938th Field Artillery Battalion (United States)

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938th Field Artillery Battalion
Insignia of the 938th Field Artillery
Active1942–1945
CountryUnited States
BranchUnited States Army
RoleArtillery
March938th Field Artillery Battalion March.[1]
EquipmentM1 155mm Howitzer
EngagementsRome-Arno[2]

Naples-Foggia[3]

Anzio[4]

Operation Dragoon[5]

Rhineland[6]

Central Europe[7]

The 938th Field Artillery Battalion was an American United States Army field artillery unit that fought during World War II. The battalion was created on March 7, 1943, when the 166th Field Artillery of the Pennsylvania National Guard was split into multiple artillery battalions.[8][9][10] It was equipped with the M1 155 mm howitzer.

The 938th departed the United States on August 21, 1943, for further staging in northern Africa and arrived in Oran on September 2.[11][12] They returned home from the war on October 26, 1945.[13] The battalion saw combat in Italy, Southern France, and Germany, and participated in Operation Shingle[14] and Operation Dragoon[5]

Italian Campaign[edit]

After arriving in northern Africa three months earlier, the 938th headed for mainland Europe and landed in Naples on November 23, 1943. It was first in combat near Venafro, Italy on December 1.[12][15]

While serving in the VI Corps within the Fifth Army, and attached to the French Expeditionary Corps, they engaged in continuous combat during the winter of 1943-44 as the Allied forces advanced toward the Winter Line.[16]

While continuing up the Italian peninsula from Naples, Allied forces experienced ever increasing resistance from a determined German rearguard. Because of this, Allied commanders attempted to come up with another line of attack. The VI Corps was pulled off the line in preparation for an amphibious assault on Anzio.

Battle of Anzio[edit]

As the front came ever closer to stalemate, Allied commanders aimed to outflank German defenses by securing a strategic foothold behind enemy lines. On January 22, 1944, amphibious landings began at Anzio. The 938th participated in the assault and at the time was still part of the VI Corps, attached to the 1st Armored Division.[14][4] While at Anzio, the 938th's codename was "VOO DOO".[17]

Example of a defensive position on the Anzio beachhead

After the landings, the Allied forces became bogged down in intense fighting, and instead of pressing forward, they opted for a defensive stance. The landings stalled and men were stuck on the beachhead. For the next several months the 938th and their comrades were stuck on the beachhead and forced into foxholes. Intense shelling and artillery exchanges were common, including being fired upon by the Krupp_K5, nicknamed by the soldiers as the "Anzio Express".[18] In March 1944, the 938th was attached to the 45th Infantry.[19]

By May 1944, the Allies were still unsuccessful in breaking out of the beachhead and commanders had an acute need to gain the upper hand. A plan was created to break the deadlock that had ensued after the initial landings. Operation Buffalo aimed to regain momentum by launching a coordinated offensive, pushing the Germans back and creating opportunities for a breakthrough, ultimately achieving the original objective of outflanking the Axis defenses and advancing towards Rome.

On May 23, still attached to the VI Corps, the 938th participated in the massive artillery salvo that commenced the opening stages of Operation Buffalo. [20] This initial barrage is described as:

By mid-May 1944, Allied strength at the Anzio beachhead reached 150,000 men (two British divisions and five US divisions). At 0545 hours on 23 May, 1,500 Allied artillery pieces bombarded German lines for 40 minutes, thus commencing a new Allied attempt at breaking out of the Anzio beachhead. The main assault toward Campoleone, Velletri, and Cisterna was conducted by US 45th Infantry Division, US 1st Armored Division, and US 3rd Infantry Division, which were guarded by German 362nd Infantry Division and 715th Infantry Division; the first day of action was costly on both sides, but the 50% casualty rate suffered by the two German divisions would prove to be fatal.
— Peter Chen, Battle of Anzio, [21]

The U.S. Fifth Army, under the command of Lieutenant General Mark W. Clark, led the charge towards Rome. In the first days of the breakout from the beachhead, the 938th made it to made it to Cisterna. By the end of May, they were again fighting near the 45th Infantry still as part of the VI Corps.[22] On June 5 the 938th made it to Rome and crossed the Tiber on the 6th.[18] After capturing Rome, the Allies pursued the retreating Germans northwards. Just days later, the VI Corps was pulled off the front line for rest and refit.[23]

Operation Dragoon[edit]

The ports made available due to the success of Operation Overlord were not enough to adequately supply the Allied war effort. Because of this, Allied commanders decided to invade southern France near two important port cities, Marseille and Toulon, in order to increase the flow of necessary arms, munitions, and supplies to the front. At the beginning of the operation, the 938th was attached to the 45th Infantry and was still part of the VI Corps which had been moved to the Seventh Army under the command of Alexander Patch.[5]

For the first months of the operation, the battalion stayed attached to the 45th Infantry.[24] In November 1944, they were attached to the 100th Infantry with the explicit mission to “Reinforce fires of 100th Infantry Division Artillery. Establish a liaison with XV Corps Artillery"[25]

The Seventh Army made rapid progress in France against the Axis defenders, pushing them further north. On September 10, 1944, the Seventh Army and the Third Army, under the command of George S. Patton, met near Dijon, France, creating a unified front against the retreating Germans and setting the stage for the upcoming Battle of the Bulge.

On February 5, 1945, the battalion reached its 365th day of combat.[12]

In the closing months of the war, the battalion fought through eastern France and into Germany with various infantry and armored divisions, including the 36th, 44th, 100th, and 103rd Infantry Divisions, French forces (including Moroccan infantry), and the 10th Armored.[18][26]

End of the War[edit]

The 938th was in Füssen when the war ended.[18] At that time, the battalion had seen well over 365 days of combat. During the war, the battalion suffered 87 wounded in action, and 17 killed in action. The highest award given to a member of the 938th was the Silver Star.[12]

After serving as an occupation force for two months, the battalion left for home from Marseille on October 16, 1945, and arrived in the United States on October 26. The 938th Field Artillery Battalion was then deactivated at Camp Patrick Henry that same day.[8]

References[edit]

  1. ^ The Field Artillery Journal (PDF), 1943, p. 840-841, retrieved 17 November 2023
  2. ^ General Orders No. 99 (PDF), 1945, p. 415, retrieved 10 July 2020
  3. ^ General Orders No. 96 (PDF), 1945, p. 498, retrieved 10 July 2020
  4. ^ a b General Orders No. 6 (PDF), 1960, p. 6, retrieved 5 November 2023
  5. ^ a b c Field Order No. 1, Operation Anvil VI Corps, 1944, retrieved 5 August 2021
  6. ^ General Orders No. 118 (PDF), 1945, p. 91, retrieved 10 July 2020
  7. ^ General Orders No. 116 (PDF), 1945, p. 179, retrieved 10 July 2020
  8. ^ a b 166th Artillery Lineage and Honors, 1966, retrieved 20 November 2023
  9. ^ American Field Artillery Formations (PDF), 1992, retrieved 15 November 2023
  10. ^ "Armor, July-August 1988". Armor, The Professional Development Bulletin of the Armor Force. United States Army Armor Center. 1988. Archived from the original on 11 December 2023. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
  11. ^ The Ways of War (PDF), 2023, p. 16, retrieved 5 December 2023
  12. ^ a b c d 938th Field Artillery Medical Detachment Report 1 Jan 45 - 30 Jun 45, 1945, archived from the original on 21 November 2023, retrieved 15 November 2023
  13. ^ The Washington Post 1945-10-28: Iss 25336, 1945, retrieved 5 December 2023
  14. ^ a b Vigo, M. (2014). "The Allied Landing at Anzio-Nettuno, 22 January–4 March 1944: Operation SHINGLE". Naval War College Review. 67 (4, Autumn). U.S. Naval War College Digital Commons: 54. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  15. ^ "Harvard Alumni Bulletin". Harvard Alumni Bulletin. Vol. 48. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard Bulletin, Inc. for the Harvard Alumni Association. 1945. p. 204. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
  16. ^ Fifth Army History. Vol. Part III, the Winter Line. Florence, Italy : L’ Impronta Press. 1944.
  17. ^ Lt. Kleindienst's forward observer notebook for Anzio, 2020, retrieved 6 December 2023
  18. ^ a b c d "Leonard J. Travaline transcript". Florida State University Libraries. 2008. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
  19. ^ "Roland Stanley Schaffer Private First Class U.S. Army" (PDF). Lower Macungie Township Historical Society. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
  20. ^ "Checklist of Artillery Organizational Histories: A Compilation" (PDF). Defense Technical Information Center. p. 184. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  21. ^ "Battle of Anzio". 2013. Archived from the original on 3 June 2023. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  22. ^ Fifth Army History. Vol. Part V, the drive to Rome. Florence, Italy : L’ Impronta Press. 1944.
  23. ^ George, T., The Ways of War: My Experiences as an Artillery Man in World War II (PDF), p. 32, retrieved 17 September 2020
  24. ^ 45th Infantry Division - Order of Battle of the United States Army - WWII - ETO, retrieved 6 December 2023
  25. ^ Battle experiences, coordination of various arms, 1945, p. 46, retrieved 1 December 2023
  26. ^ 10th Armored Division - Order of Battle of the United States Army - WWII - ETO, U.S. Army Center of Military History
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