chassis. I think he was in the 20th Service Battalion of the 200th Just half an hour ago I purchased a hard copy on ebay from someone in Old Forge Pennsylvania, just 4hr drive from where he lived in Slippery Rocks. Artillery Battalions in World War II - Owlcation - Education If too much powder residue built up in the barrel, it could cause a catastrophic explosion when a round was fired. These thing never turn up! Should have something for you in a few weeks. It aids in laying in the guns by taking into account the Y Azimuth distance between true north and magnetic north. I'll have to confirm that. Great article. CJ Kelly (author) from the PNW on September 25, 2017: Hi Mr. Rodgers. Distribution Restriction: Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. Most American armored divisions deployed three battalions of standard 105mm howitzers mounted, in the open, on the chassis of an M3 Lee or, more frequently, an M4 Sherman tank. It must have a good means of identifying and accurately locating a target and needs well-schooled forward observers who are in close contact not only with the batteries, but with the troops they are working with. I did not see you mention, so I'm assuming you have not seen it. If you have a photo and bio for your dad, I would love to add him to the Red Leg of the Week feature I do. The mere presence of the observation planes in the air over the front lines had the effect of severely suppressing enemy fire. The SS then opened fire with machine guns and bazookas killing my granddad and PFC Lusk with the other two managing to escape. He apparently has a lot pics, etc. Is there a list of the names in his Battery B? Regardless of the theater in which they operated, the branch was able to put all of these innovations into use. The fact that TOTs could drop without warning at any time meant that there was steady attrition in the front lines. The effectiveness of German artillery was limited by ammunition shortages that dwarfed those of the Allies. In 1985, the unit was finally disbanded and most members were merged into the 258th Field Artillery Battalion, Battery-B. Even when the front was relatively quiet, the Fallschirmjäger lost approximately 100 killed and several hundred wounded each day. The advantages the armies of the western Allies had over the German were not limited to the excellence of their artillery. Let me know and that can help the search be more specific. No. I really appreciate it. 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. There must be a sufficient supply of all of the above to meet the needs of the maneuver units or other forces the batteries are supporting. Who we are Want to volunteer Schedule of events Venturing Crew. Hold the Allies had over the Rhine River and Poland and assembled near.. Them had graduated from college, but not one L-4 and pilot of. 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