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. 463RD PFAB . PARACHUTE FIELD ARTILLERY BATTALION |
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Roster
The 463th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion was created on February 21st, 1944 near the small Italian village of Borgo Bainsizza of Anzio beachhead.
It was formed from the battery “C” and “D” coming from the 456th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion of the 82nd Airborne, and was commanded by Major Hugh Neal. The officer and the men of the newly organized unit were veterans of the 82nd who had fought in Sicily in July 1943, and had taken part in the Anzio campaign.
After its new designation, the battalion remained in support of the FSSF which, in early June 1944, led the Allied Forces into Rome. The new battalion commander now was Major John T. Cooper Jr. who assumed command when Major Neal was seriously wounded during the Anzio battles on May 31, 1944.
After the fall of Rome, the battalion received 200 replacements to fill out its two “C” and “D” batteries.
One month later, the battalion was on its way to the invasion of Southern France with the First Airborne Task Force as part of the 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment. The battalion flew from the Grosseta and Follonica airports near Rome.
Augustus 44 –
South of France – Operation
Dragoon
In the early morning hours of August 15, 1944, one group under the command of Major Stuart M Seaton, jumped near Le Muy, in France. The second contingent under the command of Major Cooper was dropped across a wide area around St Tropez where they fought against heavy German concentrations.
Major Cooper was injured and replaced by Major Seaton until Cooper returned on October 14.
The battalion captured 375 prisoners during the first two days of combat, more than all Task force over the same period. The troops infiltrated inland, the 463rd moved eastward along the coast until August 30, 1944, when it was sent to the Alps and was attached to 550th Parachute Infantry Regiment with the mission of cutting off the escape of the German force route from Italy.
In the mountain scenery could be seen the battalion in a front line formation of 19km. During this period, the battalion came face to face with a snowstorm which buried the guns of battery A under 8 feet of snow at an altitude of 10.000 feet.
In mid-October, the battalion faced a counter attack which was pushed back with 5.600 shells fired on-direct-fires. On October 22, the battalion took position along the Franco-Italian border near the coast, still supporting the Task force.
In mid-November, the 463rd was relieved by the 602nd Regiment and sent to Nice.
During the campaign of France, the battalion took part in more than 1000 missions and fired approximately more than 35.000 rounds of 75mm ammunition.
At the end of the campaign, the 463rd is moved Northward by truck and train to join the 17th Airborne. The battalion arrived in Mourmelon, France on December 12, 1944, where was stationed the 101st. 4 days later, Hitler winter’s offensive began.
101st thus left for Belgium and the city of Bastogne.
Cooper, by now, a Lieutenant Colonel, offered his services to General McAuliffe, as the 463rd was not part of the 101st.
After one meeting with McAuliffe, Cooper and Colonel Joseph H. Harper, commander of the 327th Glider Infantry Regiment, he accepted the offer.
Here went off to Bastogne the 463rd “attached” to the 101st.
The great difference with the other units moving towards The Ardennes, the 463rd is better equipped to face the cold of the winter. Moreover, this regiment has its own transportation: 27 trucks of 2tons 1/2, 26 trucks of 1/4tons, a sizable supply of ammunition and 200 anti-tank rounds, a factor to be of significance for the defense of Bastogne.
On December 19, at 9 a.m., the unit reaches an assembly area near to Flamizoulle in Belgium. On the same day, the battalion establishes positions around Hemroulle in support of the 327th. On December 20, the Germans completely surround Bastogne with at least 5 divisions.
The fighting was intense and many were killed. On December 22, the Germans demand the surrender of the city to which General McAuliffe issued his famous reply, “NUTS”.
On December 23, with the weather clearing, the C-47 planes dropped ammunition and food supplies.
On December 26, the 4th Infantry Division of Patton’s 3rd army broke through the encirclement.
During the battle of Bastogne, the role of 463rd was significant for the support. The losses report for the battalion was 11 killed, 24 wounded and one missing.
From December 19 to January 17, its 16 canons fired 21.748 rounds. On December 23, the day of the supply parachuting, the battalion was down to shells and some anti-tank rounds. The losses for the battalion was 11 killed, 24 wounded and 1 missing.
For their act of bravery, lieutenant Colonel Cooper and sergeant F. Rogan were awarded the Silver Star. Rogan as a forward observer regulating the shooting and Cooper for its actions.
7 men were awarded the Bronze Star including two posthumously.
NB. : There is disagreement about the battle on Christmas morning. Some Panzers attacked west of Hemroulle. For Colonel T.L. Sherburne Jr., temporary commander of the battalion allots 2 average panzers destroyed and 1 captured. Colonel Cooper maintains that 8 out of the 11 panzers have been destroyed, 1 captured, and 2 have escaped to finally be destroyed by the tanks.
On January 17, 1945, the 463rd battalion was sent in Alsace with the remainder of the 101st. It was stationed near Keffendorf and Winterhouse as support to the 327th GIR.
It was relieved by the 36th Division of Artillery and was sent to Mourmelon with the remainder of the 101st.
Having fought with the 101st in Bastogne, that it was officially attached to 101st to the 101st in March 1945.
The End – 1945
The 463rd remained in Mourmelon until April 3, 1945. On this day it was sent near Neuss in Germany as support unit of the 327th.
It completed its last day of fights. It was then moved to Schillingstadt, Schwabsoin, Thalham and Bad Reichenhall on May 12.
The final trips were to Saalfelden in Austria on July 8 and to Joigny in France on August 2.
The 463rd was inactivated on November 30, 1945.
United States :
2 Presidential Distinguished Unit Citations for operations in Normandie and Bastogne
France :
War Cross with palms for the South of France operation
Belgium :
2 War Cross and Lanyards for the Bastogne operations
