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April was a month of almost continuous movement and the complete collapse of the German
armies send the front lines racing forward, with this battalion moving deep into Germany
with the advancing Allied forces. The 1st Platoon of Battery "C" became the first unit of
the battalion to move into Germany when it occupied positions around Airstrip Y57 at Trier
on 2 April. The 2nd Platoon of Battery "A" was next as it moved to Y64 at Finthen, a few
miles from the Rhine on 5 April. Battery "B" left Verdun to move into Luxembourg on 8 April,
the 1st Platoon defending the mines at Differdange and the 2nd Platoon defending
Luxembourg City. The 1st Platoon of Battery "C" was also the first unit of the battalion to
cross the Rhine, moving to Airstrip Y74 at Sulzbach on 11 April, and the 2nd Platoon of
Battery "C" moved up to the Rhine at Oppenheim on 13 April, being assigned the mission
of illuminating the Rhine River bridges for security patrols. On 14 April, the 1st Platoon of
Battery "A" moved across the Rhine to Airstrip Y73 at Waldorf, and, on 16 April, both platoons
of Battery "B" moved to Y64 at Finthen, relieving the 2nd Platoon of Battery "A," which, in
turn, relieved the 1st Platoon of Battery "C" at Y74, the Battery "C" platoon splitting in
half, three lights going to Y80 near Weisbaden and the other three joining the battery's
2nd Platoon at Oppenheim. On 18 April, Battalion Headquarters and Headquarters Battery moved
into a spacious new headquarters at Königstein, and on 19 April Battery "B" left Airstrip
Y64 and took up positions at Mainz and Bingen, where, like the majority of the lights of
Battery "C," they were now engaged in illuminating the Rhine River crossings. On 27 April, Battery "B" was relieved from attachment to the 51st AAA Brigade, attached to the 56th AAA Brigade, and, with the exception of two lights, sent to Karlsruhe for Rhine River illuminations. The battery's two remaining lights were assigned a similiar mission at Speyer. The 2nd Platoon of Battery "A," on 28 April, moved to Airstrip R30 at Furth, and, on 29 April, Battalion Headquarters and Headquarters Battery moved to a new command post at Kitzingen, sharing offices with 51st AAA Brigade Headquarters. On 6 May, the 1st Platoon of Battery "A" moved to R6 at Mainbernheim to bring the units of the battalion into the positions which they occupied when the cease-fire order marking V-E day was received. The closing days of the campaign also marked the battalion's last engagements with the Luftwaffe. Three hostile planes were engaged by the lights during the final month of the war, one of which, on the night of 24 April, strafed Section 6 of Battery "A" without causing casualties or damage. |
The U. S. Army enters Munich, April 1945.
 Move Back! |
 Return to Base! |
 Move Forward! |
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