184th AAA Battalion (United States)
| 184th AAA Gun Battalion | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1943-1945 |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch | Army |
| Type | Anti Aircraft Artillery |
| Equipment | 90mm Antiaircraft Gun M1 M4 Tractor |
| Engagements | Defense of London, Paris, and Antwerp; Battle of the Bulge |
| Decorations | Belgian Croix de Guerre ribbon with Fourragère[1] |
| Commanders | |
| Commanding Officer | Lt. Col. Julian S. Albergotti |
| Executive Officer | Major Clair L. Johnson |
The 184th AAA Gun Battalion was an Anti Aircraft Artillery battalion of World War II.
The 184th was activated in 1943 as part of the reorganization of the 61st Air Defense Artillery Regiment. After training in Iceland and England, it took part in the air defense of London in 1944. Shortly after D-Day, the 184th landed at Omaha Beach in Normandy, where they defended the beach as well as the port of Cherbourg from Luftwaffe air attacks. After a two-month stay in Paris, the battalion was moved into positions around Antwerp, Belgium to defend the important port against German V-1 attacks. As the Battle of the Bulge progressed, the 184th was moved to defensive positions on the Meuse River, where it formed a last line of defense in an anti-tank role. Returning to Antwerp in early 1945, the 184th was able to earn more victories against V-1s than any other AAA unit in the region. In April 1945, the 184th moved into Germany, where they defended bridges over the Rhine River. After V-E Day, the unit moved into the heart of Germany to take part in disarmament duties.
Activation
On 10 August 1943 the first battalion of the 61st Coast Artillery Regiment was changed into an anti-aircraft artillery unit and was renamed the 184th AAA Gun Battalion. The new unit was stationed at Camp Heathfield in southern England, where they trained on the new 90mm guns.[2]
Organization
The 184th - like most American AAA battalions in Europe - was never permanently attached to any one parent unit. Instead, they were assigned to various organizations on an as-needed basis. Furthermore, the hierarchy of command was fluid at multiple levels, resulting - on paper - in a chaotic command structure. Some of these parent units include:
- 21 December 1943 - 2 August 1944: 49th AAA Brigade (Defense of London, Normandy)[3]
- 16 March - 21 April 1944: 108th AAA Group (Battery A only, for training)[4]
- 4 May - 2 August 1944: the 184th was placed under the umbrella of the 1st Army Group, ADSEC[5]
- 2 August - 7 August 1944: ADSEC, which was by then detached from the 1st Army Group (Defense of Cherbourg)[6]
- 7 August - 9 November 1944: IX Air Defense Command (Defense of Paris)[7]
- 9 November - 21 December 1944: 21st Army Group, 50th AAA Brigade (Defense of Antwerp)[8]
- 21 December 1944 - 4 January 1945: 12th Army Group (operations only; Battle of the Bulge)[9]
- 4 January - 16 April 1945: 21st Army Group, 50th AAA Brigade (Defense of Antwerp)[10]
- 16 April - 1 October 1945: IX Air Defense Command (German Occupation)[11]
The 184th was divided into four batteries: A, B, C, and D. Each battery had 4 90mm Antiaircraft guns. The unit also included a headquarters battery, that was responsible for the overall operation of the battalion.
Footnotes
- ^ de Baene, Belgium Remembers and honors the US Armies of Liberation, 68-69
- ^ 184th AAA Gun Bn, 4
- ^ 184th AAA Gun Bn, 11
- ^ 184th AAA Gun Bn, 16
- ^ 184th AAA Gun Bn, 17
- ^ 184th AAA Gun Bn, 23
- ^ 184th AAA Gun Bn, 24
- ^ 184th AAA Gun Bn, 30
- ^ 184th AAA Gun Bn, 32
- ^ The Story of Antwerp X, 24
- ^ 184th AAA Gun Bn, 49
Bibliography
- 184th AAA Gun Bn.: Iceland, England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany. Fulda, Germany: Parzeller & Co. 1945.
- The Story of Antwerp X. 50 AAA Brigade, US Army. 1945.
- The Coast Defense Journal; Volume 23, Issue 2. Bel Air, MD: Coast Defense Study Group, Inc. May, 2009.
{{cite book}}: Check date values in:|year=(help)CS1 maint: year (link) - de Baene, Antoine L. (1948). Belgium Remembers and honors the US Armies of Liberation. Bruxelles: J. Rozez.
External Links
- Scan of 184th AAA Gun Bn history available at: http://www.antiaircraft.org/PDF/184.pdf
- Scan of The Story of Antwerp X available at: http://www.skylighters.org/buzzbombs/antwerpx.html