Grupa Rekonstrukcji Historycznej "Rangers At the Point"

Grupa Rekonstrukcji Historycznej "Rangers At The Point"


#1 2014-02-22 13:22:32

Whisky

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5th Rangers Battalion - Bitwa o baterię Maisy

The Attack on the Maisy Battery
By MG John Raaen

On the morning of D+3, June 9, 1944, A, C and F of the 5th Rangers, still under Major Sullivan, were detached
from the 1st Battalion, 116th Infantry. In its advance to the south, the 116th Infantry had encountered severe
resistance from German strongpoints at La Martiniere, 3/4 of a mile, SSW of Maisy and Les Perruques, ½ mile
SW of Maisy. La Martiniere is located at artillery registration point “16” and Les Perruques at point
“5”. Together these two connected positions were called “The Maisy Battery”. The 116th’s objective was Isigny
not Maisy, so the 116th Infantry, after calling in some naval gunfire, bypassed these German positions leaving them
for the 5th Rangers.
There was a third artillery battery position in the Maisy complex. It’s target number was 16A. It was located. It
contained 150-mm field howitzers. It was destroyed on June 8th by the USS Shoebrick, a destroyer, using an
artillery spotter airplane and high register fire. It seems the position was located on the back slope of a hill and
low register fire fell short into the hill or long into the valley beyond. This battery played no part in the battle on
June 9, 1944.


Les Perruques was home to a six gun battery of 155-mm Schneider World
War I howitzers. Four of these guns were in concrete pits and two were in
open emplacements. Since the howitzers had a maximum range of a little
more than 12,000 yards, about a half mile short of the D-1 or Vierville Exit,
the howitzers appear to have had a principal mission of defending the Vire River valley from amphibious assault
rather than defending Omaha Beach. In all probability, the Maisy 155-mm howitzers were used against the 2nd
Rangers on Pointe du Hoc and against Metcalf’s relief force for Pointe du Hoc as it attacked through St. Pierre du
Mont on D+1. La Martiniere had four 10-cm Skoda Field Howitzers. These guns had been rebored to the
standard German 105-mm caliber to simplify ammunition resupply logistics. Three of these guns were in
casemates and one was in an open pit with the casemate for it under construction.
The German defensive positions from Grandcamp and Maisy westward along the coast and up the Vire valley
showed a genuine fear that an Allied attack could come up the valley. From Grandcamp westward there were 20
Widerstandsnester (WNs), small resistance points manned by a squad or more, plus supporting minefields. On the
western side of the valley in the VIIth Corps area there were an additional six such WNs, blocking entry into the
Vire valley from the Utah Beach side as well.
Les Perruques, WN 83 and La Martiniere, WN 84 were two of the more gigantic resistance points, gigantic because
they contained artillery and other facilities as well as Infantry fighting positions.
The minefields protecting the Maisy complex were extensive. While the position itself was about 1200 yards by 500
yards, the minefields were 1200 yards by over 1000 yards. The mines outside the perimeter of the Maisy
fortifications were oriented to block an attack from the northwest, the Vire River Valley. Most of the mines were
anti-personnel, “Bouncing Bettys”. In the area where A Company would attack, these mines were connected
together in sets of about ten. When one mine of the ten was tripped the others would also detonate. And that
happened when Pfc John Bellows of A Company tripped a mine. Zipkac, Siemens, Baptist and Burke were
wounded. (Burke)
The anti-tank mines needed to complete the minefield had not been delivered by D-Day. The entire area was
clearly marked with “Achtung Minen” signs.
As he approached the fortifications, Major Sullivan had three 5th Ranger Companies, two 75-mm gun half-tracks
from the 2nd Ranger Battalion, and Company B, 81st Chemical Weapons Battalion.
The latter unit was armedwith 4.2-inch mortars. Major Sullivan made his headquarters in one of the 2nd Rangers’ half-tracks.
During the approach march, I was at the rear end of the column with a small headquarters element. Crossing through the
hedgerows and fields we were taken under long range machine gun fire several times. However, we were beyond
tracer burn-out and the Germans were never able to adjust their fire well enough to even bother us.
Because of the extensive mine fields protecting the German strongpoint at Maisy, Major Sullivan decided to
approach the position from the north, initially in a column of companies with F Company in the lead followed by A
Company with C Company in reserve. Sullivan had an artillery liaison officer with him and put him to good
work. The 58th Armored Field Artillery Battalion bombarded the Maisy positions in preparation for the 5th
Ranger advance. Support during the attack was provided by the 81st’s 4.2-inch mortars, the two 75-mm cannon
mounted on the 2nd Ranger’s halftracks and the four 81-mm mortars of C Company of the 5th Rangers.
Company F moved down the dirt road just north of gridline 92. At about 0800 hours, the company came under
fire at about. The company deployed, took cover and began an exchange of scattered rifle with neither side
accomplishing much.
A Company then passed by F Company on its right in its approach to its line of departure for an attack on La
Martiniere. The area to the left of the path A Company was on was quite swampy, and in this swampy area, A
Company came across some dead American paratroopers who had been dropped miles from their intended drop
zones. Some had drowned, some had been caught up in the trees and gunned down by the German
defenders. (Parker).
Four paratroopers had been captured by the Germans early on D-Day between Maisy and Gefosse-Fontenay and
brought to Maisy. Seventeen additional paratroopers were captured in later on D-Day actions. These paratroopers
were placed in one of the hospitals on the south edge of La Martiniere and later evacuated before the A Co attack.
(Sterne)
When opposite La Martiniere, A Company heard heavy firing as F Company began its attack on Les
Perruques. A Company took this as a signal to begin its attack on La Martiniere. Captain Parker ordered the
company to “Fix Bayonets!” The company immediately wheeled to the left and attacked across a boggy area. The
company’s initial attack bogged down in deep water as it crossed a flooded area, and it was necessary to pull back
and move more to the west for a second attack. A Company’s second attack progressed well, penetrating the La
Martiniere position, with some of the German defenders laying down their weapons and surrendering. However,
some German officers, possibly SS, began shouting threats and shooting some of their own men in the back. From
there on, the defense stiffened and nobody dared surrender. (Parker)
Abandoning the fire fight it had been in, F Company crossed the boggy area and began an attack straight down the
line of outer fortifications. This outer line consisted of seven tobruks, or machine gun pill boxes spaced about 200
yards apart. Lieut. Reville’s platoon would smother the tobruk with small arms fire. Then move several Rangers
close enough to throw grenades and satchel charges into the open top pit. Three tobruks were reduced this way by
which time the enemy was demoralized. (Reville)
Meanwhile other things were happening. A Company began to receive heavy rifle and machine gun fire from the
south and east. It’s attack was slowed as it had to slug its way through the position. Dr. Petrick was with A
Company during this attack.. He set up an aid station right behind the attacking forces and impressed a German
doctor he found to assist in treating the wounded of both sides.
C Company and the cannon platoon had turned down the southerly road from Maisy and swinging to the right, C
Company attacked Les Perruques from the south east. C Co’s mortars where left in position near that same
point. The self-propelled guns supported C Co’s attack with direct fire on targets of opportunity. During this
attack, Major Sullivan dismounted from his halftrack to get closer control over the battle. He was wounded,
though not seriously when a nearby mine detonated. As C Company and F Company began to interfere with each
other’s operations, Sullivan ordered C Company to withdraw and after moving south west, C Company turned to
its right and attacked northeast from through the forces giving A Company so much resistance (Sterne)
Despite the mine fields and stubborn resistance, the Maisy Battery was successfully captured in a 5 hour battle by
this three pronged attack. A fairly large number of D Company Rangers were involved in the attack on Maisy,
scattered throughout the attacking companies. As the medic attached to A Company, Jack Burke, put it, “at that
point we were often bundled together by anyone - especially if people couldn’t find the exact location of their own
unit.”
After the battle, the two half tracks were sent back to the beach with the wounded. La Martiniere contained three
ten centimeter howitzers, (the fourth gun was probably destroyed by bombing and/or naval gunfire), large stocks
of ammunition and other supplies and about 90 defenders who became POWs. (AAR, 5th RIB)
The Les Perruques position contained six 155-mm Schneider howitzers, a major headquarters complex and about
50 prisoners. The guns in the 16A position had been destroyed by naval gunfire before the attack began. The
POWs and the position were turned over to elements of the 29th division. (Sterne)
180 tons of ammunition were removed from the Maisy site by Engineer units after the battle. (Sterne)
Ace Parker, the A Company Commander, later told me that, as far as he was concerned, the fight at Maisy was far
worse than the Omaha Beach landings of four days earlier.


"God damn it then, Rangers... Lead the Way !!!"

Gen. Norman Cota 29th ID, 6 June 1944, Omaha

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#2 2014-03-08 15:45:28

 James

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Re: 5th Rangers Battalion - Bitwa o baterię Maisy

Whysky daj tłumaczenie Plz bo nie wszyscy kumają w takim stopniu angielski ( nie jest tu mowa o mnie ) a Google translate tłumaczy typu ja chcieć ja zrobić


FUBAR

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#3 2014-03-08 16:21:19

Whisky

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Re: 5th Rangers Battalion - Bitwa o baterię Maisy

Wrzucę tłumaczenie, ale to może trochę zająć, bo nie mam dostępu bezpośrednio do neta i kompa


"God damn it then, Rangers... Lead the Way !!!"

Gen. Norman Cota 29th ID, 6 June 1944, Omaha

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