CONTINUED HISTORY of the 87th Armored Field Artillery Battalion 28 April 1943 To 1 June 1944 All information for the Battalion history has been taken from the "87th AFA Jeopard Book" which was printed in Germany during the Occupation Ft. Knox & England During the months of May, June, and July officers and enlisted men alike, received 30 day furloughs. Throughout the hot, dry, dusty days of August and September, the Battalion trained hard, and spent numerous days and nights in the fieled performing maneuvers and ironing out minor discrepancies in preparation for overseas duty. On 21 September, 1943 Major George F. Barber joined and immediately assumed command of the Battalion. More hard field work was encountered during the months of October and November at Fort Knox. then on 5 December, 1943 the 87th Armored Field Artillery Battalion left Ft. Knox, KY for a permanent change of station and arrived at Camp Shanks, NY on 6 December, 1943 After two weeks of processing and the usual preparation for overseas movement, the 87th boarded BMT Ile de France at the New Your Port of Embarkation . After being aboard the Ile de France two days, orders were given to debark from the ship. Rumors of various descriptions began to make the rounds as to our reason for debarkation, the most dominating being one whereas sabotage was committed aboard ship. Others included engine trouble,submarine nets a short distance off shore, etc. The one liked best however, was a rumor concerning our not being shipped, and that the Battalion was once more Fort Knox bound. After debarkation the 87th completed the long trek back to Camp Shanks and arrived late Christmas Eve. After spending Christmas week there, it departed again from Camp Shanks, this time on New Years Day, 1944 and loaded on HMS The Queen Elizabeth at the New York Port of Embarkation. After a calm week aboard the Queen Elizabeth the Battalion debarked at Gouroch, Scotland in January, 1944 and traveled by rail from there to Adderbury, Oxfordshire, England, arriving on 10 January and occupying previously selected billets. While stationed in England the Battalion participated in further long, difficult training exercises and engaged in large scale maneuvers at Tilshead and Camp Stover. On 13 May, 1944 the forward echelon of the 87th Armored Field Artillery Battalion departed from Adderbury, Oxfordshire, England and traveled to Camp 94, Pont-Llan- Fraith, Wales. The rear echelon of the unit left Adderbury on 17 May, 1944 and traveled to Bournemouth, Dorset, England. On 2 June, 1944 the forward echelon left Camp 94, Pont-Llan-Fraith, Wales and embarked on Liberty Ships at Cardiff, Wales. (For continuation Of The 87th Saga select The 87th In WW II or click on Continue History On This Page) Continue History Return To Homepage
87th Armored Field Artillery Battalion
28 April 1943 To 1 June 1944
All information for the Battalion history has been taken from the "87th AFA Jeopard Book" which was printed in Germany during the Occupation
Ft. Knox &
England
During the months of May, June, and July officers and enlisted men alike, received 30 day furloughs. Throughout the hot, dry, dusty days of August and September, the Battalion trained hard, and spent numerous days and nights in the fieled performing maneuvers and ironing out minor discrepancies in preparation for overseas duty. On 21 September, 1943 Major George F. Barber joined and immediately assumed command of the Battalion. More hard field work was encountered during the months of October and November at Fort Knox. then on 5 December, 1943 the 87th Armored Field Artillery Battalion left Ft. Knox, KY for a permanent change of station and arrived at Camp Shanks, NY on 6 December, 1943 After two weeks of processing and the usual preparation for overseas movement, the 87th boarded BMT Ile de France at the New Your Port of Embarkation .
After being aboard the Ile de France two days, orders were given to debark from the ship. Rumors of various descriptions began to make the rounds as to our reason for debarkation, the most dominating being one whereas sabotage was committed aboard ship. Others included engine trouble,submarine nets a short distance off shore, etc. The one liked best however, was a rumor concerning our not being shipped, and that the Battalion was once more Fort Knox bound. After debarkation the 87th completed the long trek back to Camp Shanks and arrived late Christmas Eve. After spending Christmas week there, it departed again from Camp Shanks, this time on New Years Day, 1944 and loaded on HMS The Queen Elizabeth at the New York Port of Embarkation. After a calm week aboard the Queen Elizabeth the Battalion debarked at Gouroch, Scotland in January, 1944 and traveled by rail from there to Adderbury, Oxfordshire, England, arriving on 10 January and occupying previously selected billets. While stationed in England the Battalion participated in further long, difficult training exercises and engaged in large scale maneuvers at Tilshead and Camp Stover. On 13 May, 1944 the forward echelon of the 87th Armored Field Artillery Battalion departed from Adderbury, Oxfordshire, England and traveled to Camp 94, Pont-Llan- Fraith, Wales. The rear echelon of the unit left Adderbury on 17 May, 1944 and traveled to Bournemouth, Dorset, England. On 2 June, 1944 the forward echelon left Camp 94, Pont-Llan-Fraith, Wales and embarked on Liberty Ships at Cardiff, Wales. (For continuation Of The 87th Saga select The 87th In WW II or click on Continue History On This Page) Continue History Return To Homepage