Milford chronicle., 1944-12-15

Neuville au Plains, and Bandain
vile in the initial securing Of the
bridgehead. The ancient, Tranquil
towns of Normandy stirred uneasi'
! ly in the hot June sun as the Ions
Toms thunderingly announced
their presence. The cannoneers all
had their Blue French Phrase
Books, but they were too occupied
at this time to worry about them
There was only room on the beach
for one heavy gun battery in the
beginning. The remainder of the
battalion landed on June 18th
ID plus 81 and Immediately. went
into position in the vicinity of still
smouldering st. Mere Eglise. 1t
was here that Battery "B" rejoined
the unit.
The invasion was nearing its
second week when the battalion
displaced to new positions near
bonneville. 1t was from here that
the Cherbourg Peninsula was first
cut by fire. Foot troops completed
the breech later, and on the 10Th of
June the battalion moved into new
positions 5000 yards in front of the
foremost light artillery in the vici-
nifty of Negreville. 1t was from
here that they did. being the first
artillery to shoot into that city.
From here the battalion, con-
cluding the Campaign of the Cher
bourg Peninsula participated in the
famous countermarch and headed
south to take up positions at Pi-
cauville, where on July 4th they
in the multi-gun Inde-
pendence Day salute. Also from
this position the battalion support
ed the infantry advance to La Hay
de Puts and the taking of Hills 121
and 131.
On July 7th positions were taken
up in the vicinity of Coigny and
then the battalion moved to the
of Tribenou. After
days of softening the German posi-
tions by massed artillery, the
bombers came. thousands of them,
giving the Germans the most de-
evidence of allied air SUI
premacy. To protect these bombers
the battalion fired at all known To-
cations of anti-aircraft guns. This
was at the st. Le-Perierec break
through"
Positions near Cerisy la Sale.
names of two towns undicipherahle
and Villedieu-le-poeles followed
'apidly. Then in a position in the
of Mortain the battalion
stiff enemy resistance
The German Generals planned TO
lrive through Mortain to Avaran-
hes and split the American forces
II was the initial German thrust
hat cut off the lost battalion and
here began the most intensive
artillery bombardment
vet experienced. For seven days
md nights this battalion shelled
ierman tanks. trucks. guns and
advancing infantry. AS the German
advance spent itself the area was
Uttered with German vehicles of
very description. hundreds of
,uns. and many dead. From Nor
ain the battalion moved east and
lOrth to close the Falaise Gap with
irepower from a position in the vi
unity of St. Michel-les-Andaines.
Position followed position and
'hartres, Alencon. COurville Sur
lure. Bouray, Villeneuve le Comte.
he Seine and Marne Rivers. Cha
eau Theirry and SaissOns flashed
y in rapid succession.
The fortress city of l.aon was the
asst sizeable place encountered by
he battalion in France, and on the
In of September they crossed the
'elgium border. In the vicinity OF
Ions the battalion captured many
risOners. for an artillery unit.
the total for the battalion
ince June 7th to $50.
Next on the route of the battali- =
IL was Charleroi. then Leise. 1t
as from the next position in the ,
icinity of Herve that the unit fired
ne initial rounds of the current
ar into Germany. firing at rail
bad overpass in Moresnot. Aachen,
ermany at 0S30B on September
|. 1871. II was a harassinS mis- !
ion assigned by higher headquar-
rs.
Eupen was the last city passed
trough in Belgium and on the II \
of September the battalion
'Ossed the border into Germany.
was % days from the time the L
aiding elements of the battalion I
nded on Utah Beach to the time l.
crossed into the Reich. During
lis time enlisted men of the unit 4
i'd received battlefield commits
Ons, two Captains had been pro- :,
oted to Majors. and two Lieute- u,
lnts to Captains.
As the lst Battalion of 1iith j..
eld Artillery. the 9S0th +. A. Bn. a
as a California National Guard Is
nit. Headquarters Battery. Bate
"B' and Service Battery were
rmed in Bakersfield. Battery "A"
as formed in Santa Maria, and
lttery "(' was redesignated from
ittery e l43rd F. A.. in Santa b
lrbara. There are many men W
ON Pennsylvania, New York. and is
wa in the battalion. however. 81
cry state in the union is repre- ca
nted. Lafayette Burlingame from d.
lford. represents Delaware. Af- h;
r intensive training in the United pl
ates. the battalion embarked for III
e British Isles, arriving there in III
nuary 1914. where it was sta es
med until the start of the inva- III
IN. H.