to duty after treatment by battalion aid men. The L-4 liaison plane was a complete wreck.
30 June .1944
Nine missions were fired this date. Total rounds expended, 626. One 88mm enemy gun was destroyed by one gun of Battery A. The 88 was picked up firing from a tunnel, by the Air OP. 17 rounds were fired in adjustment and neutralization, six of which were hits on the tunnel from which the 88 was firing.
2 JULY 1944
Having completed its mission of giving general support to CCA and the 29th Inf. Div., the battalion returned to its assembly area some 2'/'2 miles southeast of Isigny. At 1600, the 391st was attached to CCB, 3rd Armored Division, and alerted to repel any counter-attack in the vicinity of the 3oth Infantry Division. CCB was organized into three assault teams, and a forward observer from the battalion was assigned to each team. This date the 391st groupment was established, commanded by Colonel Garton, and consisting of the 391st Armored Field Artillery Battalion (Btry A, 486th AA attached) and the 58th Armored Field Artillery Battalion (Btry D, 486th AA attached).
4 July .1944
The 3rd as well as the 4th of July was spent in positions in the assembly area, cleaning guns and equipment. At 1200 on the 4th, the battalion fired one round per gun as part of the XIX Corps Serenade in the First U S Army's celebration of the 4th of July.
5 July 1944
The battalion was alerted as part of the 3rd Armored Division Artillery to furnish on call "additional fires" in support of the 3oth Infantry Division attack in the general area of St. Jean de Daye. On the 5th and 6th of July, harassing and interdiction missions were fired in support of that attack.
7 July 1944
The attack by the 30th Infantry Division in the vicinity of St. Jean de Daye at 0900 was supported by the heaviest artillery barrage of the Normandy Beachhead to date. The battalion fired 5 harassing missions, 2 missions on enemy gun batteries, 1 mission on an enemy OP, 3 smoke missions to screen troop movements, and 25 missions as part of the rolling barrage in preparation for the infantry attack. Total rounds expended, 3412. At 2100, CCB was ordered to attack at once in the vicinity of the 30th Infantry Division with the mission of crossing the Vire River at Aire and securing and holding the high ground west of Aire. The battalion was alerted to displace forward in direct support of CCB. The three forward observers reported to their assigned assault teams of CCB. Battalion A and B trains assembled 2'1/2 miles southeast of Isigny, and the remainder of the battalion prepared to displace forward. Displacement was delayed because all traffic was routed over one bridge across the Vire River, and this bridge was under constant shelling by German artillery. Muddy roads, chewed by the teeth of tank treads, were lined with vehicles. GIs sat in half tracks or tanks, smoking quietly, waiting for their chance to cross the battered bridge. On the far bank o f the river was the town, blasted beyond
recognition. Enemy shelling had become less constant, but now and again the terrifying scream of an incoming shell was heard, and men hugged the ground or huddled behind vehicular armor. MPs, ignoring the fire, waved vehicles on. From the opposite bank, a truck appeared, slipped across the bridge and moved slowly toward the rear. It was loaded with German prisoners who gazed curiously at the GIs sitting there. The GIs gazed back just as curiously, and said nothing. Just sat there smoking.
8 July 1944
The battalion displaced forward at 0940, and closed in position west of the Vire River in the vicinity of Aire at 1530. A motorcycle, ridden by Tec 5 Frank Eastman, was wrecked by enemy shellfire on the bridge. Eastman was unhurt. The battalion fired 8 missions on enemy infantry, 2 missions on 88 mm guns, 3 missions on mortars, 1 mission on vehicles, 1 mission on an enemy ammunition dump and four registrations for a total expenditure of 15 to rounds. Private William J. Fullarton, with the forward observation crew, was lightly wounded and evacuated.
9 July 1944
CCB continued to attack, reached and held its objective. In the morning, vicinity of Bordigny, the enemy counter attacked. 2nd Lieutenant Clarence A. Silliman, forward observer with one of the CCB assault teams, proceeded forward under small arms, mortar and artillery fire, and adjusted the battalion fire on enemy infantry and tanks within 50 yards of his own position. He succeeded in stopping the counter attack, and greatly contributed to the
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