736th FABn History page 7

736th Field Artillery Battalion WWII Reunions Web Page

HISTORY of the 736th FABn Courtesy of Ken Roll Page 7

Chronology of the 736th across Europe (continued)

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12 Feb 1945:	“HQ” and “B” batteries arrived at the new positions near Consdorf.
13 Feb 1945:	The battalion was strafed by enemy planes.
15 Feb 1945:	The battalion displaced to positions at Beaufort closing at 2300 hours. 17 Feb 1945: At 1030 hours the battalion recieved “Close Station, March Order” and displaced across the Saar river to Bollendorf, Germany closing there at 1615. The second time the battalion had set foot on German soil.
18 Feb 1945:	At 0930 word was recieved that the unit was to be relieved from XII Corps and attached back to the XX Corps. The battalion marched form Bollendorf, Luxembourg and back into France to take up positions at Kirsch-Les-Sierck, France. At 0930 word was received that the unit was to be relieved from XII Corps and attached back to the XX Corps. The battalion marched form Bollendorf, Germany across Luxembourg and back into France to take up positions at Kirsch-Les-Sierck, France.
19 Feb 1945:	The battalion arrived at the new positions near Kirsch-Les-Sierck at 0430. We were now in back general support of XX Corps, and attached to the 915th Field Artillery Group.
20 Feb 1945:	The battalion was notified that it was authorized its second bronze Battle Star. On the march again, the battalion was back into Germany at Eft, the last elements closing at 2130.
21 Feb 1945:	At 1217 the battalion closed station at Eft and displaced to Faha, Germany closing in by 1735. Its ZA is of 10th Armored Division and the 94th Infantry Division.
22 Feb 1945:	“B” battery was attached to the 558th Field Artillery for fire direction and went to Fisch, Germany. The remainder of the battalion displaced to Korrig, Germany.
27 Feb 1945:	The battalion minus “B” battery marched forward to Tawern, Germany closing at 1730 hours. From 1 Feb to 18 Feb the unit's mission was in general support to XII Corps. From 18 Feb to 1 March 1945 the unit was attached to XX Corps under 195th FA Group. It fired 876 tons (8758) rounds of shells during the month. It sustained 3 killed in action and 12 wounded. Awarded were 2 Silver Star, 66 Bronze Stars 1 Soldiers Medal and 7 Air Medal Clusters.
2 March 1945:	At 1305 hours the battalion, less “B” battery, marched to and occupied positions in the vicinity of Freudenburg, Germany. it’s mission was general support in the zone of the 10th Armored and 94th Infantry Division and 3rd Cavalry Group, and later in the zone of the 26th Infantry Division. Battery “C” of the 270th Field Artillery, consisting of two 240mm howitzers was attached to us.
9 March 1945:	The battalion was relieved of attachment to the 195th FA Group and attached to the 5th Field Artillery Group.
11 March 1945:	“C” Battery crossed the Saar river and was attached to the 943rd Field Artillery, a 155mm howitzer battalion.
12 March 1945:	The Red Cross Clubmobile visited serving hot coffee and doughnuts, with lots of American chatter.
16 March 1945:	Battalion “HQ” and “HQ” battery marched across the Saar river at Saarburg and closed in the vicinity of Oberzerf, Germany. Battery “A” remained behind at Freuburg, taking its fire mission directly from XX Corps Artillery. “B” and “C” batteries were relieved of attachment to the 558 FA and 943 FA respectively and rejoined the battalion at Oberzerf.
17 March 1945:	At 1000 hours the battalion, less “A” battery commences the pursuit of the enemy which develops into a rout. The first stop is at Rappweiler, closing at 1230 hours.
18 March 1945:	The battalion, less “A” battery, marched to Selbach where it stayed overnight. General Walton Walker visited the battalion.
19 March 1945:	On the road again the battalion moved forward to Kusel and then to Oberkirchen where it recieved 5 reinforcements and the return of two men from the hospital. Then on to Kusel, Germany, a long march closing in at 1835 hours.
20 March 1945:	At 1145 hours the unit displaced forward. Now at Siegelbach it pulled off the road during the afternoon and then continued on to some German army barracks on the east edge of Kaiserlautern arriving there at 2045 hours. This was the battalions first view of the effect of bombing on a German city, nothing left but shells of buildings.
21 March 1945:	At 2115 hours the battalion again displaced to Bad Durkheim, a battered summer resort. The road wound through wooded hills where the vehicles of the Rhineland army had been caught by the American Air Force. Battalion passed hundreds of trucks, wagons, guns and trailers, many of them still burning. The battalion arrived at Bad Durkheim at 2352.
22 March 1945:	At 1850 hours the battalion, still minus “A” battery, left Bad Durkheim and displaced to Lambsheim where and fired mission across the Rhine river.
23 March 1945:	The battalion took 4 prisoners at this position.
24 March 1945:	The battalion was pulled off the line for the first time in Europe. At 1415 hours the unit left Lambsheim and marched westerly to the vicinity of Becherbach, a small hill village for rest, rehabilitation and to await a chance to cross the Rhine. It also captured 6 prisoners.
26 March 1945:	Not much rest as we were on the move again. From Becherbach the battalion moved to another assembly area near Welgesheim. Battalion took 3 prisoners and received 21 reinforcements and two men returned from the hospital.
27 March 1945:	The battalion marched to Mainz-Gonsenheim where it occupied firing positions closing at 1147 hours. A number of the men saw the Rhine river from its banks. Germans still held the other side of the river. Mainz was completely bombed out.


Kaiserlautern, Germany	Mainz-Gonsenheim, Germany

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