r

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;7.~ I~" .~ .~:~~. , ~ m Vt::.;-::~

:~jiw,"~~~r~~';t;'-f EDICATED TO THE f\/\EMORYI D i:~mOF THOSE MEN OF THE 7I.!:d

;ra/~r~!~r ~.~

f..'ti";{..c~"",)/~ .::.>. r"~~ ,V","~

I ~~=~I~=-s"::=.i<.-;T=':::=::-"'O-=~=~R-=~=~=~=".=~=-~:e;; I.:::> PI-~-l::> "

~=:?=SO~;==--~=~=;:-L'?'-:~=E=/

.; M:;;:;;~=-' -==;'~L[=;:~::;=V=~=;';>-'i':'~=0~r NO;=:

','

imWHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN

!:~:I II.' ~.. ~
rm

THE SERV/,CE OF THEIR COL/NTRY i~ 17 ~T .

I
I I '

" .iU?:<@(~ ::7:..1==--- ~_.~-2.._/~~~ ..~IY;@Ii-~!_~{&.. .Jo ~~ # ~~}~/}~~.'~~!\.~'-&/'/~'~~I?~'~.~._ /~ _.. ~...5~-!k-"" I PVT. MARVIN R. LANDRY'- 31 JULY 1944 - GUAM, M. I.
PFC. CLOVIS D. MANNING-

/~~..:5i.~. .. :Y'~:'.!

25 FEBRui.RY 1945 - LEYTE, P. I. 1945 - U.5.S.

GOODHUE GOODHUE

~PFC. HENRY LIS'1'OWSKI - 2 APRIL PFC. GEORGE E. MACDONALD TEC

2 APRIL 1945 - U.5.5.

4 JAMES F ~ SPAnT - 3 APRIL 1945 - U.S.S.

GOODHUE

PVT. JOHN A. GALLOWAY PFC. WAYLONP. HUNTER PFC. FRll.NCIS NUCCIO -

3 APaIL 1945 - U.5 .S. GOODHUE 9 APRIL 1945 - KEISE SHIMA, R. I.

9 APRIL 1945 - KEISE SHIMA, R.I. 24 JUNE 1945 - IE SHIMA, R.I. 1945 - IE SHIMA, R. I.

PFC. LELAND F. OSHIER PFC. GIOCCHINO J.

CRISCUOLO - 24 .ruNE

To the Officers and Menof the 7th

AAA

Auto WpnsBa.ttalion:

This brief history of

"t::e

Battalion has been compiled so that you in years to come, of the more pleasant Of greater importance,

might have more vivid recollectioI .. and interesting however, it

ma:l

events we have undergone together. be instrumental

1..'l

~ping

alive tl:e many fril'3:1dships now

exist.ing amongus.

I have long felt that this type of frieIid.<;hip, found8:1 j and will be rememberedc..fter VIeh!'.ve forgotten

on the comrJ.dshipfostered by combat, is one of the really important thi:1Cs atwined TIhile in service,

tbe more sordid aspects of war. Looking back over the events of the past year and a half one cannot escape the conclusion that ~e have been most fortunate, Considering the

ha~a.rds ..encountered in our numerous amphibious as saul ts, we may~ell thall-"\{ God for having spared us greater casualties.
i .,...~.

Nowthe old outfit is breaking up. only a handful of officers and aen.

In a short time there will remain

To all of you I wish to state that I In combat you left little to be desired, Myprofour..d

am proud to have served ":lith you.

and I would not hesita.te in st:::..:!dngyou up against arrJ outfit. t~~nks, and a sincere "Well DonG". Best

*1 ...

- ~

ST,ATESIDE

.:r"

If
, ........

1.
In April Charles assigned Brigadier zation W. Gettys,. was stationed

STATESIDE (ll), commanded Massachusetts; by Colonel and was

of 1943, the 207th Coast Artillery at Camp Edwards, Training

to the .A~tiaircraft Artillery General Morris

Cen'ter under

the comma.nd of organiand a

C. Ha:-'.'lwerk. he Regiment T an automatic

was a semi-mobile weapons battalion

consisting

of. a gun battaliun,

searchlight

battalion. Guard unit from New York City, with a long in tradition, and dating back to 6

The 207th was a National and colorful '(' when history, steeped

~~y 1806,
of

it was kn&,m

as the 27th Field Artiller-.r. Through successively

the evolutions

many years the 107th

and wars it was to be known I'nfantry, and from 1940 until

as the 7th

Infantry,

1943, a.s the 207th Coast Artillery

...

(ll)
On the 25th of April, from Headquarters the Regiment attached 1943, orders of the Antiaircraft

(effective

21 April)

were received

Command

redesignating' and reorganizing battery became with three

into a group headquarters

and headquarters Headquarters

separate' battalions.

Regimental

the 207th AAA the Second

Group;. the Firs..t Battalion Battalion became became

became

the 771st

AM Gun Battalion;
Battalion;

the 7th AAA Automatic

Weapons

the Third Battalion the

the 247th A.AA Searchlight self-sufficient

>-I:talion.

Under

the reorganization and henceforth The Second

,battalions became "auld function

administratively, units.

could a.nd

as separate

and independent

Battalion

received

the traditionel officer,

"7"

for its- designation Colonel Robert

by virtue

of the f::tc't that "as the senior

its Oommanding

Lieutenant commanders.

C. Gillies,

of the three battalion The initial basic training

training

at Camp Edwards consisted

of a complete

revicrw~

and was of six ~eeks duration.

The remainder

of the period

- 1-

STATESIDE (~'''mtinued) spent at Camp Edwardswas primarily devoted to the perfection of artillery performance and the developmentof tactical proficiency. This was unit or

team training as opposedto the training o~ the ind~vidual in the basic course. The'sewere full days with gun drill in all its rami.f'ications occupyingprnctically all the time between field exercises and antiaircraft target practice. Most In time, constant driving and frequent repetition produced results. them a few ';Veeks ast. p

crews were able to handle th'eir weapons'?:ith a snap and precision unknown to This, of course, contributed to a considerable degree Extensive firing Wasconduc+( Horizontal or anti-

in increasing t~e effectiveness of our A.A fire.

(between CapeCodfogs)at the Wellfieet range with both 40l:imsnd .50 cel. a machineguns at towed sleeve targets as well as rockets. Edwards. Tactical proficiency was attained by meansof prolonged field exercises. Defenses were planned and actuclly
SGt :..1)

mechanizedfire, took place on a gravity range within the limits of Camp

for the varied types of objectives

which might later be assigned the Bn.ttalion. Frequent moveswere madeunder

every type of condition using the shuttle syst,emto best advantage. This system was necessitated by the fact that wewere a. semi-mobilebattalion and pos~essed sufficient trnnsportation to move 'but one battery at a time. Black out movesunder the most adverse circumstances were accomplished, and it was this portion of our trai~ng that stressed en adept knowledgeand sound These men, perhaps the most judgment on the part of the section chiefs.

important in an A:l organization, had a particularly strenuous time and ware under considerable nervous and plr.fsical strain during this period. However, they learned well, as is borne out by
t.."1e

results obtained in combat. Every officer armed. Manywill recall

llieanwhile, training in small arms ';ias far from neglected. and :na.n fired for record tho uoapon!lith whichhe
- 2 WtlS

STA'm3IDE (Continued) the ef.forts of the pi1i detail to keep ort-pasted targets in one piece through-

ou1ia downpour during one of our last days o.f firing. On 15 June, Lieutenant Colonel Robert F. Murph~(then Major) assumed commando.f the Battalion with Major William B. Bogue (then Captain) as the new Executive Ofticer. Battalion Both were former battery commandersin the Second (Ai) and had served in the parent

of the 207th Coast Artillery f~r

:no.ny

organizatic:l

years.~ course early in July and

The u.'1.tt ~'_.r;cessiU11yompleted its training c all persor~el w~re granted leaves and furloughs. ~

About Vle i'i-rst o.f August the Battalion received orders assigning it to the First Ai:1 Force upon its arrival Base, Westhc.:r,pton Beach, L.I., at the ArmyAir Field, Suffolk Army- ir A

N. Y. The uni,t departed CampEdwards 10 August

r.I.

1943, making the; moveby rail but tro.ll.. 'n"ting equipmen1iby motor convey.

good portion of organizational

The Battalion arrived at its new station on 11 August and immediately initiated the planning o.f !In r.mtiaircrtt1't o.utomo.ticweapons defense of the

( "

Air Base a.s one unit of the CombinedAirdrome De.fense Tra.ining Center (CAnTC). The organization was .fortunate in this assignment in tha1i we were the first troops to undergo this new type of' training. large sense, establish This meant that we could, in a

our own precedents thereby o.1looing ample opportunity We\Verefortunate in another, though non0.11:

for the display of initic.tive. militery,

sense~ for we were the first

c.rrnytroops, ether thtm a few

corps personnel, in the area. :.mdwere most graciously received by the local townspeople. The Ba.tta1ion wns atta.ched to the 19th AM Group, commanded Colonel by E. W. Thompson, and hnd the mission of crgnnizing and lUlinto.ining an automntic woapons defe~se. Atter l thorough rcconnnisnnce, which was checked by lorio.l

- 3-

STATESIDE

(Continued)

observation, airfiold.

the outfit The first

movad into its t~ctic,~l setup in and around the of well The

phase of our tra.ining stressed construction positions,

ca.moufla.ged, fortified buSJ-airfield

well organized f0r locnl security.

also gave the gun crews their first

good opportunity for tracking

low, fust-flying'targets, pcsses at ~~ positions.

the P-47 pilots being only too a1".xiousto make

In the n:e~nt'Une the other units which ':'lere to participate moved in end
W3ro

in the training These units

s:l tut.ted

tccticnlly

in and around the base.

included c. Figf;"ter CQ1J.'trol Squ,adron, nn Infc.ntry Airdrome Security' Bnttnlion, an Air

Warr::L1.1,g S!2r'7i~e Gr:'i'lpc.!:y,
lLlA

en Engineer C::moufiagePlatoon, the 19th AJ..A and interdependence

Group and til0 736ti.l

Go:nEo.tta11on. The interela.tion

of these umLts -:iUS studiod by :f;r::ctico.l demotlstrc.tions and obserVl'.tion of and by each uti"t" As time "ent on ~n efective cer!y
":illrning

systom mlS established

so

that it w~s ur~i}:oly the:t ~ si...n.1lntedhostile force could approach the Air : Base by land. cr c.ir without detection'c.t The concluding phcse of our trcining c. reo.son~ble distance. w~s devoted to c field exercise

in which coordimtcd attacks were mC.de the buse by both air and ground on units. This pho.~e~as of
0.

~eeks durntion, end proved to be the most valuable

portion of our training

at Westhampton. the

No soor-or had the prcble~ ended than orders were received directing unit to
~07e

to Cc.mp Pickett,

Virginin, with subsequent assignment to the

XIII Corp3. Despito the general desire to keep moving, this news vms received uith zr.ixec.l 6I:lot1ons, Westhc.mpton hv.ving been a most pleasant station. 9 October
1943,

On

the Bo.ttalion, r:oving onoe ngnin by ra.il and motor, heeded

south to Virginia. - 4 -

STATESIDE (Continued) Arriving at CampPickett the next day had not been expected.

it was soon discovered

that we

All that could be determined was that Pickett was

used as a pro-stagin~ area and also as a base or troops undergoing amphibiou~ training. training Gun drill Thus, with no directive from higher headquarters as to what
o:ur

was to consist o, the Battalion S-3 dr'3wup a training

progTar:l.

together with physical hardening o personnel ~ means o ~~rches, constituted the major portion of the pro-

obstacle c~Jrses and calisthenics

gram. In less than two weeks time however, orders wera received from Arrrry Ground Force Headquarters in Washington, D. C., attaching t.he unit to the Amphibious Training Com;~ndof tho U.S. Atlantic Fleet. receipt of these instructions, Shortly after the

XIII Corps issu.ed orders atiiachi.."'lg to the us No one realized at the for a year and.

77th Infantry Division for amphibious trainir..g only. tir.le uhat this association

"tas to mean nor that it would last

a half" through three tough campaigL~. The Division cCr.mlanded Major General by Andrew D. Bruce, with Brigadier !}en9ral
:BdwL"l

H. Randle as Assistant Division was knownto be a

Commander nd Colonel D. C. McNair :lS Chief of Staff, a

.'

well-trained,

hard driving,

"spit-and-polish"

outfit. The first was under-

Amphibious training

was broken into three steges.

taken by the entire Battalion at Camp?ickett whero un entiro uoek tactical

Vo'tlS

in a special training aroa of fundamentals. The

devoted to the assimilation

composition of an amphibious force was studied tog9thor with the The remtlinder of" the time was spent in

tunction of each unit of that force. practical TIork consisting

of clL~bing and descending cargo nets, debarkation oorbed rlire crossings, beach obstacles,

from mockups of small landj.ng crd't, demolitions,loTIering subjects.

of equipment by ropes, and a number of other related movedto the AmphibiousTrain-

For the second phase the battalion

ing Center of the U.S. Atle.ntic Fleet at CampBradford, Va., uhorc a week
- 5 -

STATES IDE(Conti..."1ued) wa.sspent in small boat tra.ining. The workhere was entirely practical. Loadings of both menand equipiEentwore madein every type of landing craft then used by the Navy. The ba.ttel'::".. wera orgc.nized in uaves and practice assault landings madeon the beaches. recollection
deep surf.

A~

a ~chine gunner has a vivid

of:

the icy vlatcrs as he helped cnrry his gun t}1..rough china series

The fir..a.l portion of amphibioustraining was a very realistic

of exercises held in the ChesapeakeBay, Solonon's Islilnd, Md., area. Since

\.

tho shipping consistod of only one Transdiv:lith a few IST's (the total being sufficient for only one RCT)the Division w~e four excursions. First, Division Headquarters and Special Troops with our Bctt~lion Headquarters and Battery D attachec!. Second, the JC6th RCTand B Pattr-;ry. Third, the J05th RCTand A Battery. Fourth, the J07th RCT with Btlttery C attnched.
l'!Iado

Each group

madetwo pr~lindno.ry practice 19.11dings then r.;.nd "Red" troops

1...1'1

a final assault against. The training, espec-

:l..~exercise thnt lasted several days.

io.lly since it was.held in mid-winter,' was pretty rugged, but it served its

r,-

p'..ll'pose ell for the jobs no we,:':; to undertake a fe'1 monthslater. w Meanwhile,qualif"ication of all personnel with their individual small arms was stressed continuously. Every t".anfired the M-l rine for qUlllification on beth the tion every
Man

Jmcwn

didnr.ce rr.r..geand the transition course. In addi-

threu th0 hand grenade !lnd tr::dning in the bazookawas cbtl".ined

by selocten porsonn~l fron each gun section. Each monthduring this period proicicnrr.f in tcctics was maintained and improvedby p~rtioipation in a field exercise of one weeksduretion. Emphasiswas-placed upon developmentof the platoon co~mander nd individa .uel leaders of t~e
~Ul

sections .

- 6-

$TATFSIDE (Ccnt:'nuod) For practice in .AA firing, t.'1ebattalion spent

0.

weekc.t Fort Fisher,

NC Firing was conductod <?!l the antia.ircraft range 0. t sleeve targets as Vloll us a good bit on the anti-mechanized range. During this week, instructors from the Antit\ircraft Artillery School o.t Camp Devis, N.C., 'visited the battalion for the purpose of L~struction in the latest developmentsof technique and fire control. Eer1y in ilInrch1944 tho b-~ttalion was placed in the top alert. status. Preliminary staging wes completedand en 16 Wnrch1944 the battalion entrained \..'

for Fort Larlon, Sec.ttla, Washington. Having arrived at Fort La\rten on 21 March1944 the Battalion completed sta.ging o.ndon 11 April 1944 tho organization ernbc.rkeder the H~waiinn f Islands, lonving Sec:tt1e just.. f:. little epidemic of de mor" nr.;ong Inrge 0. the "'TOrseor wear. The crossing was f of oficers and men . unev~ntful save tho first fow da.ys~jlen the relativoly high seas caused nn
1tJ!l111

numoor

7 -

\/
...

(
'~-'-' --

','

The battaliol1 debarked on 19 A~il 1944 and was stntioned with the 305th RCT,commanded Colonel Vincent J. Tanzo1a, at Camp by Pali, on the island of Oahu. Uponour arrival we were assigned to U.S.A.F.r.C.p.A., attached to the newly formed nIT Corps; commc.nded Lt. General (then Major by Gene:!"8.l) John R. Hodgeof America.land 25th Division fame, and fUrther attached to our old f'rionds, the 77th. During the week6-13 Maythe Battalion undeI'V1ent extremely profitable an week of infa.ntry training at the Unit Jungle Training Center. For probably

the first

time, all the personnel uere umnimous in an opinion; they thought

tho.t this school was re~lly tops. Uponthe conp1etion of Jungle Training the small-boat phase of amphibious training was reviewed with the several batteries and p1a.toonst'lorkingin their customary attached capacities to the assault BLT's of the Division. These attachments were the snmeas they had been during nmphibioustraining in the U.S., and were to continue unchangedthroughout three campaigns. Meanwhile,the Division i7nr Board, headed by General Randle and composed of the S-3's of the Division and its attachments, was busy formulating an
SOP

{ "

for AmphibiousOperations. The chapter on an Antinircraft Artillery uns followed, d.th only minor changes, in each o

Aut.omo:b~c W~tl.pons Bnttalion

the operations in which the Ba.ttnli.... participated. .n Liberal allowances of 40mm ammunitionmadeit possible for the unit to get in a good deal of muchneededAAfiring. This resulted in a marked1mprovementin the conduct, adjustment and nccuracy of fire of a.ll batteries. During this period any individual whohad not qualified with his individual weapon,fired for record. All personnel fired a familiarizatiOJ1 course with ea.chtype of small arm (excGpt the cal. 45 pistol) in the organiza.tion.

- I .

Ol1fiU.

(Continqed)

Because of the difficulties assault

encountered in using the M-51 1.11 the it was recommended the CGof to lieu thereof. Despite

phase of an amphibious operation,

the 77th that the 7th AAA issued M-16hnlftracks.in be

the fnct that this met with the appro"t;al of the Division, Corps, and CPA Commanders,t,he half-tracks becc.use of the imprac-tibility \"lere not available. It was then decided that

of the M-5l in tl'fis type operation, thc.t the

sir..gl.3 HBCOol.50 mnchine gt4~on the infantry AAmount be issued instead. This would provide some land b'-'.sec.. ~ protection .. t11e f()1lrthwnveof the assault. On 3 July londing for the Guamoperntion was begun. r.hiI-)St.he 7th, l'.nd on 9 July we set sail from Honolulu. Personnel bo~ded for
t:!.

beachea.d as early as

- 2 .

/
~

)
I

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.-'

o-

:6...GA T

(,
.

,.

<.

...

:~

!
3 GUAM

Tho bettc.lion c.s un cttc.chnont to the 77th Infantry Division, was land reserve on Oahu for tho MtlriWlusCampaign. Upon the co~itment of the 27th Division at Saip..'Ulit nns decided t, ':'ovethe 77th Division up to floating reserve before the c.sscult on Guemwas m-::.de.Accorcingly the battulion the division londed on transports at Honolulu. ':lith

TIle loading uas accomplished

in rocord time ';7{l.ich ermitted the c.ctl:o.l assault to begin severaJ. duys ahead p of schedule. Elemonts of the bcttulion one, 22 July. landed ever tee Agat beaches starting on D plus

AAdefenses of the Division beach Vlcre established

by Batteries

A, Band C. There t:as no encnw air c.ctivity during the GuamCampaign, but the bcttalion carried its ueight ~ith unloading deteils and combat patrolling on

the southern bour~ary. The landing over the reef c.t Agat was probebly the most difficult the

battc.lion made - In.nding crc.ft dropred men on the outer Gdge of n fringing reef' almost.
0.

tllcusand yards 17ide. The long i7ndaashore through water from

0.

t.woto six f'eet deep was

<.

tiresome ordeal at best - and f'or the shorter men

who had an u."1fortunate tendancy -Sodisappear suc!denly into potholes it nas somewhatmere thc.n exciting. Expericl'~cedNnvnl Commnndors laimed the unc in the war.
0.

loc.ding at Agat to be most dif'ficult Once over the reof it 7las only Foxholes,
gtl.."l

J!latter of srro.ppingsalt water for fresh.

aD. filled

revetments, slit

trenches,

with the rains that came

and came and came. During the first few days of' the campnign the bo.ttalion ros .-rell indoctof all

rinated in the noise of WF~. Ntu~erousbnt~~lions of' field artillery

types TIere in position all around the beachheads so that almost every 40 and CP was almost literally in the mouth of some cannon which f'ired day and night.

- 1-

GUlJJI Continued) ( As the bD.ttle noved to the north the wc.rbecameentirely one cgainst nature: against the mudund water, agc.inst the dengue mosquitoand the fly, against the heat and rot. The original plans hud called fo'!:the division and the battalion to remain on Guam o~v until the completion of the campaignand to unload only
Q

essential equipment. H07leyer,hr.lfv;aytr..ronghthe campaignthe navy decided that the ships were needed elsewhere c:.nd soon so that everything had to be unloaded in a great ru.sh. The assistance rendered the overworkedshore party at this time by the bQttalion nas conmended y the division commander. b At the close of the operation the division movedL~tobivouac on the upper end of Harmon Rocd. It was initio.lly plaI".ned provide ANdefense of to portio~s of the area and accordingly Battery B did someback and heartbreDking work movingup onto c. !"idge that Godhad not intended for movedback to the beach. The next couple of months\"rerenot idle: The battalion was brie:fed
40mm

guns

and then back dm-m again ':7hen Harne:.:'o.';.dcollapsed entirely and the battalion

<

successively for Palau for ""hich operation it "as land reserve, for Yapi7hich it was to have been floating reserve, for Ulithi fer which Battery C was to have landed. in tho assault, and finally for Leyte for which it Wc.s gain a lund reserve. In preparation for these operations all individuals fired at ground targets by both direct laying and unw::'.S

tro.nsition courses, madeconbat patrols to the south ;>J'here infantry had mopped up, and fired
40mmrs

seon target tlethods. Oonsidernble proficiency

obtained in direct laying

particularly by the tno C Battery creoo Vlhichwere scheduled to fire direct support, island to island, for the infantr.r at Ulithi. Throughthis entire title the rear echelon ~ith all the heavy tentage was on Guadalcanal so that the batta.lion lived in pup tents or shacks
. 2 -

Q!IAM

(Continued) sanitntion was a considerable . both

Woodand screening were scarce and as a result problem and comfort

~1QS

in direct ratio to ingenuity and initiative

Chamorro and Americo.n. It uas therefora with considerable pleasure that it was learned that the battalion had been released by General MacArthur from

its role as land reserve for Leyte and was to go to NewCaledonia for rest and training. miracle. The loading at
Gi...~m lftlSso

rapid

"fis

to be in the nnture of a

The convay left Guamon 2 Uovemberand sailed south for NewCaledonil

On 13 Novcnbor-1944, the convoy uhich had been heading for the quiet, restful shores of NewCf'.ledonia, put into the h~bor at Manusin the Admiralty Twodays later they were received. We

Group, thero to await further orders.

were on our way to Leyte in the Philippines.

. 3 -

~~-:---~

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1

4 - LEITE

The Division cmd tho B~tt~lion operation.

r.... '1.dleft

Gum!: ll-prepared i

for an

True, guns and "trucks had cor.irot leeds and the stnte of

trc.ining TIas exceptionc.llJ'- high, but small arms ammunition and emergency rations loaded. Vlere m'1.de:;ua'ten.ndthe shipping ms cOl!!!'1erciclo.ther thc.n combat r Further infor!'l.c.tion as to tho employr.1ent f the Division was not o ~ftGr :i.anc~ing thc.t no specific so pl,~s ccu1d be made.

r..vo.il!!.bleuntil Batteries

A and B landed ~t Terrngona 23 Ncve~ber e.nd immediately set the division beach.
Vias

up o.utonatic weapons defense ele. efficiency Bruce.

The speed end

TIith nhich they er:plc.ced on landing

commend~d y General b

Headquarters, C ~nd D batteries

which h~d been boated TIith the 307th~

were landec. ,~t Dult::.g. Battery C movedinla!'..d to Lc Paz with the 307th immedic.tel~",r!hD.e D and He".rlqunrters shuttled by LCTto Turrngona. the first liter

couple of dcys, .hen one buttery ate tot cakes three meuls in a

ro-::, it became apparent that the ll:'.ck cf C and K rc.tions 'i,1!ls pretty good a thing as fresh turkey end fresh eggs Put in
t-InS

m1

appearance.

Tho Division

in bivouac and life t:us routine with u fe'Vlalerts

and no actuc.l oir I

attacks. Then.en 3 DeceI:1berho battalion t operation, this

Wo.a

was alerted

for its !:lost interesting

the behind the be-oken.1 run to Deposito and Ormoc. Originally scheduled to be
0.

minor Anzio - the 77th Division was to establish

n beachhead ~nvil to Deposito ngall1st ~hich the 7th driving up from the south could destr~" the Jap 2~th Division.
~'

Thie task

71as

rendered Dare
'

hazardous by the prosence of th(; ",p 1st Division in tho Ormocvllley reportedly uncoP.lI!1i tted. The 77th Division oo.s then to seize and hold a. Because of

small area' in the niddle of the Jap held side of the island.

the troops -- crack Hanchuricn uni'ts -- tr.at the Jap held uncommitted the entire operation could well have boen a stick:r mess h~d the Jap obto.ined

- 1-

1~TE
a.dvance i.."1fcrmation of t.h3 move to knew all about

(Continued) on the eest coast seer.J.ed

CL ~very Filipino

it.
splce, that only one assault. uould accor.J.~~ the Division in the initial

It \'las decic:ed, due to lir.:itctic!ls in shipping , battery Another of the Battalion ryculd follow

two d~ys later

in the first resupply

convoy and the Battery D

roma~nder loaded

of the battalion on

~~s to fall OF. on the D plus

4 convoy.

out cnd sailed

December.

They \7er'3 consequently

at sea hoeding The Jap paratroop Rcre B

for Depositc attack

en the night the b.ttn,lion drew first bloed.

on the Leyte airfields

"as

~~ce that even~ng

and tTIO tra~sports Battery

so incautious promptly

c.s to fly ovor thE:! divis5.on be ... at Terragona. ch thGm to their honorable ancostors. Various

dispatched

ele~ents

of C Battery, preparatcry

':'7h:'ch strugr:ling out cf the'-'l!lUc: Lv. Po.z clown to thebec.cl: wes at out, ta..'1flod '7ith some of tho paratroops but came

te moving

through unscathed.
On tho other December

&cJ
e

f~

~.M4,
The 15M (skippered

~
on 7

~4
7-

siele of tho is~"'.nd~ttery ~ Bay style:

::E)lnnded en schGdule

in trueChesnpoakc

by the omnipres-

ent old old 7th man) ~~de of the Bagonbon prcceedec River

bad initial beaching

on the delta at the mouth it age-in.

TICS

:::.nd bc"cked eff nnQ trice so st~ting

Tho landings not until ~fterthe

with cut incidont

eDGT:lY

~t about 0707 and it

tr..e

noon thct the first shipping h~d boen

plane ~ttQ.cked of attacks

beachhond

itself ~lthough

the object

even prior to the landings.

Bettery

.0-:ound

up tho' dey v!ith t\~O kills h~d been

to its credit:

C::1e Tojo and one V[t~

The lnnding Co~~undar decided

such n successful the advantage

s'.:tr~isf) thc.t the Division tind strike north tow~ds Orr.J.oc,

to exploit

the Jnps' lest decent wi th continuous nttack

port on Leyte. to thG north

The plen called

fer a moving beachh?ad

ond the rnr.intenancc of the seacoast,

- 2 .-

LEYTE south and east peri~etGrs. derense northern perimeter. a day. On 8 December half' a hour apart. water north. in front Later

(Continued) was charged with the seaocast its most

The battalion

as well as antiaircraft gun on the front lines As a result movement

and consequently

had to have

und on the other end a gun in the southern was continuous with !:'.any guns moving twice

the J~ps started Battery

coming

over at dawn

single Sallys

about

D got two beautiful

flc-mers which

lit in the

of the division in tho day, using

CP and a third Vlllichcrashed amtracks as prime movers,

on land to the

Bt?ttery D moved to

Ipil where

the division

kept its supply beach EattG~J Seacoast ~ splashed defenses

from then on. ashore in the rain early in the extended to the

A very understrength morning north on

9 December.
mortar

were promptly

despite

fire on the beach. Battery B moved to Ormoc and emplaced for seacoast and

On 11 Decenber AA derense.

At this point there

wore in effect

two perimeters of landing

- one at Ipil craft captured to

and one at Ormoc.

It ~as appe.rerrtfrom the nucber

c..long the shore rrom Deposito launch

0. counter

to Ormoc that the enemy had the equipment upon our rorce and the seaward one. On the night

amphibious on alert

attack

lookout

was consequently

if net an anxious convoy

or 11 - 12 with the

DeceI:1ber the second no.vy were limited land dark or whether

resupply

7ltlS due in but ccmmunicctions

by security

so that it was not kno:m

'iihen the convoy would

it would

land at Ipil or Ormoc.

The night uas pc.rticularly

so that nothing

could be llll'.de on the i'l~ter. As a result a landing cut fifty yards of the shore at Ormoc berore that the persons to rire. an

craft managed

to come uithin gunner English

alert AA machine were nottl11king

on the -leck coUld report

in tho craft

e.nd the o~'",<.::r could be given crat ablaze

:3 -

40mm rire

i~~ediately

set the entire

rom stem to starn.

It lay in the

--

r
~~TE water hours a few yards off the beach (Continued) brightly like a Hollywood set for burning

- and illUl!linating the entire beach from a Jap 1ST north The tanks

so that an amphibious

tank which

had landed

of the beachhead went through

was able to see to shoot an auto-loader cover,

down the beach. an LVT,

rounds

tents,

the building CP.

above the battalion All

CP and chopped

off the radio antenna

at the B Battery

in all an exhilarating

evening. - and there were many i'lares. B~ttory

Thereai'tor every bc.rrol-,box, of them, was tho object of intense

or bit oi'wreckage investigation,

oi'ten with mortar

Battery landed

A (with only two guns but all their men) and Headquarters of the twelfth docided and moved to Ormoc. At this ti~e the leaving

the morning Co~~nnder

Division a little

to strike him.

north up the Ormoc Valley,

17t1S

Ormoc

Stc.lingrad behind

T>'_~ Battalion

left to provide weapons

the anti~ere placed

aircrni't and seacoast in action. the "Banzai A battery Position" landed

dci'onso i'or the area. of four captured nnd tlmost over<-J with seven guns

All available

Jnp 25mm AA guns formed

whet was called

40nn hnd its own Knee Mortar. on the i'iftecnth and moved seawnrd to the Punta-

C Bettery Ormoc beach

to extend

the line of guns that bristled

from General

<:.

Randle's

Stalingrad. the re!':lainder oi' the Be~ttalion landed; and D Better<-Jstarted for tho Valencia Battery A-took TIhich

On the nineteenth over the Ipil deensos had been turned touted

airstrip,

as one of the bGst fields 'in the centr('~ Philippines inadequc.te for U.S. separate planes. At this point each night

but which in the

out to be totally

i'ighting the division Valencia, bridge

had three

perimeters

- Ipil - Ormoc rain and a miles shert of into the

but duo to some minor

difficulties added

with n torrential about three

that w~n't

there D Battery

a~fourth

the airstrip.

The night

Flas uneventi'ul however

and the Be.ttery moved

i'irst real AA del'ense (both by thei

'"'lk a.nd terrc.in) of' the campaign.

4 -

il'5'

LEITE The 23rd program tancc o Docemb~r

(Continuod) started on its great

A.N

the b~ttalion to have

sproading

out

vlhich was eventually

six separate
no

deenses

evor a. disThe restood :::-ea.dy either out

o s1.'rty miles,

as A Battery moved

moved

platoon

to Valencia..

mainde;r of the battery a.t Vslencia. to move or inadequate

the ncxt

day

and the whole battery Too ma.ny bridges were

overland

to Pa.1ompon.

so the First Bettalion

o tho 305th

threw an amrhibiol.1s shore Day. and Batte~J A joined o a

to shere assault them by water beacrJ1oo.d.

~,.

on the .Taps last port on Christmas set up seuconst

on the 28th and tgain

1l\

dGenses

On moved

J;.'.nuuryst Plo.toc!:.,attery 1 B to Pir~~opoo.n ~nd a platoon

B moved to Ipil.

On the 6th DBattery On the 9th '

a p1atcon A moved

the 7th one to Cc.rrigara.

Battery

to Bn.ybc.y. e:f Flancs turned up at

Fron tho ::JidC:lef the r.:onth,crhE::n couple o a Pnlo::Jpon, on, there wc.s little haul b::-.ck TOITf.'.gonc. to started. gretted seeing /lction. Thore

On I February rlns no driver ~~ddy,

the long

overland who re-

or passenger

th~ l~st of tho ~in~ing, beach "ronds".

r.lountaintrails

or the stroam-

cut, rock-strmm

Tho battclion activo preparations

closed at TOI'!'ugona on 12 Febru~

and c.t once started

for thG noxt stQP on thE. rond home.

....:::>"

-.-.-:

)
I
)
.1,[

(
I

."HIM(/
M t: f\IN
SL-lltv\4
A
t;j)

,c.
,

"

I
\1\\

:: - TE3 RllJKYU~

The time allotcd to prcpcre fer the operation ng~~!st tho Ryukyus was shert indeed. Tho last alemcnts of the E~ttalicn closed at Tcrragona on of the

12 Februa.ry nnd a1.::.elements were loaded out b:- 8 March. The ability BE'.tte..lionto prepare itself
1

in so short

l;;.

time after such a long cmnpaign of

reflects

parti~~ar

credit ~n those charged ~ith the responsibilities

suppl:~ranc: maintenQ.ncu. Fer th~ first how it

W<l8

ti~0 the Battalion knew in advance at least a portion of

mlS

to be. o::;plcyodim.s;;lUc~'" the Division cs

tc make pre-Love Day

("

c.ssaults. thereafter

As usun,l thE: actue.l cmploynont of the division and tho battalion

TIr3

subject te change without notice - th0 fatD of all units which

In the oarly p.:>rt of Unrch, the BC.ttaliori-participr'.ted with the 77th in rehearsals for tho cO"lploxisle.ne!.t.e isltm1
u::1d

ship toshoro

operations

to como. Tho rohc:::!'snls conplotcd, th:; two convoys, the slow-rr.ovingtractcrs flGtilln and the rolatively spoedy transport grcup, loft Loyto on the 18th

and. 21st of ~~rch fer JGpan's home waters.

c .

On 26 March the con-voysarrived togethor at th.3 KorUr.Ja atto, abolit R twenty miles 'west of N~.haon southern Okinl~>:a'.nd early th:-..tmorning the t lightning sneep through tho islnnds bc~an. Machine gunnors from A and B and Tokushiki. Battery D

-.

landed ruth tho 305th and. 306th on Aka,

GC.I"UI!Ul

landed the 27th and sot up as part ef the gnrrison on the rug~ed ridges of ZamamiShima.
011

L minus 1, 31 March, the 2_ . Pll:~toon, Battery B landed with the 420th Group on Kciso Shirla. All c1er.~cntsof the Battalion except
..

Field Artillory

those on Zama.r.1i Koisc: robot'.tod by the 31st and then began th~ t\1e week a.nd Kamikaze "Sweat-Ont". Night after night tIle demcmtcdfools who thought they

- 1-

r
ll"E
RYUK:['JS

lc 011tinued)
pl:lnes to a fiery destruction

wore heave:'1.l)und, f'lying thuc'lolvGS and t~jir b in on ef'f'ortto sink our ships. Battalion earned di

T:. ,",ugh c::'.l this time the men of' the

1 yeoman "york manning naval and nrrny AA equipment . Se"treral star Medals f'or their heroism Wind and skill. the strellr.1 American of came smashing power,

Bron~e

No amo'llntof Divine however, arj on 15 April

could turn aside

the Division

and Battalion

back for landed which

the assaul"~ on Ie Shimc.. on little ~innc Shima

On the 15th Battery

a less the 1st Pldoon

the field

to tho south of Ie to protect

artillery of

was firin~; support Batteries

for the Division

and on the 16th mr:.chinegunners onto the reef'~bound beaches A Battery

A and B rode and waded 305th

ashore

of Ie their

with th~ hard hitting machine supply guns ashore beach moved

and. 306th ROT's.

40's followed infantry as the

and moved - nrriving

east with the assaulting on

'iT

plus 2, the same day Ernie bastion.

Pyle died,

at

Red T-4 at the foot Meanwhile Ie, landing

of Ie's mcuntain

Bc.ttery D hc..vingseon no AA action Other

Co

at Zamnrni transshipped except

1llC.IIY

to

the 20th.

e:c~onts brief

of the battalion,

for the 2nd

Platoon,

Battery

B, after

peuse at Okinc.'l.wu and

a trek up and While the

down 'the bOll..'1cing nets landed bulk traps of tho battalion and taking time

at Ie from the 23rd to the 28th.

on Ie vas coping with numerous out to knock quiet down a couple

Jap mines and boobyattacking the

of planes

shipping

all ens not exactly Group

on the Keise Shima

front.

The Long Toms such a thorn force in an

of the 420th

dre~ regular

counter-battery

fire and proved attack

in the enemy's attempt tional

side that on them

9 April

he sent an cmphibious

to silence mission

.As at Le;y-tethe Platoon defense. A platoon

~as set up with the addiof Japs attacked tank,

of soacoast They

size force

in the dnrk a motor

of night.

carne to the tiny islands and managed

in an nmphibious

launch

end native

canoes

to get at least twenty

men ashore.

- 2 -

~HERl1JKl1JSContinuod) ( The guns and grenades of tho p~~, __ tcon destroyeJ the taI'l.k, cut the mater launch and succ~ssf~lly be~t off the attack although it was not till light of the ::lext I!lcrning thr..t the last shot
VJ'[.:.S

the

fired.

Finally,

after

weeks whereL'1they le:::rncd the enemyguns hy sound, the Platoon transshipped to Ie Shima and rejoined the Bcttnlioc on
15

Mcy
..

17ith tho withdru17cl of ;;mchof t.ho ncval might from the area and the opening of the cirstrip still the air action over Ie Sl1im::l. m~tec1. Attucks were

directed ID.~gely ~t shipping in the d::l.ytime,but the niGht bombing Fe~ will forget the in-

attacks on the island grew ~oro and mere frequent. crecsing crescendo
D.S

an unseen enemybomber divGS and the roar of ~ heavy

bomb exploding ne~r at hand . Seven li1Qre plD.n::s were, destroyed . was obtnined for !lllother.
:'n

the next few weeks and partial

credit

By nowthe B~ttr..lion score stood at eighteen and

one third planes destroyed, cne probc..blydestroyed, nnd twenty-one planes damagod. This enviable record, together rd.th the carnbf-'.t readiness of the battalion as it nppenren to in3pcc'~'1g officers,
gave

it a high position ended and

amongthe ATfl bc.ttc.liGns in tho Pacific.

As the wer officially

commendations flowed in frOMl1~th Ail.Cor.ur.c.nd, 77th Infantry Division, and ArmyGround Forces 245, 6ach cnd every mc.ncould justly feel pride in the record of his Battalion,
Co

record forged not in the rear areas but on the

bnttle field and in the front linos.

- 3-

7TH All

AUTO WPNS

BIIT

FINAL

SCORE
p!'.mo.p'ed

Date 6 Dec. 1944

7'Dec. 8 9 10 ::) 10 11 11 11 12 12 12 17
'"2

Destroyed

ProbabIv Destr~red

2 Sallys
1 Tojo
1 Val

19441944 1944 1944

7 Doc. 19/:4
Doc. Doc. Dec. DElc. Dec. Dec. Duc. DiJc.

Sa.1lys

2 Sallys
4 Vals

1 Val

1 Val
2 Tonys

1944
1 Lnnc1 ing Bc,rge

1944 1944 1944 1944 Dl3c. 1944 Dec. 1944 Doc. 1944 Dec. 1944 .

1 Sully
1 Tony
2 Va-Is
1 Zeke
1 T:ijo 2 Vc.ls

,Jan. 1945 :5 Jdn. 1945 17 Jnn. 1945

9 Apr" 1945

1 Sally
1 Zcke

1 Tony

1
1 Amphibi;)u's T~r.k
1 Motor Launch

1 Tojo
K:lte

9 Anr. 1945 6 U';y. 1945

11 M~y. 1945

1.a11
1 Oscar 1 Val 1 Hap 1/3 Betty 2 Oscers

1 Tojo

20 Ma.y. 1945

20 ~ki.y. 1945
20 May. 1945
25 May. 1945 25 May. 1945 27 ~!ic..y. 194.5 28 May. 1945

1 Vel

1 Tor..y

1-I:imili
~TROyt"'~ .AmCRAFT FROMEr"!

TOTAL

I8 1/3
;7ATERBORNE

DESTROYED

DAMAGED

21

TARGETS

TOTAL

HEADr...i'UARTERS

14TH

ANTIAIRCRJu."'"'T

COMrlAND

APO 322

20 February 1945 AG 321 (20 Feb 45) AACG SUBJECT: Pacific TO : Ocean Jiron Antiaircr~ft Pncific ArtilloI"'J Units.
J~O

Cc~manding General,

Ocean Aroa,

950.

1. Upon release 0: th6 antinircr~ft artil1GI7i organizations comprising the 97th A;.J~Group, P~l,from operational co~trol of this thoatre I extend my appreciation to Colonel L~~e~ce L. Clayton, his officers and the er~istod men of his comm~ndfor their uxccllunt perfo~ance in co~mat. 2. Although not in control of' the tactical operations of this .g:roup I have obsorved its nntteries in combat and huve the high8st praise for 0.11 concerned. The group pas combat lo~ded fo~ ~n ope~ation clse~herc in consequonce of '\ihich it did not bring the full (;quiprr;ont rcquL~od. It. '"as nocoss,'"'.ry thr:.t it conform t.o certnin stc.nding operc"ting procedure different f~cr.l +,h0 one in your aroll. In spite: of those ho.ndiccps the fire units were c1ert, efficient, end enthusiastic.

3. The record of 118 ho::.tilc ~irplc.ncs destrO"Jed, 64 :;robc.bl;r destroyed and 57 dc.mnged by the organizr'.ti::ms of tho 97th J.V~ Group spenks loudly in . its praise. The figures used r>ru tIles0 0:-'ic5.a11j-furnish8d to n-;yh8t:.dqllartors.
4. Boccuse tho tL~its mentionod were neither assigned ner ~ttcchod to this cOI!lma.nd during their poriod er. o!1E;r~',tilJn here, this comment !;just be co:::),cid.ered to be uncfficinl. ii.s tho thc:-..trc a.ntiaircrn.ft comnc.nd, hO';7cvcr, rrryhCr'.t./_)l"c.ri:.ors had direct dealings ~ith the POh units in connection ~ith the rcplacerncr-t 01 tcchnicn.l equipment a.nd i.n technica.l L.""lstrnct:ton through ;.;pecic..lizod gun Gnd autornL~tic weapons instruction tOLlinS.

(
v\.

5. Tho 7th I:..AA AWBn, Lt. Col. Robert F. Murphy, operating independont of tho 97th A.Ai.i. Group liko,;iso is crn:iplirnentcd ~.lponsplc:ldid perforr."-ance ,(7ith 9 cnOl:;Y airplanes destroyed and 1 p~ob::.bly d~st=oyed.

It I

...;:, I-I

; "'T

_ .. ~~n"'qun :.t....I. '-I.U 1<'

Mu or Genera.1, U. S .l\.~

17. F. MARQJi"T

AG 201-1URPHY, Robert

1st Ind HEADQUARTERS US.AFPO.A, APO 958, 6 March 1945. Tenth Arr:ry, liPO 357. CAC, Headqua.rters,

F. (0)

THROUGH: Commr-nding General, TO :

Lt Col.. Robert F. Murphy, 0369851, 7th .tVi.A Nfl Bn, llPO 77.

The foregoing remarks in connection ~ith tho splendid performa~co, of the 7th J.l-.A .iW Bn, which yourcol;unanded duri..'"1grocent op0raticns in tho Southwost Pacific Area have been noted with p10nsure by the COr1ma.nding Gonera1, United States Ar~y Forces, P~cific Ocear- Areas.

(
321 (TAGLP) (20 Fob 45) 2nd Ind.

/t/
(20 Fob 45)
HE1i.DQUA . >tTE..~TENTH ARMY, APO

/s/

O. N. T1:ompson.
O. N. THOMPSON

Colonel, Adjutant

A. G. D. General.

357

(Rr)

17

M..'U'ch

1945.

TO:

Commanding General,

XXTI

Corps,

APO 235. this

The C01:Jli'~i~di!1g eneral G commendation.

Tonth Army is p1onsod to forwnrd

BY COr~~hAl,{D LIEUTENl.NTGE1JEP BUCKNER: OF .. '1L

/t/ IRrym C.W.O.

THIS IS A TRUE

/ s/ Irn.in

N. I:ahl l'j. K1.H:L.

U.S .:

Asst. Ldj. Gen.

COPY:

I , In
L.

../

1st . Adju~nt.

JOSEPH B.

U~~ . C (LA) Lt.,

KENAH
I'
r..n.

.. ~

_ ---...

Basic:

Ltr dtd 20 Fob 45 fr Hq 14th Antinircraf't Command,~\PO 322, subj: Pacific Ocoan Area i>ntia1=cro.ft Artiller.f Units.
3d :'"-1.
/haw

.TFAGP

HQXXIVCORPS,APO.235,22 TO :
THRIJ:

March 1945.
AU1
.Aff

Lt Col . Robert F. Murphy, 0-369$51, c.:.C, 7th C01:lJ:!c.nding General, 77th Inf Div,
;~FO

En, APO 77.

77.

I ("

1. It is ~th pl~c.sure that I fOr\;nra the bcsic lette~ from the Commnding General, 14th .l~ntiC'.i:t"craft Co~nd unci tho re::nrl\:s of the CO::l1:1mlding Genorcl, United Stetcs f.:rT!f;l Forces, fucific Ocea.nJ~roa., in connoction with the excellent performance of tho 7th .fl.1J, ;.;; Bnttulion d-.;u~ing tho Leyto, Philippine Islands ccmpcign, and to ~hich I add my C~ appreciation and commond~tion ~or c tcsk "all done.
2. The contents of bc..sic lottoI' c.nd subsequent ind:lrsomcnts nill "0 brought to tile o.tt'.:mt.ion of 'l11 officers c.nd enlisted men of your bnt-ut1ion at tho ecrli~st opporturlity.
"

/SI John R. Hedge Ma.j r General, U. S. 1,rmy o

Cm:rrnr-nding

ItI JOHN

::.. HODGE

4th IOO
HQ 77 DlF DIV, .APO77: 13 ~'prll 19/... 5

",-

TO:

0-369851, GAC,7th

1,,;.1..AT;!

Bn,

f~PO

#77.

2.

~tto~ti~n is dirocted to Pur 2, 3d Ind.

/s/

Mc.jor Goner:J., U. S. Army COmJ:lmlding.

/t/ L. D.

A. D. Druce
ERlJCE

- 3 -

WAR DEPAR'l'MENT

MESSAGEFCRM

Seria1
Office of

_
origin
COM GEN TENTH .ARMY AU APO ~57

Date

31 May 1945

Address TO:

(
MESSAGE:

CO, 136TH AAA GROOP APO 245

THRU:

C0J4GEN AGF 331

THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE HAS BEEN RECEIVED FROM CTr

51:

"r

TAKE GREAT PLEASURE IN QUOTING THE FOLLONING MESSAGE FROM

CINCPAC ADV X 'CONGRATULATIONS AND COMMENDATIONS ON THE spLENDID AND EFFECTIVE MANNER IN WHICH YOU MET AND REPELLED THE ENEMY AIR CTF

ATTACKS X TO ALL HANDS WEIL DONE' THIS AlSO

99

IS REQUESTED TO PASS

TO HIS EXPERT AA GUNNERS AND OTHERS WHO MAY HAVE

CONTRIBUTED TO THE TOTAL WHICH NOW APPEARS TO BE ABOOT 170 pLANEs, CTF 51 SENTS." I ADD MY. GENUINE APPRECIATION OF THE WORK WHICH YOO, YaJR THIS ACCOMPLISHMENT.

OFFICERS AND MEN HAVB CONTRIBUTED TOWARnS PUBLISH TO YOOR COMMAND.

APPROVED FOR TRANSMISSION:

/t/ C.

/s/

C. S. Harria S. HARRIS BRIG GEN USA COMMANDING

HE.A..DQUARTERS ARI'dY TENTH Office of the CommandingGeneral APO 357 330~l3 (TAGCG) SUBJECT: .4AAPerformnce. TO : CommandingGeneral, Antiaircraft Artillery, Tenth
ll.I'rrty. 29 May 1945

10 Ref'erence CTF 51 Dispatch 2611l0. 2. Please convey to members of your cOrnflandmy hearty congratulations

for the efficient the Fyukyus'area.

manner in which they have added to the air defense of

FORTHECOMrlJllilHNG GENERAL: E.. Post D. /e/ E,. D. POST Brigadier General, G.S.C., Ch':'eE of Staff
/s/

330.13 1st Ind. "HEADQUARTERS ARMY TENTH AAA, .APO 357, 31 May 45~ To: CommandingOfficer, l36th AM Group, :.PO 2450 Arr:ryGarrison this Force, APO3310 of the splendid work of your -

THRU: CommandingGeneral, I "forward with pleasure command.

recognition

It/
Brigadier

/s/

C" S ~ H9.rris
C" S. HAE1US

General, U~::ited StatesArmy Commanding.

r '. '
.....

Basic:

Ltr, Hq Tenth Army, APO357, File 330.13 (TAGCG),Subject; !tAli Performance dated 29 May 1945." AAB/grb

330.13 (TDXAG) 2nd Ind. HEADQUARTEP.5 ISLAND COMMAND, 331. APO THROUGH:CommandingGeneral, TO: CommandingOf.ficer,

Army Garrison Force, APO245.

l36th AAAGroup, APO245.

It is with great pleasure that I transmit this expression o.f commendation. Also, I wish to add my own appreciation of the high standard of your performance of duty.

/t/ FRED C.
3rd Ind. HEADQUARTERS ISLAND COWiJAND, APO#245. TO: COmI!landing Officer,

/s/

Fred C. Wallace
WALLACE

Major General, USA 1 COJDlnanding.

l36th AAAGroup, APO#245, 10 June 1945

Forwarded with pleasure. /s/ /t/ E. Thomas, Jr. C. E. THOMAS, JR. Brigadier General, Commanding
Ce

USA,

33013 4th Ind. HQ136th AAAGP,APO 245, 15 June 1945. TO: CO, 7th AAAAWBn, APO245. This additional pleasure. commendation to all concerned is forwarded with

/s/ /t/

H. H. Martin H. H. MARTIN Colonel, CAC, Commanding.

0.

HEADQUARTERS 77THINFANTRY DIVISION APO#77, c/o Post.master San Francisco, California 30 June 1945 SUBJECT: Relief from attachreent to the 77th Inf. Div. TO : Lieutenant Colonel Robert F. Murphy, C.A. , C Cor.unanding AA CAW), Battalion. 7th

1. I am m-iting to you in t.he absence of Major General A.D. BRUCE, who commandsthis division. I knoo that Vlere he present he would wish, before the division departs rom its present station, to exPress sentiments similar to those below.

2. It is pith deep regret that I learn that the 7th AAA(AN)Battalion will not accompanyus to our ne~ station.
3. Your battalion has been attached t.o the 77th Division for a year and a half. You and your batt.alion have served nth us in the United States, at OAHU, and in the campaigns en GUAM, LEYTE the RYUKYUS. and

4. m.th the combi:1edhelp of you' and your stafr the division worked out on 0Ah'U Standard Operating Procedure for automatic weapons antiaircraft a protection on amph~bious operations wllicb has proven itself highly effective in our three major operations. 5. On GtrAM, LEYTE in the RYUKYUS officers and men of' your and the battalion have given loyal, intelligent and skillful support to the division. The standards of training and discipline of your battalion have been outstandingly high. In every operation your officers and men have demonstrated gallantry and courage of the highest order.
6. Our association has been so long and so close that the officers and men of the division think of your battalion as an integral part of it. I know that I can speak for them all in saying that it is with sincere regret that \'1e learn you are not to accompanyus on this next move.

7. For its operations the 77th Division has been rather widely comnfended and congratulated. I~ simple justice we gladly acknowled~e your right, and the right of your off'icers and men, to share with UB these commendationsand congratulations. 8. It is my desire that every offil.;er and every man of' your splendid conunand,including yourself, accept the contents of this letter as applying to him as an individual as well as to the battalion llS a whole.

9. I sincerely hope that before embarking for our next operation the 7th AA (AW)Battalion VIill again be attached to the 77th Infantry Division and tha.t together we shall succeed, as in the past, in capturing all objectivos
/s/ Edwin H. Randle It/ EDWIN RANDLE H. Brigadier General, U.S. ARMY Commanding.

HMdqLlortQrS

A,rm1 C].::.~ri~on l~on;eand !~rrny

/\pO i...~., ,?';\. __ _ . _ .J.,o_~IJ.mJS~'4~ F .__

/.\p" ~)(ces

THE 7'IH ANTIAIRCR4...r<'"'T ARTILLERY

______ '~l /" '

AUTOM..'\TIC WEAPONS BATTALION

is CQn1Dlenoed

and -For specia/l y rvJ~r;t:::~ioU5 Outst<Jndinc\ Servict;.

with

Isl c. E. Thomas, Jr.

It I
Brigadier

C.

E.

THOMAS, JR
An.."'

General, United StatEils Commanding.


AW.ARDSA!ID DE;CORATIQll, The following NAME Bronis1aw S. Kulis Leone1 U. Begnoche The following ~ Manuel named Enlisted Men were awarded ASN 31072:.. 57 11048915 t~e Silver Star Medal:

.&~~
Pfc. Pfc. named Enlisted

,gENERAL OR"p~ & HEADQUAR~RS #49, XXIV Corps, 16 Mar. 1945 #217, 77th Inf. Div., 19 Jun. 1945 Medal:

Man was ai7arded the Soldier1s ASN

~li
J. Iglesias Pfc. Officers

32903893

GEnERAL OFJ)ER & HEADQUAJlTE.112 #71, 77th Inf. Div., 26 Oct. 1944 the Bronze Star Medal:

The following
NAi,1E

and Men were awarded ASJi 0-369851 0-1041243 0-1047785 0-1049712 0-1047794 0-1047663

Robert F. Murphy Thomas E~ Steere Jre Chestel' M. Smith James J. Young Jr. C1etus J. Stibich George P. Mayhe~ Clarence A. I.:cReyno1ds Louis G. Reuter Paul Keri..'1s Alden Daniel Joseph Miklos - ichae1 J. DeFeo ,Vincent K. Bradley Henry Listowski John A. GGl10v:ay George E. MacDone1d Jr. James F. Murphy LeRoy H. Strouse . Richard R. Berry Edward M. Eastland HorJard L. Fields Raymond Daniel Raymond

~ Lt Col. Major Capt. Capt. 1st Lt 1st Lt Tec 3 Pfe. Sgt. Pfc.

39014582
33373293 11057090 20436173 35215339 31103696 31124595 32176213 36959436 11069331 120402.35 12033930

Cpl. Cpl. Pfc.

Pfc.
p..rt.

GEnERAL OEDER & HEADQUARTERS #81, 77th Inf. Div., 18 Dec. 1944 #86, 77th Inf. Div., 26 Dec. 1944 #86, 77th Inf. Div., 26 Dec$ 1944 Uru{n~ #263, 77th In'. Div., 4 Jul. 1945 #87, 77th Inf. Div., 28 Dec. 1944 #69, 77th Inf. Div., 12 Oct. 1944 24 Dec. 1944 #84, 77th Inf. Di #211, 77th Inf. Div., 16 Jun. 1945 #208, 77th Inf. Div., 14 Jun. 1945 #231, 77th Inf. Div., 23 Jun. 1945 #211, 77th Inf. Div., 16 Jun. 1945 #231, 77th Inf. Div., 23 Jun. 1c+5 Unknown Unkno'!'1ll

v.,

Pfc.

cru{nO\7D

sjSgt
P'c.

A. Hargraves

N. Rnhi11y
Tally named

Pfc. Pfe. Tec 5 Tac 5 Pfc.

69825L~5
20271L,SO 34349463 11069900 31140636 38118666 ~as awarded

Tec

#8, 77th lni' .Div., 5 Jan .1945 #87, 77th Inf .Div., 28 Dec. 1944 #119, 77th Inf .Div . 1 Mar. 1945 , #39, 77th Inf. Div., 25 Jan. 1945 #43, 77th Inf. Div., 26 Jan .1945 #91, 77th Inf. Div., 16 Feb. 1945 #62, 77th Inf. Div., 8 Feb. 1945 #119, 77th Inf. Di v ., 1 Mar. 1945 the Bronze Star Medal Oak Leaf

The fo1:~ing Cluster; ~ Robert

officer

F. Murphy

RPJ~ ASN Lt Col. 0-369851 named Enlisted

GENERAL ORDZR & H3ADQUARTERS #40, ISCOM 245, 23 Aug. 1945 the Purple Heart Medal:

The following
NAri1E

Men were awarded f,SN 31120486 13049922 39573267 34365603 13108250 11032530

Elli
Tee 4

F~ Oliver Rayrncnd ';1. S:=.:r,pson Albert Se Olson Albert L. Rou1and Christopher A. Hafenbr~ck Ed~ard Padduck

Michael

GEI1Efu'\.L ORDER & HEADQU.ARTERS Unknoml #39, il.GF, 11 May 1945 #14, 36th F1d Hosp., 18 Jun. 1945 Unknown #19, 77th Inf. Div., 12 Jan. 1945 Un.l.{:novm

P'c.
Pfc. Tee 5 Cpl. Cpl.

\.

( ,

I/' ~. -

(Purple Heart Awards Continued) ~ ~ Clifford E. Dill Tee 5 Benedict V. Desmond Cpl. Leone1 U. Begnoche Pfe. -Leslie F. Taylor Pfe. Joseph D. Roy Tee 5 Maurice W. Grove Pe. Charles G. Crumley Pvt. 'Willie E. Bartley Pvt. Jesse W. Acree Pvt James F. Spain Tee 4 Henry Listowski Pfe. George A. MacDonald Jr. Pte. John .A. Galloway Pvt Robert A. Merlini Tee 5 Jack T. Battle Pfc Vincent K. Bradley Pfe. William V. Burke Pre. Wa1ter W. McGuire Pre Raymond E. Kriner Pre. Herbert H. Symonds Pre. Herbert J. Whileyman Pre. George J. Valter Pre. William 1:1. Shelton Sgt. Elmer F. Morman Sgt LeRoy Duncan Pre. Jack E. Higgins pre. LeRoy H. Strouse Pre. Lazar A. Pav1or.r Pre. Ernest R. Browning Pre. Gioechino J. Criscuolo .Pre. Leland F. Oshier Pfe. Frederick J. Seitz p.re. Glen E. Meade Cpl. Joseph A. Shires pre.

.ASN ~RAL ORDER &..1:!E,ADOUARTERS Unknown 11068110 202729.31 Unknovm Unknown 11048915 Unknown 11069926 1105.3.37.3#14, 36th Fld Hosp., 18 Jun. 19, 3.3415998 1114, 36th F1d Hosp., 18 Jun. 19 .3408989.3 #14, 36-;hF1d Hosp., 18 Jun. 191 Unknovm 18057970 .3.3122915 IIU, 36th Fld Hosp., 18 Jun. 191; .3416.3461 Unknown .3217621.3 Unknown 110698.31 Unknown .362594.36 Unknown 3.3174446 Unknown .34824252 #41 ,Hq AGF, 15 May 1945 Unknown 31124595 .31026525 Unknown .39415715 Unknown .3.3274458 Unknown Unknown 17023632 Unknown 32188163 Unknown 39038349 33122888 118, 36th FId Hosp., 10 Dee. 1944 31124555 #39, 36th Fld Hosp., 11 May 1945 38564289 #8, 69th Fld Hosp., 18 Dec. 194439467765 #6, 69th Fld Hosp., 16 DE;~.194L~ 12033930 117, 36th Fld Hosp., 8 Dec. 1944 Unknown 12045277 Unknown 16072607 Unknown 31124613 TInknovm 32211015 Unknown 32200732 33122760 1120, ISCOM 245, 12 July 1945 3221111 #20, ISCOM 245, 12 July 1945

Overton

Raymond

T S /Sgt. Lazar A

Tersine Thompson

George Robert

J T

Owen Clyde APavloff Perez x:mmLino Peters Lawrence A Platoot Lenus W J

Polak Raymond Meade Glen

Trush George Tucker Douglas E Turner William TVosbut Warren Frederick H Whl teWilliam Wilson Douglas C H 1 It,

~dward

McClintock John LRaaxxxk Radziuk Walter Ralph George Ramunno F J

Fausto F

Regan Robert Rice Wesley Richardson Richardson Rodgers

Lewellyn Johnie 0 A W

Arthur

Satchwell

Fenner

Sawyer William W Schemberg William Seitz Frederick Shelton William Joseph

F In Action

J Killed P Jr, A

Shires

Simmons Hugh Smith Chester Simth Roy Sockalexis Sorlingas V

M Capt.

Joseph William Manuel K

iwaRR Souza
Sowden David

Steffanic Paul J Stellwagen Ropert H_ Stern Howard J Stevens George E 1 st Sgt Steward Raymond C StroustLeroy H Szukalski Zeno T.allman Morris V

Adams Harald T14 Anctil Armand Anders John K Beach Audrey E Bivens Joseph R Boucher Joseph A Barandenstein Browning Erenst Burzelewski Henry Button iiaxNHR~R Clarence E Sgt. Cagle Erenst Rabert 2 ~t Lt. Killed in Action

Gembolys John Gibson Harold Goldman Sol Gonterman Carl Greene Walter Greenwood Robert Hand Robert L Kirsch James Kulis Bromslaw Lageorgia Josph Landry Marvin Killed in Action Lavoie Alfred

Childs Richard B Ciesla Stanley Cisle Lewis D

Died

1964 Layow Harold Loc Authur Lyons Alex

Clegg Willard Markman George Coo long Enest Mayhew George P 1 Lt. Corsini Vencent Mazurki~cz Cortes Alberto Monroe Elwin J Cox Robert E Montanye James R Crampe Gerald Morman Elmer Crevola Dominick Criscuolo Giscchino Donahuse ~mes Sgt E Sgt, Moss JOhn E T/4 Killed in Action Murphy James E S.Sgt MeLean Clifton W Naaau LUDden J Nelson Lucian W Neyes Robert N Edward FlVlezzini ohn B J

Donnel John R Ducan Leroy

1 Lt

Eddy Woodrow Edwards Robert Ellis Charles

O,BrienPatrick B Oshier Leland F Killed in Action Paqqette Joseph E Paramore Cecil Parsons GUy M Patton Edward

Frantz Cloy Galgo Manuel