270th FA Bn.  ETO. WWII

i have been doing some fact finding about the 270th for the last few months and am wondering if anyone on here  has info about this unit?   This was my Grandfathers unit during the war and I would like to learn a little more about it.

Also can someone tell me where this info is from?  I have done so much digging/finding that I now know I did not keep my information in an orderly fashion.  Thank you for any assistance you can provide.

Thanks.   Brian

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  • Over the last year or so, I have been able to come up with a decent amount of information about the 270th FA Bn, but seem to have come to a stand still.

    I am interested in any info someone may have about the unit, but am most interested in compiling a roster of service members that were assigned to the 270th during its short life.   I have accumulated 237 names so far. (I am not a professional at this, and would love for someone to double check my handy work).   I have gathered names from AARs, google searches, newsletters, etc...

    Below are some of the places that have helped me out with my research.  If anyone has any additional places to look, please let me know.

    I have visited the Archives in College Park and the websites associated with it.

    Controvich Library

    Eisenhower Library

    Field Artillery Museum at Ft Sill OK

    Ft. Benning Library (Donovan I think)

    Ft Bragg Library

    NC State Historical Archives ( Camp Butner timeframe)

    Camp Butner Museum

    Of course a lot of Google searches

    I have a copy of the book "240" by Elmer Totsch

    I have a copy of a pamphlet labeled "The 270th FA Bn in the ETO (Controvich Library)

    I have copies of a newsletter they published while at Camp Butner (G.I. Hokum)

    I have copies of the AARs the Archives had for pretty much the whole time it was a unit

    I have a copy of the Medical Detachment post war AAR

    Some random info I got from my mother (her father was assigned to the 270th)

    More than happy to share this info with whomever may be interested in it.

  • Dear Mr. Nicely,

    Thank you for posting your request on History Hub!

    In case you haven’t already requested them, copies of most of the monthly rosters from November 1912 - 1943 and 1947 - 1959 for Army units are in the custody of the National Archives at St. Louis, MO. For access to these records, please write to the National Archives at St. Louis, ATTN: RL-SL, P.O. Box 38757, St. Louis, MO 63138-0757 or via email at stl.archives@nara.gov. Rosters for units serving in World War II from 1944 - 1946 were destroyed in accordance with Army disposition authorities.

    We hope this is helpful. Best of luck with your research!

  • Brian:

    My father was in the 270th FAB, Battery "C" on the survey team.  I've been slogging through the unit history and would appreciate getting access to the AARs that you have.  Are they something you could email to me?

    One item I would point out to you that you may not already have seen; the 270th FA Btn  was attached to the 144th FA Gp for most of the month of August, 1944, so from the time that they were activated for combat on 5-Aug-1944 through the Falaise Gap and supporting the 79th ID Seine River crossing at Mantes-Gassicourt.  The California Military Museum has a few good pieces of the history of the 144th FA Gp and, by connection, the 270th.  You can find them at the link http://www.militarymuseum.org/HistoryWWII.html .  I found the personal memoir by Charles Seneteney particularly interesting, especially for the month that the 270th was attached.

    I've also found reading the histories of the units the 270th was supporting to be good for providing background and context into their movements.

    Best of luck to you, feel free to reach out with any questions or comments.

    Bill O'Brien

  • Thanks for the link, and the tips.   What was your fathers name?   I have accumulated 250ish out of the 450ish names for the Battalion so far, but do not have an O'Brien.  I still have a long way to go with that. I can try to scan in the AARs once I go back to work.  I just don't have the equipment to do it at the house. I will be happy to send you some of the things I have digitized.

  • Brian, thanks for your response.  Hope you are able to safely return to work very soon.

    My dad's name was James O'Brien.  He joined the 270th in February 1944 at Ft Bragg and, other than a couple detachments to the 243rd FAB, was with the 270th until July 1, 1945 when he was transferred to the 243rd.

    I am spending this time going through my Dad's letters to my Mother (fiance at the time) and have come across a few other names of soldiers who were with him in his Survey Section for Battery "C" in August 1944:

    Sgt Patterson

    Cpl Jim Graves

    Cpl Spradlin

    Cpl Dan Bloom

    Pfc Jim Kidwell

    Pfc Parker

    Also mentioned (not sure if these individuals were in Survey) are Lt Roslund and Sgt Lidgard.

    Here's a couple photos with caption on the back:

    First picture is "Early Dec, 1944 - Furweiler, Germany  Oszusrulri (sp?) radio, JJ (My Father James J O'Brien), "Little Porky" and Venerable".  My Dad is 2nd from the left, looks like he left one name off. 

    2nd photo is "Betting France, Jan, 1945  Sgt Wolny posing with a 240 projectile"

    I'll pass along any other names I come across in my readings.

    Best of luck,

    Bill O'Brien