Taorris SWETT TECHNICAL LIBRARY ISAFAS S.! IOW HALL 1ORT SILL, Oxia, 73503
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tAORRIS SWETT TECHNICAL LIBRARY _ISAFAS S.! IOW HALL 1ORT SILL, OXiA, 73503 PROPERTY OF U. S. ARMY LIBRARY US Ar y A& M School Fort ffl, Oklahoma History of the 489th Armored Field Artillery Battalion of the 7th Armored Division The 489th Armored Field Artillery Battalion was originally consti- tuted as an Organized Reserve unit, 15 October 1921, as the 489th Field Artillery Regiment. On 1 October 1933 the Regiment was withdrawn from the Organized Reserves and became an inactive unit of the Regular Army. Pursuant to letter from the War Department dated 27 February 1942, the 489th Field Artillery Regiment was redesignated the 489th Armored Field Artillery Battalion, which was made active at Camp Polk, Louisiana on I March 1942, as a unit in the 7th Armored Division. First Lieutenant Lee B. Ledford Jr WS the first officer assigned to this unit and assumed command on 2 March 1942. Lieutenant Colonel John C. Howard on 6 March 1942 was assigned and joined and assumed command--the first permanent commander--of this unit. The strength of the battalion from the date of activation and at the end of each month in 1942 was as follows: Officers Enlisted Men 31 March 1942 ------4 0 30 April 1942 14 124 31 May 1942 22 562 30 June 1942 20 550 31 July 1942 25 551 31 August 1942 25 718 30 September 1942 34 753 31 October 1942 35 745 30 November 1942 36 735 31 December 1942 36 800 The formal activation of the 7th Armored Division on 2 May 1942 was an impressive event, with the entire 7th passing in review on the parade grounds. Major General Gillem turned over the formal command of the 7th Armored Division to Major General Lindsay McDonald Silvester. The first battalion exercise was on 27 May and 28 May 1942. On this occasion the 37mm gun was fired. Routine field exercises and ser- vice practices were held from that time until the Louisiana maneuvers. By June 1942 the organization was progressing rapidly in the train- ing program under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Howard. The latter part of August and early part of September were busy MORRIS SWETT days, in preparation for the first maneuver. TEIciftu: uCRARY UsAr-As i HALL PROPERTY OF U. 3. AkiA% 72 :-?, 12 FORT SILL, CKLA. 73503 On 14 September 1942 the battalion left for maneuvers in the Loui- siana area, less one hundred thirty (130) enlisted men and two (2) of- ficers to operate a Cantonment Detachment. The first week of maneuvers was used as a conditioning period. The rest of the maneuvers were spent in various field exercises with both offensive and defensive positions being assumed. Rest periods from one to three days alternated with problems. More than half of all driving was done blackout. Pccidents for the maneuvers were minor. All ve- hicles which started the maneuvers also completed the maneuver under their awn power. As a whole the maneuvers proved to be highly success- ful. The maneuvers of the battalion ended on 9 November 1942 and the battalion returned to a new addition of Camp Polk, which was designated as North Camp Polk, Louisiana. On 26 November 1942 Lieutenant Colonel Howard was relieved of as- signment and transferred to Headquarters 7th Armored Division. Captain James W. Milner assumed command. Captain Milner was appointed a Major on 22 December 1942. In January 1943 the battalion took the Armored Force Artillery Tests on the artillery range at Camp Polk, Louisiana. Routine service practice and extensive division training inspections were held during February. On 11 March the battalion entrained for the Desert Training Center, California. It detrained at Freda, California, on the 14th of the same month and moved immediately to temporary bivouac at Camp Coxcomb in the Colorado Desert. The 6th Armored Division cleared the camp two days later and on 16 March the entire 7th Armored Division took up permanent quarters in the Coxcomb Tent City. From 16 March to 15 April was a month's conditioning period to ac- custom the men to desert conditions. On 15 April the regular 13-week training period under the direct supervision of Desert Training &enter personnel got underway. Combat firing, service practice, and unusual aspects of desert warfare were emphasized in training during the latter part of April and the month of May. June and July saw the battalion fire in Combat Command nB" fire- power demonstration, and the division attack on a fortified position. This training period culminated in the extensive 3-meek Corps maneuvers of 26 June to 15 July. The remainder of July VAS spent at Coxcomb in preparation for a movement and on 5 August the battalion entrained at FredA, California, for Fort Benning, Georgia. The battalion arrived at Henning on 9 Aug- ust and moved into garrison in the Sand Hill area of that post in bar- racks left vacant by the 10th Armored Division. The division was now in the 4th training period or final prepara- tion for battle, so that emphasis was placed in the next few months on familiarization of all personnel with all weapons they might be required to fire, and in preparation for various corps, arRy, and GHQ tests that would show the combat fitness of the unit. Physical hardening and super- ior maintenance of vehicles and equipment were also stressed. On 15 November the 7th Armored Division moved into bivouac near Ben- ning; the 489th taking up a position in the vicinity of Eelbeck, Georgia. Using this area as a base of operations, the battalion took part in III Corps air-ground tests and fired in the division firepower demonstra- tion. They returned to Sand Hill on 15 December and spent their second Christmas since activation in garrison at Benning. The strength of the battalion at the end of each month in 1943 was as follows: Officers Enlisted Men 31 January 1943 48 792 28 February 1943 48 774 31 March 1943 48 764 30 April 1943 52 756 31 May 1943 48 751 30 June 1943 47 735 31 July 1943 45 722 31 August 1943 45 719 30 September 1943 45 534 31 October 1943 44 535 30 November 1943 42 521 31 December 1943 49 543 January 1944 found the 489th Armored Field Artillery Battalion still in the Sand Hill area of Fort Benning, Georgia, where it had arrived in August of the preceeding year. Fourth phase or pre-combat training con- tinued and in the months of January and February the Army Ground Force Tests #1, 2, and 3 were taken and successfully completed. In March, as prior warning had been received of a move to a port of embarkation, an all-out effort was made to prepare the battalion person- nel for overseas movement. The 15th of April found the unit with a strength of 28 officers, 2 warrant officers, and 504 enlisted men. Al]. personnel were POM quali- fied and needed only to wait movement orders. On 13 April three officers and five enlisted men were sent ahead on an advance party to a secret destination per secret orders, Headquarters 7th Armored Division. The advance detail consisted of Captain Herman F Wagner, Captain Milton G Borcherding, First Lieutenant Gustavus Ober III, Master Sergeant Walter E Boner, Master Sergeant James R Paul, Technical Sergeant Marion B Kotch, Corporal Albert J Miltenberger, and Technician Fifth Grade Woodrow W Plemmons. At 1800 on the 23d of April the 489th Armored Field Artillery Bat- talion at full T/O strength, less the advance detachment previously sent out, left the battalion area. All personnel were fully equipped in ac.. cordance with T/E 21. The unit entrained for its destination, Camp Miles Standish, Massachusetts, at 1845. The weather was warm, humid with a thunderstorm just before leaving. Morale was high. The 25th of April the 489th reached its new station at 1635. March- ing immediately to its new area, the battalion was closed in camp by 1730. Morale remained excellent. The weather was clear and cool. From 25 April to 2 May there were strenuous inspections and all final prepa- rations for shipment. After completion of the necessary requirements, 50% of the personnel were given 12-hour passes to Boston and other near- by towns. Morale was superior. Suddenly orders were received to move, and at 0700 the morning of 2 May 1944 the 489th, at full T/O strength (less advance detail) and com- pletely equipped, entrained via rail for a permanent change of station. The weather was clear, cool, and morale was excellent. At 1445 the same afternoon, 2 May 1944, the unit arrived at Camp Shanks, New York. The rest of May was spent in garrison duties and per- sonnel maintenance. Ample opportunity was given everyone to see the surrounding vicinity. A trip was made up the Hudson River to West Point and 24-hour passes were liberally given to both officers and enlisted men. In addition, each officer received a 2-day leave, and every en- listed man a 3-day pass. Many intramural sport contests were held and several Broadway musicals were shown in the camp. On 31 May 1944 a reduction of 23 basics was ordered by a change of T/O per War Department letter and Letter Orders, Headquarters 7th Armored Division, 31 May 1944. This now gave the 489th a total of 489 enlisted men, 31 officers, and 2 warrant officers (including 3 officers and 5 enlisted men on advance detail). The night of 6 June 1944, at 2330, the 489th departed from Camp Shanks for the New York Port of Embarkation for trans-ocean shipment aboard the "Queen Miry" to secret destination per TmO, CO, NYPE.