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Reproduced from the Unclassified / Declassified Holdings of the National Archives'

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AUTH: CG5TH
DA'rE: ;J Au
.!2.B.! INIT rALS:-(;LJo"""",=,,.c.-
HEADQUARl'ERS
46th Field. Artillery Battalion
AftER ACT ICN AGAINST THE BEPORl'
Period 14 July to 51 July 1944
1. l'ERSarnEL
a. Total effective strength.
(1) Beginning of period
55 Officers 2 Warrant Officers 506
(2) End of period
50 Officers 2 Warrant Officers 505 EM
b. Wounded in Action.
1st Lt Victor W Weidman, 2d Lts Lester 0 Besser, John P Oraig;
Cpl L W Vance, Tee 5 Jake Junoo,.Pfc Arnold K Dodds Jr, Pvt
Oharles R I-icNeil
Missing in Action.
2d Lts Henry" W Liner .Jr and Richard A Wenner
c. Replacements received.
2d Lt Milo 0 Kincaid, Tec 4 Audie Johnson, Opl John A Hodges,
Pvt Julius P Wileon.

2.
2d Bn and part of the 1st Bn, 2d Pz Gr Reg. Artillery support available
consisted of Cannon Companies with undetermined number 75mm Howitzers and
'vV
attaohed 75mm Howitzer SF guns. One heavy artillery unit identified as 2
o
Btry, 1194 Artillery Battalion consisting of' 4 guns l49mm, Italian. Infor
mation based on PWI reports, 5th Inf' Div, dtd 15 July 44 and annex to 8-2 \P
Bulletin #/+7, V Corps Artillery, dtd27 July 44. Other heavy units using
,
Italian" French and Russian equipment lOcated well to the rear through
\,,1
out the sector. Identification of fragments confirmed t.he use of It.alian and
I
Flussian equipment. Fragme.ntation of' German shells was ver;r poor, but the
Italia.n shells were particularly good.
51
"Pl'aotically all artillery fire was harrassing by one to four guns. F'ire
was placed chiefly ou.mainroada, probablt rear areas for our and
r
forward high ground. Very little believed to have been observed. Frequent
. airbul'stsobaerved but too high for good effect. SlP guns were moved continu
ously 'throughout the seotor, usually at night, firing during the day from
o
relatiively close ranges. Heavier units were apparently neutral:i,.zed by our
counte.r_battery but da.rua.ge is doubtful due to reappearance in other
positions. 20mm and 88mm AA were effective, one of our Cubs being shot down.
Estimate of enel!lylosses during period ia unknown.
oaptured --none .
Enemy morale and status of equipment Pl'1 reports indicate extensive use
of mixed capt.ured equipment.. Information on of ammunition and gas and
morale oonflict.ing. and not reliable.
,. OUR OmRA.TIOI{S
CAll' opera:t1one dur:i.D.g the period consisted 0.1: three phases: 1}+-20 July,
direct support lOth Infantry in defensive.action} 20-27 Ju1y, assigned to
reinforce fires 15th Field Artillery Battalion during preparation and attack
of 24 Infantry Division; 28-,1 July, direot and general support lOth Inf'antry
and 11th Infantry, during offensive operation. In the first
phase, fires were chiefly' barrassing with frequent calls for observed fire
against tanka, SP guns, mortors and small enemy infantry act. ivity and with
. protectivoe i'ires on call. Fires were supported by one platoon 750th '.rank
'1 Battalion attached and 818 TD an on call. AA proteotion throughout. all phases '
! furnished by Btry D, 449th All AW Bn attached. Enemy aircraft flew over the . )i
Sit''.' a :t . ;
\'_'1./ .. ' /."Of Battalion area by friendly fighters, Btry D, and AA units. .
"''''''' 100 l'ds propa.gand.a shells fired by battalion on 19-20 Ju.ly 44. '. ""'. ,
. '. .. \ :
: '''') . *1*. c.);\,,)'
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<)-v\o .
SEORET l.,

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Reproduced from the ,UnClassified I Declassified Holdings of the National Archives '
In the seoond phal?El, the battalion reinforced fires 15th Field Artillery
Battalion by firing a preparation on 26th July from 0540 hours to 06;5 hours
and remained in support on call 'Wltil WOO hours 28 July. ' 898 rounds were
fired in the 55 minutes preparation. During this phase, the l,lst RA Scottish
Pegt oocupied positions adjacent to this battalion and assumed responsibility
for the sector to our front on 2,3 July 1944.
The third phase oonsisted of direot and general support of the 10th and
11th Infantry Regiments, 5th Infantry Division from three suoce:ssive positions
in a rapid offensive to the South. During one portion of the attack, the l87th
Field Artillery Battalion ( l55mm How) supported our fires. During this phase,
the fighting was from hedgerow to hedgerow, and observation was limited to two
or three hedgerows ahead whioh required the forward observers t.o follow immed
iately behind the forward infantry elements.
Communications with observers and liaisons were entirely by radio. It.
being impractioal to keep up with too rapidly advancing units using SOR
610 radio, fire missions were relayed a few hundred yards to the rear by use,
of 536 and ,300 Infantry radio units and thence transmitted by the SOR 610 to
theFDO. These operat.ionsrequired olose support (2000 - 3000 yds max) and
continuous reconnaissance for forward positions. Due to poor observation use
of artillery was limited to reduction of oounterattacks by massed fires and
unobserved fire on report.ed strong points. Operation of our air OP' s \'1ere
limited due to inability to definitely establish location of friendly troops
engaged in eliminating of troops engaged in resistanoe. Strong counter
attaoks were repelled with results by massed fires of Battalion and Div
Arty on three occasions. Fire was sometimes adjusted to within two fields
(100-2do yds) of our own troops, one gun being used until safe range was de
termined before bringing in a battery or battalion. At the close of the period
this Battalion. was in general support of the Division front.
Expenditure of ammunit.ion for entire period was 5055 rounds lO5mm and
2240 rounds, cal 50. '
4. SUPPLY AND EVACU.A.T ION
a. Supply normal. ,A liaison plane I jeep and 105mm HOl[dtzer lost. or
damaged during action \'/ere promptly replaced or repaired. Referenoe 5th Ini'
Div Adm 0 #1 to 6 inclusive. '
b. Evacuation normal.
5. REOOMMENDAT ICNS
In hedgerow fighting, 2 small, light weight radios (SOR 556) required for
Liaison and Forward Observer parties to relay fire missions to SOR 610 radio
following a few hundred yards to the rear. All individuals within artillery
range should dig fox holes with overhead coverage against tree bursts and air
bursts.
6. DIARY OF DAILY OmRATIONS
See Annex I
2 Inclosures
1. Annex 1
2. Unit Journal w/allied papers inclosed to one copy only of the
After Action Against the Enemy Report.
For the Battalion OCllll'J1ander:
Oapt,
S..e
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