The History of the

75th Artillery C.A.C.

During WWI

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The 75th Artillery was organized at Ft. Moultrie, SC in September, 1918. They sailed from Port of Embarkation Hoboken on October 5, 1918. The 75th returned to the States on 13 March 1919 and went to Camp Stuart, VA and then was demobilized at Camp Grant, IL that same month.

The 75th Regiment was part of the 40th Artillery Brigade. The other Regiments that made up the 40th Artillery Brigade were the 73rd and 74th Regiments. When the 75th Artillery Regiment got to France they were assigned to O&T Center No. 6 (Operations and Training) at Mailly and Haussimont, France. O&T Center No. 6. This was the training camp of the Railway Artillery. The 75th reached this place too late in the war and was not fully trained yet and saw no action at the front.

The 75th is a Regiment that I know very little on yet but need to find out more. If you have additional information please contact me. They most likely would have had been assigned to Railway Artillery if they had reached the Front. The artillery pieces that were used by the Railway Artillery were what ever could be found at the time and may have been anything from French 340mm, 400mm 19G's or may have been 8" rail mounted Howitzers or 12" or 14" railway guns.

The regiment arrived at Brest (Finistere), on October 16, 1918. The 1st Battalion and Batteries C and E proceeded to the Intermediate Supply Depot at Gievres (Loir-et-Cher) and Battery E remained there until the Armistice. The 1st Battalion moved to Alencon (Orne) on November 5th, 1918 and Battery C to Reignoc (Indre-et-Lorie) on November 4th, 1918 and remained there until the Armistice. Batteries D and E remained at Brest (Finistere) until November 1st. Battery D took station at Avoine (Indre-et-Loire) on November 5th and Battery F at LaSuze-sur-Sarthe (Sarthe) on November 2d, both Batteries remained at these stations until the Armistice.

Station List of the 75th Artillery while in France, City (County)

Batteries A & B	Gievres (Loir-et-Cher)	Oct. 31-Nov. 4, 1918
Batteries A & B	Alencon (Orne)	Nov. 5-11, 1918
Battery C	Gievres (Loir-et-Cher)	Nov. 1-4, 1918
Battery C	Reignac (Indre-et-Loire)	Nov. 4-11, 1918
Battery D	Brest (Finistere)	Oct. 16-Nov. 5, 1918
Battery D	Avoine (Indre-et-Loire)	Nov. 7-11, 1918
Battery E	Gievres (Loir-et-Cher)	Oct. 31-Nov. 11, 1918
Battery F	LaSuze-sur-Sarthe (Sarthe)	Nov. 2-11, 1918

On February 26th, 1919 the Regiment sailed for Newport News VA. On the Transport "Aeolus". I have this info about the sailing from a March 15th, 1919 edition of "The Liaison" the official newsletter of the Coast Artillery Corps. It reads as if the Regiment had not made Newport News as of March 15th. Usual voyages across the Atlantic (French ports to US ports during WWI years) took 13-15 days.

The Regimental Muster of the 75th Artillery, C.A.C.

As I find and uncover history of men who served in the 75th Artillery during WWI, I will list them here. Please if you have a family member who also served in the 75th contact me and I will add it to this list.

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Captain Ernest H. Reece

Captain Reece was born 20 March 1880 in Ada, Ohio. He entered the Army on 27 August 1917 and was assigned to the Coast Artillery Training Corps at Ft. Monroe, VA. Upon completion on 27 November 1917 he received a commission as a Captain in the Coast Artillery Corps and was assigned to the 161st Depot Brigade. The 161st Depot Brigade was stationed at Camp Grant, Illinois and Captain Reece must have been there also. At some point he was then stationed in the Coast Defenses at Fort Screven, Georgia and as the 75th Artillery was being formed out of units of the South Atlantic Coast Artillery District this is how Captain Reece came into the 75th Artillery. He sailed with the 75th Artillery on 5 October 1918 and was with them throughout their duty in France. He returned with the 75th Artillery to the states on 13 March 1919. Captain Reece was Honorable Discharged from the Army on 29 July 1919.

Pvt. Henry L. Woodard, HQ Co., 3rd Bn, 75th Artillery, C.A.C.

Polly Gregory-Hussey shared with me about her great uncle, Henry Woodard who died in WWI. Polly stated that on his grave marker, along with a VFW marker she found this:

Henry L. Woodard, Pvt,
20 Oct 1918
Hdqs Co 3rd Bat 75 Arty

Polly relates this about Henry Woodard: "I don't know anything at all. I have been told he died (20 October 1918) in Europe. Mother, his niece, has a beautiful old oval framed photograph of him in his uniform from hips up in a sitting position. I have a bar ribbon of his somewhere, I must have taken it back to Mother. I am an amateur genealogist and am trying to find out a little about him. He was young, born 1 June 1898, Scurry Co, Texas and died 20 October 1918. If I read some of the information correctly he must have died after being in France only about 4 days and did not see action. I wonder what he died from?" My guess would be influenza, that killed as many as did battle deaths.

An earlier photo of Carl Palmgren most likely taken while at Fort Moultrie, SC. Visible on his left breast over the pocket is Palmgrens award for having achieved Class "A" Marksmanship, US Army, for small arms proficiency. This photo provided by Lt. Col. Ret., Hamilton.

This photo shows a seasoned veteran. Visible on his left shoulder is the shoulder patch of what looks to be that of the 1st Army Artillery. Coast Artillery Corps Regiments were commonly known to wear this shoulder patch. On his right sleeve are the markings of a 1st Sergeant, so this would date this photo from February 28, 1919 to March 31, 1919. Also you can see in his left breast pocket a First Sergeant's brass whistle by which he alone assembled all of the troops under his leadership. And it looks as if he is holding a cigar in his left hand. It was told to me that Carl did smoke heavily by the family and this may have been some cause of his Heart Condition by which he expired in 1931. This photo provided by Lt. Col. Ret., Hamilton.