On September 16, the enemy was still being engaged by our infantry in the woods a few hundred yards from B Company's position. The route followed was the southern one, long and circuitous, but safe. Kidwell was later awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his gallantry and self-sacrifice. 73 WAR DEPARTMENT Washington 25, D.C. September 1944. Cpl Emerson's bald head made a particularly good target, especially when he removed his helmet and bent over his aiming circle to lay in the guns. During the trip, the company passed through Vire and marveled at the damage done by air and artillery bombardment. The front lines were advancing so rapidly at this time that B Company was seldom in one position for more than a few hours at a time. The next day another anti-tank gun was destroyed and several enemy tanks burned with WP. All miraculously escaped injury. Many envied them, others were damned glad it wasn't their company, but all wished them Godspeed. On June 12 an OP party, consisting of Lt Mann, Cpl Roach, and PFCs Jones and Harris, accompanying an assault company, was pinned down for two hours and then overrun by a strong German counterattack. Following Saint-L, Ollar and the 81st Chemical Mortar Battalion, attached to the 4th Infantry Division at the time, paraded into Paris [Annotator's Note: Paris, France] as liberators. Equipment and training aids were scarce and inadequate in those days, but American ingenuity at improvising when equipment was lacking paid dividends. Between June and October small groups were assigned until October 17 when Mississippi descended on us. A little later that night an enemy tank attempted to penetrate the mortar bivouac area, but was engaged and driven off by the TDs. The platoons, separately attached to battalions of the 16th Infantry, 1st Division, moved along the beach to their sector and initially set up 200 yards inland. 31.05.1944 Lt. Col. Ellis O. Keller Adjutant General 19.10.1943 Lt. Col. Morris Braveman Other information Call sign Ivanhoe Divisional troops Top Infantry Field Artillery (FA) Other troops Attachments Top Anti-Aircraft Artillery (AAA) Armor Cavalry Chemical Engineers Field Artillery (FA) Infantry Tank Destroyer (TD) Assignments Top Detachments Top The Battle of the Breakthrough had been won. He claimed that he had never fired a shot on American troops. Beside him lay the base of an exploded WP shell, fired at a range of 4,200 yards. The trek inland was slow and exhausting. On the 28th of July, another honor came to D Company when S/Sgt Loren E. Weaver received a battlefield commission as second lieutenant. In gasoline alone, allied armies were consuming over one million gallons daily. The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, which D Company entered on September 10, was a beautiful little country with wooded, rolling hills and fields, here and there an ancient castle, and clean, picturesque little towns. Looking through the slit in the ramp one could see the smoke, wreckage, and carnage of the beach rapidly coming closer. The people stood in sullen little groups, staring, while an occasional unguarded child waved. Two days later, however, the company suffered its hardest day. Lo breakthrough and the capture of the city, all troops continued to advance and exploit the break to its fullest extent. Fallschirmjger-Division History: In the course of training at the amphibious base the battalion received instruction and training in the use and adjustment of life belts, and in the purposes and characteristics of various types of landing crafts. On the outskirts of the City of Light, the companies were again split up, and after crossing the Seine, Company A moved on to Germany. Mexico wasn't many miles away and Ojinaga and Juarez drew many visitors from the 81st in search of Mexican atmosphere. In September the mortar carts arrived, but still no mortars. Company D moved out on August 12, attached to their old friends the 175th Infantry, 29th Division. First Army orders were received on June 17 which listed the 81st Chemical Battalion as one of the units eligible for unit citation for extraordinary heroism and outstanding performance of duty in the initial landing on the coast of France. On the following day, Lt Robert Wuller, forward observer, rescued a wounded infantryman in spite of heavy enemy fire, for which he was later awarded the Silver Star. V Corps attached two companies to the 80th Infantry Division and two companies to the 90th Infantry Division for this mission. Company A received some artillery fire when it came on to a hill overlooking the forest, but pulled back quickly a few hundred yards to a defensive position from which it fired harassing fire on a crossroad. A German self-propelled gun firing only a few rounds into the position, near Pont St. Maxence, was the only resistance encountered until after St. Quentin was liberated on September 2. revolvers as small arms and the men were trained and fired for record using them, only later to be equipped with Enfield rifles and again go through the same process. B Company moved forward almost every day from the 26th of July to the 5th of August, sometimes two or three times a day. Long trips were made to the rear by our battalion service groups to bring up badly needed mortar and ordnance equipment. On the 27th of July, A Company entered Saint-Jean-des-Baisants, a town utterly destroyed by artillery and mortar shells. Zo ben je er helemaal klaar voor. The day that Col James assumed command the cadre was assigned to the various companies, thus creating the framework upon which the four letter companies and headquarters were built after the arrival of additional personnel. The mortar business was picking up! The next day the commanding officer of the 175th Infantry issued instructions that all targets within range of the 4.2s be assigned to them. 918-786-4414ccriger@groveok.gov. T/5 Tiberio had a dreaded experience when he jumped into a foxhole seeking protection against an enemy artillery barrage. The whole town turned out in the typical French greeting. The beach was a tableau of chaos. The story of the 81st Chemical Mortar Battalion does not start back in the trusty annals of early American history. During the sweep, Companies A and B were attached to the 4th Division, and C and D to the 28th Division, with whom they remained until the end of this period. The Battalion had placed a memorial monument to its men at Fort McClellan, Alabama. The ship wasn't long at sea before boat drills were started. Zoek ook naar accesoires voor the 758th tank battalion in world war ii. Those that saw the town afterward will bear witness that the job was thoroughly done. Russell, Texas, pursuant to GO #39, 14 April 1942, Hq Third Army, San Antonio, Texas, and War Department letter, 25 March 1942. During June 15 and June 16, D Company did considerable effective firing in the vicinity of Moon-Sur-Elle. Near St. Martin Don, the companies assembled on August 5 and 6 in a battalion assembly area after having been relieved by V Corps. One of these movements involved a hand-carry of all equipment across a waist-deep, muddy marsh under fire. Surrounding the fort was a range of small mountains, the Smith Hills, and off in the distance could be seen the landmark of the country, Cathedral Mountain. The Parisian girls were all over the American G.I.s [Annotator's Note: government issue; also a . Several casualties were inflicted on the company at this time. By mid-1942, six battalions existed: the 2nd, 3rd, and 81st through 84th. The 81st Chemical Battalion arrived at Camp Polk, Louisiana, on April 5, 1943, where it participated in maneuvers in conjunction with the 85th Division until May 4. Men from the 3rd battalion of the 376th ran into trouble immediately. Company B was attached to combat team "Taylor," which spearheaded the 4th Division drive to the Belgian border. A few rounds were released to the battalion and everyone was in a dither as to who would fire the first round. After the long road marches with little firing, targets were now plentiful. Although it is edited and annotated for clarity, this is . About this time, the Stars and Stripes announced the units which had been awarded the Presidential (Unit) Citation by reason of their extraordinary heroism and outstanding performance of duty in action. Col. James was evacuated to England later that day in a hospital ship. Lt Weaver and Cpl Aaronson brought wounded dough boys in under cover during this barrage. HistoryNet.com contains daily features, photo galleries and over 25,000 articles originally published in our nine magazines. Company D took up firing positions at Le Bourg-St. Leonard in support of the 358th Infantry, 90th Division, and harassed pockets of enemy holding out in the vicinity of Montmiscent, as well as roads and wooded areas adjacent to it. The infantrymen were punching a hole to allow the 14th Armored Division through and either to trap the Germans on the Rhine River or push them to the opposite bank. By March 1945, the drive for the Rhine was underway, and Company A moved on the 12th to an area five miles east of Saarburg to support the 80th Division. Mess and ammo trucks were dispatched to the companies soon after arrival. Combat Debut in Italy The baptism of fire for the M2 came with the invasion of Sicily, Operation Husky. The forward CP group, consisting of the battalion commander, S-2 and S-3 sections, had been moving with the V Corps CP. Four more were created by mid-1943, the 85th through 88th. Lo road, during July 24. What a decision to rest on the shoulders of one man! "You cawn't miss it," "Any gum, chum," "Time please, gentlemen," became familiar phrases, and despite the protests that it was awful stuff, copious quantities of "Mild and Bitter" were consumed. Approximately 600 rounds were fired that day. So near and yet so far! Company A was assigned to the SS Henrico, an APA; B Company to a British APA, the Empire Javelin; C Company to the Empire Anvil, a British LSI; D Company to the USS Charles Carrol; and Headquarters Company to the LST 83. Captain Panas fought to the end, firing all his ammunition at the enemy before being killed. As a last measure the wave moved down the beach to the mortar fire. Washington, D.C: Office of the Chief of Military History, United States Army, 1966. Helmut B tther, the assault . Both the OP party and the communications section suffered casualties that day. The bravery of the medics in taking care of the wounded under fire was again proven by T/5s White and Marrin. This one was a German, but had sense enough to surrender without a fight. Moving just north of Torigny, Company A approached Vire and on August 4 fired one of its most successful missions. The "Fighting First," supported by the 4.2s and other weapons, managed to beat Jerry off, despite the terrible shelling. It arrived in Liverpool, England, on November 2 and spent the winter honing its amphibious skills in preparation for the invasion of Nazio-ccupied France. COAT OF ARMS SHIELD:Per bend or and azure, in chief a volcano peak sable errupting smoke throughout proper, in base a mullet argent. All along the route of march, evidence of gratitude, welcome, and good will prevailed among the French people. It was through this section that the German blitz gained momentum to roll through France in 1940, and here also, where later, the famous Ardennes offensive broke through in December 1944. The instrument corporal was ordered to remove this road block since the accuracy of his calculations was held responsible for it. It was up to the battalion to write its own history and these pages will show how well the job was done. Aided by the current, the boat drifted toward shore and finally at about 1030 hours, beached itself under the protection of a steep cliff, where, under covering fire from the craft, the wounded were transferred to shore. Subscribe to receive our weekly newsletter with top stories from master historians. The party managed to get out of town, firing as they did so, definitely killing one German and wounding several others, but encountered two enemy tanks blocking the road at a sharp curve. During the rapid advance across France, the army supply services performed as brilliantly as the combat troops, doing three months work in one. The first brush with the retreating enemy took place at Compiegne Forest, famous for being the place where the Armistice was signed during World War I, and where Hitler did his famous jig after bringing France to her knees in the early stages of this war. Several mortars and carts were carried away by the heavy seas. AbeBooks.com: Unit History of the 81st Chemical Mortar Battalion in World War II: A+ Customer service! The battalion gained much experience in the reconnaissance, selection and occupation of mortar positions and in the tactical employment of mortars in support of an infantry division. Fourteen divisions had been destroyed, and part of the German Fifteenth Army as well. By the 9th of September, the rear echelon group was in Belgium, having passed through Laon, Rozoy, Etion in France, down into Sedan and over to Paliseul, Belgium. Later that day, an open gun emplacement was knocked out, an anti-tank gun silenced, and a troop concentration broken up with many casualties to the enemy. This is the unit history of the 81st Chemical Mortar Battalion in World War II. The WP had a terrific effect on the morale of the troops, causing them to evacuate the town. This day it traveled 122 miles along the dusty, crowded roads via Moulins, Rambouillet, and Nogent to Limours. Since the unit was alerted shortly after arrival at Shanks, it was restricted to the immediate area for the duration of its stay there. On July 31, C Company demolished and set fire to the town of Torigny-sur-Vire, where the enemy was offering stubborn resistance. It was not relieved from this duty until April 1, 1944, at which time it rejoined the battalion. This sector was the foremost point on the allied front at the time, sticking out like a finger into enemy territory and receiving fire from both flanks, and justly earned the name "Purple Heart Hill." The infantry, taking advantage of this concentrated shelling, moved in as the fire was lifted and succeeded in securing the ground. Company A, in support of the 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry, 1st Division, landed at Easy Red Beach. machine gun, and in intensive mortar shoots at Exmoor range in North Devon and at Canford Heath near Poole. He was assigned to B Company, 81st Chemical Mortar Battalion. Eight months were to go by before they rejoined the battalion. The next day, July 26, the 2nd Division jumped off from Hill 192, with the 4.2s closely following, firing at every opportunity. By September 11, Luxembourg had been liberated and the German frontier crossed. Add links. On being detached from the 29th Division, the commanding officer of B Company was presented with the Bronze Star for the meritorious manner in which his company had carried out the support of the various combat teams of the division. At this time, C Company shelled and burned the town of Saint-Jean-des-Baisants. All these problems were considered rough, but it was found later that they were child's play compared to actual combat. During this short breathing spell, August 5 to 12, a thorough inspection of all equipment was accomplished, repairs made, and replacement parts obtained. The enemy, having either spotted the position, or, while firing at a nearby road, shelled the company continuously. Later the lead echelon was moved to Falmouth for embarkation and the initial build-up (overstrength) was moved to Tiverton for shipment so as to arrive in France and join the forward echelon on D plus 5. Marfa itself was a little cattle town with a big sense of hospitality and a bit of Old Mexico. The night of September 3 was an active one for B Company. Although the target was at too close a range to hit, it is believed that these were the first rounds the battalion fired on the continent of Europe. [1] Contents 1 Chemical mortar battalions 2 Battalion numbering 3 Chemical mortars C and D Companies remained at Bievres until August 29 and then were attached C Company to the 110th Infantry, and D Company to the 112th Infantry, 28th Division, our old friends of maneuvers in the U.S. In 1964 an Ohio woman took up the challenge that had led to Amelia Earharts disappearance. Here they circled, endlessly it seemed, causing the boat teams to be wet to the skin and, in many cases, violently seasick. It was later learned that it had to be then or be postponed at least a month. By April 5, Company A had passed Kassel. From here, Germany could be seen, but it was to be two days before D Company would set foot on German soil. No one was injured by the explosion of the ammo truck, but two men were wounded by the small arms fire. Several days after this mission, the squad leaders and non-coms visited the target areas where they found several hundred rounds of German mortar ammunition burned by WP shells, and two houses burned down. The enemy had direct observation on these positions and subjected the company to a severe shelling. The following day, it fired onto the shore of the Danube in support of an infantry crossing. The "rat race" was on, and was gaining momentum every day. At one time, a German armored car pulled out of a side road into the company's column. C Company, 103rd Medical Battalion, 28th Infantry Division 508. PFC Burgess, headquarters driver, walked several hundred yards into town where he picked up a piece of his steering wheel, all he could find of the truck to turn in for salvage. In driving the enemy from the coast of Normandy and across northern France, the mortars had expended a total of 31,949 rounds. Print.. Motto: Equal To The Task Associations: 81st Chemical Veterans Assoc and 81st CM Mortar BN Association (Jackson, MS) Contact: Rodney Young 251 Pine Mdw, Spring Branch, TX 78070; 210-310-9320 German dead lined the roads and hedgerows where a bicycle company had been ambushed by the 115th, but before the night ended there were many American dead there also. Buy 194452697237 Just 45 minutes from Broadway, and not a thing could be done about it! The company was then attached to the 377th Infantry. This is the unit history of the 81st Chemical Mortar Battalion in World War II. The same day, S/Sgt Toole received a battlefield commission as second lieutenant for outstanding leadership under combat conditions. Here the company was reorganized and moved inland about 100 yards. Every officer and man was given a thorough last-minute physical inspection (which consisted of counting the number of arms, legs and eyes a person possessed). On D plus 3 the attachment was changed to the 2nd Division. In January 1943 the anticipated day came. The following day, October 21, 1943, after everyone had been assigned quarters, the Capetown Castle steamed out of New York harbor. Naval customs and terminology, net scaling and adjustment of equipment, embarking and debarking from landing craft, loading and unloading of vehicles, and the installation and firing of the mortars in LCVPs were all studied. On June 12, 1943, the 81st Chemical Battalion arrived at Camp Pickett, Virginia, where it was stationed until October 14 of that year. 3Rd, and part of the 81st Chemical mortar battalion taking advantage of this concentrated,. Southern one, long and circuitous, but two men were wounded by the 4.2s and other weapons, to... 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