A41-15 AAR - 59 AFTER ACTION REPORT 87th Armi. Field A. T. m. 1 vune 44 - 1 April 45 AAR# 171 Ar''lliR ACTION REPORT 68TH ARMORED FIELD ARTILLERY &\TTALION FIRST ARMCRED DIVISION 10 YJ\Y, 1943 thru 31 OC'l'OBER., 1943 THIS DOCUMENT IS UrE ?ROPEh'I'Y OF, AND SHOULiJ BE HETURNED 1D, 'rug CLASSIFlliD DOCm~NT SETCION, INTELLIGENCE DIVISION, S-2, BUILDING T-5, (T-1782). , I . \ HEAD~UARTERS 87TH ARI-DREO FIELD A.BTILl:.ERY ~ATTALION ,\ESTRICTEQ Office of the Battalion COmn1ander APO Number 230 U S Army 2) July 1944 ~' Subject: Reports After Actio;" Against The ... ~ To . The Adjutant General, Washingt?n~'25, D.C. (thru military channels) • ~-i In compliance with paragraph 10, AR )45-105 dated.18 November 1929 , as amended by ChEl21ge ) dated 9 I'larch 1943, the fo lloi'iing .report after action against the enemy is submitted; . a. Original Unit:­ ~ (1) Designat5,on: 1st Battalion, 87th Field Artillery (~!echanized). ~ (2) Date of Organization':'July 15,1940. (3) Place of organization: Ft. 'lIm. D. Davis, Oanal Zone. \j (4) Authority for organization: 1st Battalion, 87th Field Artillery ~ activated pursuant to General Order No. 36, Hq Panama Canal , Departm~nt, July 10, 1940, and letter, AG 580 (4-30-40)1.:-0, War ~ I Dep artment, JUne 14, . 1940 • 1- I. I· , (5) Sources-from which ersonnel was obtained: (a) Off~cers: By . ! transfer from 2nd Field Artillery; (b Enlisted men: By transfer from l)th Infantry. b. Change in designation of unit: 1st Battalion, 87th Field ..i. Ii Artillery redesignated 87th Field Artillery i:Sattalion on . ~v January 3,1941, at Ft. ~t!m. D. Davie, Canal.Zone, pursu.ax:lt.te .... G~neral Order 2, Hq Panama' Canal Department, Quarry Heights, .- Canal Zone, dated January ), 1941. i. Service Battery less a~unition section organized on January 26, 1942 at Ft. 'vim. D. Da:vis, Canal Zone, pursuant to authority contained in Letter, Hq Panama Canal Department, Quarry Heights, Canal Zone cs, file AG 221-1 Subject: "Grades and Ratings." Tablss of Organization, offi~er8 and enlisted personnel obtained by transfer'from Headquarters Battery this Battalion per paragraphs 1 and 2, Special Order 8', Hq 87th Field Artillery Battalion dated January 26, 1942. Y.edical Detachment, 87th'Pi eld Artillery Battalion activated and personnel obtained' from Medical Department (M&DS), Ft. Wm. D. Davis, Canal Zone, per paragraph 12, Special Order 20, Hq Panama Canal Department, Quarry Heights, ., Canal Zone, dated January 24, 1942. " .' 87th Field Artillery Bat.talion redesignated 87th Armored Field Artillery Battalion' per .Letter Hq Panama Canal Dep artment, Canal Zone, file AG 322:•.0't'2~~2 (C),'" dated May 2), 1942. .," Headauarters and R " Battery, 87th Armored Field Artillery. Batta1ien. 26, 1943, with personnel of 18 officers, ~ 'war, " 135 enlisted men; Headquarter's Battery,87th ~rlm:.l,:riel:.l::' Artillery Battalion activatea -~y 26,~}99) 7 officers, 121 enlisted mel1; Head·q&8.\tte:r~s, Artillery Battalio,n activated June '26, 1943 11 officers, 1 warrant officer, and 14 enl~ for change in organization: Letter Hq, Canal Zone, file AG 52'2.012-2 C), personnel .\'iere ass ' in c. Strength, commissioned and enlisted: 'RESTRICTED (1) At beginning of period: COJIl.missioned :2; Commissioned (rese~'ve) :)4;­ '.;arY'ant Officers:3; Enlisted:186; Enlisted (reserve):Oj Selective Service:403· (2) Est increase: COr.1l'lissioned:O; OOmmissioned (reserve) :0; \'larrant Officers:Oj Enlisted:Oj Enlisted (reserve) :0; Selective Service:O. (3) Net decrease: Commi ssioned :0; COr:::Jrrl.i s sioned (reserve) ; 1; :larrant Officers:Oj Enlisted:4; £1listed (reserve) :0; Selective Service:5. (4) At end of period: 00I!I!:!J.issioned:2; COln.'!!issioned (reserve):);,; .tarrant Officers:3; Enlisted:182j Enlisted (reserve) :0; Selective Servic e :400. d. Stations of unit or arts thereof: \ 1 The forward echelon, composed of 33 officers, 1 ''.'arrant officer, and 371 enlisted men, arrived at Camp 94, Pont-Lla.Yl-Fraith, ;fales, =.ay 13, 1944. (2) The above enumerated forward echelon er!lDarked at 0100 frO!!l Camn 94, Pont-Llan-Fraith, '.vales, June 2, 1>44 for France. • (3) The above enu."Ilerated fOr\'Tard echelon sailed approximately 200 miles a.Yld debarked' on utah Eeach, France, Jtme 8 and 9, 1944. (4) The rear echelon, composed of 2 officers, 2 warrant officers, and 213 enlisted men, arrived at Dournemouth, Dorset, England, ~~ay 17, 1944. (5) The above enumerated rear echelon departed Bournemouth, Dorset, England, June 15, 1944 and arrived D-9, !·:e.rshall ing Area, 5hgla..'1d, June 15, 1944. (6) The above enumerated rear echelon departed D-9, ;.!arshalling Area, England, arrived at i'ieymciuth, Dorset, England, and embarked at 1400, June 17, 1944. (7) The above enumerated rear echelon sailed approxima~ely 125 miles and debarked on Utah Beach, France, June 19, 1944. (8) The for\'1ard and' rear echelons of the 87th Armored Field Artillery Battalion joined in Normandy, Fra.~ce On June 19, 1944. e. Karches: S~e ~ppendix #1 f. CW.lpaigns: Present c&l'1paign in EOI'l!!.andy, France. £. Battles: See AppendiX #1, Narrative Report on operations :for the month of June 1944. h. Commandin@: officers in important engap;er.-:ents: ( 1) Enga"g,ement: Present campaign in No rmandy'- France. (2) Na."Ile: Lieutenant Oolonel George F. Barber. i. Losses in actionj officers and men: (1) Engagement: Present campaign in Normandy, Fra.~ce. (2) Names: O~j.cers: 2nd Lieutenants Charles H. Wood Jr., Robert R. MOAnincH, '~alvin A. Cantwell;enlisted men: Sergeants Jorm IV. DeYoung, Herman R. Clary, Corporals Dennis Strickli~~, Edward A. Crocker, Privates Fir-at Olass Ma.'1.uel V. Garcia, !·richael ...T. OINeil, Paul Kenjeraky, and Privates Rol8..t'1d L. Prive, Daniel P. Piotro\·/ski, Peter Tamulevicz, Robert L. Walters, Roland J. Sager. (3) Killed: 2nd Lieutenants Charles H. Wood Jr., Robert R. 1l.cAninch, and Private First Class 1-{ichael J. 0 I Neil. (4) \iounded: Sergeants John 'tl. DeYoung, Herman R. Olary, Oorporals Dennis Strickling, Edward A. Orocker, Privates First Class r.:anuel V. Garcia, Paul Kenjersky, Privates Roland L.Prive, Daniel P. Piotrowski, Peter Tamulevicz, Robert L. \ialters, Ro)and J. Sager, ttl.- LieutEn~ant Calvin A. Cantwell. Mi l~bne •. .-. , The following image( s) may be of poor quality due to the poor quality of the original. o o u. ,. '. Q J," '" . " , o 0, • 0 8 , " , . ',; " "'. " .. OJ, ," :C • 0, . " Q' ,, " . ,0 ,,. .'" .1>- ': '0 o .",', II '..~ / ,,;" <0' r:]. '~", '. <.. 0 '. '. ,'" \:~};/t~~:~;~J::~",io: o o ", ,. ~ - ." • _. ~". HEADQUlL/r --;R..~ \TTALION , office of the Battalion COJDllande:r/ AFO 230, U S Army ,RESTRICTED , ' 23 July 1944 i:. ! Subject: After Action-Report. j . The Adjutant General, Washington, D., C~ '. (Thru Channels) , I • June , The 1st Echelon of the 87th Armored Field Artillery Battalion 2,3,4,5 boarded ships MT 216, 217, 218 and P 72 on morning of 2 June at approximately­ 0630. On 7 June (D plus 1) the ship P 72 was struck by free 'floating mines 6,7 and 3 offi,cers ani 25 enlisted men were rescued by destroyers and p.lt ashore on "utah beach, Cherbourg Peninsula. .' June On 8 June Private Peter Tamulevicz hit by flak aboard ship, small 8,9 elements of liB" Battery were put ashore and on 9 June the remainder of the 'I . 1st Echelon reached shore, the last elements arriving at about 2400. The I, Battalion assembled a~ transit area A, Cool"d.i.na.tes '429 944 North of I: Handienville, France. (Weather - Intermittent showers.) June , At about 0~5, 10 June Headquarters, A, B, and C Batterys left 10 transit area' A and went into position Southwest of Vierville at coordinates; Iii: Heac:quarters Battery 3fr179033, A Battery 39159031, B Battery 38769013, C jI Battery 38369058. Service Battery remained in transit area. Battalion was : I attached to 'lOlst Airborne Division ani supporting them in the drive South \ to Carentan. captain Moyse sent to the 10lst Airborne Division as Liaison \ to 1 ' Of ficer, Lieutena.nt. Schrader sent the 502nd' Parachute Infantry Regiment \ : as Liaison Officer, Lieutenants MeadPr, roffee, and Cantwell sent as Forward. I Observers with 50lst Parachute Infantry Regiment. At approxima.tely 2330 the night 'of 10 J'!lne all battery positions were bombed and strafed heavily by hostile aircraft, no casualties were inflicted. Weather - Fair. June Battalion moved to positions South of Blosville' at coordinates; 11 Headquarters Battery 376908, A Battery 37809010, B Battery 38009056, C Battery 38369058, Service Batte17 397909. ,The Battalien is still attachecl. to lOlst Airborne Division supporting 501st and 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiments. A muzzle burst. on the 4th section piece of A Battery caused casualties as follows; Pfc Michael J. O'Neil killed, Sgt, Herman R 01a17 and Cpl Demis strickling injured. Battalion moved to pOsition in, vicinity of Angoville-au-Plaia at cooi-dinates; Headquarters ,Battery 3898ft6, A Battery 37709060, B Batter;­ 38339148, C Battery 38629076, Service Battery 397909. Battalien is still r ­ attached to lOlst Airborne Division. Fenvard Oberv-ers are now Lt Meader with 501st ,Parachute Infantry Regiment and Lts Yof~e and Cantwell with '502nd PaIQchute Infantry Regiment. :: . ' " , JU,Il!! , At 1300 the Battalion supported an attack, of medium tanks in the " 13 vicinity of ~rentan. Battalion attached to 14th Armored Field-Artillery :1 .. Battalion for purp:>se of thi. s attack. Lt Schrader sent as Liai-sonA0!ticer I" to 14th Arlrored Field Artillery Battalion, Captain Burke Forward 0,q.server i in tank for a.ttack. Lt Cantwell injured in co'llapsing bJdlding in Garentan, evacuated tnrough lOlst Airborne Division. '­ , June Effective approximate13 at 0800, 14 June the 87th Armored Field, 14 '~ Artj.ller.r Battalion was relievEd from ,attachment to J01st' Airporne.,~,v:t,sion if " and attached to 82nd Airborne Division;at 1510 the battalion moved to :, in the Vicinity efPicauville at coordinates;, Rea<:auart;e.rs 'B~tterY ,.