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270th Field Artillery Battalion

Discussion in 'Information Requests' started by Nicelyb, May 25, 2018.

  1. RichTO90

    RichTO90 Well-Known Member

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    Meant to post this a while ago. I took the liberty of making some corrections and additions:

    270th Field Artillery (FA) Battalion, assigned to Third U.S. Army (TUSA) European Theatre of Operations, U.S. Army (ETOUSA)


    240mm Howitzer Battalions (1 of only 15 in the ETOUSA) were non-divisional, heavy artillery battalions, assigned to an army and normally attached to a Field Artillery Group in support of corps and divisional operations

    Battalion Commander: Lt.Col. James C. Gabriel, Capt. Gabriel commanded the 21st Field Artillery Regiment (RAI), July-August 1938, Maj. Gabriel commanded the 453d Field Artillery Regiment (Indiana Organized Reserves), April 1937-March 1940, as Lt. Col. commanded the 368th FA Bn, 15 September 1942-February 1943
    Campaigns: Normandy, France, Ardennes, Rhineland


    15 March 1943 – activated at Camp Butner, NC, as a 105mm Howitzer Battalion (Trk-D)

    c. 15 January 1944 – re-organized as a 240mm Howitzer Battalion (Trac-D)
    6 April 1944 – departed New York Port of Embarkation on RMS Aquitania in Convoy AT.106

    13 April 1944 – arrived Firth of Clyde, Scotland

    30 April 1944 – stationed at Pontllanfraith, Monmouthshire

    31 May 1944 – stationed at Packington, Warwickshire

    30 June 1944 – stationed at Packington, Warwickshire

    24 July 1944 – landed in France (probably UTAH Area)

    5 Aug 1944 – attached to 144th FA Group, XV Corps Artillery
    14 August 1944 – with 79th ID ordered to Nogent-le-Roi, prepared for an assault crossing of the Seine River
    19 August 1944 – crossing of the Seine at Mantes-Gassicourt
    1 September 1944 - detached 144th FA Group
    1 September 1944 – attached to 203d FA Group, XX Corps Artillery

    9-15 September 1944 – in support, 5th ID, crossing the Moselle River at Arnaville
    1 November 1944 – attached 195th FA Group, XX Corps Artillery
    4 November 1944 – assigned Line of Communications and Security duty for TUSA, continued said duties with occasional interruptions through the end of the war in Europe
    March 1945 – detached 195th FA Group, XX Corps

    1 April 1944 – relieved of defense of Rhine Bridge 270 (Boppard) and 271 (St. Goar) by the 276th Infantry, 70th ID

    ? October 1945 – departed Le Havre on (? Possibly USAT Edmund B. Alexander or General Alexander E. Anderson, but there are other possibilities)
    24 October 1945 – arrived Boston Port of Embarkation on (? Possibly USAT Edmund B. Alexander or General Alexander E. Anderson, but there are other possibilities)

    25 October 1945 – inactivated at Camp Myles Standish, MA
     
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  2. Nicelyb

    Nicelyb Active Member

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    Richard, Thanks for the feedback. This is a long slow process for me to gather this information and I appreciate any assistance I get.
     
  3. RichTO90

    RichTO90 Well-Known Member

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    Happy to help. One of the big questions is which U.S. Army Transport "Alexander" did the 270th return to the U.S. on in October 1945? Unfortunately, there does not seem to be a record of a departure from Le Havre or the arrival in Boston on 24 October, since most of the available convoy records cover non-military vessels. Do you have anything else other than just "Alexander" in your records? There are actually a pretty large number of suspects.
     
  4. Nicelyb

    Nicelyb Active Member

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    The best I can find is the USAT Edmund B. Alexander. Previously the Amerika (German Passenger Ship). Not exactly sure how I came to that conclusion, but everything I have printed off has been the Edmund Alexander. I may be wrong. I give it 75% correct with 25% chance of being wrong. Sorry i don't have better info.
     
  5. Nicelyb

    Nicelyb Active Member

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    Found this info today

    Redeployment info
    Www.ww2troopships.com
    1945 Troop Ship Crossings
    July to December has:

    45-10-01. Departs France, Edmund B Alexander. Arrives NYC, NY. 45-10-10
    Elements of the HQ Co. 23rd Armored Inf. Bn and others. Verified via a DD214 for Williard M. Copeland
     
    Last edited: Jan 28, 2020
  6. Nicelyb

    Nicelyb Active Member

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    Deployment info

    44-06-15
    New York,
    NY
    Aquitania
    Replacements from the 106th Infantry Division; Army Air Force piolets; Army WACs
    Sailed alone
    Scotland
    45-06-22
    George Peros
    (who was on board)
     
  7. RichTO90

    RichTO90 Well-Known Member

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    Sorry, but that can't be the 270th FA Bn return. They returned via the Boston Port of Embarkation, not New York and arrived on 24 October 1945, not 10 October.
     
  8. RichTO90

    RichTO90 Well-Known Member

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    Nor can that be correct, it's the wrong sailing about a month later. The 270th's passage on Aquitania was 6-13 April 1944.
     
  9. Nicelyb

    Nicelyb Active Member

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    I do not disagree with either of your comments. The dates do not match anything I have seen before. It was posted in a WWII Troop Ship website that lists “User Generated” data. I assume there is not a lot of “verifying data” that goes on. It is interesting because it is the ships that they sailed on with a somewhat close DTG. Seeings how it happened 30 years before I was born, everything I know about the war was read from somewhere or is a second hand story from someone. Just wanted to highlight another source of info regarding WWII transports and ones particularly linked to the 270th
     
    Last edited: Jan 29, 2020
  10. Nicelyb

    Nicelyb Active Member

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    Xxxxx. Needed to delete a duplicate post
     
  11. Nicelyb

    Nicelyb Active Member

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    A few more tidbits of info.
     

    Attached Files:

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  12. Tipnring

    Tipnring Active Member

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    Location:
    Northeast Florida
    Screen Shot 2020-05-11 at 8.10.15 AM.png
    Richardson Echo Newspaper
    Friday, Jun 04, 1943 Richardson, TX Page:1
    Screen Shot 2020-05-11 at 10.16.00 AM.png
    Greensboro Daily News
    Wednesday, Jun 23, 1943
    Greensboro, NC Page:2

    FD9D3361-E3E0-493F-B490-83D6F0860CFF.jpeg

    The Times
    Shreveport, La.
    26 Jul 1945, Thu • Page 6


    Screen Shot 2020-05-11 at 9.42.03 AM.png
    State Times Advocate
    Monday, Aug 13, 1945
    Baton Rouge, LA Page:3

    Screen Shot 2020-05-11 at 10.28.29 AM.png

    September 29, 1945
    Detroit News

    27000 vets.jpeg
    Boston Traveler
    Wednesday, Oct 24, 1945
    Boston, MA Page:8
     
    Last edited: May 11, 2020
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  13. Nicelyb

    Nicelyb Active Member

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    Thank you for the clippings. This is the kind of info I find fascinating. The personal side of the story. Thanks again!
     
  14. Tipnring

    Tipnring Active Member

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    Added a few more clippings.

    American Indians in the 270th Field Artillery Battalion

    743CC8D8-6B99-45D3-90C2-773E05DD920D_4_5005_c.jpeg
    Seminole Producer
    Seminole, Oklahoma

    10 Sep 1943, Fri • Page 1
    EB1F6ADF-EFDC-49E4-B705-1EB0609A8DD8.jpeg
    Seminole Producer
    Seminole, Oklahoma

    10 Sep 1943, Fri • Page 5

    Sgt. Herbert Baumann awarded Bronze Star. 270th Field Artillery Battalion
    35099097-1129-424F-858E-F536029E9477_1_201_a.jpeg 26B5C4F3-0D7E-46CD-A85F-EA2DB6ADFDDC.jpeg
    Fort Worth Star-Telegram
    Fort Worth, Texas

    30 Apr 1945, Mon • Page 3

    Lt. John A. Hummer KIA in France WWII, 270 Field Artillery Battalion
    56656506_1470881952.jpeg
    15E0F4F2-6A3F-42A2-A41C-0256AE1DC21C.jpeg
    Harrisburg Telegraph
    Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

    02 Dec 1944, Sat • Page 4
    1Lt John A Hummer (1915-1944) - Find A Grave...

    1st Lt. Cyrille L. Leblanc awarded Air Medal, 270 Field Artillery Battalion.
    12E43C29-EFFE-4983-AD2C-5E2FA5F235AA.jpeg
    Fitchburg Sentinel
    Fitchburg, Massachusetts

    06 Feb 1945, Tue • Page 8

    Archie Roberts 270th Field Artillery Battalion 1945
    Screen Shot 2020-05-13 at 10.57.07 AM.png
    The Wellington Leader
    Wellington, Texas

    01 Nov 1945, Thu • Page 11

    Lt. Richard D. Wilson, 270 Field Artillery Battalion 1945
    1B99C1FE-131D-4A33-8989-E8256EA2D64E.jpeg
    The Austin American
    Austin, Texas

    18 Apr 1945, Wed • Page 14
     
    Last edited: May 13, 2020
  15. Tipnring

    Tipnring Active Member

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    Attached Files:

    Last edited: May 12, 2020
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  16. Nicelyb

    Nicelyb Active Member

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    Tipnring, the info about COL Gabriel was shocking to say the least. Thank you for sharing that. COL Gabriel is from my hometown back in Indiana and up until today have only seen/heard favorable things about him. It would be interesting to hear what his side of the story was.
     
  17. Tipnring

    Tipnring Active Member

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    Last edited: May 12, 2020
  18. Tipnring

    Tipnring Active Member

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    Last edited: May 13, 2020
  19. Nicelyb

    Nicelyb Active Member

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    @Tipnring. The article about the troop ship arriving in Boston is very interesting. Everything I saw about their voyage home from Le Havre vaguely pointed to a ship called the Alexander. Never could pin it to the USAT Edmund B Alexander or the General Alexander E Anderson. Now tis is on black and white snd says the Kingston Victory. Very cool indeed. Thanks!
     
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  20. Roy M. Carter

    Roy M. Carter New Member

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