My grandfather was a World War 2 Veteran in the Coast Artillery Corps, US Army.
His military records have severely been damaged due to the 1973 fire rendering important parts of his records illegible. After extensive research to reconstitute his military engagements, there are still many unknowns about his involvement in battles, his duty stations and his exact missions.
Here is a chronology of his campaigns between 1942 and 1946 in North Africa and in Europe.
After graduating from the Citadel Military College, he was commissioned as Battery Officer in the 38th Coastal Artillery Brigade HQ at Camp Stewart, Georgia, in September 1941. I have read that Camp Stewart participated in the Carolina Manoeuvres. How can I confirm my grandfather took part in it?
On 12 December 1941, in the aftermath of Pearl Harbor, he was transferred to the 62nd Coast Artillery (CA) to help provide anti-aircraft defences at Fort Totten, NYC.
Six months later, around mid-1942, he was assigned as Battery Officer (Battery F) in the 62nd Coast Artillery which staged at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, for deployment in European Theatre.
On 6 August 1942, his regiment embarked on the S.S. Monterey at the New York Port of Embarkment and arrived in Greenock, Scotland on 16 August at a Royal Air Force maintenance base for flying boats. The regiment was stationed between Glasgow and England during the fall of 1942 to train for the invasion of North Africa.
Firstly, we are unable to find a definitive answer to which army group/corps/division/battalion was the 62nd CA attached? Our understanding is that the 62nd CA quickly came under the command of the Allied Force Headquarters (AFHQ), newly established in the UK on 14 Aug 1942 to lead operations in the Mediterranean theatre.
With the help of public sources, we have gathered information on the different campaigns my grandfather participated in. However, it is difficult to determine the exact details of his missions within the 62nd CA.
Given below are some details of the campaigns he has been credited to:
- Operation Torch - Algeria-French Morocco, 8–11 November 1942
On 11 November 1942, the 62nd CA landed in Oran, Algeria, as part of Operation Torch’s Center Task Force. The regiment was stationed in this sector (where?) for a span of 8 months until June 1943. But as per my family’s anecdotes, my grandfather seems to have been also in Morocco as he swore to come back there someday when the war would be over.
Considering this, could he have participated in the late stage of the siege of Casablanca (i.e. from 11 to 17 Nov)? Or did the Army move part of the troops, including my grandfather, to Morrocco countryside for peace keeping, coastal defense, establishing camps or supply base sections, etc…?
- Tunisia, 17 November 1942–13 May 1943
The 62nd CA moved to Tunisia 10 of June 1943. Did the regiment participate in the Tunisian campaign?
- Sicily, 9 July - 17 August 1943
The 62nd CA moved to Licata in Sicily on 23 July 1943, two weeks after Operation Husky had begun. Did the regiment join in to fight the remaining Italian/German enemy troops till their complete evacuation on 17 August 1943?
From this point onwards, it gets foggy of how the 62nd CA was organised until its inactivation in November 1943.
Since my grandfather did not participate in the Naples-Foggia and Anzio campaigns, what were the missions of the 62nd CA from 18 August 1943 to Jan 1944 (Rome-Arno)? Could my grandfather continue to be stationed in Sicily until early 1944?
On 10 November 1943, the 62nd CA was inactivated at Palermo, Sicily. On 24 March 1944, its three battalions were redesignated as 62nd, 893rd, 331st AAA, while its Headquarter and Headquarter Battery (HHB) was redesignated as 80th AAA Group HQ. My grandfather officially integrated the 80th AAA Group HQ as “Assistant S-3”. His occupational specialties were ‘Officer - Operations and Training Staff (2162)’ and ‘Coast Artillery Unit Commander (1102)’.
There is a time gap between the inactivation of the 62nd CA in November 1943 and the creation of the 80th AAA HQ in March 1944. What could explain this time gap? What happened to the troops between November 2023 and March 2024? Did they remain stationed in Palermo or did they take part in the Italian campaign under another organization?
- Rome-Arno, 22 January 1944 – 9 September 1944
The large span of the campaign and the reorganisation of the 62nd CA during this phase makes it confusing to understand my grandfather’s part in it. Since the beginning of my research, I am unable to find a clear mention of the 62nd CA or the 80th AAA Group HQ in any order of battle, right from Operation Torch till the end of Rome-Arno.
However, the author Marcel Vigneras states in his book ‘Rearming the French’, that the French army was reinforced with American regiments in Italy and Southern France due to their shortage of artillery material and manpower.
For example, Brigadier General Aaron Bradshaw Jr commanded the ‘Anti-Aircraft Artillery Troops’ unit of the French Expeditionary Corps (Armée A) during the Italian campaign. Presuming these artillery troops were essentially American, which precise units and rosters were under his command? Could my grandfather have been a part of them?
According to my family, Italy was the toughest time for my grandfather who saw many casualties there. Hence, it is possible that he was involved in the Battle of Monte Cassino, the bloodiest battle of the Italian campaign for the Allies, as the dates are matching (17 January – 18 May 1944). Again, unless I can find a detailed order of battle with mention of the 80th AAA HQ or maybe the list of US artillery officers detached to the French Expeditionary Corps, it remains only a wild guess.
- Southern France, 15 August 1944 – 14 September 1944
Unlike North Africa, Sicily and Italy, for once, the 80th AAA Group HQ is clearly recorded in the order of battle for Operation Dragoon.
Indeed, the anti-aircraft artillery of the French First Army (Armée B) for Operation Dragoon was comprising of my grandfather’s 80th AAA Group HQ as detachment, along with 34th AAA Brigade (HHB), and two of the former 62nd CA battalions, renamed 62nd AAA (Gun) and 893rd AAA (Automatic Weapon).
How did he end up there? Did the 80th AAA Group HQ take part in the liberation of Toulon or Marseille? Did they advance up the Rhone Valley to free cities like Avignon or Lyon and to finally join the Allied forces that liberated France from the west after D-Day?
- Near the Siegfried line? (1 January - 23 May 1945)
The former 62nd CA battalions are credited in Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace and Central Europe campaigns. However, my grandfather did not take part in them as he was appointed S-3 in HECP #1 from the beginning of 1945 till the end of the war.
I assume HECP in the Coast Artillery means ‘Harbor Entrance Control Post’. It would make sense as logistics became even more crucial to support the crossing of the Rhine and the final push towards Berlin and the East. Unfortunately, I could not locate the HECP #1. My guess is that HECP #1 was either one of the numerous bridges built over the Rhine starting fall of 1944, or an actual city port like Strasbourg or Mulhouse. Where can I find any information on this HECP #1?
- Post War in Germany? (24 May 1945 – 21 June 1945)
On 24 May 1945, my grandfather returned for a month to the 80th AAA Group HQ as ‘Assistant S-2’ (Intelligence and Security). I believe this was for peacekeeping purpose somewhere in occupied Germany as he received the Occupation Medal that requires 30 or more consecutive days of duty after Victory Day. Where was located the 80th AAA in Germany?
- Post War in Marseille, France
From July to October 1945, my grandfather finally became Company Commander (Co Cmdr) at AUS HQ #1 in Marseille, France. I presume this HQ handled civil affairs and redeployment of US soldiers back home or to the Pacific theatre. As per a French article published in September 1944, just after the creation of the HQ, the mission of the US Civil Affairs was to liaise with the French provisional government and to bring aid to civilians in a war-torn country (food, medicine, infrastructure repair work…). Where can I find more information on the AUS HQ #1 and the Delta Base Section in Marseille?
To conclude, any pertinent information, source, picture, will help complete the story of my grandfather during the war.
Thanking you in advance for your help.
Note: the 80th AAA Group HQ (for Anti-Aircraft Artillery) is not to be confused with the 80th AAA Battalion (for Airborne Anti-aircraft Artillery). Both units took part separately in the Italian and German campaigns but the 80th AAA Group HQ participated in the Southern France campaign while the 80th AAA Battalion fought in Normandy, Market Garden and the Bulge. For more info, read the book “Never a Dull Moment: The 80th Airborne Anti-aircraft Artillery Battalion in World War II” by Arthur 'Ben' Powers – Casemate Publishers (Release: 09-30-2024)
