GENERAL SUMMARY OF HISTORY

 At the cessation of hostilities in Europe the battalion had served a total of ten months on the continent.  Aside from a five day period spent in an assembly area subsequent to the Rhine river crossing, the entire service was spent either in actual firing position or movement to position. During the inactive period in the assembly area the battalion extracted and turned in many prisoners. 

 The battalions initial position was occupied on 2O July 1944 under First Army in vicinity of La Haye Du Puits and from there support was rendered the 79th Division for thee Lessay breakthrough, after participating, under the Third Army in the assaults on St. Malo with the 83rd Division and on Dinard with the 8th Division, the battalion supported the 8th Division throughout the battle for Brest. During the Brest action, assignment to Ninth Army took place.

At the conclusion of the battle for Brest the battalion moved to positions astride the Belgium-German border in the vicinity of Burg-Reuland. in support of 2nd Division. This was the sector of, and under First Army, from early in October until the enemies’ Ardennes Offensive, the battalion remained in these same positions, and, who the l06th Division took over the sector of the 2nd Division support was rendered the relieving division from positions unchanged. From the opening of the enemy offensive until the night of 17 December continuous close-in prepared defensive fires and observed missions were fired in front of the 424 infantry of the l06th division and in front of the 1st Battalion of the 112th infantry of the 28th Division, in whose sector was located one of the three battalion OP’s. Much of this fire was delivered with time fuzzed shell and was reported by observers and the front line troops as being most effective. After displacement on the night of 17 December to previously surveyed and prepared-positions, defensive firing was continued at a high rate. On the evening of 18 December the battalion, was marched ordered along with the rest of the VIII Corps Artillery and spent most of that night sitting on the road in the vicinity of Muldrange before being ordered off the road into a wooded area near the vital Beho crossroads. From this point area reconnaissance was sent out and preparations where made to cover the exit from the area of the Corps Artillery Battalions over the one route remaining open to safety in the West. On the following morning, 19 December, while the battalion was in march column awaiting order to move, request came for assistance from the defenders of Gouvy, Belgium resulting in the assignment of Battery “C” to that task. At about the same time word was received that support was wanted by Combat Command “B” of the 7th Armored that was moving (Unreadable line)

Battery “C” to that task. At about the same time word was received that support was wanted by Combat Command “B” of was moving in for the defense of St. Vith. That began an attachment that continued through successive positions at Braunlauf, Commanster, and Vielsalm unti1 the battalion passed to the West bank of the Salm River into the comparative security of the well dug-in 82nd Airborne Division. It was only by the accident of chance that the battalion was tailing the Corps Artillery column that happening it was spared exposure to the dangers that overtook some of the other battalions in that column. As the battalion was the largest caliber artillery available to support the gallant stand of the 7th at St. Vith, there was no dearth of profitable and high1y satisfying targets. Much time fuzed shell was used with reported excellent results.

 The calm, following the intense activity that marked the movement from St. Vith to the West Bank of the Salm, lasted only until the enemy made his determine Northward thrust at Manhay. Under XVIII Airborne Corps, and in support of the 82nd Airborne Division, the battalion, from positions in the vicinity of Chevron, did some of its heaviest firing in front of the stubborn defenders of Manhay.  At this point, word was received that command of the forces on the Northern rim of the bulge was under General Montgomery. There followed for the battalion Westward Lateral displacement terminating with positions at Heyd, Belgium and then return to the East over much the same territory from which we had been driven by the enemy.

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