From: "GILLOTTI, DANIEL" To: "'wl7aml@arrl.net'" , "'medquest@taosnet.com'" , "'dshackman@aol.com'" Subject: 30th FA Pictures Date: Fri, 6 Jul 2001 08:51:10 -0400 X-Mailer: Internet Mail Service (5.5.2653.19) Joe; Attached are two image files. The file marked "155jpg.jpg" is the one you requested. We're not sure where it was taken. The file marked "kodiakjpg.jpg" has 5 small photos. The first three are of a beaver dam and pond. Next to that is a picture of a small village near the water. We're not sure what the name of that village is. The last photo shows three men hunting. The gentleman in the middle was Captain (later Colonel)John Stranahan. He is the person that provided these five photos and was stationed on Kodiak. I have a couple more and I'll work on those tonight. I used a .jpg format but I also have them in .bmp and .tif format if that is better for you. Dano attached: 155jpg.jpg kodiakjpg.jpg [note: the photos show nothing military in Kodiak.] From: "GILLOTTI, DANIEL" To: "'Joe Stevens'" , "'medquest@taosnet.com'" Subject: RE: 30th FA history Date: Thu, 5 Jul 2001 07:56:44 -0400 X-Mailer: Internet Mail Service (5.5.2653.19) Joe: Before I ask for anything I better send you something! Got busy finishing some other projects and didn't get to your request yet. But I will do so tonight. My desk is clear at home so I can dig out the binders and look for the 2nd Bn, 30th FA stuff now. Be advised there was supposedly a 30th Coast Artillery Bn on Kodiak at the same time our 2nd Bn, 30th FA was there. I'm doubtful about this and have some suspicions about its existence but I need to do some more research. But our 2nd Bn did have 155mm Short-barrelled Schnieder Howitzers initially and later had 155mm "Long Toms" which almost tripled the range to be able to shoot at ships. Attached please find part of the History of the 30th FA Regiment that I wrote. I sent you part of Chapter 2 which talks about the 30th FA Regiment. And I sent all of Chapter 4 which covers all we know about the 2nd Bn. You mentioned Art work, was any of it signed by a man named Martinson? When you read the attached history you'! ll! see my reference to his artistic abilities. If you'll send me your mailing address I'll send you a couple of extra covers that have the Hard Charger bear in color on them. After I send you scans of the pictures I have I'll be asking for favors! (-; Like copies of the art work, and to ask when you're going to ship that 4 foot square hunk of masonite to Ft Sill so we can put it in our Regimental Room (At our expense of course!) Hard Charger-Sir! Dano -----Original Message----- From: Joe Stevens [mailto:wl7aml@arrl.net] Sent: Thursday, July 05, 2001 2:21 AM To: GILLOTTI, DANIEL Subject: RE: 30th FA history Dan, We have a four foot square piece of masonite with 30th Field Artillery and some art. I will get a photograph of it when I process my next roll of film and send it to you. We have no other photos of the 30th. We think the unit manned 155mm mobile guns here. There are many panama mounts still existing which we would like to link to the 30th. Regards, ...j0e At 06:42 AM 7/2/01 -0400, you wrote: >Joe: The picture I have came from the Rock Island Arsenal at Rock Island, IL. Please credit the photo from them. I'm at work right now and will scan the orignal photo when I get home tonight. I have a few other photos of Kodiak that were sent by our good friend (now deceased), COL John Stranahan. I'm sure he would be delighted to know they would be part of your museum or website. My home EMail is (firstcav68@eriecoast.com). My question to you is, do you have any photos of our unit, more specically, the 2nd Bn, 30th FA, from 1942-44? >Hard Charger-Sir! >Dan Gillotti, Historian, 30th FA Regiment > >-----Original Message----- >From: medquest@taosnet.com [mailto:medquest@taosnet.com] >Sent: Sunday, July 01, 2001 7:38 PM >To: Joe Stevens >Cc: GILLOTTI, DANIEL >Subject: Re: 30th FA history > > >Joe Stevens wrote: > >> Sir, >> >> Can you direct me to a source of WWII Kodiak Alaska >> history of the unit? I found a photograph titled: >> 155mm Schneider Howitzer on Kodiak Island in 1943 >> on web page >> http://www.geocities.com/hardchargers/historyp/wwii.htm >> but the photograph isn't very clear. I would like to >> get a better version of that photograph or any others >> showing the 30th when they were on Kodiak in 1943. >> I couldn't get any contact information from the web >> site except yours. >> >> Regards, >> >> Joe Stevens, President >> Kodiak Military History Museum >> http://www.kadiak.org > >Joe, >I am the membership chair of the 30th FA Regiment Association. I >am copying Dan Gillotti our historian on this response. Dan is >far better equipped to answer your questions and maintains a >rather complete archive of notes, photos, and other items which >may be of interest to you. Expect a note directly from Dan >shortly. BTW, your own site is quite comprehensive and was a >pleasure to visit. >Bill >****************** >William B. Gregory >Vice President >MedQuest Holdings, Ltd. > >PO Box 1842 >Taos, NM 87571-1842 >USA > >P= 505/758-5320 >F= 505/758-5325 >E= medquest@taosnet.com >URL= http://www.medquestinc.com attached: 2ndBnKodiak.doc From 30th Field Artillery Regiment history 2ndBnKodiak.doc The primary weapons of the 30th FA Regiment were 155mm "Schneider" Howitzers (Summer 1941) The original officer assignments within the 2nd Bn were as follows: Bn Headquarters: LTC J. M. Hamilton, MAJ S. E. Bullock, MAJ W. R. Pierce, CPT T. M. Eubanks, CPT Kenneth W. Gardner, 1LT R. D. Trautman; Headquarters Battery: CPT Dan Parker Jr., 1LT H. C. Nachand, 2LT R. G. Acuff; D Battery: CPT John J. Stranahan, 1LT Olney Long, 1LT A. A. Lundin, 1LT J. I. Ferguson; E Battery: CPT Melvin W. Ager, 1LT A. C. Kornshrene, 2LT E. L. Krummel; F Battery: 1LT Neal G. Smith, 1LT Carlton Richter, 2LT R. M. Wales; H Battery: 1LT A. C. Clark, 2LT W. D. Toomey, 2LT L. R. Jorgensen; Service Battery: CPT W. E. Druebert, 1LT H. C. Cottier, 1LT Howard A. Edwards; 2nd Battalion Medical Detachment: 1LT R. A. Whitney. 4.3.4 2nd Battalion, 30th Field Artillery deploys to Kodiak Island, Alaska in 1942 The 2nd Bn was alerted to begin preparations for a Permanent Change of Station (PCS) to Alaska. Packing for departure from Orange, CA, was begun on 1 May 1942. Then on 4 May 1942, the citizens of the town were out almost en masse to give the 2nd Bn a royal send off as it boarded the trains for Camp Murray, Washington. Reaching Camp Murray late in the afternoon of 7 May 1942, the 2nd Bn moved into a tent camp only recently vacated by the 41st Infantry Division, and almost immediately began final preparations for overseas movement. During this period at Camp Murray, the 2nd Bn received its first graduate of the Field Artillery Officer Candidate School (OCS) at Ft Sill, Oklahoma, in the person of 2LT Jack D. Nagel, who was to distinguish himself later as Captain Nagel, Commo Officer and CO of HHB. He was among the first men taken into the US Army under the Selective Service Draft and was graduated with the third OCS class at Ft. Sill. Later practically all of the 30th FA Regiment's junior officers would be OCS graduates. Fully equipped and prepared for anything, the 2nd Bn loaded into trucks at Camp Murray on 24 May 1942 and was transported to the loading docks. On 26 May 1942, the 2nd Bn sailed from Seattle for Kodiak Island, Alaska, on the veteran transport ship USAT Chirikoff and arrived there on 31 May 1942. With this movement, the 2nd Bn separated from other elements of the 30th FA Regiment and became a detached Battalion. After a rough voyage that gave many members of the 2nd Bn their first experience with seasickness, the Cherikoff pulled into St. Paul Harbor at Kodiak Island on the afternoon of 31 May 1942. At the time, knowledge of the Japanese planned attack against the Alaskan area was known among higher Army Officers, and the arrival of the 2nd Bn, with its medium howitzers and lighter weapons was welcomed warmly by BG Charles Corlett, CO at Ft. Greeley on Kodiak. No blaring band nor cheering crowds were on the docks as the artillerymen arrived. As the ship docked, LTC Hamilton and the Firing Battery COs -- CPT Frederick G. Bull of D Battery, CPT Robert W. Maxwell, Jr. of E Battery, and CPT Donald M. Platt of F Battery hurried ashore to reconnoiter and select positions from which the Batteries could fire on the expected invaders. At the same time, other officers and enlisted men of the 2nd Bn changed themselves into longshoremen and began the task of unloading equipment from the Cherikoff and transporting it to Fort Greeley's Tent City, their new home. The 201st Infantry Regiment had completed evacuation from the Tent City only that day. The weather did nothing to make the new arrivals feel welcome. Showers fell intermittently throughout the day and CPL Dorian Kirk of HHB made a mark on his tent wall every time a new rain started that day, and by night could count 16 tallies on the canvas. The 2nd Bn was being well introduced to the type of weather with which it was to live for almost two years. As soon as they moved the howitzers to Tent City, the cannoneers who served them began the task of removing the cosmoline applied for the sea voyage, and later the following day, most of the weapons were in position and ready to fire. The Japanese bombing attack on Dutch Harbor on 3 June 1942, came as the 2nd Bn was working around the clock improving their positions, digging in and camouflaging the howitzers, setting up the .50 caliber machine guns, improving communications, establishing munitions dumps and building convenient sleeping quarters and shelter. Men worked until they were ready to drop, knocked off for few hours of sleep and then returned to the job. The Battery Executive Officers (XOs); 1LT (later MAJ) Jake Easton, Jr., of D Battery, 1LT Howard A. Edwards of E Battery, and 1LT Roy Atterbury of F Battery all worked at least 20 hour days. With their positions complete and the Japanese attack on Kodiak failing to materialize, the 2nd Bn had the satisfaction of knowing it was ready to blast the hell out of the Japanese invaders had they chose Kodiak as the scene of attack. Immediately after the 2nd Bn's arrival on the island the Headquarters Battery Anti-Tank Platoon, commanded by 1LT Floyd Davis, was detached and placed on special duty with the 201st Infantry Regiment to help form the beach defenses of Kodiak Island. C Battery, 260th Coast Artillery (CA) accompanied the 2nd Bn on the Cherikoff and A & B Batteries of the 260th CA, along with C Battery, 96th FA joined it there a short time later. With these additions, LTC Hamilton's command became the 2nd Bn, 30th FA (Reinforced). C Battery, 96th FA left Kodiak for the Aleutians in August 1942, B Battery, 96th FA started west in October 1942 and A Battery, 96th FA followed in April 1943. C Battery, 260th CA was transferred to the 40th CA Regiment at Kodiak on January 1943, and still later to the 250th CA. Conditions on Kodiak, largest of the islands off the Alaskan Peninsula, were very different from those they had recently found in the California desert, but the men of the 2nd Bn went about their duties nonetheless. These duties were varied to an extreme. In the absence of a Port Company, the artillerymen were frequently called upon for ship unloading details. All ship unloading details were performed in such a manner as to elicit praise from the post's CO. These hard working soldiers also performed as infantrymen on field maneuvers, as engineers, as ordnance men, and in many other roles. A number of the men from the 2nd Bn helped make up a Tank Company and SSG Donald P. Nevins, Senior Section Chief of F Battery acted as the Company First Sergeant. At the same time 24-hour guard was maintained at the howitzer positions and for months enough men remained on call to fire the weapons at any hour. 4.3.5 2nd Battalion, 30th Field Artillery on Kodiak Island, Alaska in 1943 Tent City remained home for the 2nd Bn until January 1943, when a movement to wooden barracks in the Swampy Acres section of the post was begun. This move was not complete until April 1943, when F Battery was the last to leave Tent City and occupy its new quarters. Again the artillerymen were moving into an area vacated by the 201st Infantry Regiment. The Headquarters Battery Anti-Tank Platoon that had been attached to the 201st Infantry Regiment rejoined the 2nd Bn and took up semi-permanent positions on Pasagshak Bay in April 1943. The Anti-Tank Platoon remained at Pasagshak until August 1943, when it came back to Ft. Greeley and joined HHB in garrison. Not long after the move from Tent City, the 2nd Bn's primary weapon was changed to the 155mm Gun, M1A1 (Long Tom). Cannoneers, Gunners, Section Chiefs, and XOs soon were familiar with the new armament. At the first Service Practice held on Kalsin Bay on 22 June 1942, both D and F Batteries, with 1LT Russell B. Morris and 1LT Morris H. Yowell as XOs, fired the guns as though they had received all their training on them. E Battery, firing for the first time two days later, also made a record of which to be proud. Other Service Practices and field problems conducted under all kinds of weather conditions, mostly cold and wet, increased the cannoneers' familiarity with their new primary weapons. They learned to prepare positions and fire in the boggy Kodiak tundra while Prime Mover Drivers learned to snake the heavy weapons over winding, ice-covered roads. Each Battery was issued two 81mm mortars and trained enough men to provide expert crews for them. The 2nd Bn also had practice on the 37mm and 75mm guns of its Anti-Tank Platoon. All men of the unit became familiar with various types of small arms, at various times being issued the 1903 model .30 caliber rifles, .30 caliber carbines, .45 caliber pistols and both .30 and .50 caliber machine guns. Those who served on special duty with the Tank Company fired an even wider variety of automatic weapons. In the summer of 1943, the 2nd Bn began an entirely new phase of training, that of firing on water borne targets using Coast Artillery (CA) methods. Battery Fire Direction Centers (FDCs) became plotting rooms, Gunners became Gun Pointers and Section Chiefs became Gun Commanders for this training. Although FA and CA methods differ in almost every respect, the 2nd Bn, coached by officers of the 250th CA Regiment, soon became proficient in the new procedures. Two months after starting training on the unfamiliar CA methods, the 2nd Bn fired with service ammunition at water borne targets. As a result, its Batteries made scores which astounded official observers. Service Battery, whose ordinary duties dealt with handling ammunition and other phases of supply, joined the Firing Batteries in learning a new type of firing. Service Battery, commanded by CPT Frederick A. Smith, was placed under orders to divide into two detachments and man 6-inch naval guns as part of the coastal defenses at Yakitat and Annette Landing, Alaska. LTC Hamilton was promoted to full Colonel while Post XO at Fort Greely. They then transferred him to Ft. Richardson, Alaska, in a similar capacity in September 1943. {Note: While in command of the 2nd Bn, COL Hamilton had his Operations Sergeant, SSG Martinson, draw a Kodiak Bear standing erect with a fierce expression on his face. The bear was holding an artillery shell in his right paw and had it drawn back as if to throw it like a football. In his left paw he was holding another artillery shell. COL Hamilton adopted the Kodiak Bear logo when he took command of the 30th FA Regiment and also it was used later on the stationery and report covers for the 30th FA Group. "A real Hard Charger bear for sure'!} When COL Hamilton left the 2nd Bn to become Fort Greeley=s Post XO, he was succeeded by MAJ (later LTC) Kenneth W. Gardner as the new Bn Commander. LTC Gardner had been a member of the 2nd Bn since its reactivation and had filled all Bn staff positions before his promotion, with his most recent being that of Bn XO. Coast Artillery training continued throughout the summer and into early fall, until in October 1943, when the 2nd Bn received orders to concentrate once again on FA methods. During October 1943, they ordered CPT Lundin, the Adjutant, to Amchitka to be Post Adjutant. At the same time they informed the 2nd Bn that they had declared as surplus troops in Alaska and that its return to the Continental United States would be arranged as soon as transportation was available. On 14 April 1944, the 2nd Bn departed Kodiak Island on board the USAT Otsego. They arrived at Seattle Washington on 21 April 1944, and moved on to Camp Picket, VA, arriving there on 30 April 1944.