Need WW2 (AAA) expert help please!

I have searched the web over and cannot find information on my grandfather's army unit. I know he was in Battery C, 743rd Anti-Aircraft Artillery Gun Battalion and served in New Guinea and the Philippines during WW2. I have read that some units were deactivated and others were reorganized; this may be the reason I cannot find any information. I am interested in finding out which regiment, division, corps, or army his unit may have been attached to. Any help is greatly appreciated! Thanks to all that assist!

 

I was in the same predicament as you looking for my grandfather's records. His unit seemed to have dissolved after the war.

Try emailing archives2reference@nara.gov

They may take awhile to get back you but can possibly answer your question. I emailed them my information and took about a month or two. Just explain as much as you can and your address, they may mail you what they find for free or pay for it. Ask for the Unit history for World War II or specific years. I was lucky to get 30 pages of the unit history all for free.

Look around on: National Archives and Records Administration loads of helpful information. I am new at this but hopefully more experienced people can give you a hand.

Aaron

 

As time goes by I see more and more AAA units that people have an interest in and there is little help as they were generally small units that went to the Pacific theater. However if you wish you can look up the "Skylighters" and you may find similar descriptions of AAA units and how they were trained. The Skylighters were of the 225th AAA Searchlight Battalion with lots of good information on that unit(website below) and maybe a few related units but mostly those that were in the European Theater. Otherwise it seems it is harder to research things in the Pacific theater where units were possibly smaller and attached to many larger groupings of troops that needed their service. Good luck with your search. The descriptions of equipment, and techniques closely resembles that of my dad's who ended up in the 545th Field Artillery where he continued to practice AAA activities in the Pacific. Although he was transferred to that unit he continued practicing his AAA skills while serving with this group.
http://www.skylighters.org/

 

Thanks for the help! This gives me more to work with!

 

I realize 4 years have passed since this question was posted and I don't know that I can be of any help. However, I was searching fro my dad's unit and found this site. He (Jack Weaver) was in the 743 AAA, Battery C. I know he was in Australia, New Guinea, and the Philippines. I have pictures of some of the crews, as well as natives of NG and "Trob". The gun was "Old Black Magic #2".
He was inducted in Lubbock TX 26 Jul 42. I believe he had basic training at Fort Sill, OK, and trained at Camp Callan, CA. He was then sent to a Port of Embarkation (POE) somewhere in CA (San Diego? San Francisco?) but his ship had sailed and it took months for new orders to be cut. According to his discharge he sailed on 26 May 43, arriving (in Australia?) 21 Jun 43.
He was discharged 8 Dec 45.
I'll be glad to share any info I have.

 

I don't know if you folk are at all interested in a Limey's experience of what happened to the Anti-Aircraft Regiments in Italy at the closing stages of the war in Italy.

In December 1944 my own unit was one of the many LAA units that were disbanded because the German Luftwaffe were no longer a threat.

As a Wireless Operator on a Bedford 15cwt truck I had the necessary skils to operate a 19 set on a Sherman Tank and was sent to a Royal Armoured Corps training depot in Rieti where I spent 12 weeks learning to be a member of a tank crew.

Once trained, I was sent to join a unit that was equipped with Priest and Sherman Kangaroos and spent the closing few months of the war in Italy chasing the Jerries out of the North of the country.

Ron

 

Ron, thanks for sharing. I'm sure my dad's experience was somewhat the same, though in a different theater (or, theatre, as you would say!) The Japanese air force was pretty much done for, I suppose. I know when he was in Philippines, they were planning for the invasion. I also know that after the war ended, he guarded Japanese ex-soldiers (would they be POWs?) and oversaw them on work details. He came home in December 45, 4 months after the war ended in the Pacific.

 

Hey,

My father was in the 743rd AAA Bn. His discharge papers say it was attached to HQ Battery.

He was in Northern Solomons & New Guinea campaigns. He arrived in theater 05Sept44 & left 03Sept45 (injured).

This wiki link shows 743rd participating in landing at Saidor, New Guinea. I have not been able to find any other info on his battalian.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landing_at_Saidor_order_of_battle

I can provide other info like where he trained (Eastern NC) etc. if you are interested. Unfortunately, I do not have pictures & he passed away in 2000.

MT

 

Lou, correct. I was just saying that the Saidor OoB was the only thing I've found. Hoping other people had info on 743rd or other HQ batter.

 

The history of USS Harry Lee says it transported 743rd AAA from Finschhafen 31Jun45 to Manilla by way of Hollandia

http://www.ussharrylee.com/images/USSHarryLeeMagazine.pdf