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| Ed Walsh, Charmes, France |
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History of the Battalion
The 242nd
FIELD
ARTILLERY
BATTALION
of
WORLD WAR II
History of the Battalion
The Battalion was activated Aug 20, 1942 at Camp White Oregon, with 500 officers and men for basic training.
After basic, the 242nd moved to Yakima Washington Firing Range by convoy and train Jan 13, 1943. Moved to Fort Sill Oklahoma on two trains arriving March 4, 1943. It remained there teaching at the Field Artillery School and Officer Candidate School until March 11, 1944 when they convoyed to Camp Howze, Texas.
At Camp Howze, Army Ground Force Tests were taken preparatory to going overseas.All equipment was turned in. The troops boarded a train on June 21, 1944, arriving
at Camp Shanks, NY June 24, 1944.
On July 1, 1944, the men of the 242nd boarded a ship (the Thomas H. Barry, formerly the cruise ship, Orienta) in Brooklyn in the largest convoy ever to cross the Atlantic.They arrived at the Firth of Clyde Scotland, then went by train to Camp Blackbirds in South Wales. All new equipment was issued and the 105mm cannon were test fired.
On Aug 19, 1944 the battalion convoyed to South Hampton, England and boarded ship to cross the English Channel, landing on Utah beach.
When the war ended in May of 1945, the Battalion had reached the Austrian border. After 240 days of combat, the Battalion had fired 73,062 rounds of 105mm shells, high explosive, white phosphorus. smoke, flares, time and proximity fused shells.
In the fall of 1945, the 242nd Field Battalion arrived back in the United States. There had been 4 deaths from enemy fire and at least 82 wounded. At that time the Battalion was de-activated.
Questions or comments? Contact us at ltdan@windstream.net
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