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The French ABC is an officially recognized 509th PIB, WWII living history group by the American 509th PIA - Lcreation et Italy
Airborne Command :: Airborne History and uniforms :: Southern France/DRAGOON uniforms :: 463rd PFA Battalion
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creation et Italy
SKIPPY Dim 08 Mar 2020, 22:38
Aug. 23, 1943 Kairouan, Tunisia
Doug Bailey
Batteries A & B. Bob Hope Show with Jerry Colona & Francis Langford??
Aug. 28, 1943 Truck Bizerte, Tunisia
Batteries A & B
Doug Bailey
We were camped right on the beach outside of the harbor at Bizerte. Went through our biggest air raid of the war. We could see the German planes when the search lights caught them in their beams. Flack was really filling the sky, and lots of stuff with fuses that didn't work were falling down in our area and exploding. Watched a lighted up hospital ship come sailing out of the harbor, making a mad dash for the open sea. Another trooper lost couple of fingers while taking apart a fuzzed 37mm shell he picked up at Trapani airport while waiting for planes to take us back to Africa.
Gus Hazzard
trained for amphibious landing, camping on the beach.
Sept. 5, 1943
Jay Karp
we had a large air raid.
Sept. 7, 1943
Departed from bivouac area 30 miles Northeast of Kairouan by vehicle at 9:00AM.
Arrived at the airfield 4 miles South of Matfur at 11:00AM.
Sept. 9, 1943 Air Comiso, Sicily
Batteries A & B
Departed airfield by plane at 2:00PM and arrived at airfield 4 miles north of Comiso, Sicily at 4:00PM. Bivouacked on north edge of airfield. Had returned to Sicily for possible airborne mission.
Doug Bailey
Back in Sicily now camped at airport a few miles from Vittoria. Wrecked German planes all over the place. Took my trench knife and took joy stick out of a ME-109 fighter. Lots of German bombs in woods. Flies terrible. Went to Vitoria one day, got some vino. We do a little drill in morning and get afternoon off. Too hot to do much. Heard that we are going to Italy soon. Back to the old grind of training again. Had big rain storm. Got my tent fixed up. Hope it will keep me dry. Sleeping on a bed made of 88mm shell cases (they were like a wicker basket). Adolph Menjou was here today, told us the people back home thought the war was over and that production had decreased. Still near airfield at Vittoria shows just about every night. Bowersox and I took bath over by a Sicilian well. Civilians thought that was real funny. This place in the trees at the edge of the airport was really shanty town. We made huts out of old lumber shelter halves, and other stuff that we found in the area. Lt. from another battery killed when he put down a German teller mine by the mess tent. It went off and riddled the mess tent and wounded a couple more guys. I heard that he brought it into the area to lecture about it?
Sept. 12, 1943
Gus Hazzard:
504 took off for jump in Italy.
Sept. 13, 1943
Gus Hazzard:
505 took off for jump in Italy.
Oct. 12, 1943
Doug Bailey:
American pilot flying captured ME 109 killed at field near here while landing. Raining today.
Oct. 13, 1943
Doug Bailey:
- O--- got on a crying drunk, and had the whole battery in hysterics. Going out to fire tomorrow.
Oct. 14, 1943
Doug Bailey:
Went out and fired the 75s.
Oct. 22, 1943
Doug Bailey:
Squadron of B17s from bases in North Africa landed at airport here. They are going on a mission deep in Austria.
Oct. 25, 1943 Comiso, Sicily
Batteries A & B. Experimental day jump made with the pack 75 already assembled in an attached glider. Planes flew over Mediterranean, turned, and came back in, released the glider, then the tow ropes and jumped. Most of jumpers concerned more about tow ropes than the glider.
Doug Bailey
After breakfast, all squads had to furnish two men each to make jump at Gela. Like always, when something like this came up, my 4th gun section would cut cards. Bowersox and myself were the ones from our squad. We loaded up in the C-47s with a glider hooked on behind with the 75mm gun fully assembled and took off from the airfield where we were bivouacked. Flew out over the Mediterranean for awhile then came in over the airport at Gela. They dropped the glider, then the tow rope over the field, and we jumped and landed in a nice soft plowed field at the edge of the airport. Then pretended to attack an anti-aircraft position on a hill overlooking the airport. We were quite concerned that the tow rope would not release and the hook on the end would hit and split a canopy. So we tied a string to the end hooked up to the tail of the plane and ran it along the fuselage to the guy standing in the door so when the tow rope released it would pull the string out of the guys hand, and we would know the tow rope was released ok.
Nov. 1, 1943 Comiso, Sicily
Gus Hazzard - Batteries A & B packed for England (rumor)
Nov. 5, 1943
Gus Hazzard - Loaded box cars in Comiso.
Nov. 7, 1943 Train Modica, Sicily
Departed from Comiso Airfield by vehicle at 8:30PM. Arrived Comiso Station at 10:00PM.
Gus Hazzard:
Batteries A & B - Rainy
Train Noto, Sicily
Batteries A & B
Train Siracusa, Sicily
Batteries A & B
Nov. 8, 1943 Train Augusta, Sicily
Arrived British Transient Camp 5 miles outside of Augusta at 4:00PM.
Batteries A & B. Camped with British troops.
Nov. 9, 1943 Boat Augusta, Sicily
Departed Transient Camp by foot at 7:00AM and arrived at Augusta quay at 9:00AM. Boarded ship S.S. Villa De Oran.
Gus Hazzard
Walked five miles to dock and boarded British run French ship The Villa De Oran
Doug Bailey
Leaving Sicily. Went to Augusta by train, stayed overnight in British camp. Marched to docks and boarded French ship run by the British named "Villa De Oran". I had yellow jaundice and was put in ships sick bay all the way to Algiers. Had German prisoners aboard. Landed at Algiers stayed three days. Went by box car to Bizerte. I was very sick and had miserable trip. Box car was crowded. Took long time to get to Bizerte.
Nov. 13, 1943 Boat
Arrived Algiers at 6:00PM
Nov. 14, 1943 Boat Algiers, Algeria
Debarked from S.S. Ville at 10:00AM and departed quay by vehicle. Arrived at the 23rd Replacement Depot at 11:00AM.
Batteries A & B arrived 12PM. Batteries reunited.
Nov. 17, 1943
Batteries A & B departed 23rd Replacement Depot by vehicle at 10:00AM. Arrived Maison Blanche at 10:30AM. Entrained and departed at 12:00PM.
Nov. 20, 1943
Batteries A & B arrived at bivouac area 3 miles west of Bizerte at 2:00PM.
Nov. 22, 1943
Doug Bailey
Now at Bizerte. Will stay about 4 days. Went to Tunis on pass. Nice modern city. Raining like heck. On night detail at dock loading crates of parachutes to go to England with the 505.
Nov. 24, 1943
Headquarters Battery and Batteries A & B boarded S. S. Anson Jones at 5:00PM.
the S. S. Anson Jones
Nov. 25, 1943 Boat Bizerte, Tunisia
Headquarters, Batteries A & B sailed on Liberty Ship Anson Jones at 10:30AM. Batteries C & D remained behind under command of Capt. Raymond M. Crossman, attached to HQ Battery, 82nd A/B Division Artillery.
Doug Bailey
Now on Liberty ship "Anson Jones" headed for Naples I think? Bunch of British engineers on board.
Nov. 26, 1943
Doug Bailey
Had turkey for dinner today on board Liberty ship "Anson Jones". Now anchored in harbor of Augusta, Sicily. Same place we left from quite some time ago to go back to Africa. On guard tonight.
GENERAL NOTES ABOUT NORTH AFRICA
Vic Tofany (tape):
Borrowed battery jeep to visit friends after Sicily. Jeep was stolen. Tofany reported it stolen. When he notified his driver that it was stolen, his driver was upset because he had stolen it and had pained the 463rd designation on the side. It became common practice for the men to steal trucks and jeeps and paint the unit designation on the side.
Tony Spagnol and other men from his unit were sitting listening to a Captain from division headquarters request volunteers for a special mission on August 25. Tony and Bob Langfeld volunteered. On August 31 Tony and Bob were sent to the 319th Glider Field Artillery which was assigned to support the 1st Ranger Battalion of Colonel Darby. Tony was assigned to a 50 caliber machine gun crew to anchor the north end of the 319th gun positions on the Salerno beachhead. Prior to the invasion of Italy, Tony could see LCT's, LCI's, destroyers, sub-chasers, liberty ships, the British battleship Monitor with its 14" guns, American and British cruisers within and around Salerno Bay.
"There were air raids every five minutes. We were told that the cruiser Savanah received a direct hit on a gun turret. The ship was in our convoy; I would guess several miles or so away. We were told that the ship suffered about 250 casualties, many may have been killed and\or severely wounded. Big dog fight took place overhead. Our fighter planes and German 109's go at it above our fleet. Warships opened up with their ack, ack guns but for some reason some of the ships around us did not open up, why I don't know. A fire fight could be seen on the beachhead a distance away. We left Salerno Bay at about 1430 hour. We saw several fighter planes go down in smoke flames. I could not determine whether the planes shot down were ours or German. Late at night, I guess about 2300 hour, we hit the beach at Maiori, Italy which we understand is north of Salerno. Less than 15 minutes later I set foot in Italy. Even at night I could see that Maiori is a quiet little town nestled against the hills along the coast of western Italy. I thought I saw a beautiful white stucco chapel from the LTC before we landed. The full moon shown on the little town which looked like a small town in the States from the distance of our LCT. We unloaded the LCT in about 35 minutes. I worked on the ammo detail. We had an air raid in the area but no one was hit. One or two bombers dropped bombs nearby at about 2400 hours. I was mighty tired so I laid down on the ammo boxes with my buddies and fell asleep. I slept through my first night of the invasion of mainland Italy. We were told that the Rangers had landed hours before us and cleared the beachhead and they were now fighting for the hills behind the town. Also, rumor has it that the Rangers are opposed by the XIV Panzer Corp under General Vietinghoff. They are meeting stiff opposition after they took the high ground cutting off the Chiunzi Pass, near Monte di Chiunzi. I believe we had guys from the 504 on ship with us and also on the LSI's. I was assigned to a 50 caliber machine gun crew to anchor the north end of the 319 gun positions. After several days of firing the 105s in support of the Rangers, I volunteered to carry five gallon cans of water up to the Rangers on the top of the hills in front of our gun positions. I had several close calls when I got lost in front of the Ranger positions. The battles were fierce and the balance of the Salerno beachhead was precarious for several days. We rejoined the 456 PFA after the Salerno campaign which ended with the capture of Naples on October 1, 1943. Langfeld and I were flown down to Comiso, Sicily in a C-47."
Ridgway's Paratroopers, Clay Blair - One major element of the division remained behind: the 456th Parachute Artillery, now commanded by Hugh A. Neal. Ridgway and Taylor had soured on the outfit and had replaced its commander, Harrison Harden. For that reason, neither Ridgway nor Taylor nor Andy March pressed to have the 456th included in the Salerno operation. It enplaned in Sicily for North Africa and, owing to an administrative foul-up, was scattered around North African bases. Much later, it regrouped and landed in Italy by ship. (pg. 160)
Nov. 27, 1943 Boat Augusta, Sicily
Arrived in Augusta at 11:00AM. Stayed in harbor over night inside sub nets.
Doug Bailey
We had pulled into Augusta to wait until dark and then make dash through the straits of Messina. Convoy was raided going through straits yesterday. Lots of British troops on board.
Nov. 28, 1943 Boat Augusta, Sicily
Left 11:00AM. Passed through Messina straits at 12AM.
Nov. 28, 1943 Boat Algiers, Algeria
Batteries C & D boarded British ship "Franconia" for British Isles.
Nov. 30, 1943 Boat Naples, Italy
Batteries A & B & Hq docked at Naples at 11:00AM. Debarked at 11:30AM and marched to bivouac area 5 miles North of Naples at Bagnoli, Italy, arriving at 5:00PM.
Arrived at 10:00AM
Nov. 30, 1943 March Bagnoli, Italy
Doug Bailey:
Came through the straits of Messina OK. No sign of enemy planes. Pulled into harbor at Naples. Lots of ships sunk in harbor. Had long march to quarters, staying in some Italian college buildings (Victor Emmanuel College)
Dec. 1943 Truck Caserta, Italy
Dec. 1, 1943
Doug Bailey
Christmas package from home.
Dec. 5, 1943
Doug Bailey
Went into Naples without pass. Pretty interesting place. On guard tonight.
Dec. 8, 1943
Doug Bailey:
Went to Naples with Datoli. Walked all over. Talked to some survivors of 16 merchant ships that were sunk in the Atlantic. They told us there were lots of ships in the Harbor at Barry, including ammunition ships when some Faulk Wolf fighter bombers that had twin tails and were mistaken for out own twin tail P-38s. Got in close and bombed heck out of them.
Dec. 9, 1943
Doug Bailey
Advanced detail left this morning for someplace.
Dec. 13, 1943
Departed Bagnoli by vehicle by echelon starting at 6:00AM.
Doug Bailey:
Now about 30 miles from Naples at Italian Army Garrison with the Canadian/American First Special Service Force. Living in bombed out buildings. Allied planes going back and forth all day to the front lines. This was our first meeting of the Canadian/American First Special Service Force. We would be with them quite some time.
Dec. 14, 1943 Truck Santa Maria, Italy
Closed in bivouac area 1 mile Northwest of Santa Maria at 11:00AM.
Attached to the First Special Service Force, known to the Germans as the "Black Devils". Gen. Frederick had stickers printed with "The Worst is Yet to Come" in German which were pasted on the foreheads of Germans killed during patrols. (Rome '44, Trevelyan, pg. 193)
Dec. 21, 1943 Truck Venafro, Italy
Doug Bailey:
Rain, snow, mud, mules & mountains was the story of Cassino front. Water filled shell holes, trees shattered, and destroyed villages. Took hot shower and got clean underwear. Cleaned gun and loaded in trailer. Getting ready to move up again.
Dec. 22, 1943 Truck Ceppagna, Italy
Departed Santa Maria area by vehicle at 4:00PM. Arrived in position at Ceppagna at 7:00PM.
Doug Bailey:
Still by San Vittore (del Lazio). Got haircut from kid about 12 years old in bombed out town. On 4 hour guard last night but nobody woke me up. So didn't stand guard. Don't think the guy I was suppose to relieve could find my hole. Gun all dug in and camouflaged. Did not do a hell of a lot of firing. Moved back by jeep and trailer to San Vittore for a rest.
Dec. 23, 1943 Mt. Sammucro (Monte Sambùcaro)
John Cooper:
Went into position near Ceppagna in support of First Special Service Force. Due to heavy snow and general inclement weather, operations were static during the period that this unit was on the Italian southern front. Heavy artillery fire going in both directions was the usual order of things.
Doug Bailey:
Heard of Allied landings below Rome. Moved up to new positions on side of hill. Raining like heck. While digging gun pit came across old Roman road. Did a lot of firing. German planes diving on our positions on other side of hill. Kitchen tent burnt down. Moore got hand burnt.
Dec. 25, 1943
Joined in assault on Hill 720 (Western spur of Mt. Sammucro) on Christmas Day.
Doug Bailey:
Christmas at the front. Pulled in last night. Dug gun in. Wet and muddy. Saw Bill Faires and Norm Svela. They are in little town close by. We moved up at night, and when morning came found out we were in a really bad exposed position on this hillside. We could see Casino and the Abbey in front of us. I think this is why we did not stay in this position very long. That night the rain was really coming down and I was on guard out in front of position and noticed a long line of guys coming down past me. I asked, "What outfit you guys in?" It was the Japanese 100th Battalion, later to be part of the Japanese 442nd Regimental Combat Team.
Dec. 28, 1943
Casualties
T/5 Daniel Torrieri WIA
Jan. 3, 1944
Doug Bailey:
Saw our plane dive bomb German position. Went about 25 miles back of front to take shower. On way back to front, German planes strafed us. Trucks stopped. I jumped out over tailgate and dove under motor of truck behind us. Green Eyes (Bennett) dove in ditch full of water. So did Powers. Planes came back about 2:00PM. Two of them shot down. Came during fire mission. Everybody hit the dirt. They killed about 20 men and left 3 trucks burning on the road.
Jan. 4, 1944
Doug Bailey:
Still at front. We are dug in on side of hill and close by there was a pile of dead Germans that were piled up like a stack of wood and frozen stiff.
Jan. 5, 1944
Doug Bailey:
Watched our planes dive bomb German positions. Big battle going on all night. Sky was all lit up. Dead German wrapped in shelter half close to position. Lots of rain.
Jan. 6, 1944
Doug Bailey:
Enemy planes overhead. AA drove them away. Germans shelling town and hill about a mile away. Our planes dive bombing Germans. Mortar shelling in close by the Germans. Now have slit trench with roof.
Jan. 7, 1944 Truck San Vittore (San Victoria), Italy
Departed positions area at Ceppagna by vehicle by echelon at 7:30PM.
Arrived in position area 1/2 mile East of San Vittore at 9:30PM.
Casualties:
Pvt. Wendell D. Gillman WIA - LW - Leg
Jan. 8, 1944
Doug Bailey:
German planes overhead nearly all day. Moving up tonight.
Casualties:
Pfc. John Rimm DOW
Jan. 9, 1944
Doug Bailey:
Moved up to the front last night. Dug gun in. Five of us came up late. Driver got lost on the way up. After digging in, dug slit trenches. It is raining very hard. A few enemy shells bursting near. Finished slit trench and had some fire missions.
Jan. 11, 1944
Doug Bailey
Firing at the Germans. Shell landed right in front of our gun. A dud. It was in this position when we first heard the German Nebelwerfer (Screaming Meemie) a six barrel rocket gun that made such a horrible screech.
Jan. 13, 1944
Casualties:
Pvt. Francis Kane WIA - SFW - Back
Doug Bailey
German planes came over while eating breakfast. Everybody scattered. Spitfires chasing Germans. Our AA shooting at the Spitfires. Shelled German dug out with good effect. B-25 received direct hit from German AA. Burst into flames.
Jan. 15, 1944
Casualties:
Pvt. George M. Akin WIA - LW - Hand & Leg
Pfc. Wayne L. McKenzie WIA
Jan. 16, 1944
Departed positions area San Vittore by vehicle in echelon at 2:30PM. Arrived in position area on Southeast edge of Cervaro at 5:30PM.
Doug Bailey:
Fired all night. Heard that Rezor from HQ had foot blown off by German mine while laying wire.
Casualties:
Pvt. Nicholas Rezor WIA - foot blown off
Jan. 17, 1944 Truck Cassino, Italy
Finally relieved after months of rain, snow, and mountains. Water-filled foxholes and gun pits.
Doug Bailey:
Fired all night. Germans shelling us with mortars. Took compass reading on them and fired corps 5 rounds. Today saw German fighter plane blow up over gun position. Spitfire shot it down. It was a German ME 109.
Jan. 17, 1944 Truck Santa Maria, Italy
Jan. 18, 1944
Departed position area Cervaro by vehicle by echelon at 7:00PM.
Jan. 19, 1944
Arrived positions area 2 miles Northwest of Cervaro at 4:00AM.
Doug Bailey:
In position on outskirts of Cervaro. Moved in two nights ago. Dug gun in. Fired very little. Now waiting to move a couple miles toward Casino. Germans shelling close. S---- had a nervous breakdown and sent to rear. Enemy planes overhead every day. Moving up tonight.
Jan. 20, 1944
Departed position area Cervaro by vehicle by echelon at 3:30PM. Arrived bivouac area 1 mile East of San Vittore at 8:00PM.
Jan. 24, 1944
Doug Bailey:
Germans shelling pretty close. Moved back to fox hole to sleep. We were attached to the First Special Service Force, then the 36th Division and now attached to the 91st Recon outfit. Still wet.
Casualties:
T/4 Robert T. Hambright WIA - CW - Nose
Jan. 25, 1944
Doug Bailey:
Moved up a railroad bed that was being used as a road pretty close to front. Germans shelled heck out of our old area about 10 minutes after we left. Direct hit where no. 2 gun position was. Crashed P-38 out in front of our position.
Jan. 26, 1944
Departed bivouac area San Vittore at 12:00PM.
Arrived position area 2 miles Southwest of San Vittore at 2:30PM.
Jan. 26-27-28, 1944
Doug Bailey
All dug in at new position. Doing most of our firing at night.
German shells landing close. A few guys get to go back to a rest camp for a few days.
Jan. 30, 1944
Departed position area San Vittore by vehicle at 9:00AM and arrived at bivouac area 11/2 miles North of Santa Maria at 2:30PM.
Departed at 8:00PM by vehicle.
Jan. 31, 1944
Arrived outskirts of Pozzuoli, Italy by vehicle and foot at 11:30AM. Arrived at the landing at Pozzuoli at 1:30PM. Boarded British LST's at 2:30PM and departed for the 100 mile trip to Anzio at 6:00PM.
Loaded on LCT's and LCI's and left for Anzio on January 31, 1944.
Doug Bailey:
Heard rumor that we would take off in morning. It came true. Packed gun and went back to base camp at Santa Maria. First Special Service Force all ready to go. Pulled out and spent night in a staging area. Marched to docks. Got to see Bill and Norm (two guys from my home town) in staging area. Rags hit guy that was pestering Major Wicks. Boarded a LST. Had shower on board and good chow. Even got a bunk. Pulled out and don't know where we are going.
GENERAL NOTES ABOUT CASSINO
When troopers released from hospital, they were put into pool and sent to any unit needing reinforcements. If wanted to return to original unit, had to go AWOL, find their units and report. Unit had to place them back on rolls even though they realized they were AWOL.
Stuart Seaton (tape)
Spent a week as a forward observer on a hill near Monte Cassino and witnessed the bombing of the abbey. Afternoon of the day of the disastrous crossing of the Rapido River by the 36th Infantry Division and Texas National Guard, Neal took Seaton and some other officers on a reconnaissance because of the plan to attempt another crossing the next day. Seaton remembers a deadly silence while driving in the jeep. All he saw were medics with big Red Cross banners. The absence of noise was unusual for Italy which was always a mass of noises. Stuart mentioned this to Neal who said the Germans had permitted an hour moratorium to cross the Rapido and remove the dead and wounded.
Al Mury (tape)
"During the Cassino campaign, the 456th was the most ill-equipped unit for fighting that God ever created." On Hill 1205, had very poor equipment. No decent boots or coats. Mury got trench foot. On Mt. Trocchio, the trail to the summit was a nightmare, heavily mined. Had to follow the tape guides very carefully. Mury heard explosions and men scream when they stepped on mines.
Claude Smith (tape) of Baker Battery was going to put a shell into the abbey at Monte Cassino but was told anyone doing that would be court-martialed. Screaming meemies were coming in about every 5 minutes, so Smith would time the shots and jump in the foxhole just before the shells arrived. He thought he spotted the gun and called the position in. 2,700 guns opened up on the position. About an hour later the enemy shells began coming in gain.
(Smith tape)
August Hazzard (tape)
On Hill 1205, used mules to go up and down the hill. Hazzard laid wire to OP back and forth. Forward observers under Lt. Shephard. There was a mine field in front of 1205. Two Germans became trapped in the field when they exploded mines. Every time they moved they set off more mines. They laid and moaned all day until night when the moaning finally ended. This was the one incident from the war that stands out in Hazzard's mind. (Joe Lyons state those 2 bodies froze and Ben Wright propped them up in front of the OP and said they were his guards.) Hazzard remembers mud, rain, and slush during the campaign. They were moving all the time. He observed French Goumier troops from Morocco who would cut off their victim's ears. They would come back at night and come extremely close to you without your knowing it.
Jay Karp (tape)
On OP on hill 1205. Dead German was in front of OP. (refer to Hazzard tape) One night when he was relieved along with another guy, they started down the hill, but got lost. They weren't sure if they were headed toward allied or enemy positions. They split up so at least one of them would reach headquarters. Jay sat down behind a ledge until daylight and then finished the journey down.
When moving beyond the Rapido River, Jay Karp passed over where the 34th Division had been slaughtered. All bodies still in holes, bodies blown apart. He was later on a gun section by the abbey. They received a lot of enemy counter fire. He dove for a lot of holes. German rockets were fired at them. On one occasion, Jay shared a hole with John Cunius. When they heard a German incoming shell, they dove into a hole and the shell hit about 2 feet away. They thought it was an on-time fuse, but after 10 minutes they came out of the hole to find it was a dud. There were a lot of duds in Italy.
Tony Spagnol
"In Italy the 456 supported the 505 PIR and the First Special Service Force in battles near Santa Maria and continued support up to the Cassino front. I was assigned as a cannoneer, substitute radio operator and any open area where anyone needed help."
Doug Bailey:
Rain, snow, mud, mules and mountains - that's the story of the Casino front. The only place during the whole war that the ground looked like pictures of No-Mans land during the first World War with water filled shell holes, trees shattered and destroyed villages. After a few weeks on the Casino front, we pulled out and headed back to Naples. We thought we were going to get a rest. Little did we realize that the next day we would load on naval landing ships to be fed into the meat grinder that became the Anzio beachhead.
Feb. 1, 1944
Debarked at Anzio at 8:30AM. Marched on foot to troop concentration area 11/2 miles Northeast of Anzio, arriving at 10:00AM (2 miles).
Doug Bailey:
Spent good night on LST. Landed on new beachhead at Anzio. Saw spitfire on fire. Pilot bailed out and landed in the ocean. Plane crashed in the sea. Destroyer picked up pilot.
Feb. 2, 1944 Boat
Anzio, Italy/Gustav Line
Departed concentration area Anzio by vehicle at 8:00AM. Arrived bivouac area 4 miles North of Anzio at 9:00AM (3 miles). Departed bivouac area by convoy at 7:00PM. Arrived position area 1/2 miles Southeast of Borgo Bainsizza at 8:00PM (4 miles).
First Special Service Force, with 456th (less Batteries C & D), relieved the 39th Engineer Combat Regiment to defend right flank of VI Corps S at Bridge 5. The sector stretched about 8 miles along Mussolini Canal from Bridge 5 to sea (1/4th of beachhead).
Batteries C and D and the designation 456th PFA were officially assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division in England. Neal was incensed at the "rape of the battalion" (Blair, page 192) Lived on Anzio like moles. Foxholes and slit trenches dug into sides of canals and irrigation ditches. Shelling/counter shelling. Enemy bomber attacks at night and fighter planes strafing during the day. Enemy ground attacks during the day and night.
John Cooper
During the first days of the battalions stay on the beach-head the enemy made repeated efforts to shove all the troops in the ten mile square back into the sea. These efforts were usually in the form of concentrated Infantry attacks supported by heavy artillery fire.
Doug Bailey
Still in position. Germans shelled us yesterday. Used a little time fire. Shells hitting close.
Feb. 3, 1944
Casualties:
2/Lt. John C. Millard WIA - LW - Arm
Feb. 5, 1944 Anzio
Three officers (who had been relieved from direct command due to there plotting against Neal) were in the Command Post with Cooper and 8 enlisted men. A 170mm howitzer shell passed to the right of Cooper and exploded in room with Capt. Joseph Harris, Battalion S-2, Lt. William Sparks, Assistant S-2, and Lt. Herbert Wicks, Battalion Executive Officer. Harris and Sparks killed along with enlisted man and Cooper pulled Wicks from the wreckage. Cooper became Executive Officer. Due to officer shortage, NCO's placed in postions normally held by officers. In four day period between February 16th and 19th, the eight howitzers from the two active batteries averaged over 1,200 rounds a day against counterattacks which usually lasted an hour each.
Casualties:
Capt. Joseph D. Harris DOW
1st Lt. William N. Sparkes KIA
1st Lt. John B. Higdon KIA
1st Lt. Herbert Wicks WIA
Maj. John T. Cooper WIA - CW - Back
M/Sgt. Noah D. Gray WIA - MW - Face
Tec 4 Merwin L. Sandlin WIA
Cpl. Emmette W. Gordon WIA - CW - Head & LW - Finger
Cpl. Paul E. Robin WIA - LW - Arm & Back
Pfc. Alex P. Miller WIA - LW - Head
Pfc. William L. Justice WIA - CW - Leg
Feb. 6, 1944
Doug Bailey:
Shell hit CP. Killed Capt. Harris, a couple of others, and one or two were wounded. German planes over today. Saw one crash. Two of them flew over us real close. Both smoking. Last night shelled German gun that was in cemetery. Germans counter attacked but failed. Fighting around a canal over here. I believe Cooper was in the building when the shell hit. I heard that this farmhouse had a Navy radio team in it with a high powered radio that was directing fire for warships off shore, and that the enemy radio direction finder zeroed in on it.
Feb. 7, 1944
Casualties:
Pvt. Jeff N. Dyer WIA - LW - Wrist
Doug Bailey
Up all night last night. Expected Germans to counter attack, but they didn't. Fired time delay and HE at them on different sectors. Cold as hell last night. 20 Jerry's over today attack ships in the harbor. Think two of them shot down.
Feb. 8, 1944
Doug Bailey:
Germans again bombed harbor. Our bombers overhead headed north. Plane drops emergency gas tank real close. Think it was one of ours. Shelled house today. Delayed fuse. Germans ran out. Use time fire and got em.
Feb. 9, 1944
Casualties:
Sgt. Joseph F. Rogan, Jr. WIA
Feb. 10, 1944
Doug Bailey:
B-17 group going over to bomb German positions. One received direct hit from German AA fire. Went down in balls of fire. Another circled two men bailed out. Plane circled again and then went into dive. Crashed. I think 7 men got out of this one.
Feb. 11, 1944
Doug Bailey:
Got rained out of hole. Pitched tent. Ammo cases floating down ditch.
Feb. 12, 1944
Doug Bailey
Germans dive bombing harbor.
Feb. 13, 1944
Doug Bailey
Same old stuff. Germans over at night bombing harbor. Saw three shot down. Olivant and myself went out at night to dig bazooka position. We didn't get much done. It was raining like heck and the L shaped trench was full of water. There we were up to our knees in water and miserable as heck. So, we started singing some crazy song.
Feb. 15, 1944
Doug Bailey
Took shower back at the beachhead. I think its safer up on the front.
Casualties:
1st Lt. Orval K. Sheppard WIA - LW - Arm
Feb. 16, 1944 Borgo Bainsizza, Italy
By General Order No. 20, Headquarters, 5th Army, the 456th PFAB, less personnel and equipment, was transferred to the European Theater of Operations. In the same order, the 463rd PFAB (less C & D) was organized with the personnel and equipment of the the 456th PFAB. At the same time the Battalion was required to furnish a cadre of 6 officers and 61 enlisted men. This seriously affected their fighting strength.
John Cooper:
In the four day period, between 16 February 1944 and 19 February 1944, the right howitzers from the two active firing batteries averaged over one thousand two hundred (1200) a day against counterattacks which usually lasted about an hour each.
Doug Bailey:
Germans over in force last night. Raided harbor and our positions. Dropped flares. Bombs all around us. Big attack going on. Fired a lot this morning. Two ME 109s tried to shoot down our cub observation plane. Missed him. Germans shelling road close by.
Feb. 17, 1944
Doug Bailey:
German planes tried to get Cub again. It flew around the Church and big trees and got away. Saw our B-25s bomb German positions. Germans over bombing harbor again. Germans expected to attack again. We are ready for them.
Feb. 18, 1944
Doug Bailey:
Saw 3 B-24s go down in flames over German territory. About 300 B-24s in raid. Saw two make force landing on our side of the lines. One plane was disabled. Crew jumped. Empty plane flew overhead and over German lines. In a big circle, German AA missed it. Plane flew back over our lines and crashed near Nettuno. German counterattack last night. Fired like hell and beat it off. Got some tanks. Germans sent in wrecker tank to get 2 disabled tanks and we got it too.
Feb. 19, 1944
Doug Bailey
Germans attacked again and driven back by artillery and small arms fire. Germans bomb ships in harbor about 3 times a day.
Casualties:
Pvt. Hubert M. Mullin WIA
Feb. 20, 1944 Borgo Bainsizza, Italy
1/2 mile southeast (1SSF map 168/169). Batteries A and B were re-designated the 463rd Parachute Field Artillery Battalion at a location near the Mussolini Canal, about one half mile southeast. Assigned to Fifth Army and attached to the VI'th Corps. Hugh A. Neal assigned as battalion commander. Six officers and 60 men from this unit rejoined the 456th in England several weeks later. The Germans nicknamed the 463rd the "Whispering Death Automatic Machine" due to the effectiveness of fire. Captured Germans thought the fire came from some special machine.
John Cooper & Fred Shelton
The quiet flight of the 75MM howitzer shell going through the air to its target. It had a quiet whispering sound, and it was on the target before you knew it was there. The Germans began to know and call this shell as "The Whispering Death."
Officers Enlisted
Hq 17 97
A 4 99
B 4 104
Med 2 9
TOTAL 27 309
Doug Bailey:
German shells landing close. German bombers came over in the evening and dropped radio controlled rocket bombs at ships in the harbor.
Feb. 21, 1944
Doug Bailey:
Same old stuff. Enemy planes over so low could have thrown rocks at em. Saw one go down about 2 blocks from our position.
Feb. 22, 1944 Borgo Bainsizza, Italy
Doug Bailey:
Enemy planes over last night. Bombed hell out of harbor. Hit ammo dump or gas dump. AA shell hit about 10ft. from gun position. Shook us up a little. Found some foil that the Germans drop to foul up the radar net. German shells again landing close. Ragsdale to hospital (Tonsils). [He was wounded at Bastogne and later killed when the ambulance taking the wounded to the rear was ambushed and shot up.] Got 14 new men. Part of the outfit going to England. Germans had another big attack. Fired a heck of a lot. Fired bell out of gun. Part of gun blew off. Nobody hurt, lucky. Rained a lot but hole is ok. Eating C and K rations.
Casualties:
1st Lt. Roman W. Maire WIA
Feb. 24, 1944
Casualties:
T/5 William E. Gibson WIA - LW - Arm
Feb. 27, 1944 Borgo Bainsizza, Italy
Battalion officially credited with stopping an attack on a 700 yard front, aimed at cutting the friendly lines and recapturing the natural fortifications along the canal, by firing 1,782 rounds in a little more than an hours time. During the action, S/Sgt. Robert Donahue and Pvt. Raymond R. Rogers crawled 500 yard through constant enemy artillery shelling to repair communication lines. This action allowed artillery to mass fire, causing many enemy casualties. 2 tanks disabled by direct hits, enemy gun battery neutralized, and 3 self propelled guns forced to withdraw.
Headquarters Battery and A Battery machine gun sections were also officially credited with knocking down one enemy plane each, after remaining by their guns and continuing firing while the area was being strafed.
Feb. 29, 1944 Borgo Bainsizza, Italy
Monthly Report - From Feb. 20 to 29, expended 6,857 rounds and destroyed or disabled 7 tanks, 9 self-propelled guns and neutralized 3 gun batteries.
Casualties:
Pfc. Warren J. Willcox WIA - LW - Scalp, Fractured Teeth
S/Sgt. Charles E. Green MIA
Officers Enlisted
Hq 16 109
A 3 100
B 3 104
Med 2 8
TOTAL 24 321
March 1, 1944 Borgo Bainsizza, Italy
John Cooper:
Less and less German activity noticed in the sector. It became necessary for forward observation parties to conduct daily patrols in order to pick up targets. A Battery's observer sighted a large enemy unit assembling for an attack. Calling for fire, he completely encircled the enemy by skillfully adjusting fire and the entire group of 167 men walked one thousand yards to surrender. This was the largest enemy catch in Italy, up to this time. On being questioned by infantry intelligence officers, they stated that the artillery in this sector was so terrible that they feared to move at all, during the day. On numerous occasions during the time on Anzio, Battalion reconnaissance officers personally controlled rolling barrages in front of enemy infantry attacks, by advancing with the infantry scouts and keeping the barrage in as close as possible, often less than 100 yards.
March 2, 1944 Borgo Bainsizza, Italy
Gus Hazzard:
U.S. bombers bombed enemy position. 3 B-17's shot down. Witnessed 10 G.I.'s bailing out. Bob Bolen and Fred Bock stole a cow & horse & brought them back to Btry. A. Dressed oxen out, "tough as leather." Sergeant Green went on patrol with the FSSF and was captured.
Casualties:
Sgt. Green MIA
March 10, 1944
Casualties:
1/Lt. Victor J. Tofany WIA when 88 shell landed next to him. Not hospitalized.
Pfc. Alfred J. Pierce WIA
March 20, 1944
Casualties:
Pfc. Harold B. True WIA
March 26, 1944
4 additional howitzers obtained. Battalion now has 2 six-howitzer batteries.
Casualties:
Pfc. Lark A. Erskine WIA
March 29, 1944
Casualties:
Pvt. Richard M. Sullivan WIA
March 31, 1944 Borgo Bainsizza, Italy
Monthly Report - During month, battalion fired 13,000 rounds, destroying 3 tanks, 5 vehicles, 4 mortars, 10 dugouts, 2 pill boxes, 7 gun positions.
Targets were: Personnel - 149; guns - 33; and tanks & SP's - 18.
Officers Enlisted
Hq 16 143
A 4 77
B 3 78
Med 2 9
TOTAL 25 307
April 1944 Borgo Piave
Area to the southwest.
Doug Bailey:
Still in same position. Battery got two more guns. Now in another section, they brought some rear echelon guys up from Santa Maria to fill up gun crews. A few Tech & Master Sgts. I had 3 days at rest camp with Ben Ziegler at Santa Maria and Naples. Went down on a LST and came back on a LCI.
April 20, 1944 Borgo Piave
In celebration of Hitler's birthday, Major Neal and Major Heatherington of the 69th FA decided to throw shells and HE into the town. (1SSF 205)
Casualties:
Pvt. Frank J. Curran WIA
April 23, 1944
Casualties:
Pvt. James Dumas WIA - LW - Face
April 26, 1944
Casualties:
Pvt. Edward Kalinowski WIA
Sgt. Joseph F. Rogan WIA
Pvt. Ralph A. Glendening WIA
April 27, 1944 Borgo Bainsizza, Italy
Gus Hazzard:
Beer ration (2 cups)
April 30, 1944 Borgo Bainsizza, Italy
Monthly Report:
Fired approximately 13,270 rounds on following using ground & air OPs: Personnel 108; Guns/Mortar/MG 10; Tanks/SP 11; Vehicles 10.
Targets disabled, destroyed or neutralized: 8 tanks, 3 SPs, 3 machine guns, 2 mortars, 1 dugout, 4 gun positions.
Officers Enlisted
Hq 16 167
A 5 79
B 4 86
Med 2 9
TOTAL 27 341
May 2, 1944 Borgo Bainsizza, Italy
Gus Hazzard:
Right flank moved over canal.
May 4, 1944
3rd Provisional Pack Battery attached for operational control.
May 8, 1944 Borgo Bainsizza, Italy
Gus Hazzard:
Dug in for barrage & push.
May 9, 1944
Support for 1st Special Force ended. Went into support of 36th Engineer Combat Regiment.
May 10, 1944
Cannon Platoon for 1st Special Forces attached and remained until May 16.
May 20, 1944
Assigned mission of reinforcing 156th Field Regiment.
Casualties:
S/Sgt. Reed R. Satterstrom WIA - LW - Face
May 21, 1944 Truck Borgo Bainsizza, Italy
Moved into center for push to Rome. Placed in direct support of 1st Special Force.
Casualties:
T/5 Jackson R. Bell WIA
May 22, 1944 Truck 1500 yards NE Conca, Italy
1,500 yards northeast
GENERAL NOTES ABOUT ANZIO
Three officers were in building with Cooper. Shell passed to the right of Cooper and exploded in room with Lt. Joseph Harris, Lt. William Sparks, and Lt. Wicks. Harris and Sparks killed and Cooper pulled Wicks from the wreckage.
Gus Hazzard and some other men stole a truck loaded with beer from the dock by posing as drivers, taking the trucks and painting their unit designation on the side.
John Cooper & Fred Shelton - Orval Sheppard, Forward Observer on the Anzio beachhead, was responsible for laying down a rolling barrage that completely encircled or boxed in the enemy troops that these 167 men walked one thousand yards to surrender. I would say this was very good shooting by the 463rd Battalion and wonderful fire direction by Orval Sheppard.
Hank Smithers was also a Forward Observer on the Anzio Beachhead. The mission was a tank attack by the enemy. Hank was called by the Captain of the 1st Special Service Force to observe and place artillery fire on the tank attack. Smithers called the S-3, Vic Garrett and Fire Direction of the Battalion of the situation they were facing. The Anzio Beachhead had a battleship off shore. Or Fire Direction Center had made previous arrangements that they would fire targets for the 463rd Battalion if needed. So the Navy fired this mission, after the enemy tanks were blasted to pieces the Captain of the 1st Special Service Force said to Smithers, "Boy that Keynote outfit sure can shoot." Keynote was the code name for the 463rd on the beachhead.
John Cooper tells how he and Hugh Neal were going to the Latrine one day on Anzio, they were observed and shot at by a German 88. They were in process of relieving self when one shell hit in back of them, the next shell hit in front of them. John immediately ran for a fox hole. Hugh still set there; the next shell that came in was close. Hugh was found running for the fox hole with pants down and fell head long into the canal.
Al Mury (tape) - Mury and his crew were forward observers for the 1st Special Service company under Captain Diamond. They moved forward to the Mussolini Canal but it wasn't high enough, so took his crew, Corporals Keller & Fairbanks to the second floor of a house behind the canal. They dug a slit trench behind it for cover. Not too concerned about night actions since the German's weren't good night fighters. They preferred fighting during the day. Mury stayed there a couple of weeks with no problem. He'd usually wake up at about 4AM and would just lay and listen. One day he heard tank activity. As the mist was rising, he saw muzzle of an 88 pointing directly at them. First round it fired was armor piercing tracer which hit the canal bank and ricotched over the canal bank and over the house. Next two shots hit before they got out of the house. They were able to get to the slit trench. They then moved out to the canal and observed from there, staying away from the house. To disturb the Germans, the 1st Special Service Force would go out on night combat patrol about 1,000 yards into the German area, take an intersection and hold it for a few hours. One day Mury and his crew went with them, laying wire for the phone. The man in front of Mury was "shot between the horns." When they got there, they discovered that the wire had been shot out. The 1st SSF Captain Heaton Underhill (6'4, 240#) asked Mury to establish radio communication, but Mury discovered his crew had forgotten the handset. When he told Underhill that they couldn't contact headquarters, Underhill told him that if they engaged the enemy, he would shoot Mury first. Luckily no action took place before they withdrew at about 1:30AM.
Transfer of 456th to England - Ridgeway needed another parachute field artillery battalion for the 82nd Airborne but Frederick (related to Roosevelt) would not permit him to have the whole 456th, so agreed to transfer two batteries along with the name. (Some believe the decision to split the battalion had been made by Eisenhower in an attempt to satisfy both Gavin and Frederick) Cooper chose batteries C and D since they had more misfits in them than the other two. He also chose men from batteries A and B who were misfits and shell shocked (grey, can't keep pants up, glassy eyed, drooling at the mouth, can't respond.) When the men arrived, Ridgeway and Gavin initiated action to court martial Cooper for the quality of men sent to them. Since he was in another theater, they approached Eisenhower who told them they could not touch him because he was in another theater, but if Cooper ever became part of the 82nd, they could proceed with the court martial. When Cooper was filling the spots for Batteries C and D, he checked personnel records and chose men with IQs over 110.
Gus Hazzard (tape) - Hazzard was a forward observer with Lt. Shephard and the FSSF. He was wounded by a shell while driving a jeep.
N. R. Laidlaw (tape) - joined the 463rd while at Anzio. He was a 1st. Lt. in the Hdqts Battery as Asst. S2. He did surveys of possible positions. An officer of a neighboring division chewed him out for surveying in front of his position for fear of drawing enemy fire. Laidlaw did the same thing in front of a Japanese-American division and no one got on his case. In fact they invited him to join them.
Jay Karp (tape) - went up to the Mussolini Canal on outpost. While up there, found German police dog, limping, wounded. Doc Moore fixed him up and the dog stayed with Karp for about 4 days. Dog slept on top of sandbags on their gun position and would growl whenever anybody walked by. Dog eventually took off and never returned. Another day while on the front, heard and saw planes passing over their position. They first thought they were American, but discovered they were German, headed for beach. They waited for them on their trip back and shot one down.
463rd Code Name - KEYNOTE. When reporting would say:
i KEYNOTE ABLE
ii KEYNOTE BAKER
Doug Bailey
Batteries A & B. Bob Hope Show with Jerry Colona & Francis Langford??
Aug. 28, 1943 Truck Bizerte, Tunisia
Batteries A & B
Doug Bailey
We were camped right on the beach outside of the harbor at Bizerte. Went through our biggest air raid of the war. We could see the German planes when the search lights caught them in their beams. Flack was really filling the sky, and lots of stuff with fuses that didn't work were falling down in our area and exploding. Watched a lighted up hospital ship come sailing out of the harbor, making a mad dash for the open sea. Another trooper lost couple of fingers while taking apart a fuzzed 37mm shell he picked up at Trapani airport while waiting for planes to take us back to Africa.
Gus Hazzard
trained for amphibious landing, camping on the beach.
Sept. 5, 1943
Jay Karp
we had a large air raid.
Sept. 7, 1943
Departed from bivouac area 30 miles Northeast of Kairouan by vehicle at 9:00AM.
Arrived at the airfield 4 miles South of Matfur at 11:00AM.
Sept. 9, 1943 Air Comiso, Sicily
Batteries A & B
Departed airfield by plane at 2:00PM and arrived at airfield 4 miles north of Comiso, Sicily at 4:00PM. Bivouacked on north edge of airfield. Had returned to Sicily for possible airborne mission.
Doug Bailey
Back in Sicily now camped at airport a few miles from Vittoria. Wrecked German planes all over the place. Took my trench knife and took joy stick out of a ME-109 fighter. Lots of German bombs in woods. Flies terrible. Went to Vitoria one day, got some vino. We do a little drill in morning and get afternoon off. Too hot to do much. Heard that we are going to Italy soon. Back to the old grind of training again. Had big rain storm. Got my tent fixed up. Hope it will keep me dry. Sleeping on a bed made of 88mm shell cases (they were like a wicker basket). Adolph Menjou was here today, told us the people back home thought the war was over and that production had decreased. Still near airfield at Vittoria shows just about every night. Bowersox and I took bath over by a Sicilian well. Civilians thought that was real funny. This place in the trees at the edge of the airport was really shanty town. We made huts out of old lumber shelter halves, and other stuff that we found in the area. Lt. from another battery killed when he put down a German teller mine by the mess tent. It went off and riddled the mess tent and wounded a couple more guys. I heard that he brought it into the area to lecture about it?
Sept. 12, 1943
Gus Hazzard:
504 took off for jump in Italy.
Sept. 13, 1943
Gus Hazzard:
505 took off for jump in Italy.
Oct. 12, 1943
Doug Bailey:
American pilot flying captured ME 109 killed at field near here while landing. Raining today.
Oct. 13, 1943
Doug Bailey:
- O--- got on a crying drunk, and had the whole battery in hysterics. Going out to fire tomorrow.
Oct. 14, 1943
Doug Bailey:
Went out and fired the 75s.
Oct. 22, 1943
Doug Bailey:
Squadron of B17s from bases in North Africa landed at airport here. They are going on a mission deep in Austria.
Oct. 25, 1943 Comiso, Sicily
Batteries A & B. Experimental day jump made with the pack 75 already assembled in an attached glider. Planes flew over Mediterranean, turned, and came back in, released the glider, then the tow ropes and jumped. Most of jumpers concerned more about tow ropes than the glider.
Doug Bailey
After breakfast, all squads had to furnish two men each to make jump at Gela. Like always, when something like this came up, my 4th gun section would cut cards. Bowersox and myself were the ones from our squad. We loaded up in the C-47s with a glider hooked on behind with the 75mm gun fully assembled and took off from the airfield where we were bivouacked. Flew out over the Mediterranean for awhile then came in over the airport at Gela. They dropped the glider, then the tow rope over the field, and we jumped and landed in a nice soft plowed field at the edge of the airport. Then pretended to attack an anti-aircraft position on a hill overlooking the airport. We were quite concerned that the tow rope would not release and the hook on the end would hit and split a canopy. So we tied a string to the end hooked up to the tail of the plane and ran it along the fuselage to the guy standing in the door so when the tow rope released it would pull the string out of the guys hand, and we would know the tow rope was released ok.
Nov. 1, 1943 Comiso, Sicily
Gus Hazzard - Batteries A & B packed for England (rumor)
Nov. 5, 1943
Gus Hazzard - Loaded box cars in Comiso.
Nov. 7, 1943 Train Modica, Sicily
Departed from Comiso Airfield by vehicle at 8:30PM. Arrived Comiso Station at 10:00PM.
Gus Hazzard:
Batteries A & B - Rainy
Train Noto, Sicily
Batteries A & B
Train Siracusa, Sicily
Batteries A & B
Nov. 8, 1943 Train Augusta, Sicily
Arrived British Transient Camp 5 miles outside of Augusta at 4:00PM.
Batteries A & B. Camped with British troops.
Nov. 9, 1943 Boat Augusta, Sicily
Departed Transient Camp by foot at 7:00AM and arrived at Augusta quay at 9:00AM. Boarded ship S.S. Villa De Oran.
Gus Hazzard
Walked five miles to dock and boarded British run French ship The Villa De Oran
Doug Bailey
Leaving Sicily. Went to Augusta by train, stayed overnight in British camp. Marched to docks and boarded French ship run by the British named "Villa De Oran". I had yellow jaundice and was put in ships sick bay all the way to Algiers. Had German prisoners aboard. Landed at Algiers stayed three days. Went by box car to Bizerte. I was very sick and had miserable trip. Box car was crowded. Took long time to get to Bizerte.
Nov. 13, 1943 Boat
Arrived Algiers at 6:00PM
Nov. 14, 1943 Boat Algiers, Algeria
Debarked from S.S. Ville at 10:00AM and departed quay by vehicle. Arrived at the 23rd Replacement Depot at 11:00AM.
Batteries A & B arrived 12PM. Batteries reunited.
Nov. 17, 1943
Batteries A & B departed 23rd Replacement Depot by vehicle at 10:00AM. Arrived Maison Blanche at 10:30AM. Entrained and departed at 12:00PM.
Nov. 20, 1943
Batteries A & B arrived at bivouac area 3 miles west of Bizerte at 2:00PM.
Nov. 22, 1943
Doug Bailey
Now at Bizerte. Will stay about 4 days. Went to Tunis on pass. Nice modern city. Raining like heck. On night detail at dock loading crates of parachutes to go to England with the 505.
Nov. 24, 1943
Headquarters Battery and Batteries A & B boarded S. S. Anson Jones at 5:00PM.
the S. S. Anson Jones
Nov. 25, 1943 Boat Bizerte, Tunisia
Headquarters, Batteries A & B sailed on Liberty Ship Anson Jones at 10:30AM. Batteries C & D remained behind under command of Capt. Raymond M. Crossman, attached to HQ Battery, 82nd A/B Division Artillery.
Doug Bailey
Now on Liberty ship "Anson Jones" headed for Naples I think? Bunch of British engineers on board.
Nov. 26, 1943
Doug Bailey
Had turkey for dinner today on board Liberty ship "Anson Jones". Now anchored in harbor of Augusta, Sicily. Same place we left from quite some time ago to go back to Africa. On guard tonight.
GENERAL NOTES ABOUT NORTH AFRICA
Vic Tofany (tape):
Borrowed battery jeep to visit friends after Sicily. Jeep was stolen. Tofany reported it stolen. When he notified his driver that it was stolen, his driver was upset because he had stolen it and had pained the 463rd designation on the side. It became common practice for the men to steal trucks and jeeps and paint the unit designation on the side.
Tony Spagnol and other men from his unit were sitting listening to a Captain from division headquarters request volunteers for a special mission on August 25. Tony and Bob Langfeld volunteered. On August 31 Tony and Bob were sent to the 319th Glider Field Artillery which was assigned to support the 1st Ranger Battalion of Colonel Darby. Tony was assigned to a 50 caliber machine gun crew to anchor the north end of the 319th gun positions on the Salerno beachhead. Prior to the invasion of Italy, Tony could see LCT's, LCI's, destroyers, sub-chasers, liberty ships, the British battleship Monitor with its 14" guns, American and British cruisers within and around Salerno Bay.
"There were air raids every five minutes. We were told that the cruiser Savanah received a direct hit on a gun turret. The ship was in our convoy; I would guess several miles or so away. We were told that the ship suffered about 250 casualties, many may have been killed and\or severely wounded. Big dog fight took place overhead. Our fighter planes and German 109's go at it above our fleet. Warships opened up with their ack, ack guns but for some reason some of the ships around us did not open up, why I don't know. A fire fight could be seen on the beachhead a distance away. We left Salerno Bay at about 1430 hour. We saw several fighter planes go down in smoke flames. I could not determine whether the planes shot down were ours or German. Late at night, I guess about 2300 hour, we hit the beach at Maiori, Italy which we understand is north of Salerno. Less than 15 minutes later I set foot in Italy. Even at night I could see that Maiori is a quiet little town nestled against the hills along the coast of western Italy. I thought I saw a beautiful white stucco chapel from the LTC before we landed. The full moon shown on the little town which looked like a small town in the States from the distance of our LCT. We unloaded the LCT in about 35 minutes. I worked on the ammo detail. We had an air raid in the area but no one was hit. One or two bombers dropped bombs nearby at about 2400 hours. I was mighty tired so I laid down on the ammo boxes with my buddies and fell asleep. I slept through my first night of the invasion of mainland Italy. We were told that the Rangers had landed hours before us and cleared the beachhead and they were now fighting for the hills behind the town. Also, rumor has it that the Rangers are opposed by the XIV Panzer Corp under General Vietinghoff. They are meeting stiff opposition after they took the high ground cutting off the Chiunzi Pass, near Monte di Chiunzi. I believe we had guys from the 504 on ship with us and also on the LSI's. I was assigned to a 50 caliber machine gun crew to anchor the north end of the 319 gun positions. After several days of firing the 105s in support of the Rangers, I volunteered to carry five gallon cans of water up to the Rangers on the top of the hills in front of our gun positions. I had several close calls when I got lost in front of the Ranger positions. The battles were fierce and the balance of the Salerno beachhead was precarious for several days. We rejoined the 456 PFA after the Salerno campaign which ended with the capture of Naples on October 1, 1943. Langfeld and I were flown down to Comiso, Sicily in a C-47."
Ridgway's Paratroopers, Clay Blair - One major element of the division remained behind: the 456th Parachute Artillery, now commanded by Hugh A. Neal. Ridgway and Taylor had soured on the outfit and had replaced its commander, Harrison Harden. For that reason, neither Ridgway nor Taylor nor Andy March pressed to have the 456th included in the Salerno operation. It enplaned in Sicily for North Africa and, owing to an administrative foul-up, was scattered around North African bases. Much later, it regrouped and landed in Italy by ship. (pg. 160)
Nov. 27, 1943 Boat Augusta, Sicily
Arrived in Augusta at 11:00AM. Stayed in harbor over night inside sub nets.
Doug Bailey
We had pulled into Augusta to wait until dark and then make dash through the straits of Messina. Convoy was raided going through straits yesterday. Lots of British troops on board.
Nov. 28, 1943 Boat Augusta, Sicily
Left 11:00AM. Passed through Messina straits at 12AM.
Nov. 28, 1943 Boat Algiers, Algeria
Batteries C & D boarded British ship "Franconia" for British Isles.
Nov. 30, 1943 Boat Naples, Italy
Batteries A & B & Hq docked at Naples at 11:00AM. Debarked at 11:30AM and marched to bivouac area 5 miles North of Naples at Bagnoli, Italy, arriving at 5:00PM.
Arrived at 10:00AM
Nov. 30, 1943 March Bagnoli, Italy
Doug Bailey:
Came through the straits of Messina OK. No sign of enemy planes. Pulled into harbor at Naples. Lots of ships sunk in harbor. Had long march to quarters, staying in some Italian college buildings (Victor Emmanuel College)
Dec. 1943 Truck Caserta, Italy
Dec. 1, 1943
Doug Bailey
Christmas package from home.
Dec. 5, 1943
Doug Bailey
Went into Naples without pass. Pretty interesting place. On guard tonight.
Dec. 8, 1943
Doug Bailey:
Went to Naples with Datoli. Walked all over. Talked to some survivors of 16 merchant ships that were sunk in the Atlantic. They told us there were lots of ships in the Harbor at Barry, including ammunition ships when some Faulk Wolf fighter bombers that had twin tails and were mistaken for out own twin tail P-38s. Got in close and bombed heck out of them.
Dec. 9, 1943
Doug Bailey
Advanced detail left this morning for someplace.
Dec. 13, 1943
Departed Bagnoli by vehicle by echelon starting at 6:00AM.
Doug Bailey:
Now about 30 miles from Naples at Italian Army Garrison with the Canadian/American First Special Service Force. Living in bombed out buildings. Allied planes going back and forth all day to the front lines. This was our first meeting of the Canadian/American First Special Service Force. We would be with them quite some time.
Dec. 14, 1943 Truck Santa Maria, Italy
Closed in bivouac area 1 mile Northwest of Santa Maria at 11:00AM.
Attached to the First Special Service Force, known to the Germans as the "Black Devils". Gen. Frederick had stickers printed with "The Worst is Yet to Come" in German which were pasted on the foreheads of Germans killed during patrols. (Rome '44, Trevelyan, pg. 193)
Dec. 21, 1943 Truck Venafro, Italy
Doug Bailey:
Rain, snow, mud, mules & mountains was the story of Cassino front. Water filled shell holes, trees shattered, and destroyed villages. Took hot shower and got clean underwear. Cleaned gun and loaded in trailer. Getting ready to move up again.
Dec. 22, 1943 Truck Ceppagna, Italy
Departed Santa Maria area by vehicle at 4:00PM. Arrived in position at Ceppagna at 7:00PM.
Doug Bailey:
Still by San Vittore (del Lazio). Got haircut from kid about 12 years old in bombed out town. On 4 hour guard last night but nobody woke me up. So didn't stand guard. Don't think the guy I was suppose to relieve could find my hole. Gun all dug in and camouflaged. Did not do a hell of a lot of firing. Moved back by jeep and trailer to San Vittore for a rest.
Dec. 23, 1943 Mt. Sammucro (Monte Sambùcaro)
John Cooper:
Went into position near Ceppagna in support of First Special Service Force. Due to heavy snow and general inclement weather, operations were static during the period that this unit was on the Italian southern front. Heavy artillery fire going in both directions was the usual order of things.
Doug Bailey:
Heard of Allied landings below Rome. Moved up to new positions on side of hill. Raining like heck. While digging gun pit came across old Roman road. Did a lot of firing. German planes diving on our positions on other side of hill. Kitchen tent burnt down. Moore got hand burnt.
Dec. 25, 1943
Joined in assault on Hill 720 (Western spur of Mt. Sammucro) on Christmas Day.
Doug Bailey:
Christmas at the front. Pulled in last night. Dug gun in. Wet and muddy. Saw Bill Faires and Norm Svela. They are in little town close by. We moved up at night, and when morning came found out we were in a really bad exposed position on this hillside. We could see Casino and the Abbey in front of us. I think this is why we did not stay in this position very long. That night the rain was really coming down and I was on guard out in front of position and noticed a long line of guys coming down past me. I asked, "What outfit you guys in?" It was the Japanese 100th Battalion, later to be part of the Japanese 442nd Regimental Combat Team.
Dec. 28, 1943
Casualties
T/5 Daniel Torrieri WIA
Jan. 3, 1944
Doug Bailey:
Saw our plane dive bomb German position. Went about 25 miles back of front to take shower. On way back to front, German planes strafed us. Trucks stopped. I jumped out over tailgate and dove under motor of truck behind us. Green Eyes (Bennett) dove in ditch full of water. So did Powers. Planes came back about 2:00PM. Two of them shot down. Came during fire mission. Everybody hit the dirt. They killed about 20 men and left 3 trucks burning on the road.
Jan. 4, 1944
Doug Bailey:
Still at front. We are dug in on side of hill and close by there was a pile of dead Germans that were piled up like a stack of wood and frozen stiff.
Jan. 5, 1944
Doug Bailey:
Watched our planes dive bomb German positions. Big battle going on all night. Sky was all lit up. Dead German wrapped in shelter half close to position. Lots of rain.
Jan. 6, 1944
Doug Bailey:
Enemy planes overhead. AA drove them away. Germans shelling town and hill about a mile away. Our planes dive bombing Germans. Mortar shelling in close by the Germans. Now have slit trench with roof.
Jan. 7, 1944 Truck San Vittore (San Victoria), Italy
Departed positions area at Ceppagna by vehicle by echelon at 7:30PM.
Arrived in position area 1/2 mile East of San Vittore at 9:30PM.
Casualties:
Pvt. Wendell D. Gillman WIA - LW - Leg
Jan. 8, 1944
Doug Bailey:
German planes overhead nearly all day. Moving up tonight.
Casualties:
Pfc. John Rimm DOW
Jan. 9, 1944
Doug Bailey:
Moved up to the front last night. Dug gun in. Five of us came up late. Driver got lost on the way up. After digging in, dug slit trenches. It is raining very hard. A few enemy shells bursting near. Finished slit trench and had some fire missions.
Jan. 11, 1944
Doug Bailey
Firing at the Germans. Shell landed right in front of our gun. A dud. It was in this position when we first heard the German Nebelwerfer (Screaming Meemie) a six barrel rocket gun that made such a horrible screech.
Jan. 13, 1944
Casualties:
Pvt. Francis Kane WIA - SFW - Back
Doug Bailey
German planes came over while eating breakfast. Everybody scattered. Spitfires chasing Germans. Our AA shooting at the Spitfires. Shelled German dug out with good effect. B-25 received direct hit from German AA. Burst into flames.
Jan. 15, 1944
Casualties:
Pvt. George M. Akin WIA - LW - Hand & Leg
Pfc. Wayne L. McKenzie WIA
Jan. 16, 1944
Departed positions area San Vittore by vehicle in echelon at 2:30PM. Arrived in position area on Southeast edge of Cervaro at 5:30PM.
Doug Bailey:
Fired all night. Heard that Rezor from HQ had foot blown off by German mine while laying wire.
Casualties:
Pvt. Nicholas Rezor WIA - foot blown off
Jan. 17, 1944 Truck Cassino, Italy
Finally relieved after months of rain, snow, and mountains. Water-filled foxholes and gun pits.
Doug Bailey:
Fired all night. Germans shelling us with mortars. Took compass reading on them and fired corps 5 rounds. Today saw German fighter plane blow up over gun position. Spitfire shot it down. It was a German ME 109.
Jan. 17, 1944 Truck Santa Maria, Italy
Jan. 18, 1944
Departed position area Cervaro by vehicle by echelon at 7:00PM.
Jan. 19, 1944
Arrived positions area 2 miles Northwest of Cervaro at 4:00AM.
Doug Bailey:
In position on outskirts of Cervaro. Moved in two nights ago. Dug gun in. Fired very little. Now waiting to move a couple miles toward Casino. Germans shelling close. S---- had a nervous breakdown and sent to rear. Enemy planes overhead every day. Moving up tonight.
Jan. 20, 1944
Departed position area Cervaro by vehicle by echelon at 3:30PM. Arrived bivouac area 1 mile East of San Vittore at 8:00PM.
Jan. 24, 1944
Doug Bailey:
Germans shelling pretty close. Moved back to fox hole to sleep. We were attached to the First Special Service Force, then the 36th Division and now attached to the 91st Recon outfit. Still wet.
Casualties:
T/4 Robert T. Hambright WIA - CW - Nose
Jan. 25, 1944
Doug Bailey:
Moved up a railroad bed that was being used as a road pretty close to front. Germans shelled heck out of our old area about 10 minutes after we left. Direct hit where no. 2 gun position was. Crashed P-38 out in front of our position.
Jan. 26, 1944
Departed bivouac area San Vittore at 12:00PM.
Arrived position area 2 miles Southwest of San Vittore at 2:30PM.
Jan. 26-27-28, 1944
Doug Bailey
All dug in at new position. Doing most of our firing at night.
German shells landing close. A few guys get to go back to a rest camp for a few days.
Jan. 30, 1944
Departed position area San Vittore by vehicle at 9:00AM and arrived at bivouac area 11/2 miles North of Santa Maria at 2:30PM.
Departed at 8:00PM by vehicle.
Jan. 31, 1944
Arrived outskirts of Pozzuoli, Italy by vehicle and foot at 11:30AM. Arrived at the landing at Pozzuoli at 1:30PM. Boarded British LST's at 2:30PM and departed for the 100 mile trip to Anzio at 6:00PM.
Loaded on LCT's and LCI's and left for Anzio on January 31, 1944.
Doug Bailey:
Heard rumor that we would take off in morning. It came true. Packed gun and went back to base camp at Santa Maria. First Special Service Force all ready to go. Pulled out and spent night in a staging area. Marched to docks. Got to see Bill and Norm (two guys from my home town) in staging area. Rags hit guy that was pestering Major Wicks. Boarded a LST. Had shower on board and good chow. Even got a bunk. Pulled out and don't know where we are going.
GENERAL NOTES ABOUT CASSINO
When troopers released from hospital, they were put into pool and sent to any unit needing reinforcements. If wanted to return to original unit, had to go AWOL, find their units and report. Unit had to place them back on rolls even though they realized they were AWOL.
Stuart Seaton (tape)
Spent a week as a forward observer on a hill near Monte Cassino and witnessed the bombing of the abbey. Afternoon of the day of the disastrous crossing of the Rapido River by the 36th Infantry Division and Texas National Guard, Neal took Seaton and some other officers on a reconnaissance because of the plan to attempt another crossing the next day. Seaton remembers a deadly silence while driving in the jeep. All he saw were medics with big Red Cross banners. The absence of noise was unusual for Italy which was always a mass of noises. Stuart mentioned this to Neal who said the Germans had permitted an hour moratorium to cross the Rapido and remove the dead and wounded.
Al Mury (tape)
"During the Cassino campaign, the 456th was the most ill-equipped unit for fighting that God ever created." On Hill 1205, had very poor equipment. No decent boots or coats. Mury got trench foot. On Mt. Trocchio, the trail to the summit was a nightmare, heavily mined. Had to follow the tape guides very carefully. Mury heard explosions and men scream when they stepped on mines.
Claude Smith (tape) of Baker Battery was going to put a shell into the abbey at Monte Cassino but was told anyone doing that would be court-martialed. Screaming meemies were coming in about every 5 minutes, so Smith would time the shots and jump in the foxhole just before the shells arrived. He thought he spotted the gun and called the position in. 2,700 guns opened up on the position. About an hour later the enemy shells began coming in gain.
(Smith tape)
August Hazzard (tape)
On Hill 1205, used mules to go up and down the hill. Hazzard laid wire to OP back and forth. Forward observers under Lt. Shephard. There was a mine field in front of 1205. Two Germans became trapped in the field when they exploded mines. Every time they moved they set off more mines. They laid and moaned all day until night when the moaning finally ended. This was the one incident from the war that stands out in Hazzard's mind. (Joe Lyons state those 2 bodies froze and Ben Wright propped them up in front of the OP and said they were his guards.) Hazzard remembers mud, rain, and slush during the campaign. They were moving all the time. He observed French Goumier troops from Morocco who would cut off their victim's ears. They would come back at night and come extremely close to you without your knowing it.
Jay Karp (tape)
On OP on hill 1205. Dead German was in front of OP. (refer to Hazzard tape) One night when he was relieved along with another guy, they started down the hill, but got lost. They weren't sure if they were headed toward allied or enemy positions. They split up so at least one of them would reach headquarters. Jay sat down behind a ledge until daylight and then finished the journey down.
When moving beyond the Rapido River, Jay Karp passed over where the 34th Division had been slaughtered. All bodies still in holes, bodies blown apart. He was later on a gun section by the abbey. They received a lot of enemy counter fire. He dove for a lot of holes. German rockets were fired at them. On one occasion, Jay shared a hole with John Cunius. When they heard a German incoming shell, they dove into a hole and the shell hit about 2 feet away. They thought it was an on-time fuse, but after 10 minutes they came out of the hole to find it was a dud. There were a lot of duds in Italy.
Tony Spagnol
"In Italy the 456 supported the 505 PIR and the First Special Service Force in battles near Santa Maria and continued support up to the Cassino front. I was assigned as a cannoneer, substitute radio operator and any open area where anyone needed help."
Doug Bailey:
Rain, snow, mud, mules and mountains - that's the story of the Casino front. The only place during the whole war that the ground looked like pictures of No-Mans land during the first World War with water filled shell holes, trees shattered and destroyed villages. After a few weeks on the Casino front, we pulled out and headed back to Naples. We thought we were going to get a rest. Little did we realize that the next day we would load on naval landing ships to be fed into the meat grinder that became the Anzio beachhead.
Feb. 1, 1944
Debarked at Anzio at 8:30AM. Marched on foot to troop concentration area 11/2 miles Northeast of Anzio, arriving at 10:00AM (2 miles).
Doug Bailey:
Spent good night on LST. Landed on new beachhead at Anzio. Saw spitfire on fire. Pilot bailed out and landed in the ocean. Plane crashed in the sea. Destroyer picked up pilot.
Feb. 2, 1944 Boat
Anzio, Italy/Gustav Line
Departed concentration area Anzio by vehicle at 8:00AM. Arrived bivouac area 4 miles North of Anzio at 9:00AM (3 miles). Departed bivouac area by convoy at 7:00PM. Arrived position area 1/2 miles Southeast of Borgo Bainsizza at 8:00PM (4 miles).
First Special Service Force, with 456th (less Batteries C & D), relieved the 39th Engineer Combat Regiment to defend right flank of VI Corps S at Bridge 5. The sector stretched about 8 miles along Mussolini Canal from Bridge 5 to sea (1/4th of beachhead).
Batteries C and D and the designation 456th PFA were officially assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division in England. Neal was incensed at the "rape of the battalion" (Blair, page 192) Lived on Anzio like moles. Foxholes and slit trenches dug into sides of canals and irrigation ditches. Shelling/counter shelling. Enemy bomber attacks at night and fighter planes strafing during the day. Enemy ground attacks during the day and night.
John Cooper
During the first days of the battalions stay on the beach-head the enemy made repeated efforts to shove all the troops in the ten mile square back into the sea. These efforts were usually in the form of concentrated Infantry attacks supported by heavy artillery fire.
Doug Bailey
Still in position. Germans shelled us yesterday. Used a little time fire. Shells hitting close.
Feb. 3, 1944
Casualties:
2/Lt. John C. Millard WIA - LW - Arm
Feb. 5, 1944 Anzio
Three officers (who had been relieved from direct command due to there plotting against Neal) were in the Command Post with Cooper and 8 enlisted men. A 170mm howitzer shell passed to the right of Cooper and exploded in room with Capt. Joseph Harris, Battalion S-2, Lt. William Sparks, Assistant S-2, and Lt. Herbert Wicks, Battalion Executive Officer. Harris and Sparks killed along with enlisted man and Cooper pulled Wicks from the wreckage. Cooper became Executive Officer. Due to officer shortage, NCO's placed in postions normally held by officers. In four day period between February 16th and 19th, the eight howitzers from the two active batteries averaged over 1,200 rounds a day against counterattacks which usually lasted an hour each.
Casualties:
Capt. Joseph D. Harris DOW
1st Lt. William N. Sparkes KIA
1st Lt. John B. Higdon KIA
1st Lt. Herbert Wicks WIA
Maj. John T. Cooper WIA - CW - Back
M/Sgt. Noah D. Gray WIA - MW - Face
Tec 4 Merwin L. Sandlin WIA
Cpl. Emmette W. Gordon WIA - CW - Head & LW - Finger
Cpl. Paul E. Robin WIA - LW - Arm & Back
Pfc. Alex P. Miller WIA - LW - Head
Pfc. William L. Justice WIA - CW - Leg
Feb. 6, 1944
Doug Bailey:
Shell hit CP. Killed Capt. Harris, a couple of others, and one or two were wounded. German planes over today. Saw one crash. Two of them flew over us real close. Both smoking. Last night shelled German gun that was in cemetery. Germans counter attacked but failed. Fighting around a canal over here. I believe Cooper was in the building when the shell hit. I heard that this farmhouse had a Navy radio team in it with a high powered radio that was directing fire for warships off shore, and that the enemy radio direction finder zeroed in on it.
Feb. 7, 1944
Casualties:
Pvt. Jeff N. Dyer WIA - LW - Wrist
Doug Bailey
Up all night last night. Expected Germans to counter attack, but they didn't. Fired time delay and HE at them on different sectors. Cold as hell last night. 20 Jerry's over today attack ships in the harbor. Think two of them shot down.
Feb. 8, 1944
Doug Bailey:
Germans again bombed harbor. Our bombers overhead headed north. Plane drops emergency gas tank real close. Think it was one of ours. Shelled house today. Delayed fuse. Germans ran out. Use time fire and got em.
Feb. 9, 1944
Casualties:
Sgt. Joseph F. Rogan, Jr. WIA
Feb. 10, 1944
Doug Bailey:
B-17 group going over to bomb German positions. One received direct hit from German AA fire. Went down in balls of fire. Another circled two men bailed out. Plane circled again and then went into dive. Crashed. I think 7 men got out of this one.
Feb. 11, 1944
Doug Bailey:
Got rained out of hole. Pitched tent. Ammo cases floating down ditch.
Feb. 12, 1944
Doug Bailey
Germans dive bombing harbor.
Feb. 13, 1944
Doug Bailey
Same old stuff. Germans over at night bombing harbor. Saw three shot down. Olivant and myself went out at night to dig bazooka position. We didn't get much done. It was raining like heck and the L shaped trench was full of water. There we were up to our knees in water and miserable as heck. So, we started singing some crazy song.
Feb. 15, 1944
Doug Bailey
Took shower back at the beachhead. I think its safer up on the front.
Casualties:
1st Lt. Orval K. Sheppard WIA - LW - Arm
Feb. 16, 1944 Borgo Bainsizza, Italy
By General Order No. 20, Headquarters, 5th Army, the 456th PFAB, less personnel and equipment, was transferred to the European Theater of Operations. In the same order, the 463rd PFAB (less C & D) was organized with the personnel and equipment of the the 456th PFAB. At the same time the Battalion was required to furnish a cadre of 6 officers and 61 enlisted men. This seriously affected their fighting strength.
John Cooper:
In the four day period, between 16 February 1944 and 19 February 1944, the right howitzers from the two active firing batteries averaged over one thousand two hundred (1200) a day against counterattacks which usually lasted about an hour each.
Doug Bailey:
Germans over in force last night. Raided harbor and our positions. Dropped flares. Bombs all around us. Big attack going on. Fired a lot this morning. Two ME 109s tried to shoot down our cub observation plane. Missed him. Germans shelling road close by.
Feb. 17, 1944
Doug Bailey:
German planes tried to get Cub again. It flew around the Church and big trees and got away. Saw our B-25s bomb German positions. Germans over bombing harbor again. Germans expected to attack again. We are ready for them.
Feb. 18, 1944
Doug Bailey:
Saw 3 B-24s go down in flames over German territory. About 300 B-24s in raid. Saw two make force landing on our side of the lines. One plane was disabled. Crew jumped. Empty plane flew overhead and over German lines. In a big circle, German AA missed it. Plane flew back over our lines and crashed near Nettuno. German counterattack last night. Fired like hell and beat it off. Got some tanks. Germans sent in wrecker tank to get 2 disabled tanks and we got it too.
Feb. 19, 1944
Doug Bailey
Germans attacked again and driven back by artillery and small arms fire. Germans bomb ships in harbor about 3 times a day.
Casualties:
Pvt. Hubert M. Mullin WIA
Feb. 20, 1944 Borgo Bainsizza, Italy
1/2 mile southeast (1SSF map 168/169). Batteries A and B were re-designated the 463rd Parachute Field Artillery Battalion at a location near the Mussolini Canal, about one half mile southeast. Assigned to Fifth Army and attached to the VI'th Corps. Hugh A. Neal assigned as battalion commander. Six officers and 60 men from this unit rejoined the 456th in England several weeks later. The Germans nicknamed the 463rd the "Whispering Death Automatic Machine" due to the effectiveness of fire. Captured Germans thought the fire came from some special machine.
John Cooper & Fred Shelton
The quiet flight of the 75MM howitzer shell going through the air to its target. It had a quiet whispering sound, and it was on the target before you knew it was there. The Germans began to know and call this shell as "The Whispering Death."
Officers Enlisted
Hq 17 97
A 4 99
B 4 104
Med 2 9
TOTAL 27 309
Doug Bailey:
German shells landing close. German bombers came over in the evening and dropped radio controlled rocket bombs at ships in the harbor.
Feb. 21, 1944
Doug Bailey:
Same old stuff. Enemy planes over so low could have thrown rocks at em. Saw one go down about 2 blocks from our position.
Feb. 22, 1944 Borgo Bainsizza, Italy
Doug Bailey:
Enemy planes over last night. Bombed hell out of harbor. Hit ammo dump or gas dump. AA shell hit about 10ft. from gun position. Shook us up a little. Found some foil that the Germans drop to foul up the radar net. German shells again landing close. Ragsdale to hospital (Tonsils). [He was wounded at Bastogne and later killed when the ambulance taking the wounded to the rear was ambushed and shot up.] Got 14 new men. Part of the outfit going to England. Germans had another big attack. Fired a heck of a lot. Fired bell out of gun. Part of gun blew off. Nobody hurt, lucky. Rained a lot but hole is ok. Eating C and K rations.
Casualties:
1st Lt. Roman W. Maire WIA
Feb. 24, 1944
Casualties:
T/5 William E. Gibson WIA - LW - Arm
Feb. 27, 1944 Borgo Bainsizza, Italy
Battalion officially credited with stopping an attack on a 700 yard front, aimed at cutting the friendly lines and recapturing the natural fortifications along the canal, by firing 1,782 rounds in a little more than an hours time. During the action, S/Sgt. Robert Donahue and Pvt. Raymond R. Rogers crawled 500 yard through constant enemy artillery shelling to repair communication lines. This action allowed artillery to mass fire, causing many enemy casualties. 2 tanks disabled by direct hits, enemy gun battery neutralized, and 3 self propelled guns forced to withdraw.
Headquarters Battery and A Battery machine gun sections were also officially credited with knocking down one enemy plane each, after remaining by their guns and continuing firing while the area was being strafed.
Feb. 29, 1944 Borgo Bainsizza, Italy
Monthly Report - From Feb. 20 to 29, expended 6,857 rounds and destroyed or disabled 7 tanks, 9 self-propelled guns and neutralized 3 gun batteries.
Casualties:
Pfc. Warren J. Willcox WIA - LW - Scalp, Fractured Teeth
S/Sgt. Charles E. Green MIA
Officers Enlisted
Hq 16 109
A 3 100
B 3 104
Med 2 8
TOTAL 24 321
March 1, 1944 Borgo Bainsizza, Italy
John Cooper:
Less and less German activity noticed in the sector. It became necessary for forward observation parties to conduct daily patrols in order to pick up targets. A Battery's observer sighted a large enemy unit assembling for an attack. Calling for fire, he completely encircled the enemy by skillfully adjusting fire and the entire group of 167 men walked one thousand yards to surrender. This was the largest enemy catch in Italy, up to this time. On being questioned by infantry intelligence officers, they stated that the artillery in this sector was so terrible that they feared to move at all, during the day. On numerous occasions during the time on Anzio, Battalion reconnaissance officers personally controlled rolling barrages in front of enemy infantry attacks, by advancing with the infantry scouts and keeping the barrage in as close as possible, often less than 100 yards.
March 2, 1944 Borgo Bainsizza, Italy
Gus Hazzard:
U.S. bombers bombed enemy position. 3 B-17's shot down. Witnessed 10 G.I.'s bailing out. Bob Bolen and Fred Bock stole a cow & horse & brought them back to Btry. A. Dressed oxen out, "tough as leather." Sergeant Green went on patrol with the FSSF and was captured.
Casualties:
Sgt. Green MIA
March 10, 1944
Casualties:
1/Lt. Victor J. Tofany WIA when 88 shell landed next to him. Not hospitalized.
Pfc. Alfred J. Pierce WIA
March 20, 1944
Casualties:
Pfc. Harold B. True WIA
March 26, 1944
4 additional howitzers obtained. Battalion now has 2 six-howitzer batteries.
Casualties:
Pfc. Lark A. Erskine WIA
March 29, 1944
Casualties:
Pvt. Richard M. Sullivan WIA
March 31, 1944 Borgo Bainsizza, Italy
Monthly Report - During month, battalion fired 13,000 rounds, destroying 3 tanks, 5 vehicles, 4 mortars, 10 dugouts, 2 pill boxes, 7 gun positions.
Targets were: Personnel - 149; guns - 33; and tanks & SP's - 18.
Officers Enlisted
Hq 16 143
A 4 77
B 3 78
Med 2 9
TOTAL 25 307
April 1944 Borgo Piave
Area to the southwest.
Doug Bailey:
Still in same position. Battery got two more guns. Now in another section, they brought some rear echelon guys up from Santa Maria to fill up gun crews. A few Tech & Master Sgts. I had 3 days at rest camp with Ben Ziegler at Santa Maria and Naples. Went down on a LST and came back on a LCI.
April 20, 1944 Borgo Piave
In celebration of Hitler's birthday, Major Neal and Major Heatherington of the 69th FA decided to throw shells and HE into the town. (1SSF 205)
Casualties:
Pvt. Frank J. Curran WIA
April 23, 1944
Casualties:
Pvt. James Dumas WIA - LW - Face
April 26, 1944
Casualties:
Pvt. Edward Kalinowski WIA
Sgt. Joseph F. Rogan WIA
Pvt. Ralph A. Glendening WIA
April 27, 1944 Borgo Bainsizza, Italy
Gus Hazzard:
Beer ration (2 cups)
April 30, 1944 Borgo Bainsizza, Italy
Monthly Report:
Fired approximately 13,270 rounds on following using ground & air OPs: Personnel 108; Guns/Mortar/MG 10; Tanks/SP 11; Vehicles 10.
Targets disabled, destroyed or neutralized: 8 tanks, 3 SPs, 3 machine guns, 2 mortars, 1 dugout, 4 gun positions.
Officers Enlisted
Hq 16 167
A 5 79
B 4 86
Med 2 9
TOTAL 27 341
May 2, 1944 Borgo Bainsizza, Italy
Gus Hazzard:
Right flank moved over canal.
May 4, 1944
3rd Provisional Pack Battery attached for operational control.
May 8, 1944 Borgo Bainsizza, Italy
Gus Hazzard:
Dug in for barrage & push.
May 9, 1944
Support for 1st Special Force ended. Went into support of 36th Engineer Combat Regiment.
May 10, 1944
Cannon Platoon for 1st Special Forces attached and remained until May 16.
May 20, 1944
Assigned mission of reinforcing 156th Field Regiment.
Casualties:
S/Sgt. Reed R. Satterstrom WIA - LW - Face
May 21, 1944 Truck Borgo Bainsizza, Italy
Moved into center for push to Rome. Placed in direct support of 1st Special Force.
Casualties:
T/5 Jackson R. Bell WIA
May 22, 1944 Truck 1500 yards NE Conca, Italy
1,500 yards northeast
GENERAL NOTES ABOUT ANZIO
Three officers were in building with Cooper. Shell passed to the right of Cooper and exploded in room with Lt. Joseph Harris, Lt. William Sparks, and Lt. Wicks. Harris and Sparks killed and Cooper pulled Wicks from the wreckage.
Gus Hazzard and some other men stole a truck loaded with beer from the dock by posing as drivers, taking the trucks and painting their unit designation on the side.
John Cooper & Fred Shelton - Orval Sheppard, Forward Observer on the Anzio beachhead, was responsible for laying down a rolling barrage that completely encircled or boxed in the enemy troops that these 167 men walked one thousand yards to surrender. I would say this was very good shooting by the 463rd Battalion and wonderful fire direction by Orval Sheppard.
Hank Smithers was also a Forward Observer on the Anzio Beachhead. The mission was a tank attack by the enemy. Hank was called by the Captain of the 1st Special Service Force to observe and place artillery fire on the tank attack. Smithers called the S-3, Vic Garrett and Fire Direction of the Battalion of the situation they were facing. The Anzio Beachhead had a battleship off shore. Or Fire Direction Center had made previous arrangements that they would fire targets for the 463rd Battalion if needed. So the Navy fired this mission, after the enemy tanks were blasted to pieces the Captain of the 1st Special Service Force said to Smithers, "Boy that Keynote outfit sure can shoot." Keynote was the code name for the 463rd on the beachhead.
John Cooper tells how he and Hugh Neal were going to the Latrine one day on Anzio, they were observed and shot at by a German 88. They were in process of relieving self when one shell hit in back of them, the next shell hit in front of them. John immediately ran for a fox hole. Hugh still set there; the next shell that came in was close. Hugh was found running for the fox hole with pants down and fell head long into the canal.
Al Mury (tape) - Mury and his crew were forward observers for the 1st Special Service company under Captain Diamond. They moved forward to the Mussolini Canal but it wasn't high enough, so took his crew, Corporals Keller & Fairbanks to the second floor of a house behind the canal. They dug a slit trench behind it for cover. Not too concerned about night actions since the German's weren't good night fighters. They preferred fighting during the day. Mury stayed there a couple of weeks with no problem. He'd usually wake up at about 4AM and would just lay and listen. One day he heard tank activity. As the mist was rising, he saw muzzle of an 88 pointing directly at them. First round it fired was armor piercing tracer which hit the canal bank and ricotched over the canal bank and over the house. Next two shots hit before they got out of the house. They were able to get to the slit trench. They then moved out to the canal and observed from there, staying away from the house. To disturb the Germans, the 1st Special Service Force would go out on night combat patrol about 1,000 yards into the German area, take an intersection and hold it for a few hours. One day Mury and his crew went with them, laying wire for the phone. The man in front of Mury was "shot between the horns." When they got there, they discovered that the wire had been shot out. The 1st SSF Captain Heaton Underhill (6'4, 240#) asked Mury to establish radio communication, but Mury discovered his crew had forgotten the handset. When he told Underhill that they couldn't contact headquarters, Underhill told him that if they engaged the enemy, he would shoot Mury first. Luckily no action took place before they withdrew at about 1:30AM.
Transfer of 456th to England - Ridgeway needed another parachute field artillery battalion for the 82nd Airborne but Frederick (related to Roosevelt) would not permit him to have the whole 456th, so agreed to transfer two batteries along with the name. (Some believe the decision to split the battalion had been made by Eisenhower in an attempt to satisfy both Gavin and Frederick) Cooper chose batteries C and D since they had more misfits in them than the other two. He also chose men from batteries A and B who were misfits and shell shocked (grey, can't keep pants up, glassy eyed, drooling at the mouth, can't respond.) When the men arrived, Ridgeway and Gavin initiated action to court martial Cooper for the quality of men sent to them. Since he was in another theater, they approached Eisenhower who told them they could not touch him because he was in another theater, but if Cooper ever became part of the 82nd, they could proceed with the court martial. When Cooper was filling the spots for Batteries C and D, he checked personnel records and chose men with IQs over 110.
Gus Hazzard (tape) - Hazzard was a forward observer with Lt. Shephard and the FSSF. He was wounded by a shell while driving a jeep.
N. R. Laidlaw (tape) - joined the 463rd while at Anzio. He was a 1st. Lt. in the Hdqts Battery as Asst. S2. He did surveys of possible positions. An officer of a neighboring division chewed him out for surveying in front of his position for fear of drawing enemy fire. Laidlaw did the same thing in front of a Japanese-American division and no one got on his case. In fact they invited him to join them.
Jay Karp (tape) - went up to the Mussolini Canal on outpost. While up there, found German police dog, limping, wounded. Doc Moore fixed him up and the dog stayed with Karp for about 4 days. Dog slept on top of sandbags on their gun position and would growl whenever anybody walked by. Dog eventually took off and never returned. Another day while on the front, heard and saw planes passing over their position. They first thought they were American, but discovered they were German, headed for beach. They waited for them on their trip back and shot one down.
463rd Code Name - KEYNOTE. When reporting would say:
i KEYNOTE ABLE
ii KEYNOTE BAKER
SKIPPY- ABC-SKIPPY le GRAND GOUROU
- Messages : 3588
Date d'inscription : 26/06/2009
Age : 54
Localisation : pour une fois c'est pas moi... j'etais là, je priais... -
Airborne Command :: Airborne History and uniforms :: Southern France/DRAGOON uniforms :: 463rd PFA Battalion
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