HISTORY OF 1775th ORDNANCE COMPANY

THE 1775th was activated I Nov 1942 at Walla Walla AFB, Washington, as per General Order #130, AAF HQ, Patterson Field, Fairfield, Ohio, dated 27 Oct 1942.

The unit was assigned to 83rd Service Group, with a cadre of seven EM assigned from 726th Ord. Co. as per Special Order #198, HQ San Bernardino AAF, Cal., dated 31 Oct 1942.

November 1942

On Nov 26 2nd Lt Donald L. Davis joined as commanding officer, having been transferred from 49th Service Group, at Walla Walla, and the following day 16 EM were moved in from 83rd Service Group HQ, Pendleton Field, Oregon. Three days later one officer and six EM traveled to Fort Lewis, Wash., to inspect receive and deliver 28 Government motor vehicles to Walla Walla, as per Special Order #144, HQ.

December

December opened with one officer and 22 EM on strength, but two weeks later 36 EM joined from HQ, Camp Stockton, Cal. as per SO #158. Two days on the company moved from Walla Walla via motor convoy to 83rd Serv. Gp, Pendleton Field, the 46 mile trip completed in foggy conditions. Three EM were transferred to 1100th Ord. Co. at Pendleton, then at the end of the month 2nd Lt Vincent T. Larney joined from Holabird Ordnance Base, as per SO #304.

January 1943

January 1943 opened with company strength consisting of two officers and 59 EM, with seven more EM transferred from 1776th Ord. Co. on the 7th, followed the next day by 21. EM moving to 1804th Ord. Co. Spokane, Wash, as per SO #6.

The company left Pendleton for Pueblo, Col. arriving on the 11th , some 1282 miles in cold weather. Three days later Lt Davis left for Officers Supply School for 30 days at Sacramento, as per SO #13. On the 22nd, 2nd Lt Raymond M. O'Shea was assigned, SO #12 from the War Department. Unfortunately 2nd Lt Vincent T. Lamey was killed in a B-17 crash at La Junta, Col. on the 24th, then the next day 2nd Lt Melvin I. Johnson was assigned from 1100th Ord. Co. Two days later the company was on the move again, this time to Colorado Springs in a practice convoy for the 90 mile trip, undertaken by one officer and 45 EM.

February

Company strength for February was three officers and 52 EM., with 2nd Lt Fred H. Kruetzer assigned, as per SO #28. Lt Melvin I. Johnson moved out on the 8th, to 1100th Ord. Co. SO #23. On the 11th for EM were attached from 1776th Ord. Co. while two officers and 44 EM left for Bayfield, Col., for Special Training Program, SO #40 from Pueblo HQ. Lt Davis returned from School, then two weeks later Lt Kruetzer left of Detached Service to Oklahoma Air Depot Training Station, Oklahoma City, as per verbal orders from the commanding officer, followed by the men returning from Bayfield at the end of the month.

March

Three officers, 58 EM and four EM attached were on strength at the beginning of March, but 20 EM joined from Pomona Ord. Depot, Cal., SO #42, dated 23 Feb. On the 2nd, Lt O'Shea transferred out to ADTS, Will Rogers Field, OK. followed a few days later by Lt Kruetzer returning from Woodward, Cal. On the 13th 2nd Lt Irving Lapore assigned from 1776th Ord. Co. and assumed duties as Maintenance Officer, Lt Kruetzer moving to the 1776th, joined a week later by Lapore. At the end of the month 20 EM were transferred to 551st Ord. Co. Training Center, Flora, Miss, as per SO #89 from Pueblo HQ.

April

April opened with one officer and 58 EM on strength. On the 16th 2nd Lt Donald L Davis was promoted to 1st Lt.

Further movements included on the 25th nine EM transferred to Rapid City, SD, as per SO #76; one EM assigned from 1776th Ord Co. as per HQ. Pueblo; two days later two EM transferred to 401st Service Sq, at Wendover, Ut., SO #78; the following day 2nd Lt Arthur E Coombs joined from 1100th Ord. Co. SO #79; two EM transferred to 379th Service Sq, 83rd Service Gp, at Pueblo. SO #79; Finally one EM was assigned from the 92nd Signal Sq. SO #80.

May

Two officers and 47 EM were on strength when May arrived. the company's scuttlebutt talking of moving to Europe.

On the 2nd one EM was transferred to 482nd Base HQ, Hill Field, Ogden. Utah; followed by another from 93rd Depot Supply Sq. 31st AD Group, Hill Field, Ogden; three days later one EM was assigned in return, SO #88; two others made reverse assignments before on the 16th the company left Pueblo for Camp Shanks, NY, SO #95, arriving on the 19th. A week later the company left by Government Trucks for POE, Staten Island, NY. and the next day embarked on USS Transport SS Jean, en route to overseas destination, four days later, 29th, arrived at Halifax, Nova Scotia.

June

June 5 saw the ship leave Halifax to cross the North Sea to reach Sharpness, Scotland on the 21st, before moving on by trucks to Howard Hall, Stone, near Stoke on Trent. Two days later, left Stone by rail arriving AAF Station #167, Ridgewell, near Halstead, Essex Co, England, which was to be their home for the next two years, the strength at the time being two officers and 46 EM.

July

On July 1st the company was re-designated l775th Ordnance Supply and Maintenance Co. Two officers and 30 EM of l029th Ord. Co. were absorbed into company with Lt Hyland assuming command. The 1775th is broken down into five sections, Headquarters, Supply, Maintenance, Armament and Ammunition. HQ duties are made up to take care of all administrative work for the company and it also furnishes one Mess sergeant and two cooks.

The Supply section is made up of four men and they take care of all the requisitioning for all Ordnance equipment for the base (automotive, armament, etc.). Maintenance keeps all the motorized vehicles in good running condition, along with gasoline driven units, such as, radar energizers, air compressors and heaters.
The ammunition section takes care of all the unloading of bombs from convoys, ammunition, flares and fuses. They also load all practice bombs and belt Cal .50 ammunition. On the 2nd Lt Parkas was transferred to 305th BG, St #105, SO #17 from HQ 1AD; Lt Kelly appointed Station Ordnance Officer (primary duty); and the following day was appt as company commander; Lt Hyland appointed Executive Officer and Ordnance Armament Officer; Lt Davis as Automotive Officer and Lt Coombs as Ammunition Officer and Unit Censor, SO #36.At the end of the month one EM was transferred to 533rd BS, strength being four officers and 75 EM.

August

August saw one EM transferred to Dept. of Patients, 2nd General Hospital, APO #647.

September

September opened with a strength of four officers and 74 EM, with Lt James P. Kelly on seven days leave, Lt Billy H. Hyland assuming command.
11th: 2nd Lt Arthur E. Coombs assigned for 12 days to St #583; Lt Kelly return to take command from Lt Hyland.
15th: Lt Kelly appointed captain, and same day Lt Billy Hyland taken to l21st . General Hospital, Braintree.
21st: One officer and 15 EM attached for rations and quarters only from St #586, with Capt Kelly on TD at same station, then three days later these personnel returned.
30th: Pvt Reginaldi transferred on TD to First Bomb Division HQ.

October

October 3: Pfc Crawford attached base hospital at 23.00hrs, returning to duty three days later when T/4 Gladfelder took over on DS; Pfc Brown and Pvt Prusinowski transferred on DS to St #128; Sgt W.R. Ryan on DS at St #583.
8th: T/4 Gladfelder returned to duty, but T/4 Harris DS at hospital and for rest of month the unit provided personnel to base hospital.
25th: 1st Lt Leon S. Rothfeld (0-1583591); Lt Coombs also appt Camouflage Officer and Lt Davis appt Company Supply Officer and Lt James P. Kelly assigned as unit historian.

November

November brought similar assignments for unit personnel as the base hospital, with Capt Kelly on DS for two weeks at No 10 School of Technical Training, RAF Kirkham, Lancs., on the 7th Cpl Charles G. Brisson (14149105) transferred from APO 634. A week later T/5 Otto J. Donhauser (36562718) and Pfc Owen K. Wallace (32489989) transferred from 8th Filler Sq, St #345, then three days later Capt Kelly returned.
On the 22nd M/Sgt Ed Farmer (15054464) transferred to 1632nd Ord. Co. at 1AD HQ; the T/5 William G. Ward (39606137) on DS at No 10 Technical Training School, RAF Kirkham, Lancs.
Sgt Wendell R. Ryan re-classified from 014 to 901; T/5 David A. Brennan (33336137) from 014 to 050; T/5 Joseph W. Rowsell from 405 to 501; Pfc Edward C. Whatley (38191531) from 903 to 457; Pvt Donald P. Williams (38356253) from 457 to 901; Pvt James J. Williams (38182782) from 215 to 901; T/4 Xenophon W. Huston (39536107) on DS at hospital, as were until the end of the month: M/Sgt George E. Hathaway (19000436); Pvt Patrick J. Gallagher (39189785). Reduced to Pvt were T/5 Otto J. Donhauser (36562718) and 1st Sgt Robert A. Daino (35209883); T/5 Emory H. Grove (33241337) on DS to SOS Depot #640 for four weeks at 40mm Cannon School.

December

December proved to be a busy month, Lt Billy Hyland transferred to 1632nd Ord. Co, St # 105 ; on the 2nd from the same unit came 1st Lt Stettler; the following released from duty to furlough: S/Sgt Firth, S/Sgt Easterling, T/4 Harris, T/4 Szczepanik, T/4 Dailley, T/4 Foytek, T/5 Chase.
On the 6th Pvt Robert Daino transferred to 1449th Ord. Co. and to the Casual Pool went: 2nd Lts Franklin T. Gautschi (0-1554035), Chester I. Hartman (0-1554485), William L. Hausman (0-1554560).
The 8th saw T/5 Ryan and Pvt Reginaldi DS at No 10 Technical Training School, at RAF Kirkham, Lancs; the following day T/4 Twilley, Foytek and Chase on similar assignment. Then on the l0th Pvt Lonnie D. Gathorld (37393263) was on hospital duty , as were the usual personnel for the next two weeks along with the usual courses at RAF Kirkham, Lancs.
27. Pvt Fisher was absent from duty sick at 121st General Hospital, Braintree, and transferred to 65th General Hospital, Diss, Norfolk.