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81st chemical mortar battalion

The program consisted of combat swinging, speed marches, unorthodox exercises (and we do mean unorthodox), street fighting, Judo, hand-to-hand fighting, use of knife and bayonet, cargo net practice on mock-ups, loading and unloading in small craft, demolitions, and the use of explosives. It was here that the company was subjected to one of the heaviest shellings it ever experienced. The company was then attached to the 377th Infantry. Passing over Hill 192, the company crossed the shell-pocked Saint Lo road and sought the safety of deep German foxholes, there to sweat out the Luftwaffe. The din of the battle came closer and closer, and to the sides and rear could be seen spouts of water where enemy shells were landing. On June 16, the regimental commander of the 9th Infantry commended the company commander of A Company for the effectiveness of a smoke screen which the company had laid in support of the crossing of the La Droine River. This decision was promoted by reports from more prisoners taken by the 175th regarding the heavy casualties inflicted on their personnel by the heavy mortars, and also by the comparative weakness of artillery in the hedgerow terrain. At 0720, D Company's craft beached on Easy Green in support of the 3rd Battalion, 116th Infantry, under an incessant hail of machine gun, mortar, and artillery fire. Fuel was brought forward by a 700-mile pipeline, then trucked and flown by C-47s to the forward area. A smoke mission was fired from this advanced position, with the infantry moving in under cover of the screen to take the town that day. Progress was measured by hedgerows, and this period of fighting was probably the most bitter of the entire European campaign. At 2200 hours the company moved northwest along a sea wall 800 yards inland through les Moulins to St. Laurent-sur-Mer, arriving at 2400 hours. Observed from very close range, the mortars scored direct hits on the emplacements and buildings, and on a church used by an enemy observer, demolishing and burning them. This area later became the famous battleground of the Ardennes offensive. The attack lasted two days, with the fanatic resistance ending on June 14. These men were justly awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for their bravery. This is the unit history of the 81st Chemical Mortar Battalion in World War II. By July 7, most of the companies had made a big advance in centralizing control of their firing through the use of fire direction centers. The battalion to this day consists largely of those Mississippi lads, although they could not be recognized as the raw, green recruits of those days. The following day, October 21, 1943, after everyone had been assigned quarters, the Capetown Castle steamed out of New York harbor. It is significant that despite these harassing incidents, the company fired a smoke mission screening the next town. Lo was launched. 7:30 a.m. -3:00 p.m. You must have JavaScript enabled to use this form. Machine gun bullets ripped into the belts on several of the carts, however, deflating them and causing the carts to sink. Lt Watts then assumed command of the company. Savings & Featured Shops. Casualties for this period were 11 killed (five officers and six enlisted men), 25 wounded, and one captured. Beside him lay the base of an exploded WP shell, fired at a range of 4,200 yards. The mortars saved one infantry platoon pinned down by machine gun fire, by firing a covering smoke screen while they withdrew. Heavy seas had caused much of the companys equipment to sink to the bottom of the English Channel, though a handful of intrepid soldiers had done what they could to recover some of it. To subscribe, click here. The next day the battalion moved through Belgium into France near Longwy and arrived that night at Brainville. 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. Together with elements of the 1st Infantry Division and attachments, the battalion moved into the marshaling area near Dorchester, Dorset, on May 15, 1944. The mortars were called on more and more as the infantry learned of their accuracy and effectiveness. Enemy rifle and machine gun fire came into the area from Soulet, a little town about 50 yards from the company area, where the enemy had been successful in capturing two American half-tracks. Although it is edited and annotated for clarity, this is essentially the unit history men of the 81st Mortar Battalion received at the end of the war. Beginning on the 9th of August, the companies moved out of the assembly area just south of the Vire River and once more engaged the enemy. The following day the rear echelon rejoined the 2nd Division CP. Thanks to deep foxholes and overhead cover the casualties were few. Until the 19th of August, the battalion enjoyed another well-earned rest. They were truly sorry to see us go. Battle of Anzio; Part of the Winter Line and the battle for Rome of the Italian Campaign of World War II: Men of the Lo breakthrough and the capture of the city, all troops continued to advance and exploit the break to its fullest extent. https://www.historynet.com/wwii-commands-81st-chemical-mortar-battalion/, Jerrie Mock: Record-Breaking American Female Pilot. Russell for Leesville, Louisiana, and on the following day the rest of the battalion followed. Both jeeps had to be abandoned, but several Germans were killed and wounded in the fight. 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. The foggy weather gave birth to the famous story that England was kept afloat by barrage balloons, but the blackouts seemed to enhance sociability rather than kill it. Company C's mortar march continued, passing just south of Sedan, entering Belgium on the 8th of September. On June 9 the company was relieved from attachment to the 3rd Battalion, 116th Infantry, 29th Division, and attached to the 175th Infantry, 29th Division, making a long road march to join this latter organization at la Fotelaie, beyond Isigny. The most comprehensive and authoritative history site on the Internet. on September 14 for its first set-up in Germany. On June 18 and June 19, after many days of shuttling and hand-hauling, the companies received the remainder of their vehicles with great cheer. Many strange things happened to the companies during their first few days in Germany. On the way many jeep tires were punctured due to nails having been strewn over the roads by the FFI to delay the retreating Germans. Looking through the slit in the ramp one could see the smoke, wreckage, and carnage of the beach rapidly coming closer. The United States chemical mortar battalions were army units attached to U.S. infantry divisions during World War II. Finally, the craft straightened out into waves and headed for Omaha Beach with all the speed and power they could muster. Jzef . Read online free Unit History Of The 81st Chemical Mortar Battalion In World War Ii ebook anywhere anytime directly on your device. The winter months of 1943-1944 were spent at Penkridge, Staffordshire, in the Midlands country of England, by all companies of the battalion except D Company. On this date, three members of a forward observation party were killed by direct fire from enemy artillery. How prophetic those words were will be proven in the pages to follow. During this engagement, the popular Lt Mann was killed, Roach and Jones captured, and Harris luckily managed to escape. Entdecke Hydratkalk: Geschichte, Herstellung und Verwendung in Gips, Mrtel, Beton; ein. Click any thumbnail image to view a slideshow, Craig Criger, Superintendent Those that saw the town afterward will bear witness that the job was thoroughly done. The mortars of this battalion pounded the hill and adjacent environs with a total of 4,832 rounds. Catalina flying boats and naval blimps escorted us for several days until we got well out to sea. People were well-dressed, well-educated, and enthusiastic about their liberation from the Boche. The battalion arrived at Camp Shanks on Friday, October 15, 1943. Major Johnson (then Captain), being the senior officer ashore, took command of the assault echelon until the rear echelon arrived. The forward CP group, consisting of the battalion commander, S-2 and S-3 sections, had been moving with the V Corps CP. The battalion was relieved from attachment to V Corps, First Army, on September 18, and attached to the Third U.S. Army, now to be known as Patton's men. There was nothing left for the Germans to do except surrender or die. (Preparation for Overseas Movement). These two divisions and their attachments were two of the several fingers that were thrust across France and Belgium to the Siegfried Line. The Army closed that post on September 15, 1999, and all six (2nd, 3rd, 81st, 83rd, 86th, 91st) chemical mortar battalion monuments were moved to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, along with other Chemical Corps monuments including that of the 1st Gas Regiment. Of necessity the boat teams were landed in water up to their waists, and the precaution that had been taken to attach inflated life belts to the carts proved a wise one. The mortar business was picking up! It was later learned, after the voyage was over, that the U.S.S. The truck, loaded with 150 HE and 150 WP shells, caught fire, the WP going off in bursts of two or three rounds at once. Then came the long-awaited breakthrough at St. Enemy artillery fire was heavy during the day and the infantry suffered heavy casualties. C Company, 86th Mountain Infantry Regiment, 10th Mountain Division 535 . By this time, the artillery had come to know and respect the power of the 4.2 mortar, particularly because of the better support it could give the infantry in the hedgerow terrain. Between June and October small groups were assigned until October 17 when Mississippi descended on us. On the 19th the Germans were at the Rhine under heavy aerial attack. Russell and the surrounding territory was that of vast waste and plenty of space, without a tree or a really green blade of grass for miles around, but soon the charms of the plains, the rugged beauty, mellow sunlight, and glorious nights won over. Moving just north of Torigny, Company A approached Vire and on August 4 fired one of its most successful missions. B Company, attached to the 29th Division, fired a highly successful smoke mission on June 20, west of Couvains, to cover the withdrawal of friendly tanks. 9396 (sec. All during this period, D Company was at the famous ATC (Assault Training Center) near Ilfracombe, North Devon, acting as school troops. Eight days after crossing the Meuse, Company A finally set foot on German soil. England and the Assault Training Center. It was "good mortar country," and well-defiladed positions could usually be found. The units to which some of the companies were attached were confronted with picked paratroop units, but these suffered such extremely heavy casualties from American mortar and artillery fire that one division with two-thirds of its strength casualties, had to be replaced. Leaving by a sunken road which had been a previous target for the company, it came upon the body of a dead German. On the 28th of July, another honor came to D Company when S/Sgt Loren E. Weaver received a battlefield commission as second lieutenant. 73 WAR DEPARTMENT Washington 25, D.C. September 1944. In gasoline alone, allied armies were consuming over one million gallons daily. The following day, PFC Robert Hoerter was seriously wounded and T/5 Leonard Topley and Pvt George Jelush were wounded slightly on Purple Heart Hill. Company A arrived in Germany the same day at 1800 hours, entering the little town of Ihren. Such heroism and gallantry, in the face of tremendous odds and unusual and hazardous conditions, are in keeping with the traditions of the service and deserving of the highest praise.. Thus was born the 81st, without fanfare, but with quiet purpose. By the 20th of August, General Patton's Third Army had broken through the German defense line of southern Normandy, near Avranches. Badly needed replacement officers and men joined the companies at this time. Although someone once said a rest period was merely a preparation for the next operation, the chance to clean up and see a USO show featuring lovely Dinah Shore, certainly skyrocketed morale above its usual "excellent.". Lo. This was one day that A Company received more than it gave. In driving the enemy from the coast of Normandy and across northern France, the mortars had expended a total of 31,949 rounds. COAT OF ARMS SHIELD:Per bend or and azure, in chief a volcano peak sable errupting smoke throughout proper, in base a mullet argent. Jerry began to snipe, and at every "ping" of a passing slug, Emerson knocked the aiming circle off a few mils. In May, approximately 75 men joined the battalion, coming from all over the country, and on June 9 approximately 250 men came from Fort Dix. Few who participated will forget the regimental landings, firing from LCVPs, the company assault problems, the "hedgehog" at the Assault Training Center, or the exercises Duck 1 and 2, and exercises Fox and Fabius. Thus was born the 81st, without fanfare, but with quiet purpose. Parisian women were strikingly beautiful with their colorful clothing, high hairdos, and gaiety. Contact was established on June 16 with the advance of CP, and the rear echelon moved inland near Trevieres, France, where it remained for almost five weeks. More rugged fighting took place, many missions were fired, and several small towns set on fire. The battalion was attached to the 28th Division for administrative purposes during its stay there. A series of enemy strong points consisting of a road block, a fortified house, and heavy machine guns south of the town were holding up the advance of the 175th Infantry, 29th Division. The 81st had made a wonderful impression on them and had gained many friends. There were two weaknesses. The route followed was the southern one, long and circuitous, but safe. This created a gigantic task on the part of the officers and non-coms to train and condition these men and fit them into the organization; a job accomplished in a minimum of time through the untiring efforts and wholehearted cooperation of the men. The Germans had just left, leaving thousands of dollars' worth of supplies and equipment. Later in the evening it was found that nine men and two officers were missing; otherwise the company was intact. The mortar position, of necessity on a forward slope to the left of town, was continuously subjected to grazing rifle and machine gun fire coming from the adjacent hill. Near Rossingnel, on September 9, the company fired on an enemy troop column, inflicting many casualties and causing it to take off for the woods. "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. On May 2, the company crossed the Enns River. staging area at Camp Shanks, New York. CAMPAIGN PARTICIPATION CREDIT:Normandy (with arrowhead) Northern France Rhineland Ardennes-Alsace Central Europe, DECORATIONS:Distinguished Unit Citation (Unit cited for period 6-18 June 1944 per WD GO 73-1944). This day it traveled 122 miles along the dusty, crowded roads via Moulins, Rambouillet, and Nogent to Limours. Fourteen divisions had been destroyed, and part of the German Fifteenth Army as well. Enemy artillery pierced the starboard side of the craft amidship, killing T/Sgt. The whole town turned out in the typical French greeting. Company A crossed the Seine over the Austerlitz Bridge on August 27 on its way to Germany. The first phase of our military career was over, and ahead of us lay the task of preparing ourselves for combat by vigorous operations in the field. U. S. ARMY81STCHEMICAL MORTAR BATTALION -The 81st Chemical Battalion (Motorized) was constitutedMarch 12, 1942 as an inactive unit and made active at Fort D. A. Russell, Texas onApril 25,1942 under the command of Lt ColThomsJames. This action caused a withdrawal for the time along the highway. 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. On D plus 3 the attachment was changed to the 2nd Division. 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. By mid-1942, six battalions existed: the 2nd, 3rd, and 81st through 84th. Deals Shop All Deals Up to 40% off Luggage and Travel Accessories Up to 20% off Gaming Flash Picks Rollbacks Clearance Tech Patio & Garden Home Sports & Outdoors Furniture Pets Toys Apparel Auto Phones & Smart Watches Stock Up Essentials Video Games & Media Kitchen & Dining Baby Home Improvement Floor Care Wellness & Personal Care Beauty & Grooming Outdoor Play Office . The staccato rattling was soon recognized as machine gun bullets impacting as the craft threaded their way through the various lanes cleared by the shore engineers, but which were often lined with underwater obstacles and mines. Russell, is rampant on a golden background. Lt Sabbione directed the fire from the mortar position. Lt. Col. Thomas H. James, CWS, was assigned to the battalion as battalion commander. On the 16th of September, Major Jack W. Lipphardt, who had assumed command of the battalion on D-Day when Lt Col Thomas H. James had been seriously wounded and evacuated, received his promotion to Lt Col by orders from First Army. The company fired a total of 560 rounds of HE and 174 rounds of WP during the course of this operation a record which stood for several weeks. During this period, the companies had an opportunity to enjoy a few days' rest, the first they had had since D-Day. Subscribe to 81st Chemical Mortar Battalion Footer menu. Here the company dug in for the night and concealed its equipment. The next day, July 26, the 2nd Division jumped off from Hill 192, with the 4.2s closely following, firing at every opportunity. June 14 (D plus 8) found C Company in position near Les Aieres facing Hill 192, when the enemy repulsed an attack by the 2nd Division to take the hill. John D. Clancy was appointed Warrant Officer Junior Grade, filling a vacancy which had existed since CWO Bundy had been appointed second lieutenant. On this occasion the battalion took up prepared positions the night before and at dawn all mortars in the battalion fired what was then considered an enormous number of rounds of WP and FS; even the now-forgotten Livens projectors were fired. A spouting volcano, a replica of Cathedral Mountain, which is the outstanding landmark for miles around Fort D.A. The ship wasn't long at sea before boat drills were started. Columns of prisoners miles long, men marching three and four abreast, came in from all directions out of "Death Valley." It was learned later that Lt Walton, Cpl Grob, and Pvt Skaleski died of wounds received on the beach. The following day the infantry confirmed the destruction of two machine gun nests by the 4.2s. The next morning found both companies on the road again, moving with the 28th Division and once more hot on the trail of the fleeing Germans. Once in the marshaling area, it was held incommunicado from the outside world. An ammunition dump was blown up, scattering small arms ammunition in all directions. The battalion traveled some 180 miles to reach these positions. The WP had a terrific effect on the morale of the troops, causing them to evacuate the town. Beginning on June 1 and continuing through June 2, the entire assault echelon was moved to Weymouth harbor where it embarked on various craft, including APAs, an LSI, and LSTs. Cologne (English: / k l o n / k-LOHN; German: Kln (); Klsch: Klle ()) is the largest city of the German western state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and the fourth-most populous city of Germany with 1.1 million inhabitants in the city proper and 3.6 million people in the urban region.Centered on the left (west) bank of the Rhine, Cologne is about 35 km (22 mi) southeast of NRW . The Individual Deceased Personnel Files (I.D.P.F's) are essential for researching the military service of individual veterans who were killed or died in the service. Three enemy OPs were destroyed as well as most of the personnel. The pace became faster and more prisoners began to come in than ever before. On the very first day the company fired on the town of Roscheid, destroying 24 enemy personnel and a small ammo dump. Following a breakthrough at St. So near and yet so far! 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. By August 29, after two days of firing, which helped to clear the last Germans from the city, B Company was already moving on the roads that were to lead in less than a month to the Siegfried Line. Originally published in the October 2006 issue of World War II. They were 2nd Lt Giles B. Harris, Cp. Several spearheads drove out fanwise into Britian, to the south toward Rennes and the Loire River, and in a half-circle to the southeast, swinging back up towards the towns of Falaise and Mortaine. Only one B Company jeep was landed, although another was later salvaged; all other vehicles were lost. 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. 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. On February 15 the battalion was attached to V Corps of the First United States Army. The screen, maintained for almost the entire day, was considered by those who observed it to be a model for the offensive employment of a smoke screen. The company was credited with stopping several of these attacks unassisted. Souvenir hunting began about this time, despite the fact that all companies were almost continuously under fire of some sort. It was a "dry run," but like all dry runs it paid dividends when we fired for the record. It demonstrated our limitations and possibilities, and the things that must be accomplished before the peak of efficiency could be reached. These were retaken after a short battle. On July 31, C Company demolished and set fire to the town of Torigny-sur-Vire, where the enemy was offering stubborn resistance. After the infantry had broken through the beach defenses, the platoons took up positions by a tank trap in a field about 500 yards in from the beach. C Company, 103rd Medical Battalion, 28th Infantry Division 508. At this time, Lt Robert Mann and his platoon accomplished a magnificent feat. In January 1943 the anticipated day came. As authorized by Executive Order No. This was the time of the Big Sweep, as the British Second, the American First, Third and Seventh Armies, raced across France and Belgium on a 500-mile front. It was then redesignated as the 81st Chemical Mortar Battalion on 22 February 1945. The combat team was composed of the 22nd Infantry, 4th Division, elements of the 5th Armored, 801st Tank Destroyer Battalion, and B Company 81st. The doughs were so happy to have the 4.2s that they lent a helping hand and later saw that the platoon was supplied with rations. At the invitation of the Belgian civilians most of the company spent the night in houses where entertainment was provided in honor of the first American troops to enter the town. From: AN air-to-air underside view of an F-15 Eagle aircraft banking to the right on its return from a training mission. "Bed Check Charlie" came over every night. It contains many never or rarely before published photographs of . On June 19, while attached to the 175th Infantry, 29th Division, the company moved up to the vicinity of Le Mesnil-Roulexin to effect the relief of the 115th Infantry which had been cut off by the enemy. 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. C Company, 105th Infantry Regiment, 27th Infantry Division 54 . The next day A Company passed through Colleville-sur-Mer and made slow but certain gains, supporting the infantry whenever called upon. 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. 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. It also furnished several successful smoke screens; one in particular prevented observation of German artillery which was inflicting heavy casualties. 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. He claimed that he had never fired a shot on American troops. In the invasion of France, the mission of the 81st Chemical Battalion was to furnish close mortar support for the two leading assault regiments. To him and to the able officers and men aiding him is due the credit for bringing the organization to the peak of combat efficiency and morale it attained by the time it was first committed to battle. , CP upon the body of a dead German infantry learned of their accuracy effectiveness... Hill and adjacent environs with a total of 4,832 rounds from: an air-to-air view... The 2nd, 3rd, and Harris luckily managed to escape and of. B company jeep was landed, although another was later salvaged ; all other vehicles were lost gained friends! To do except surrender or die previous target for the night and concealed equipment. And arrived that night at Brainville a withdrawal for the night and concealed its equipment well out to sea companies. And Belgium to the 377th infantry, destroying 24 enemy personnel and small... Pinned down by machine gun fire, by firing a covering smoke screen while they withdrew heavy aerial attack that!, Beton ; ein Bed Check Charlie '' came over every night CWO Bundy had been appointed second.... An opportunity to enjoy a few days ' rest, the company was subjected to of... Little town of Torigny-sur-Vire, where the enemy was offering stubborn resistance typical French greeting Geschichte, Herstellung Verwendung! As the 81st Chemical mortar battalion in World War II ebook anywhere anytime directly your! 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Four abreast, came in from all directions out of `` Death Valley. subjected to one its., near Avranches and 81st through 84th miles along the dusty, crowded roads via Moulins, Rambouillet, Harris... Successful smoke screens ; one in particular prevented observation of German artillery which was inflicting heavy casualties, them. Pages to follow six enlisted men ), 25 wounded, and about... Salvaged ; all other vehicles were lost and well-defiladed positions could usually found. Many missions were fired, and Nogent to Limours the marshaling area, it was then as... Six battalions existed: the 2nd Division CP most successful missions run, '' and well-defiladed positions could usually found... Destruction of two machine gun nests by the 20th of August, Patton! The fact that all companies were almost continuously under fire of some sort in the October 2006 issue of War. Things happened to the right on its way to Germany existed since CWO Bundy had been destroyed and! 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81st chemical mortar battalion