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

  • Hello Brian,

      Thanks to NARA's Facebook page, I just learned about HistoryHub. I wish I found it earlier. The Camp Bunter Society and Museum has been trying to acquire as many rosters of units that came through Camp Butner as possible. A lot of these have come from the pages of published unit histories but off the top of my head, I don't remember if we have anything on the 270th. Seeing that you have not come across any printed roster, I'm assuming we don't have one either.

    I will take a look to see if we have anything and report back once I have.

    I had a week-long trip to College Park scheduled for the first week they were closed for Covid and digging more into the units was one of the many things on my list. I have never been there before and I'm anxious for the day they open their doors to research again.

  • Michael.
    Thanks for reaching out. I would love to see anything you guys have on the 270th.  I would be happy to share what I have too.   I visited the Camp Butner museum about a year ago and hope to make it back again soon.   I live down by Fayetteville, so it’s an easy commute.  

    I was fortunate to spend a day at NARA researching the 270th and wish I had more time.  There is so much info there, that 1 day was not enough.  

    Have you seen the newsletter the 270th wrote while at Butner?   GI Hokum was the name.    Not sure how many were written.  I only have 1ea.     I got it from the NC state archives.

    v/r

    Brian

  • Here is the roster I have put together so far.  Still a long way from 475ea which was the units TOE authorized strength.   Names mainly gained from AARs and Google Searches (mainly obituaries unfortunately).

    270th FA personnel as best as I can make it.

    CPT Bernard Adams (C Btry CDR)

    Margarito Alvarez

    Herman Anderson

    Freddie Andras

    1LT Eugene Anspach (Motor Officer, Liaison Pilot/Observer shot down over Germany KIA 2 Jan ’45)

    MAJ Luther Arnold (Bn XO)

    Merle Arnold (Ammo Handler A Btry)

    Edwin Atteberry Sr.

    TEC5 Frank Baker

    TEC4 Delbert Ballengee (HQ Btry FDC Instrument Operator)

    Morris Barker

    PVT Roger Baribeault

    TEC5 William Basham

    2LT William Battin

    TEC4 Herbert Baumann (Bronze Star)

    CPL Harry Bennett

    CPL Dan Bloom (C Btry, Survey Team)

    2LT Ambrose Boles

    George Bolton

    Henry “Cecil” Borne

    John W. Bradshaw

    Brewster Branz

    Charles Breeding

    John Bristow

    SGT William Brooks

    Raul Buentello

    Obadiah Burns

    George Canales

    Jack Carberry (Motor Sgt)

    Donald Carter (HQ Btry)

    _____ Catnell

    PVT Oscar Chandler (Taxicab robbery @ Camp Butner)

    Edwin Chastain

    CPT Angelo Cicciu (Btry XO)

    John Coke

    Norman Collins

    Charles Conrad

    TEC4 Charles Cormendy (Gun Mechanic)

    Loren Cook

    Raymond Couchman

    ____Croft

    CPT Paul Culberson (Hq Btry CDR)

    Merle Cummings (1SG)

    James Currie

    Frank Daly Jr.
    David W. Davis

    Adam Dittenbir
    John T. Doughty

    ______ DeMercy (Commo / Wire Section)

    PFC Roy Denman (Medic)
    Guy R. Dulin
    Daniel J. Dunn

    2LT Fidel Dunne

    Jesse Dyess
    Clovis Z. Edwards

    John Eitson
    2LT Duane Ellingham

    Calvin C. Elmore

    1LT LaVerne Emberts (Liaison Pilot shot down over Germany KIA 2 Jan ’45)

    2LT Frank Esosito (Asst. Bn S2 and Survey Officer, Aerial Observer)
    ______ Faircloth
    Walter Ferens
    Edward Fielder

    CPT Howard Fillmer (HQ Btry CDR and COMO)
    ________ Fletcher
    Luis A. Flores
    Edward E. Foster Jr.

    Bennie Foster
    Arlon Fowler

    2LT Louis Fulop
    LTC James C. Gabriel (Bn CDR)

    PFC Robert Gittinger
    Alfred H. Gonzales

    Raul Gonzales (Medic)
    Eddie Graham

    CPL James Graves (C Btry, Survey Team)
    John W. Greene

    Peter Giussago

    2LT Charles Gurganus

    2LT Louis Haberkorn

    Raymond Hall (Medic)

    PVT Hall (Field Survey Instrumentation)
    Lewis S. Hammonds

    MAJ Robert Hannah (Bn S3)

    CPT Stone Harris

    TEC5 William Harvey (WIA Aug ’44 enemy aircraft strafing) (C Btry Crane Operator)
    Lloyd R. Hawley (A Btry XO)

    TEC5 John Heath

    Eliot Herman
    Rojelio O. Hernandez (Machine Gunner)

    TEC5 Bernard Hillebrandt (Medic)
    John W. Hinton

    TEC5 Jack Hodges
    John Hollebeek
    Fred S. Hopson

    MAJ George Howze  (Asst S3 and A Battery CDR) (Captured Bn’s first POWs 8ea on 8 Aug 44)

    Elmer Hughes

    1LT John Hummer (Asst. Bn S2 and Survey Officer) (KIA  1430hrs 15 Nov ’44 by enemy mortar fire near city of Thionville on the East bank of Moselle River)

    Paul Hummer
    Buell Hunter

    TEC5 Lavern Hunter
    Pablo H. Infante
    J.P. Issacs
    John F. Jett
    Esias J. Johnson
    Billy H. Jordan

    Louis Kawacha (Field Survey Instrumentation)

    C.P. Kelly

    PFC James Kidwell (C Btry, Survey Team)

    CPT Howard Kingston
    2LT Gerald Knackstedt
    Walter S. Kohl

    2LT Phillip Klatman
    Lester R. Kluting

    Gerald Knackstedt

    1LT Cyrille John LaBlanc (Aerial Observer / Liaison Pilot)

    CPT Dudok Langerak (Bn S4)
    James E. Langford

    2LT Arthur Larsen
    CPL Louis Leal (.50 Cal MG squad)

    William M. Lee

    2LT Alvan Levenson

    TEC4 Wayne Lidgard (WIA Aug ’44 enemy aircraft strafing) (C Btry Crane Operator)

    CPL William Loftin

    Phillip Loyacano
    _______ Luker
    2LT Charles Madden
    ______ _Manecia

    Tec5 George Marcak (Purple Heart wounded 31 July 1943 New Georgie Island PTO prior to joining unit 23 Nov 1943)

    CWO Robert Martin (Bn S1 / Adjutant)
    Francis C. Martines
    Bacilio V. Martinez

    PFC Marcos Martinez
    Estarislado L. Mauricio
    Anthony J. Mele
    Carlton L. McCray
    Charlie R. McClain

    S/SGT Robert McDonald

    Burl McGraw
    William A. Meyers

    Jerry Michalsky

    CPT Roger Michels (Bn Surgeon)
    2LT Gray O. Miller
    Johnie W. Morgan

    TEC4 Kenneth Moore (Medic)
    2LT Carrol N. Morris
    Perry Moye
    Bert A. Mullen

    Buck Mullens (Ammo SGT)

    Marion W. Mullican
    CPT Paul Murphy ( Svc Btry CDR and Bn Motor Officer)
    Benjamin Nale
    CPL Phillip Narcomy

    Billy J. Neal

    PVT Gilbert Nelson (Taxicab robbery @ Camp Butner)
    Harold F. Nickel (Motor Sgt)
    Ray F. Noble (A Btry)

    James O’Brien (C Btry, Survey Team)
    August Oprzadek (Cook)

    John Panks III (Field Survey Instrumentation)

    John Parker

    ______ Parks
    Roger A. Parsels (A Btry Clerk)

    S/SGT Aylmer Patterson
    Frank H. Patterson

    PFC ___ Parker (C Btry, Survey Team)
    CPT Fred B. Perry (A Btry CDR)
    Alvis E. Peters

    PFC Arthur Petri (Medic)

    2LT August Walter Pfluger (B Btry)

    Gilberto Pineda
    Lawrence R. Potts (Machine Gunner)
    Robert Presser
    Joe A. Pyle (AKA Muscles)
    Regino Ramirez
    Oscar R. Ramos
    S/SGT Edward E. Raetz (Battlefield Commisioned to 2nd Lt 17 Feb ’45)
    CPT Robert Ray ( Bn S2 and A Btry CDR)

    Archie Roberts
    Joe Rodriguez
    Simon Rodriguez

    Victor H. Rogers

    1LT Iver Roslund (Asst Bn S2)
    2LT James G. Rothrock Jr. (A and C Btry)

    1LT Charles Rothaermel (Btry XO)

    F.J. Roussell
    Antonio G. Ruiz
    Guadalupe Saenz

    PFC Armengol Saens (Medic)

    1SG Sahr (Btry 1SG)
    Santos F. Saldana
    Domingo Sanchez
    Robert S. Sanders
    Leroy Savoie
    Robert W. Sheegog
    Robert W. Sides

    S/SGT John Siepieranski (B Btry Motor Sgt and WIA Aug ’44 enemy aircraft starting)

    Israel Silva

    PFC James Sims (Medic)

    1LT Paul Sinclair (Aerial Observer)
    Ivan J. Slaughter

    Irby Earl Slaughter

    PFC Calvin Smith 

    TEC5 James Smith (WIA)

    PFC Elliot Smith (WIA Aug ’44 enemy aircraft strafing)
    Robert H. Smith

    Toby Smith

    Bill Snodgrass (Ammo bearer B Btry)

    CPT Thomas Snyder (B Btry CDR)
    Willie E. Sofka
    Paul S. Soileau
    Ernest J. Sonnier
    Billy Spencer

    CPL ___ Spradlin (C Btry, Survey Team)
    _______ St. Clair
    Lowell Stamps
    Lawless A. Stelly

    PFC Gerhard Steppke (WIA Jan ’45)

    Jeff Stewart (Field Survey Instrumentation)

    Riley W. Stuckey Jr.
    Earnie E. Tedford
    Lee Testa
    Jack A. Thompson
    Joseph W. Thompson
    Elmer H. Totsch
    Dillard R. Tucker

    _______ Uel (Supply Sgt)
    Carlos D. Valadez
    Albert M. Van De Velde

    1SG Vic Velvecates (A Battery 1SG)

    Robert Vaughn

    ___ Venerable
    Israel Villarreal
    ________ Ward
    Adam E. Wadzinski
    1LT Carl A. Walker (Aerial Observer / Liaison Pilot)
    Harvey O. Walker
    Harry E. Wallace

    SGT Robert Wallace
    Willard Watts

    Robert “Barry” Weigert ( Medic  Bronze Star and 2ea Purple Hearts)
    Ralph W. Wendt
    Ted Williams

    CPL Lester Williams (Medic)
    James M. Williamson

    2LT Richard Wilson (Liaison Pilot)

    S/SGT Alex Woitowitz (Medic)

    John (Jack) Wolf
    S/SGT Jerome Wolney
    John E. Woloszyn

    Lee H.Womack

    John R. Woolard
    Tommy L. Wright
    Margarito R. Ybarra

    ________Young

    TEC3 Frank Zaleski (Medic and designed an improved Pharmacy chest)
    Richard Zule

     

    As an amateur, there may be some errors in my findings, but it is to the best of my abilities.

    Brian

  • Brian, et al,

    The 270th was my grandfather's unit. EE Atteberry Sr. is 8th down on your roster. If I could see the AARs for the unit it would help separate the fact from fiction. Grandpa Atteberry liked to tell stories, some true some not, so the unit history would be extremely helpful. I'll attach 2 photos. One is from a 270th unit reunion with a note on the back that gave me the unit name... which led me here. :-) The other is a photo from after the war when grandpa was in the Texas National Guard. He passed in 1976.

    Thanks for your help!

    -Malcolm Atteberry

  • Malcolm

    i am very happy you found this post. Sharing the information I have is what keeps me interested in this research.

    I have a gmail account that I use for email traffic.

    i can be reached at dbnicely at that account.

    shoot me an email and I will forward you the AARs I have. 

    Brian

  • Wow, Brian. That list you've created is going to be much more than we have! I'm impressed with your dedication. In the past few days, I have started building a basic website for the society with the intention of having as many rosters available as possible for units that were at Camp Butner. It is a tedious process and slow going at times. It is to be expected when trying to use OCR software to convert 75 year old rosters to a spreadsheet.

    I hope in the next week to start posting some starting with the 60th Med Bn/500 Medical Collections Company, three or so engineer battalions followed by the 89th Infantry Division and some of the 78th Infantry Division

    Mike

  • Mike

    if you run across any Morning Reports, rosters, heck anything related to the 270th please pass it my way. 

    I found a newsletter from the North Carolina archives called GI Hokum.  Written by the 270th while at Camp Butner for pre-deployment training.  I have only found 1 edition, and am curious if there are any others.
    v/r

    Brian

  • Mike

    Got 2ea more names added to the roster today (Thanks to Bill O'Brien for the names)

    John Bready and Ward Ashford   Both were B Btry Survey Team members.

    Brian

  • I have seen a “Butner Battery” mentioned a few times while I have been researching the 270th.  From what I have gathered it was captured Axis howitzers used by the Allies mainly during the rationing of gas/ammo period. I found it mentioned a couple of times in AARs.  Mostly talking about round counts, etc. but not much more. Anyone know anything more about the unit?