HISTORY of the 736th FABn Courtesy of Ken Roll (Page 6)
Chronology of the 736th across Europe (continued)
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| 15 Oct 1944: | The 30th Special Service company of XX Corps presented two vaudeville shows. |
| 18 Oct 1944: |
Battalion S3, Major Brice
was informed by the tank
destroyers outfit that two enemy patrols of 20 men each were observed advancing toward our positions. This was confirmed by the infantry. |
| 21 Oct 1944: |
The American Red
Cross clubmobile visited the battalion
and served coffee and doughnuts. |
| 22 Oct 1944: |
The battalion experienced
its first buzz bomb. It was
undecided at the time whether it was a buzz bomb or a new jet propelled airplane. It was a silver cigar-shaped device with squared wings, flying about 3 or 4 hundred miles an hour at about a 500 foot altitude. |
| 25 Oct 1944: | XX
Corps Special Service
presented movies. An unidentified
plane came over at night taking photos with an intermittent flashing light. |
| 26 Oct 1944: |
“C” Battery was
attached to 90th Division Artillery
to reinforce the fires of the 345th FA battalion. “C” battery occupied a position in the vicinity of Vellers Les Rombas on a special mission to support an infantry attack on Merzieres-Les-Metz. The battery was strafed by German planes but no casualties occurred. |
| 27 Oct 1944: |
The battalion
received some recreational equipment from
the Group Special Service Officer. “C” battery was told it must destroy a cement schoolhouse which was a German stronghold in Mezieres-Les-Metz, did it. Infantry found about 90 dead Germans and 3 alive. They took the town. |
| 28 Oct 1944: | A
Captain from XX Corps
Artillery visited the battalion
and requested that he might witness the firing of the Russian 12.2 cm howitzer. The S3’s opinion on the gun was that it sprayed ammunition like a jose spraying water. The German 88’s had proven to be extremely accurate. Firing tables for both guns were worked out in FDC (Fire Direction Center) as exact information was not readily obtained from the enemy. |
| 30 Oct 1944: | XX
Corps Special Service
Officer presented a 5 man
vaudeville show. During October the battalion took advantage of the stabilized situation and the meager amount of firing, to improve its position, build shelters for protection and comfort for all personnel. |
| 2 Nov 1944: | A
message was received from
Group Headquarters that
the tops of all 1/4 and 3/4 ton trucks will be down except during rain. A buzz bomb went over the area. Another one followed. his one was fired at ny the 90 mm AA and machine guns, as it was plainly seen. |
| 3 Nov 1944: |
The battalion moved from
St. Marcel and marched
forward to
a concealed bivouac area in the vicinity of Ottange. “C” battery rejoined the battalion at this place. From this bivouac, several light vehicles and working parties were infiltrated to positions in the vicinity of Soetrich from time to time, but the howitzers were not moved until 1800. |
| 4 Nov 1944: | The
battalion closed in positions in Soetrich
in the
Thionville sector. 2nd Lt. Roy Von Inns was promoted to 1st Lt. |
| 7 Nov 1944: | The battalion fired several mission from the Soetrich position. |
| 8 Nov 1944: |
Lt. Glick, out on an
observation post was cut off by
an
enemy patrol. German patrols were spotted by Headquarters battery wire section when they were repairing lines. The Germans never saw Lt. Glick and he continued OP operations including registration on two towns across the Moselle river. Lt. Col. Stocks was relieved of command and Maj. Martin Weiss took command of the 736th. The battalion stayed in this position until the 14th. |
| 14 Nov 1944: | At
1325 “C” battery
displaced forward to Garche on
the
west side of the Moselle river closing at 2100 hours. Thereafter Headquarters battery displaced to Cattenom also on the west side of the Moselle river. |
| 15 Nov 1944: | At
1510 “B’, “A”, and
“SV” batteries left
Soetrich
and marched across the Moselle river via the pontoon bridge at Thionville and occupied positions near Basse-Ham. |
| 16 Nov 1944: | “C”
battery and
“HQ” battery marched from west of the
Moselle river at 0958 and crossed the river via the Cattenom pontoon bridge, they took up positions near Basse-Ham at 1032. |
| 18 Nov 1944: |
The battalion left
Basse-Ham and marched to new
firing
positions at Metzeresche closing there at 1432. |
| 19 Nov 1944: | At
1010 the battalion left
Basse-Ham positions and
marched
to Bettlainville closing there at 1200. |
| 20 Nov 1944: | The
battalion
marched back along the same route it
had
taken, as far as Basse-Ham. Capt. James Ball, 1st/Sgt Joseph Manning and Cpl. Desmond Williamson were hurt when the command car of “C” battery ran over a mine on the main road 2 miles south of Basse-Ham. Capt. Edgren was ordered to take command of “C” battery temporarily. The battalion continued on to Evendorff. Owing to traffic conditions the battalion did not entirely close in there until 1100 on the 21st of November. |
| 21 Nov 1944: | At
1145 the
battalion displaced to the vicinity of
Rustroff, all batteries finally arriving by 1900. The first round fired into Germany by the 736th was #3 piece of “C” battery, time 1515. The battalion stayed here until 26 Nov. |
| 23 Nov 1944: |
Lt. Morrison returned to
the battalion from Group and
assumed command of “C” battery. |
| 26 Nov 1944: | At
1543 the battalion
marched to Waldweistroff
closing at 1733. The battalion stayed here until 29 November. |
| 29 Nov 1944: | At
1345 the battalion
marched from Waldweistroff to
Schwerdroff, the last battery closing in by 1906 hours. We were now within walking distance of the German border. |
| 1 Dec 1944: |
The battalion was still
attached to the
195
Field Artillery Group. Lt. Wagner failed to complete a takeoff began in heavy mud. One Cub damaged. A B-26 bomber damaged by German AA fire, plunged into the battalion area. The bomber was piloted by 2nd Lt. McDugald while flying a mission over enemy territory. One of the motors was shot up and the crew was forced to bail out. All landed safely except the tail gunner whose parachute was slow to open. He was given first aid and taken to a hospital. The plane was #459, 9th Bomber Group Command, 322nd Bomber Group. It was abandoned while heading towards enemy territory but circled around towards the battalion area almost hitting the CP. It crashed on one of “A” batteries outpost, killing Pfc. Clifford Bainter and burned two others, Pvt. Walter J. Izak and Pvt. Gerald E. Wymer so seriously that they died later in a hospital. One other man at the outpost escaped without a scratch. |
| 5 Dec 1944: |
The battalion displaced to
a new position
in
Guerlfangen This marked the end of the offensive drive which took Metz... a fortress which was on of the best defended in Europe and had not fallen to direct assault in 2000 years. |
| 10 Dec 1944: |
The Battalion CO, s3 and
battery Exec’s went to
a
firing ground 15 miles east of Metz for a school and demonstration of a new type of fuze. The VT or Proximity (Pozit) fuze emits a radio signal and goes off when it detects enough of this signal is being reflected back from a hard object. The VT fuzes had a minimum arming time of 5 seconds, so it could not be used for close-in defense. The minimum range for it’s use with an 8” howitzer was 6000 yards. |
| 13 Dec 1944: |
2nd Lt. Olen E. Jones
joined the battalion
replacing
Lt. Cocroft who was sent to the hospital. Lt. Jones was assigned to “A” battery. The battalion was in the 90th Division sector. |
| 16 Dec 1944: |
The Battle of the Bulge
started when 3 German
armies
smashed through the American lines on a front between Monschau in the north and Etchernach in the south. They had amassed over 250,000 troops, nearly 2000 artillery pieces and 1000 tanks. As the fighting in the Ardennes grew in intensity men were being transferred to units involved in that battle. Twenty seven EM were transferred to the infantry. |
| 19 Dec 1944: | Twenty six more EM’s were
transferred from the
battalion to the infantry. The battalion was notified that a counterattack was expected at approximately 0400. |
| 21 Dec 1944: | At
0837 the first elements
of the battalion began
withdrawing back into France in the vicinity of Grindorff-Ewig, the entire battalion closing there by 1215 hours. |
| 23 Dec 1944: | A
fire broke out in a room
occupied by T/4 Dean J.
Korth,
T/5 P.C. Baker, T/5 J. R. Walk and T/5 B. B. Collins, all of “HQ” battery. The stovepipe got too hot for a shelter half stuffed around it for blackout purposes. The shelter half blazed up and set the loft on fire. The battalion fire marshall called on local citizens for aid, asking in broken German for a water pump. The citizens brought a tire pump. Luckily no casualties except for the shelter half. |
| 25 Dec 1944: |
Christmas Day, the
battalion was notified that 50
paratroopers had been dropped in the Group area. The report was unconfirmed. Two planes appeared friendly, P-47 types and opened fire on battalion positions. Excitement spread as word of the huge German attack in the Ardennes got around. The new Pozit fuze was used for the first time by “B” battery. |
| 26 Dec 1944: |
Two members of the 736th
picked up a suspect and
three
Russians in the position. They were taken to 90th Division CIC. Here the French suspect confessed to harboring a German soldier for 2 weeks, giving him clothes, concealing a German weapon and not registering the man when authorities came to register everyone in the village. The Russians, members of a forced labor battalion, had escaped from Germany and had started on the return journey to their own country. The Frenchman was held for trial. |
| 28 Dec 1944: |
The battalion was given
“Close Station March
Order”.
The unit was relieved of attachment to XX Corps and attached to XII Corps. Major Weiss was transferred to the 915th FA Group. At 1300 the battalion marched from Grindorff-Ewig to Medernach, Luxembourg, where it occupied positions with the mission of general support of action of the 80th Infantry Div. Supervision of fires to be handled by 410 Field Artillery Group Fire Direction Center. The battalion closed at Medernach at 2247. |
| 29 Dec 1944: |
Battery “B” of the 452 AAA, was attached to the
battalion,
it consisted of the 1st platoon of the 1st Company. Two officers and 78 colored EMs. While returning with rations for the battalion, between the towns of Merhsh and Arlon, Luxembourg, S/Sgt Witcer, T/5 Lonnergan and Pfc. Malcolm Smith, all of “SV” battery, had an accident. The road was being strafed by an enemy plane and an American tank taking evasive action, skidded on the ice and ran into their truck. They were taken to the 72nd Medical Battalion. The battalion was visited by Col. Day of the 410th FA Group, Major Miller 410th FA Group Exec and Major Kindred, Major Cooper and Capt. Murphy of the 183rd Field Artillery Group. The battalion was strafed by another enemy plane. |
| 30 Dec 1944: | At
1610 a platoon of “B”
battery was detached and
marched
to Berbourg, where it took up a position with the mission of reinforcing the fires of the 20th Field Artillery Battalion of the 4th Infantry Division. The rest of the battalion, lees one platoon of “B” battery stayed in position at Medernach. The following casualties were suffered during the period. S/Sgt Robert E. Witcher, T/5 James E. Lonnergan, Pfc. Malcolm Smith, Pfc. Clifford I. Bainter, Walter J. Izak and Pvt. Gerold E. Wymer. 1st Lt. Wagner received the Oak Cluster for the Air Medal. 1st/Sgt Lippert, S/Sgt Smith, Sgt. Puntoriero, T/5 Gemmell, Cpl. Thorton, Pfc. Ford, Pfc. Brindle, Pfc. Smith, Pfc. Callori, Pfc. Mitten, Pvt. Bottini, Pvt. Houston and Pvt. Craig received the Purple Heart. A total of 300 tons of HE shell was fired at the enemy during the month. |
| 2 Jan 1945: |
The battalion was
located in the vicinity of
Medernach, Luxembourg, in the 5th Infantry Division sector with Zone of Action being that of the 80th Division. The battalion was visited by Col. Day of 410th FA Group and General Lentz, XII Corps Commander. |
| 6 Jan 1945: |
“HQ” battery,
“A” Battery and one
howitzer from “C” battery displaced to a new position in Schieren, Luxembourg arriving there at 1115 hours. At 1407 they arrived back at Medernach, having been ordered to return. |
| 8 Jan 1945: |
The battalion received a
letter authorizing a campaign
star
for “Northern France”. While in the city of Luxembourg, Lt. Glick had his jeep stolen. |
| 10 Jan 1945: |
Lt. Glick's stolen jeep was
found abandoned near
battalion
position. Battalion was notified of an expected counterattack, and to be on the alert for enemy agents who had infiltrated the lines in American uniforms and equipment. The battalion was notified that the Germans had crossed the river to the front and to be ready or a quick move. |
| 11 Jan 1945: | At
1600 “A” battery was
detached and moved to
Bondeler, Luxembourg. It was attached to the 244th Field Artillery Battalion for fire direction with fire capabilities into the ZA (Zone of Action) of the 4th Infantry Division. It arrived there at 0300. |
| 15 Jan 1945: | Battalion
positions were strafed by four planes
then
by two more. The battalion received 13 reinforcements. |
| 16 Jan 1945: |
The battalion received 12
more reinforcements and
moved to
positions in the vicinity of Schieren, Luxembourg. From here it was capable of fires into the 4th, 5th and 80th Infantry Division sectors. “A” battery rejoined the battalion at this place. |
| 22 Jan 1945: |
“A’ battery and “B” battery
displaced forward
to a
valley above Bastendorf, Luxembourg. |
| 23 Jan 1945: | “C”
Battery displaced to
Bastendorf. “HQ”
battery
displaced to Diekirch, Luxembourg. |
| 25 Jan 1945: | A
German soldier in full
uniform was found
hiding in
a cellar in the middle of the battalion area. Two unidentified people were halted in front of the CP and ran away. |
| 26 Jan 1945: |
The battalion was relieved
from the 410th FA
Group
and attached to the 182nd FGA Group. The battalion had fired 6305 rounds of ammunition (630 tons). |
| 28 Jan 1945: |
“B” battery was displaced to a new firing
position
in the vicinity of Bech. The battery was attached to the 273rd Field Artillery Battalion and was in the 76 Infantry Div. sector. |
| 1 Feb 1945: |
General Lentz of XII Corps presented
awards to
the battalion, including one Silver Star, one Soldiers Medal and 50 Bronze Stars. |
| 2 Feb 1945: | The battalion was visited by Lt. Col. Sawyer of the 182nd FA Group. |
| 4 Feb 1945: |
All howitzer batteries were displaced to Haller,
Luxembourg, closing at 1947. “HQ” and “SV batteries established themselves at Waldbilling, Luxembourg. The ZA was of the 5th 80th and 76th Infantry Divisions. Both batteries were heavily shelled. |
| 6 Feb 1945: | While
directing an M4 prime mover into position, Cpl.
Frank
Ruzika of “C” battery slipped and fell to the soft ground and both of his legs were run over by the tractor. |
| 7 Feb 1945: | “A”
battery was counterbatteried. A shell burst near
one of
the howitzers, injuring Pvt. Everett M. Robert who was given first aid and sent to the hospital. |
8 Feb 1945: |
“C” battery received a direct hit on one of its power
pits.
81 power bags were burned, one of the howitzers was hit and the tires caught fire. |
| 10 Feb 1945: |
The Germans really worked over the battalion. Three
men
were killed and ten wounded. Pfc. Joseph L. Poltorak of “A” battery was one of those wounded. |
| 11 Feb 1945: | Counterbattery
fire had ceased. “A” and “C” batteries
displaced to a new position northwest of Consdorf, Luxembourg. |
 |
|
Near Consdorf, Luxembourg
|
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