HEADQUARTERS
473RD AAA AW Bn. (SP)
APO 339 - U.S. ARMY

S-3 AFTER ACTION REPORT
April 1945

SUBJECT: Action Against Enemy, Report After/After Action Report

TO : Adjutant General, Washington, D. C.

1. In compliance with par. 10 AR/345-105 and Memorandum No.(?) Headquarters Ninth U. S. Army, 29 October 1944, the following report for this battalion for period 1 April to 1 May 1945 is hereby submitted.

2. During the period of this report, the 473rd AAA (AW) Bn, SP remained assigned to the NINTH UNITED STATES ARMY, attached to the 8th Armored Division and units under tactical contrpl of the XIX Corps. Tactical allotment of AA to the Division was made as follows; Battery A to CCB; Battery B to CCA; Battery C minus one platoon to CCR; Battery D to Div. Trains; and one platoon of Battery C to Division Headquarters.

3. At the beginning of the period. The 8th Armored with AAA attached moved north across the WESEL RIVER at DORSTEN and established a rendevous at SELM (A-817448). The 8th Armored Division moved to contain and reduce the enemy in the RHUR Pocket. A series of moves were made from SELM to DELBRUCK (B-575522) to MONNINGHAUSEN (RB-496422). On 6 April 1945 the Battalion moved to ERWITTE (B-420352) and thence to SOEST (B-206304) on 8 April 1945.

On 9 April 1945 a Btry A track fired on an enemy OP. Enemy OP destroyed and 20 prisoners taken. Two of our men were slightly injured by counter fire.

On 9 April 1945 Btry's A & B fired on an ME-262 at WERL (B-125285). No claims were made.

On 14 April 1945 Battalion CP moved to WOLFENBUTTEL (X-919005). Orders were received by 8th Armored Division for CCB to support XIII Corps in securing rear areas. The remainder of the Division in NINTH ARMY Reserve.

On 15 April 1945 Btry A fired on one FW-190 strafing area. The plane was destroyed.

On 20 April 1945 the Battalion CP opened at HALBERSTADT, (D-266730). During the period engaged in reducing pocket in HARZ MOUNTAINS near BLANKENBERG.

On 21 April 1945 all battery's were relieved of attachment to CCs and returned to battalion control. The Battalion on this date was attached to CCB for occupation of the area south of BRAUNLAGE, in the HARZ MOUNTAINS. This Battaliom closed on assigned area on the 22 April 1945. Battery A was assigned the town BRAUNLAGE (C-990511). Btry B was assigned the town of BARBIS (C-863383) and surrounding towns. Battery C was assigned to the town s of WIEDA and WALKENREID (C-999355) and Battery D was assigned to the town of ZORGE (D-007408). The Battalion CP was located at BAD LAUTERBERG (C-903415) but moved to HOHENGEISS (D-020446) on the 27 April 1945.

On 23 April 1945 the Battalion messenger jeep with three of our soldiers was stopped by a German medic on the road to BAD LAUTERBERG (C-950454). The medic carried a white flag. When the jeep stopped, two SS Troopers came out from cover and covered the jeep with their weapons. The German medic was then armed and the jeep with the three American soldiers was taken to a shack deep in the woods and forced to work for the Germans. When the work was finished, these men were forced to change clothes with the Germans. A German officer then appeared on the scene and gave the order to shoot the three Americans. The Americans were then lined up against a wall and shot in the back of the head. One man, severely wounded lay where he was until he heard the Germans leave and then made his way to the road where he was picked up and brought to Battalion Headquarters where he made his report. He reported the other two men were dead. A searching party was immediately sent out to the scene of the crime and searched until far into darkness with no success. An early morning patrol discovered one of the men that had been shot still alive. He was immediately evacuated to a hospital. The body of the third man was found shot through the head. (see related story)

During the period approximately one thousand prisoners were taken by this battalion and turned into PW enclosures.

For the Commanding Officer:


S/A.W.Rumble
A.W. Rumble
Major., CAC
S-3

Incl: 1
        Journal and supporting papers.

S/Willis F. Gausman
WILLIS F. GAUSMAN
Capt., 399th Armd. F.A. Bn,
Supply Officer, S-4.