143rd AAA Gun Battalion - Page 24

 

Every, battery hit it soft. "A" Battery moved into Mosbach, Germany, up the Neckar River from the famous town of Heidelberg.

We of "A" had our own theater, mess hall, tavern and comfortable garrison quarters, instead of tents. "B" Battery went into French controlled territory of Germany to the town of Mengen.

We of "B" remember the trips to Lake Constance, the lake fringed by the beautiful blue Swiss Alps.

We of "C" Battery moved to Schweimingen, Germany, also in French territory and set up in the big school house. We too, had our tours of the beautiful surrounding country, including a trip to the Brenner Pass where the guards permitted us to walk into Italy a short distance just so we could say that we had been there.

We of "D" Battery along with Headquarters, moved into the town of Esslingen, Germany, just a few miles from Stuggart on the Neckar river. In Esslingen there was the EM's Night Club plus several shows and a large theater.

The biggest relief since our activation day was when we were told to cosmoline our guns and pack our equipment away. That meant no more alerts in all kinds of weather.

We still had some hard work ahead of us in our new mission, but our batteries each instituted their own special service program of tours, baseball games, movies and plays; life wasn't too rough.

One June 14th, we of "C" Battery moved to Kaufbeuren to the former German Air Field, there to take a mission as Security Guards for the field. Although is wasn't as pleasant as our former mission, we took in our stride the grind of maintaining a constant guard over the big air field.

On July 5th, a regular Military Police Unit relieved us of our guard duties and we were given another disarmament mission with our base of operations in Heidenheiin.

Meanwhile territory held by the French became officially theirs on July 1st and we of Baker Battery, had to move to a new territory North of Augsburg.

On July 6th, the move was made to a small town of Wackerstein, East of Ingolstadt, the farthest eastern tip of the entire battalion territory in Germany.

We of "B" didn't improve our lot any on this move as part of us were able to live in an old castle overlooking the Danube River while the rest of the battery lived in tents.

On July 16th. We were given permission to move to the town of Aindling, just a few miles North of Augsburg. Here we set up comfortably in houses, continuing the routine of "Flak Disarmament".

The War is Over

August 15, 1945

On August 15th, Japan surrendered. The war was over.

In the 143rd we cheered and gave thanks....and then began to wonder when we could go home.

It is realized that no matter what the future holds in store, no one can take away our many experiences which this written history has just touched upon.

No one can take away that splendid feeling of comradeship that was developed since our activation date.

And despite the finishing of this written account of our history, it really never will cease.

At deactivation date it will branch into as many different histories as there are soldiers amongst us.

We just plain civilians, will take our places in the industries of America.