AFN et Sicile

The 463RD PARACHUTE FIELD ARTILLERY BATTALION




The following historical summary of the participation of the 463rd Parachute Field Artillery Battalion in World War II is written by Ken Hesler (thank you Ken !), Btry. D, 463 PFA, shown at left in Paris in January 1945 shortly after the battle at Bastogne. It is based upon more than 2,000 pages of documents copied from the U.S. Military archives at Suitland, MD, and other historical materials, mostly documents and personal interviews with members of the battalion, including Lt. Col. John T. Cooper (Ret.), who read the article and concurred in its accuracy.

The 463rd Parachute Field Artillery Battalion was organized on February 21, 1944, near the small Italian village of Borgo Bainsizza on the Anzio beachhead. It was formed from the 82nd Airborne Division’s 456th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion, less Batteries “C” and “D”, and commanded by Maj. Hugh Neal, the first of only three men to lead the battalion in combat in World War II. The 456th designation was transferred with the 82nd to the European Theater.



In the photograph at right, taken at the 1988 101st Airborne Division Reunion in Omaha, NE, are the three men who served as commander of the battalion: standing from left, John Cooper, Hugh Neal, and Stuart Seaton. Seated is Vic Garrett, the battalion S-3, who was responsible for directing fire missions.

(As of September, 2002, all are deceased with the exception of Stuart Seaton.)


Officer and men of the newly organized unit were vets of the 82nd drop into Sicily in July 1943, campaigns on the southern Italian front near Casino, and weeks of bitter fighting at Anzio in support of the First Special Service Force along the Mussolini Canal. Many had been members of the Army’s original Parachute Field Artillery Test Battalion.




Lt. Col. John T. Cooper Jr.

(thanks to Ms. C. (Cooper) Baker,
his daughter, for the picture)



With its new designation, the battalion remained in support of the FSSF which, in early June 1944, led the Allied Forces into Rome. A marble plaque in that city commemorates the FSSF accomplishment, noting the assistance of “the armored units of Task Force Howze, 463rd Parachute Field Artillery Battalion, and the Italian Resistance…” The battalion commander now was Maj. John T. Cooper, Jr., formerly the executive officer, who has assumed command when Maj. Neal was seriously wounded and evacuated form Anzio on May 31.

After the fall of Rome, the battalion received some 200 replacements to fill out “C” and “D” batteries and bring its rosters to full fighting strength. A month later, the battalion was on its way to the invasion of Southern France with the First Airborne Task Force as part of a combat team with the 509th Parachute Parachute Infantry Regiment. Divided to operate as two separate units, if necessary, the battalion flew from loading zones at Grosseta and Follonica airports near Rome.



In the early morning hours of August 15, one group under the command of Major Stuart M, Seaton, the battalion executive officer, jumped near Le Muy, France. The second contingent under Cooper's command were dropped across a wide area around St. Tropez, France, some 12 miles from the drop zone, where they fought as infantry against heavy German concentrations. Cooper was injured in the drop; and the third person to command the unit, Maj. Stuart Seaton, the executive officer, served as battalion commander until Cooper returned October 14.

The Battalion was credited with capturing 375 prisoners during the first two days of the invasion, more than the remainder of the entire Task force over the same period. As the seaborne invasion troops drove inland, the 463rd moved eastward along the coast until on August 30, 1944, when it was shifted northward to the Alps and attached to the 55Oth Airborne lnfantry. Its mission was to cutoff an important German escape route from Italy.


The mountain campaign, which found the battalion spread along a 12-mile front, included a blizzard which buried the guns of Btry “A" under eight feet of snow at an altitude of 10,000 feet and a late evening German attack in mid-October which was repulsed with 5,600 rounds of direct fire. On October 22, the battalion moved into position along the French-Italian border near the coast, again in support of the First Special Service Force.



In mid-November, the 463rd was relieved by the 6O2nd FA and moved into bivouac near Nice. Over the three-month period of the Southern France campaign, the battalion conducted 1,000 fire missions and fired approximately 35,000 rounds of 75mm ammunition. With the "Champagne Campaign" concluded, the 463rd moved northward by truck and train in December. Scheduled to join the 17th Airborne Division then on its way to Europe, the battalion arrived in Mourmelon, France, on December 12, 1944, where the 101st Airborne Division was recuperating from the Holland campaign. The German break through into the Ardennes came just four days later. The Battle of the Bulge had begun.




463 PFA in Bastogne



As the 101st prepared to depart for Belgium, Cooper, by now a Lieutenant Colonel, offered the services of the battalion to Gen. McAuliffe, who said the 463rd was outside his command; but he suggested that Cooper talk with Col. Joseph H. Harper, commanding the 327th Glider Infantry. Harper readily accepted Cooper's offer, and the 463rd was off to Bastogne "attached" to the 101st although technically A.W.O.L.



During most of its existence, except for the airborne drop info Southern France, the 463rd, unlike most airborne units, had been utilized as a ground-equipped unit provided with its own transportation. It had arrived in Mourmelon with 27 2 1/2-ton trucks, 26 1/4-ton trucks, and a sizable supply of 75mm ammunition, including more than 200 anti-tank rounds, a factor to be of significance at Bastogne.

Unlike some units heading for the Ardennes, it had been fully supplied with wool overcoats and "mud-pack" overshoes before leaving Southern France. With the addition of 12 2 1/2-ton trucks attached from the 645th Quartermaster Company, the 535 men of the 463rd headed north from Mourmelon at 9:30 p.m. December 18. 1944. Although the destination listed on the Unit Report dated 11 p.m. of the same date reads "now enroute to Werboment, Belgium," the 101st would instead be shifted to Bastogne, Belgium, an important road center.



At 9 a.m. on December 19, the unit reached an assembly area near Flamizoulle, Belgium, and moved on later the same day to establish positions around Hemroulle in support of the 327th. By December 20, the 101st Airborne Division, including the 463rd, was completely surrounded in the three-mile wide Bastogne "doughnut", by at least five German divisions.



The fighting was intense. On December 22, the Germans delivered a note demanding the 101st surrender, to which General Anthony McAuliffe issued his famous reply, “NUTS". With the weather clearing on December 23, C-47 transport planes dropped badly needed ammunition and supplies. Finally, on December 26, General Patton’s 4th Armored Division broke through from the south to relieve the besieged city.

During the Battle of Bastogne, the 463rd howitzers conducted fire missions over a 360- degree sector. From December 19 through January 17, its 16 howitzers fired 21,748 rounds. When the first aerial re-supply mission was flown on December 23, the battalion was down to nine rounds of high explosive shells, a small supply of anti-tank rounds, and no rations. The battalion casualty report for the Ardennes campaign was 11 killed, 24 wounded, and one missing.



During the Bulge, Lt. Col. Cooper and Sgt. Joseph F. Rogan were awarded the Silver Star. Cooper for action during the encirclement and Rogan for action as a forward observer on December 25 and 26. In addition, seven men received the Bronze Star, two posthumously. Thirty-two received the Certificate of Merit, 29 of them for action during the German attack on Christmas morning.

There is disagreement about the tank battle on Christmas morning when one spearhead of enemy tanks attacked toward Hemroulle from the west. Col. T. L. Sherburne, Jr., the Acting Field Artillery Commander of the 101st credited the battalion with two medium tanks destroyed and one captured. Cooper maintains that eight of 11 enemy tanks in the thrust at Hemroulle were destroyed by the battalion, with one captured intact and two escaping only to be destroyed by armored units. He tells the story this way:



“At the conclusion of the battle on Christmas mornings, General McAuliffe, Col. Sherburne, and others of their staff came to our headquarters and we inspected the battle area.

“General McAuliffe looked at each tank and asked the question. 'Which gun got this one?' Only two of the tanks were in direct line of fire as shown by ‘ricochet marks in the snow.’ The others were hit, but had been moving and were not in line of ricochet marks. Also, all direct fire does not hit the snow along its path of flight.”

“Col. Sherburne took notes and wrote the commendation as decided by Gen. McAuliffe. I did not object, as I was a new Lt. Colonel unknown to any of the brass at the time. Nor was I looking ahead to 50 years later. No other unit has ever claimed any of the Christmas morning kills in our area."



Relieved in Belgium on January 17, 1945, the 463rd moved with the 101st to the French Alsace region on January 20 and went into direct support of the 327th Glider Infantry Regiment from positions near Keffendorf and Winterhouse. The battalion was relieved by the 36th Division Artillery on February 25, and moved from Sarrebourg to Mourmelon by train and truck. It was at Mourmelon that General Dwight Eisenhower presented the 101st with the Presidential Unit Citation for its defense of Bastogne, the first such citation to be awarded an entire division. Operating as a unit attached to the 101st during the Bastogne encounter, the 463rd was formally assigned to the division in March 1945.



Remaining in Mourmelon until April 3, the battalion, still in support of the 327th, moved to the vicinity of Neuss, Germany, where it completed its last day of direct contact with the enemy at 4 p.m. April 17, 1945. It was then on to Schillingstadt, Schwabsoin, Starnberg, Thalham and Bad Reichenhall --arriving at the last on May 12. The final moves were to Saalfelden, Austria, on July 8, and Joigny, France, on August 2. Most of the remaining members of the unit were transferred for deployment and discharge in October, 1944. The 463rd was inactivated November 30, 1945.



The Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register of the U. S. Department of the Army lists the following campaigns for the 463rd in World War II: Anzio, Rome-Arno, Southern France, Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace and Central Europe.



DETAILED CHRONOLOGY AND HISTORY OF THE 463rd PARACHUTE FIELD ARTILLERY BATTALION


DATE OF ARRIVAL TRAVEL DESTINATION
Feb. 24, 1942 Washington

War Department authorizes the activation of a test battery to conduct experiments to determine feasibility of parachute artillery. Volunteers accepted from Provisional FA Brigade at Fort Bragg (4 officers/150 enlisted men) (FA Journal 257/260)


March, 1942 Fort Benning, Georgia

500 volunteers become part of Class 12B (Infantry was class 12). Instructors from the 501PIR had orders to thin the class down to 150 qualified paratroopers. Since the infantry hated artillery, the instructors tried to eliminate everyone from class, but 143 men graduated. (Joe S.)

April 17, 1942 Fort Benning, Georgia

4 officers/112 enlisted men of Parachute Test Battery became first qualified parachute artillerymen under command of:

2nd Lt. Joseph D. Harris- Battery Commander
Lt. Carl E. Thain - Executive Officer
Lt. Lucian B. Cox -
Lt. Herbert E. Armstrong - Test Officer



Mission : to develop method whereby an artillery battery could land with all its weapons and equipment so it could immediately go into action in support of parachute infantry. The "Pack 75" was the chosen artillery piece. 1,268 pounds, it could be broken down into 9 pieces:

Top sleigh & cradle

Bottom sleigh

Front trail

Rear trail

Wheels

Tube

Breech block

Aiming circle

Range finder
246 lbs. (when packed)
260 lbs.
260 lbs.
181 lbs.
200 lbs.
264 lbs.
188 lbs.
15 lbs. (packed w/bottom sleigh)



The Pack 75



It's range was 9,475 yards. Harris developed procedures to drop his 108-man battery, 4 Pack 75's, basic load of ammunition, defensive light machine guns, and survey and communication equipment from 9 C-47 planes. Most of the hardware was fixed under the wings and bellies of the airplanes in padded containers which resembled coffins, and to which were affixed standard Air Force Cargo parachutes. The "coffins" were joined by a heavy-duty rope and dropped over landing sights. (Devlin 121/123;FA Journal 257/260)



Parachute Training:

A Stage:

8 hours of physical training or detail each day and the showing of a German paratrooper training film. Everything at double time. PT consisted of morning: an hour exercise, an hour run, 2 hours of various training (rope climbing, judo, grass crawls, log tossing, Indian clubs, obstacle course); afternoon: an hour exercise, an hour run, 2 hours of various training (rope climbing, judo, grass crawls, log tossing, Indian clubs, obstacle course).

B Stage:

Mornings - 4 hours of exercise (calisthenics, running, etc.)
Afternoons:
Fuselage Prop - stand up on plane, hook up on static line, check equipment of man in front, responding to commands of jump master, making proper exit from plane.
Landing Trainer - student hooked up in a jumper's harness attached to a roller that slides down a long incline.
Mock-Up Tower - 38 foot platform with a long cable extending on an incline to a big soft pile of sawdust.
Trainasium - 40 foot maze of bars, catwalks, ladders.
Free Towers - 250 foot tower for making controlled and free jumps.
Wind Machine - practice collapsing chutes.

C Stage:

Mornings - 4 hours of exercise (calisthenics, running, etc.)
Afternoons- Packing Shed

D Stage:

5 qualifying jumps.


On training (Courtesy: Don Gallipeau)

April 23, 1942 Fort Benning, Georgia
First RSPO from airplane with Lt. Harris, Lt. Thain, 2 detail men, howitzer section under Sgt. Charles Raby
Sept. 24, 1942 Fort Bragg, North Carolina

456th PFA activated. Test Battery became B Battery. 456th under:

Col. Harrison B. Harden, Jr. - CO
Maj. Hugh Neal - Executive Officer
1st Lt. Herbert Wicks - S3
Capt. John Cooper - Adjutant (considered by Harrison to be the best officer he had)



Weapons:

75mm Pack Howitzer
.50-cal machinegun
37mm anti-tank gun
2.36" Anti-Tank Rocket Launcher
.30-cal Carbine
.45-cal Pistol


Feb. 12, 1943 Fort Bragg, North Carolina

Joined 82nd Airborne Division. Prior to going overseas, the artillery of the 82nd had to be given a proficiency test. The test was administered by Hugh Neal. All units failed. Taylor and Ridgeway were mad at Neal for flunking the division artillery and dismissed him. They ordered Cooper to retest which he did but the artillery once again failed. Taylor and Ridgeway ordered Cooper to change the grades, but he refused and was also dismissed. Prior to leaving for overseas, Neal and Cooper were reassigned to the 456th.

April 22, 1943 Camp Edwards, Massachusetts

Traveled by train.

April 28, 1943 Camp Edwards, Massachusetts

Departed 6:00AM. Arrived at Jersey City at 1:30PM. Walked 1/2 mile to ferry to Staten Island, arriving at 4:00PM.

April 29, 1943 Staten Island

At 4:30AM left USA as part of 505th Parachute Infantry Regimental Combat Team on the Matson liner S.S. Monterey. 6 men to a state room. Trip took 12 days.

We boarded the S.S. Monterey in New York for the 12 day trip to North Africa where we disembarked at Casablanca. On the ship they only served two meals a day, and we only had a bunk to sleep in every other night. The nights we did not have a bunk to sleep in, we just found a place on deck to sleep. The S.S. Monterey had been a cruise ship for the Matson line that went from San Francisco to Hawaii in peace time. It had been converted to a troop ship. There was about 5000 troops aboard, mostly out of my Division - the 82nd. (Bailey)



GENERAL NOTES ABOUT BASIC TRAINING

Houser was West Point graduate as were his father and grandfather. Didn't want to be part of war. Killed self with pistol before being shipped overseas.

Soldier went home on leave before being shipped overseas. Found wife in bed with another man. Soldier killed both of them, his baby daughter and self.

Soldier brought a brand new 1940 car with him to Fort Benning. When in Phoenix City drinking, came back to car to find it on blocks with tires missing. Since couldn't find new tires, had to abandon car.

Officers enrolled in parachute school quickly realized that rank held no bearing. Lieutenants, Captains, Majors, Colonels were all subject to commands of noncommissioned officers.

Neil and Cooper tested the airborne field artillery for overseas. Failed them. (tape)

Jay Karp, trained as an infantryman, joined the 456th, B Battery at Fort Bragg. He was busted from corporal to private, but doesn't know why. (Karp tape)

Vic Tofany - The great Monk Meyer - All American guard at West Point - quit jump school.

Fred Shelton:

After leaving Camp Beauregard in Louisiana in 1943 I was being transferred to Camp Carson, Colorado to the 71st Light Infantry Division, which was being formed.

In my mind I thought this was going to be a hard hitting outfit or unit. How wrong I was. This unit or Division carried everything by pack boards, machine gun carts and other carts. They carried rations and other types of equipment and ammunition, and they had mortar bags which slip down over your head. It had pouches to put your mortar shells in.

Then after arriving in Camp, we began to take long strolls into the Rocky Mountains outside the Camp. Marching into the mountains it was an incline to start with. After you got into the mountains everything was straight up, rocky trails and tough walking.

After being in Camp about 6 weeks, one Monday we marched to some sheds and there we had wooden Jack Asses. At the end of the week we were told that we were going to have the privilege of taking the real live Jack Asses into the mountains for two weeks maneuvers.

Well, we went into the mountains for our two weeks holiday or celebration with the mules, the carts and full field packs.

While were in maneuvers it snowed and rained, and turned cold. The trails in the mountains became slippery and hard to maneuver on and the mules would balk and refuse to move on sometimes because of the weather conditions.

I remember one mule balked and the men were trying to get it moving. One soldier looked as if he were going to hit the mule in the nose and one old mule skinner sergeant said to the soldier, "Son you might as well slap your Colonel in the face as hit that mule in the nose." So then and there I began to realize that if I was to have an illustrious army career I was going to have to change branches of the service.

So, I began to think Airborne. I felt that I had rather fall out of airplanes with chutes than down the mountain side with mules. So then in mid-December of 1943 I got my orders to report to Fort Benning, Georgia for Paratrooper training. It was three weeks to the day after I signed up.

Now after some fifty years if I had another choice I would still go "Airborne" because they are a special breed of soldier.



Joe Stolmeier:

The 463rd didn't start with the 456th at Fort Bragg. The 463rd started at Fort Benning in March of 1942 in class #12B. The infantry class going through school at that time was class #12, so the artillery volunteers, numbering over 500 for that 1st Artillery Paratroopers class was numbered 12B, so they would be kept separate from the infantry jump class. Only 143 graduated, all the rest either quit, or were washed out. The instructors from the 501 had orders to thin the class down to 150 qualified paratroopers, & they followed orders real good, they worked us over more than any class that ever hit that place. The infantry at that time hated the artillery any way & those instructors told me artillery men weren't good enough to be paratroopers anyway. They tried to disqualify all of class 12B, but couldn't get it done. I was the only artillery man stupid enough to insist that my sergeant's stripes stay on no matter what. All the other non-coms took their stripes off, as some officer instructor ordered. Not me! I spent 2.5 yrs in the National Guard and 1 of them in the swamps of Louisiana earning those stripes & no one was going to make me take them off. Boy what a mistake that was. It seems those instructors dressed in black sweat pants & black sweat shirts were not non-coms & they hated sergeants more than they hated artillerymen, so many a night after all the other guys were asleep on their cots, I would be finally released from running around the parade ground holding a rifle over my head, & doing push ups, & having as many as 3 of them at a time practice jiu-jitsu on me. I'd crawl up the stairs on my hands and knees and leave blood on the stairs, & then the next morning, before I could go to breakfast I would always have to clean the blood off the steps to the staff sergeant's satisfaction, or no breakfast, sometimes I was too late & the mess sergeant wouldn't let me in. I think they had it worked out between them.

When we formed the 456th, 2nd Lt. Lt. Harris (VMI) declared we were no longer Test Battery we were B-Battery 456th Battalion then immediately I was taken out of B-Battery and told I could pick 10 men to form A-Battery and they sent a Lt. I had never seen before to introduce himself, it was Stuart M. Seaton from VMI and he was sharp and he was a qualified paratrooper I was to be his 1st Sergeant & I was one happy GI.


May 10, 1943 Boat Casablanca, Morocco
Arrived 2:30PM. Marched 5 miles East of Casablanca, arriving at 7:00PM at Camp Marshall Leoty.


May 14, 1943 Truck/Train Fez, Morocco
Left Camp Marshall Leoty at 7:30AM and arrive 8 miles East of Fez at 7:45PM.


May 15, 1943 Truck/Train Oujda, Morocco
Left bivouac area East of Fez at 7:30AM and arrived 8 miles East of Oujda at 6:30PM. While at Oujda, most of 456th PFA made their first night jump. Went into training for Sicily jump. Night compass problems.


June 3, 1943 Oujda, Morocco
Passed in review for General Eisenhower (stood nearly 2 hours at parade rest waiting). 36 planes of jumpers demonstrated a mass jump. Awarded a North Africa campaign bar. Wide spread dysentery caused by "dung-laden dust" (conjecture by Doc Lewis A. Smith of the 505th PIR - dust home of endema histolitica, difficult to identify and treat and often fatal.


June 9, 1943 Oujda, Morocco
Night jump tactical with equipment.


June 14, 1943 Oujda, Morocco
Night jump combat problem.


June 15, 1943 Oujda, Morocco
Paid in full.


June 16, 1943 Oujda, Morocco
Doug Bailey:

Went on pass to Oujda, rented a bike, bought some canned fruit. Rumor that German Paratroops in the vicinity. Made night jump shortly after midnight near Oujda, in French Morocco. One man would not jump and was later shipped out of the battalion. I made a good landing but had hard time finding 4th gun section. Some of the bundles landed in wheat field, but 4th section was first to get to the assembly point. First section did not jump because door load got stuck in the door.


June 21, 1943 Oujda, Morocco

Gus Hazzard:

Stu Seaton walked their asses off on night problems, 4 points to find in dark.


Doug Bailey:

Went on compass course last night wandered all over the bills of Morocco, did not get back to camp until daylight completely bushed.


June 25, 1943 Oujda, Morocco

Doug Bailey:

Packed all extra equipment, B Battery getting ready to go by plane to our next destination. Packed my old boots, wearing my new ones. They hurt my feet, going to get some beer tonight. Hope I get some mail.


July 2, 1943 Air Kairouan (Karawain), Tunisia

Departed from bivouac East of Oujda, arriving at staging area 30 miles North East of Kairouan at 10:00AM.


Doug Bailey:

Left Oujda by plane for area around Souse or Kairouan - flew high, very cold. Just about got air-sick, pissed in helmet. Camped near Kairouan, very, very hot, drinking lots of water. Too hot to do anything in daytime, do it at night. Wind like a blast furnace, sharing put tent with Bennett. Dug fox holes. Guess my hair will grow back to normal one of these days. Know I'm going into combat. Think it's tomorrow night. They showed us the sand table of the area that we are jumping in. I'm in #4 plane loaded with ammunition Lt. Cole is jumpmaster, also went to planes and had instructions in case of a sea landing.


July 3, 1943 Air Kairouan (Karawain), Tunisia
General Ridgeway gave combat speech.

July 6, 1943 Air Kairouan (Karawain), Tunisia
Beer ration and dry beef on hot desert.

July 9, 1943 Air Gela, Sicily (Warm & Clear)





Unloading American troops and supplies on the Gela beach, July 1943



Boarded planes about 8:00PM July 9 for jump into Sicily. Had about 1512 rounds of ammunition. Parachuted miles from target due to faulty navigation, high winds, and impaired visibility. Many men airsick in planes, making floors very slippery. Jumped between 12:35 and 1:00AM. Planes were going too fast and flew too low. Many men hit the trees almost at the same time their chutes opened. Batteries A and B jumped with the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 505th and Battery C jumped with the 3rd Battalion. Cooper was liaison for 505th and 456th and, in Gavin's plane, he was the first artilleryman to jump into Sicily. Headquarters and D Batteries bivouacked at a point east of Santa Crosse with Major Wicks in charge.

HQ and D Batteries landed in same area but widely scattered. Orientation impossible during darkness due to being about 50km from DZ. High ground seized without resistance, security established and organization started. At daylight approximately 250 men from all serials of CT 505 had been assembled. Patrols out bringing in equipment. Three prisoners captured at 8:00AM when questioned gave our location. Verbal order issued by CO to be prepared to move at 10:00AM to seize and hold the town of San (Santa) Croce Camerina.

Organization for attack completed at 9:30AM. At 9:50AM Lt. Col. Billingsley arrived, assumed command and rescinded order for movement. Ordering group to strengthen outposts and remain on high ground then in our possession. At 12:10PM a patrol made contact with 2nd Bn 505 with B Battery 456th attached then under orders to move toward Marina Di Ragusa at 2:00PM. Patrol returned with this information at 1:00PM. Orders were issued to move at once to join 2nd Bn 505 CT. Units joined at 6:00PM at La Croce under command of Lt. Col. Billingsley. Strength approximately 600 men and officers. Unit bivouacked here sending out patrols to engage with the enemy. All enemy troops defending beach from Marina de Ragusa to a point 2 miles west of Punta Secca captured by 9:00PM.


B Battery dropped in area pattern 10 miles wide. By daylight 3 guns and 50 men were assembled. Fired on pill boxes and strong points by direct laying. Moved at 2:00PM to La Croce, fired on pill boxes on beach, direct laying. Bivouacked at La Croce.

C Battery landed 10 miles from DZ and assembled 3 guns and 10 of the 12 plane loads. At 1:00PM joined point of 157 CT of the 45th Division and advanced into Vittoria where howitzers were used to knock out snipers by direct laying. Bivouac in Vittoria for night. One AA MG Cal. 50 shot down 2 enemy planes ME 109's which were strafing the Battery position.

A Battery jumped at 12:45AM and by daylight three howitzers all but four men and most of the equipment had been assembled. It was found that the battery was alone and far from the DZ. Patrols were sent out and our location was given to us by civilians. A battalion of German 88mm guns was located 1500 yards to our southeast, and our patrols made contact with German infantry patrols and a skirmish started which lasted most of the day. In the afternoon one of the German 88's was used to support the infantry with direct fire. At 8:30PM the battery was moved and the Germans shelled the former position just after it was cleared. The battery moved south all night and went into position at daybreak.



456th command:

Lt. Col. Harrison Harden - CO

Maj. Hugh Neal - XO

Capt. Stuart H. Seaton - A Battery

Harris - B Battery

Capt. Victor E. Garrett - Headquarters Battery





Colonel Hugh Neal



Major Stuart Seaton



Doug Bailey:

Left night of the 9th from Kairouan, Tunisia. Flew over Maita which was a check point about five or six hundred feet. Pretty light out, took my turn standing at door holding door load. Two guys got airsick. Anti-aircraft fire got us as we came over the coast of Sicily. Red light came on, then green light. Door load partly stuck in door. I went out head first, could see flashes and tracers from ground fire before my chute opened. When chute opened, grabbed front risers and slid most the way to ground, hit very hard. Lots of firing going on. Loaded gun and got grenades ready. 505 guy beside me broke stock of gun going out door we had hard time getting oriented, every time we moved, machine gun bullets whiz over our heads. Joined a group of troopers, and started looking for my gun crew. Came across paratrooper with broken leg. He had crashed into a tree stump. He was on the wrong side of a brick wall about five feet high. When some of the firing let up, about 4 of us jumped over the wall and lifted him over on the safe side. Finally met some guys from B-Battery. Fought with the infantry knocked out two machine gun nest and captured the Italians and their guns. Dead Italian soldier in cart. Lt. from 505 killed while trying to throw grenade through slit n tall pill box. Olosy shot in foot. Two medics killed, one from B-Btry.

My Battery "B" jumped with the 2nd Battalion of the 505 Parachute Infantry Regiment. When we loaded the planes in Tunisia we didn't put on our chutes. When we were about half hour from the coast of Sicily the Crew Chief of the plane came back and told us it was time to chute up. This was a nervous time for all, slipping around where the air-sick guys puked on the floor. It was dark, the plane was jerking around, and we had to get all the straps and harness over all our stuff. It was our first combat. I guess we were a little nervous. The pilot missed our drop zone by about 20 miles and gave us the green light over an area of pill boxes, rock walls and trees. I don't think we were over 250 to 300 ft. when we jumped. We also jumped with our guns unloaded and had little tin crickets for identification. The password was George and the countersign was Marshall.


Gus Hazzard:

Passed over Gela, Sicily, town on fire (jumped at 11:40PM) on the following morning at 7AM one of our men was scouting around for equipment and ran into a German machine gun nest. He escaped with a crease across his helmet. We had landed 200 yards from an 88 battery, then all hell broke out. They threw mortars down on us. Everyone was on his own. I was pinned down for about 3 hours with Bob Bolen. Finally the Germans left. We regrouped after burying the dead and moved out pulling our 75 pack howitzers. We had lost contact with our combat team 505 Infantry. Spent all night trying to link up with the 505.


July 10, 1943 March 12km North of Marina Di Ragusa, Sicily (Clear & Warm)
Major Neal and Major Wicks with HQ and D Batteries joined B Battery on hill east of bivouac area. Capt. Moore left back with men that could not walk.

July 10, 1943 Truck Ragusa, Sicily
Participated in the Battle of Biazza Ridge on July 10/11. Battery C destroyed 3 Me 109s by 50 caliber machine gun fire. Gavin praised battery for assisting in the fight.

Witnessed the tragic "friendly fire" jump of the 504th. 45 men of Battery C joined forward elements of the infantry and served with them as assault troops. 60 others of Battery C with 3 guns were the first troops to enter Vittoria.

Doug Bailey:

At one point in my wanderings I went to a well in a courtyard of house to fill canteen. There was a Sicilian woman wailing because her husband was lying in the doorway dead. Shot by mistake I would guess in all the confusion that night. Battalion formed with prisoners and moved out after we broke their rifles over a rock wall, also a couple of ancient machine guns. Two 505 guys killed by Italian grenades. Moved out late in the afternoon, hadn't went too far when started to receive some fire from the left flank. Had to knock down wall to get barrel of the 75mm gun to bear, the rear trail was sitting on hard road, gun bucked up and back every time we fired. Nobody hurt and we were soon on our way. Made some of our prisoners pull the gun. This was probably against the Geneva Convention. Marched all night, at one time past of bunch of dead Germans or Italians by some knocked out armored cars. The smell was very bad. B Battery was right in the middle of all this wreckage, and smell, when the long column stopped for a break. We were exhausted and just dropped in the ditches. It was dark so the living and the dead were sharing the same ditches. It was hard to tell which was which. We kept moving all night headed for Gela. We were moving through the town of Vitoria I think about midnight when we saw the anti-aircraft fire that shot down so many of the 504 combat team. One of the guys from my gun squad got hold of some vino and got himself pretty well plastered and started to give Capt. Harris a bad time. Capt. Harris hauled off and knocked him to the ground. Then he motioned for myself and another guy to come over where the guy was still on the ground and told us to take his rifle away from him and to keep an eye on him until he sobered up. The guy was later transferred out with the rest of the screw-ups. Another trooper and myself had been guarding a bunch of Italian prisoners. They were really happy to be out of the war. They would pull out their wallets and show us pictures of their wives, or girlfriends, their babies. We really didn't have to guard them. They seemed quite content. They just wanted to get their part of the war over with and go home.


Casualties:

1st. Lt. Charles G. Derby (HQs) KIA

Tec 5 Theodore Cabali (HQs) KIA

Pvt. Ben F. Blount (A) KIA

Cpl. Richard Rosenbush (B) KIA

Capt. Stuart M. Seaton (A) WIA

1st Lt. Edward D. Whitley (HQs) WIA

1st Lt. Richard S. Aiken (D) SWA

1st Lt. Emil H. Nelson (D) SWA

Capt. Goodwin Johnston (HQs) LIA

Sgt. Harold K. Wuestenberg (HQs) LIA

Pvt. Carmelo J. Pulizzano (C) WIA

Pvt. Stanley Wilczewski (D) WIA

Pfc. Vernon P. Aubin (D) LIA

Pfc. Charles O. Lofton (A) WIA - GSW - Neck & Hand

Pvt. John N. Calvert (C) SIA

Pvt. Alfred J. Basse (C) SWA

Pvt. Otis B. Clifton (C) SIA

Pfc. Sam T. Skoda (D) LWA

Pvt. John W. Burris (A) WIA - GSW - Abdomen

Pfc. William L. Sperbert (A) LWA

Pvt. Robert E. Parsons (B) LWA

Sgt. Floyd U. Bond (C) LIA

Pvt. Michael Waslesyn (B) LWA

Pvt. Thomas Wojcischowski (B) LWA

Pvt. Frederick Davis (D) SWA

Olosy WIA - shot in foot

1/Lt. Orval H. Sheppard WIA

Sgt. James W. Ayers WIA - Sprained Knee

T/4 Kenneth Yochum WIA - Sprained Back

Cpl. Harold E. Cook WIA - LW - Nose

Sgt. Raby MIA



Monument at Biazza Ridge (Ponte Dirillo)



Pillbox at Biazza Ridge in 1943


Pillbox today (2005)



July 11, 1943 La Croce, Sicily
HQ, B, & D Batteries received verbal order Lt. Col. Harden at 7:00PM to move to bivouac North of San Croce Camerina. Movement began at 10:30PM.
C Battery made contact with CO 505 CT at 8:00AM. Ordered to move five miles NW of Vittoria on road to Gela. Movement began at once using captured transportation. Immediately upon arrival at Biazza Ridge, howitzer were put into position to repel tank attack using direct laying. Attack repelled with one MK VI destroyed one damaged and others hit. Machine gun crew shot down another ME 109 (confirmed) by 180th CT of 45th Division. Bivouacked in the area where remainder of Battalion less A Battery joined arrived the next morning. A Battery remained in bivouac. Patrols sent to make contact with friendly troops with no results.

Jay Karp:

We pulled into wooded area, dug in, sent out patrols, tried to make radio contact.


Doug Bailey:

After marching all night we pulled into a barnyard about daylight, and everybody took a break. When we rested we were on the road again and joined the combat team at Biazza Ridge. Somewhere along the way we got rid of all our prisoners. I think we gave them to the 45th Division. Went into position and dug in. Got some watermelon out of garden. We have captured Italian tanks, trucks, guns and a couple motorcycles. Heard that Sgt. Sholonis was killed when there door load got stuck, and by the time they jumped they were over the beach. Sgt. Raby and his planeload are still missing. Just ate some K rations and waiting to move up to front. German planes bombing ships in harbor, saw only one shot down. Got my foot taped up. Just came from where 505 lost a lot of guys. After we had taken a break and had a chance to get some sleep in the barnyard, we hit the road rested and in very high spirits. We had survived our first night combat jump, our first fighting and winning over the enemy. The climate was better than North Africa and we went in columns, one on each side of the road with the prisoners pulling the howitzer in the middle. Sometimes when we would take a short break and if we were lucky we would be opposite grape vineyards or melon patches, or tomato patches. We would take the steel part off our helmets, run out in the field and fill it up with whatever was available. The spoils of war you know. As we marched down the road, we would see these little farm houses with pretty curtains in the windows, some close to the road and others further back. When we got up close we could see that they were not what we thought they were. They were pill boxes with the curtains that looked so nice and pretty painted so they looked like real curtains.


Casualties:

Cpl. Lewis W. Baldwin (C) KIA

Pvt. Trafford H. Williams (C) KIA

Pvt. Edward G. Lakomy (C) KIA

Capt. Victor E. Garrett (HQs) SWA

Pfc. Harvey K. Brenes (B) LWA

S/Sgt. George Dariska (HQs) LWA

S/Sgt. Clarence G. Bell (HQs) LWA

Tec 5 Dolan R. Doby (HQs) LWA


July 12, 1943 5 miles South of Vittoria, Sicily
HQ, B, & D Batteries moved into bivouac five miles south of Vittoria at 4:00AM. Received orders at 7:30AM to move five miles NW of Vittoria. Movement begun at 8:00AM. Closed in new area with C Battery at 2:00PM. A Battery remained in bivouac area sent out patrols to make contact with friendly troops. No results. Two howitzers lost on drop. Much signal equipment lost or abandoned due to lack of means of transportation. Personnel tired, dirty and hungry. Not transportation available. Water supply satisfactory. Morale very high.



Gus Hazzard:

pinned down from July 12 to 15th without support.



Casualties:

Tec 4 Claude A. Doster (A) KIA

Sgt. Edward R. Bucher Jr. (C) DOW

1st. Lt. Billy R. Lewelling (HQs) LWA

Pvt. John C. Cherkauskas (D) LWA

Cpl. Winfred L. Mellon (HQs) LWA


July 13, 1943 Biazza Ridge
Battalion less A Battery cleaning equipment. A Battery no change. Patrols made contact with 16 CT 1st Division at 7:30PM.

HQ, B & D batteries joined Lt. Col. Harden and C Battery 7 miles west of Vittoria at 11:00PM.



Doug Bailey:

Still at Biazza Ridge, US 155 artillery outfit just went by. 376 Parachute Artillery and 504 Parachute Infantry lost a lot of guys. Talked to a medic out of 504. Their plane was hit and blew up. He was only one to get out of his plane. He pulled his reserve and got clear of the wreckage and came down with his reserve chute only. Went to look at Mark 6 Tiger tank that "C" Battery knocked out, it's a big son of a gun, had 88mm gun on it. Also looked at a 77mm gun, a motorcycle, and 5 German graves. Cecil Farmer and myself went over to where they had German prisoners from the Herman Goring Panzer Division, burying about 15 of our guys in shallow graves. Two troopers from our Battalion were killed when the light Italian tank that they captured that resembled a British Bren Carrier took a direct hit from a German 88 on a Mark 6 Tiger Tank. Since we didn't jump with blankets and it got pretty cold at night, I had been using my cellophane type gas cape to keep a little warm at night. Looked up one morning, and here comes Rip True with wheelbarrow full of German blankets he got out of a barracks near by. The 4th gun section slept warm that night, but had to go to the 45th Division aid station the next day to get deloused.


Ridgway's Paratroopers, Clay Blair - Gavin, in one of the finest, most dogged displays of leadership in all of World War II, held on to Biazza Ridge. As the day wore on he got decisive outside help. Some 75mm pack howitzers of Harrison Harden's 456th Parachute Artillery arrived.
(Harden himself was dropped thirty-two miles from the assigned DZ.) (pg. 98)



Casualties:

Sgt. Anthony W. Sholonis (C) KIA - Jumped into sea

1st. Lt. Carrell F. Willis (HQs) KIA

Pvt. Maurice P. Doran MIA

Sgt. George S. Sipple (A) SWA

Pvt. Valentine Bianchin (C) WIA

Cpl. Roy L. Montague (A) LWA


July 14, 1943 1 mile East of Gela, Sicily
Departed Biazza Ridge at 7:00AM on foot and arrived 1 mile East of Gela at 5:00PM. A Battery joined Battalion here at 7:10PM. Ammunition on hand, 1180 rounds.



Doug Bailey:

Marched to Gela, a tough hike, feet are killing me (new boots). Saw some American jeeps and five American tanks that were destroyed and dead paratrooper beside bridge. Somebody had taken his boots. German and American equipment scattered in the ditches. Sgt. Raby is ok. We are now on big hill overlooking Gela. Can see group of American ships in harbor. I'm out of water. Very thirsty. Sgt. Raby and his planeload reported missing, found out later that they got lost over the ocean and flew back to Africa, and came in the next night with the 504.

July 15, 1943
Doug Bailey

Still on hill by Gela. Have plenty of water now. Everybody pissed off because we had to shave. Had an inspection by General Gavin. After inspection went to beach. Got a ride in amphibious duck to Gela. While on the hill at Gela, we had a after battle critique where anybody could speak out his ideas on the jump, weapons, etc. One guy got up and suggested that since we had such a bad dispersal, that they let the paratroopers fly the planes, and make the air force jump.

Casualties:

Pvt. Lee M. Ross (A) KIA

Pfc. James O. Ellis (HQs) WIA

Pvt. Horace E. Drew (C) LWA


July 16, 1943
Doug Bailey:

Had mountain rations for breakfast, pretty good. Busted part of my rifle. Got another part and fixed it. Went swimming in the ocean today and had lots of fun. Lots of landing craft wrecked on beach. Sweated like heck going over and back. Eating 5 & 1 rations, better then C or K rations. Lots of ships in harbor unloading men and equipment.

Gus Hazzard:

GIs from Gela pushed inland and we moved out to Gela 10 miles away by donkey & carts. We bivouacked on the outskirts of Gela for 4 days trying to get out act together.

Casualties:

Pfc. Leonard Orlowski (B) WIA


July 17, 1943 1 mile South of Agrigento, Sicily

Departed from Gela area at 9:00AM by vehicle and arrived at bivouac area 2 miles Southeast of Agrigento at 10:00PM.

Doug Bailey

Cleaned 75mm howitzer. Still waiting to move out. They said we would leave tonight. We moved out by truck towards the front. Passed lots of wrecked pill boxes and trucks. Bridges were blown up so we went around them. Using some captured trucks to move up. A. J. Pierce driving a big charcoal burning truck. Camped for the night near Littica. All the towns we went through are pretty old and dirty. Traveled about 60 miles today. Lot of troops going forward.

July 18, 1943 Monte Allegro
Major Neal and Lt. Lewellan reconnoitered vicinity.

Doug Bailey

Went down to a stream and washed. Filled my helmet with grapes. Went swimming in the ocean again, came back and ate. Watched about 200 Italian prisoners go by with only two guards.

July 19, 1943 1 mile Southeast of Ribera
Departed Agrigento area at 10:00AM by vehicle and arrived at bivouac area 1 mile Southeast of Ribera at 11:30PM.

Doug Bailey

Cleaned bazooka and rifle, moved again toward the front. More bridges blown out. Moved at night. Now in orchard. Dug slit trench.

Casualties:

Tec 4 Cyril D. Schreiner (A) LWA


July 20, 1943 Truck Comiso, Sicily
Gus Hazzard

We moved up the coast toward Trapani, knocking out pill boxes along the coast.

Casualties:

Cpl. James M. Bishop (A) WIA - FS - Metatarsal

Cpl. George W. Blair (B) LWA


July 22, 1943 Truck Ste. Margherita, Sicily
Departed Ribera area at 8:00AM and arrived at bivouac area 1/2 mile South of Santa Margherita at 9:00PM.



Doug Bailey:

Still in orchard, found well. Best drinking water since I left the states. Took whores bath out of helmet. Ate some grapes and cleaned rifle.


July 23, 1943 Truck/March Castelvetrano, Sicily
Departed Santa Margherita area at 12:00PM and arrived at firing position 1 mile East of Trapani at 5:00PM.



Doug Bailey

Still at Orchard, had gun drill. Cleaned bazooka. Laying around waiting to go someplace.

July 23, 1943 1 mile east of Trapani
Enemy established strong points and road blocks east of Trapani and in San Marco and Paparrela. All resistance ceased on July 23. A Battery attached to 1st Battalion 505 with mission to seize San Marco and Paparrela. Remainder of Battalion went into position under enemy artillery fire. Fired five battery concentrations silencing two enemy batteries and knocking out a strong point and some pill boxes. Enemy resistance ceased at about 6:45PM. Fired 141 rounds leaving 1189.



Doug Bailey:

Moved up to another place. Going into action again soon.



Ridgway's Paratroopers, Clair Brown - To counter the artillery fire, Ridgway and Gavin brought up some guns of Harrison Harden's 456th airborne artillery. Seeing this, the Italian artillery zeroed in on the American artillery, sending in a hail of bursting shells that forced one gun crew to run for shelter. Ridgway's G-2, George Lynch, and the G-3, Klemm Boyd, were watching. What happened next was one of the boldest acts Lynch had ever seen, and he would never forget it. "Ridgway calmly strode up to the deserted gun while Italian shells were bursting in all around it. His brave example rallied the crew back into action." The incident did not bode well for Harrison Harden. Later, on Ridgway's order, Max Taylor relieved Harden from command, reduced him in rank and sent him back to the States. Harden, replaced by his exec, Hugh A. Neal, was bitter. He wrote later that he distrusted most infantrymen, whom he found to be "uncooperative, unimaginative, and unintelligent." He faulted infantryman Ridgway in particular for "lack of care for his men" and for "bad judgment in the planning of the second jump into Sicily." In the Trapani "battle," Harden thought that Ridgway "seemed to be commanding well and was brave under fire to the point of being exhibitionistic." (pg. 113)



Casualties:

1st. Lt. Timothy A. Moran (C) LWA


July 24, 1943 Sciacca, Sicily
July 24, 1943 March/Truck Trapani, Sicily
Doug Bailey:

Moved to Trapani by truck. Crowded as heck. Went past burning railroad station. Went into position on outskirts of Trapani Went into position under fire. They were using time fire, but had their fuses set wrong and their shells were bursting high in the air. I could lay in my slit trench and reach up and pick grapes.

July 25, 1943
Battle of Trapani. Forces engaged were 505th Combat Team and 124th Coastal Infantry Regiment (Italian) and 207th Coastal Division (Italian) as well as Italian naval personnel.



Doug Bailey:

Fires from yesterday still burning. White flags on houses. People cheering as we came through the towns. Threw us apples, candy, flowers, and sometimes when we stopped they gave us bottles of wine.

July 26, 1943 Truck
Departed firing position 1 mile East of Trapani and arrived at bivouac area 6 miles southeast of Trapani.


July 27, 1943 Eria, Sicily
Doug Bailey:

Left few guys on gun, and the rest of the Battalion went prowling through the hills and some little towns. I think this was a show of force to let the people know what we were in charge. Sweated so much, it got in my eyes. Found out that we are going back to North Africa. Somebody stealing morphine out of first aid packets.

July 28, 1943
Off again on another hike through the country side, longer than yesterday. Went past airport which had been bombed. All kinds of planes scattered all over. Dead horses in road.


August 3, 1943
Colonel Harrison B. Harden relieved, and reduced in rank, by Brigadier General Maxwell D. Taylor (artillery commander) for failure to maintain discipline in battalion during the July 24 Battle of Trapani. "A" battery had jumped into foxholes during some shelling which angered Ridgeway. He walked out to the abandoned gun in the midst of shelling, rallying the artillerymen. Many officers and men of the battery felt that the dismissal of Harden was really because of a difference in artillery philosophy. Being infantrymen, Ridgeway and Taylor felt that artillery should be used in direct support where Harden, a professional artilleryman, felt artillery should provide indirect support. Ridgeway found the incident at Trapani as a good excuse to replace Harden.



Harrison Harden (notes to Clay Blair for his book on Ridgeway)

Prior to the time it was assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division, the 456th Parachute FABn, then a part of the Airborne Command at Fort Bragg, developed and constructed and tested the special equipment necessary to deliver parachute field artillery into combat. The battalion conducted training for and furnished cadres for all of the original parachute field artillery battalions. The 456th PFAB was the first such battalion to go into battle, on 9 July 1943.
During training in North Africa the 456th was attached to the 505th Combat Team commanded by then Col. Gavin. Gavin and I did the detailed planning for the first jump into Sicily. The battalion fought initially with 10 75mm pack howitzers (of 12 planned and transported). At Biazza Ridge the unit assisted in repulsing an attack by the tanks of the Herman Goering Tenth Panzer Division and helped hinder the attack of the Tenth on the beaches at Gela. The battalion was part of the attack on Trapani. Before assembly after the drops, the batteries conducted much fighting at various locations. (I personally landed 32 miles from my destination).
I was relieved by then Brig. Gen. Maxwell D. Taylor for alleged failure to maintain discipline in the battalion. Neal was battalion Executive. I was reduced in rank and sent home to the Airborne Command. I have never had contact with Neal or d'Alession since 3 August 1943.
John T. Cooper was liaison for me to the 505th and the best officer I had. Stuart H. Seaton commanded "A" Battery of the 456th on the jump into Sicily. Seaton and the Headquarters Battery Commander, Victor E. Garrett, were wounded on the jump.
I have already stated cause not particularly to like Mathew B. Ridgeway. As a field artilleryman I distrust most infantrymen. As a breed, they are uncooperative, unimaginative, and unintelligent (note their standings in the West Point classes). They do fight, which I guess is what they are paid for. The Russians attack with tanks and artillery and send in the infantry to mop up.
Blair/Cooper - Major Hugh Neal, also a professional artilleryman, assumes command and Wicks becomes XO. Neal was an excellent teacher but many under his command felt that he was a perfectionist who was never satisfied.

August 1943 Truck Castelvetrano, Sicily
Doug Bailey

Went of firing problem on other side of Trapani. Then went swimming in ocean. A bags came in with rear echelon. On guard post #4. Visited Areecce (The city above the clouds) Then went on firing problems and road marches. Civilians come in area couple times a day to sell eggs, melons and vino. Getting ready to leave, going back to North Africa. The island is now in our hands. Went on another hike, got back with two blisters. Heard again that we are going back to North Africa. Moved about 3 miles to old German camp. German and Italian equipment scattered all over. Everybody had the Red Ass, all non-coms ducked retreat. S--- Drunk, Sgt. R--- & Sgt. --- shipped out. Mc--E--- & E---put in guard house. Don't remember all the details, but do remember when we had to take one guy up to court martial proceedings. We had to get a stretcher from the Medics because he was too drunk to walk. The outcome of all this was that they transferred all the habitual screw up and trouble makers out of the Battalion.



GENERAL NOTES ABOUT SICILY

Total casualties:
O's EM
Dead 2 8
Missing 0 3
Wounded not evacuated 1 0
Wounded 3 24
Total 6 35



Cooper had trouble keeping order in a guard house, filled with misfit parachutists and drunkards. Women were coming in the evenings, bringing wine. Cooper turned to Pvt. Carson "Booger" Childress, known for his strength and devotion to Cooper. (Before war, Booger had been member of SC chain gang after setting fire to a church.) Cooper told him he was promoting him to sergeant and placing him in charge of the guard house. Booger didn't want to be a sergeant, but Cooper insisted. Booger drove up to the guard house and called all the men out. He asked any man who thought he could take on the Booger to step forward, but none did. He then asked for any two men, but none stepped forward. There was some shuffling of feet and Booger ordered them to attention. He then asked all of them to step forward if they felt they could take him on, but they stayed at attention. He then got on the front of his jeep with his Tommy gun and ordered them to fall into formation and to begin running. Booger followed them in the jeep with the Tommy gun, making sure they were sufficiently tired. They did not give the unit any more trouble.

Joe Stolmeier

Battery A Entered Sicily with 175 men. 76 were not killed or wounded. Lt. Shepard only lt. not k/w.

Stuart Seaton (tape)

On second day, Stuart Seaton took some men on patrol and was wounded in the right shoulder and head by rifle fire.

Al Mury (tape)

Weather during flight to DZ was terrible. Half the men were getting sick on the plane. It was tough getting up to prepare to jump because of the slipping over the vomit on the floor of the plane. Mury landed near Camissa, about 30 miles from the DZ. If had landed on the DZ, would have been in the middle of the Herman Goering Div. They took a lot of Italian prisoners, who willing turned themselves in.
Remembers beautiful moonlit night accentuating 3 ancient columns.
While heading toward Trapani, Mury saw a sign for the 505th Troop Carrier Wing. Remembering the claim of his pilot that if he didn't drop Mury's stick on the DZ. The pilot would give him a bottle of whiskey, Mury went looking for him. He finally found him but only got a glass of whiskey for his trouble.

Gus Hazzard (tape)

Missed dropped zone by more than 25 miles. The first person he met was Bob Boland. They landed near a German 88 battery.

Jay Karp (tape):

landed in open field with stone walls a couple of miles from DZ. Came up on Biazza Ridge at end of battle. On road to Trapani, saw allied, anti-aircraft guns fire on the 504th. Felt this second jump was totally unnecessary since the positions had already been taken. When reached Trapani, had folding stock carbines which were useless. He told Italians that folding stock carbines were to be used to shoot around corners.

Other Casualties During Sicily Campaign - no dates known

1st. Lt. Charles R. Zirkle (Med. Det.) WIA

Pvt. John J. Milner (D) WIA

Pvt. Harold Mast (B) LIA

Pvt. Alfred Karimaki (B) WIA

Pvt. Bernard V. Hart (D) WIA

Pvt. Edd Edmonds (B) WIA

Tec 5 Clyde B. Martin (D) WIA

Pfc. Henry F. Rutherford (D) WIA

Tec 5 James W. Hanley (HQs) WIA

Pvt. Lewis R. Dohtery (HQs) WIA

Pvt. Fred R. Snyder (HQs) WIA

Tec 5 Charles W. Whitney (C) WIA

Pvt. Robert E. Compston (C) WIA

Tec 4 Lester L. Wilhelm (A) WIA

Cpl. Glen E. Witwere (B) WIA

Sgt. John A. Saver (B) WIA

Cpl. Frank T. Pfeil (B) WIA

Pvt. Nicholas J. Converso (D) WIA

S/Sgt. Howell S. Blankenbaker (HQs) WIA

Pvt. Joseph E. Meighan (HQs) WIA

S/Sgt. Alvaro L. Beltran (HQs) WIA

S/Sgt. John J. Szpila (HQs) WIA

Pfc. Thomas G. Stivale Prisoner

Pvt. Joseph T. Kieltyka of Battery D is listed as a battle casualty, but is not included in above because he shot himself in the feet in Trapani while in his quarters and not in proximity to the enemy. Pfc. Boleck S. Morez of Battery C was shot in the ear by adjoining man while in ranks at formation.


Aug. 20, 1943 Air Kairouan, Tunisia
Departed Trapani area by truck at 9:00AM and arrived at airfield 8 miles South of Trapani at 10:30PM. Departed airfield by plane. Arrived at airfield 10 miles Northeast of Kairouan. Departed airfield by truck and arrived base camp 30 miles Northeast of Kairouan at 10:00PM.



Blair (pg. 160):

Batteries C & D flew back across the Mediterranean to Comiso, Sicily. Ridgeway and Taylor had soured on the 456th due to the incident at Trapani. For that reason, neither Ridgway nor Taylor pressed to have the 456th included in the Salerno, Italy operation. It enplaned in Sicily for North Africa and, owing to an administrative foul-up, was scattered around North African and Sicilian bases.

Doug Bailey

Went to airport at Trapani. C-47s all over the place to fly us back to Africa. Got souvenir from wrecked German plane. Boarded C-47 and flew back to North Africa. Went into bivouac at pretty good place. Bob Hope on show. Moved by truck to Bizerte. Good deal. Go swimming everyday. Heard that we will be flying back to Sicily.

Train Sousse, Tunisia

Batteries C & D



Train Tunis, Tunisia

Batteries C & D



Truck Matfur, Tunisia

Batteries C & D



Truck Bizerte, Tunisia

Batteries C & D


Aug. 23, 1943 Kairouan, Tunisia