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Can anyone give specifics on how the 179th Field Artillery Battalion moved through Europe during World War 2?
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∙ 14y ago
The 179th FA Bn was a 155MM howitzer battalion. It was one of the great many "separate" battalions, or "independent" battalions, created by the army for WWII. They were separate because they were not an organic part of any larger formation. Every infantry division had as organic components four artillery battalions - three of 105MM and one of 155MM. The "separate" artillery battalions were in addition to these, to provide additional firepower. The separate artillery battalions were assigned to higher HQs than a division - to a corps or a field army, and so were sometimes referred to collectively as the "corps artillery" or the "army artillery". There were different kinds of separate battalions besides artillery of various calibers. All tank destroyer and anti-aircraft artillery battalions were separate battalions. There were several hundred independent tank battalions. There were also engineer and signal battalions, and a few parachute battalions and a handful of separate infantry battalions. The idea was that the corps or army commander could move the separate battalions around as necessary, to supplement the divisions. By the end of the war there were 238 separate artillery battalions in Europe (with more in Italy). Of these 71 were 155MM howitzer battalions, like the 179th FA.
From August 23, 1944 to December 17, 1944, the 179th FA Bn was "attached" to the 4th Armored Division. This was one of the best US armored divisions of the war. During this entire time the 4th Armored Division was part of the US XII Corps, in General Patton's Third US Army. From February 24, 1945 until April 6, 1945 the 179th FA Bn was again attached to the 4th Armored Division. The 4th AD had been moved into the VIII Corps when this attachment resumed, and was moved into the XX Corps on March 9. Both these corps were part of the 3rd Army at those times. The 179th FA Bn was again attached to the 4th AD for the last week of the war, from May 1-8 1945. The 4th AD was again in the XII Corps, 3rd Army at that time. During its attachments the history of the 179th FA Bn would be essentially the same as those of the division to which it was attached:
http://www.history.army.mil/html/forcestruc/cbtchron/cc/004ad.htm
During the first interval between these attachments to the 4th AD the Battle of the Bulge was raging, and the 4th AD was driving northward to the relief of Bastogne. Towed artillery was not taken along, and the 179th FA Bn was part of the 6th Cavalry Group, Mechanized from December 17 to December 30. The 6th Cav Gp was part of the US III Corps, 3rd Army. This group guarded the flank of the troops driving to relieve Bastogne.
From December 30, 1944 until January 12, 1945 the 179th FA Bn was attached to the US 35th Infantry Division. The 35th ID was also in III Corps, Third Army during this time.
http://www.history.army.mil/html/forcestruc/cbtchron/cc/035id.htm
I am unable to discover any reference online to attachments of the 179th FA Bn during the periods January 12-February 24, and April 6-May 1 1945. Its seems likely that the Battalion remained in the 3rd Army during these periods, however. I also find no mention of the 179th FA Bn before August 23, 1944. Third Army HQ had been activated only on August 1. Its likely that the Battalion arrived in France sometime just prior to August 23, 1944.
The 179th FA Bn was formed in the immediate prewar years as a unit of the Georgia National Guard, and trained at Camp Blanding at Starke FL, near Jacksonville.
There was an "alumni association", though this address is eight years old, at least:
Mr. Hugh A. Sonner
Kathan Rd.
Corinth, NY 12822
(518) 696-4103
Another person involved with the association is John W. Meeler. Meeler was chief of the firing section of the 179th FA from its formation in 1939 and served through the European campaign. He is scheduled to be part of a panel discussion October 25 in Forsyth GA.
http://www.dod.state.ga.us/firstfridayonline/oct03/history.html
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