397th AAA BN

Discussion in 'US Units' started by BossLady, Dec 28, 2017.

  1. BossLady

    BossLady New Member

    Hi there - I'm looking for information on the 397th Anti Aircraft Artillery Battalion - I just recently was able to recover my fiancée's grandfather's DD214 and was able to see he was in this unit on D Day... I have no idea where to start with my research. Any idea on how I can get info on this group? Muster records, diaries, pictures or maps on where they went? It looks like this group was apart of the 29th infantry - did they all stay together? For example, if I track the 29th Infantry's movements during the war, is it safe to say the smaller 397th was with them?

    Thanks in advance.
     
  2. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    I have been studying D day on Omaha Beach and have some information on 397. They were landed early and suffered heavy casualties.

    I am a bit busy right now but I can search out some information for you. In the meantime I have posted some information on this site. Try searching Omaha or 397 AAA.

    Mike
     
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  3. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Bosslady

    Welcome - however you may be better off joining our sister (US) site for details - WWII Forums

    Regards
    TD
     
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  4. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    Some information gleaned by cross referencing. I have not found a source giving a coherent account of the unit. I am afraid that I do not know how to access US Army War Diaries.


    397 Provisional AAA Battalion.

    Formed at Fort Sheridan, Illinois. Equipped with 40mm LAA guns.
    Arrived in UK early 1944. Reorganised and retrained with .5” water cooled machine guns.

    Loaded onto LSTs 408, 357 and 314 at Weymouth.
    Sailed from Weymouth 0300, 5 June.
    Crossed the Channel.
    Arrived at the Transport Area some ten miles off the coast at 0315, 6 June.
    0330. Lowered LCVPs.
    0450. Loaded LCVPs and despatched them to the Rendezvous Area.
    0700. Landed on the beach.

    The battalion would have had a fairly smooth crossing on the LSTs but the two hour trip from Rendezvous Area to shore was very rough.

    Each of the three LSTs carried six LCVP each of which carried 14 men and two water cooled .5” machine guns from 397 Anti Aircraft Automatic Weapons Battalion.

    The six LCVP from LST 408 were intended for Dog Beach.
    The six LCVP from LST 357 were intended for Easy Beach.
    The six LCVP from LST 314 were intended for Fox Beach.

    This should have given a coverage of the whole of Omaha with guns at regular intervals. In the event craft were swept off course by the strong currents and landed in the wrong places. In the rough sea and under heavy enemy fire 26 of the 36 guns were lost or abandoned. None of them seemed to have been used against aircraft although one account says one was used to fire at enemy troops.

    The weapon employed by the battalion was the tried and tested .5” water cooled machine gun on a high angle tripod mounting. The gun itself was capable of sustained fire. There was no reason why it should not fire continuously for long periods as long as ammunition and cooling water was available. A disadvantage was the weight of the components. The gun weighed some 100 pounds and the tripod some 150 pounds. While this could be managed over short distances in normal conditions it was difficult when wading through deep and rough water under fire.

    Later on D Day more personnel and some vehicles landed from the LSTs by Rhino Ferry.

    Casualties on D Day were 17 dead, 71 wounded and 32 missing.

    After D Day the battalion was re equipped with 40mm guns and remained active until the end of the war in Europe.

    397 was a 1st US Army unit. It was landed on D Day in support of 29 Division but was not a part of it. I do not know anything of its movements after D Day but it will not be the same as 29 Division I am afraid.

    Mike
     
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