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Post by Dan in Maine on Apr 3, 2015 23:02:09 GMT 8
Hello to all,
I just found your site. I'm a long time student of Coast Artillery history. My dad was in the 245th Coast Artillery, New York National Guard both before and in the first stages of WW2.
I realize his time in the Coast Artillery is not related to Corregidor, the Philippines or the 503rd, but I appreciate learning from others with the same interest.
By coincidence, I had a grandfather in the 59th Coast Artillery, NYNG, in WW1. Although they are the predecessors of the 59th CA of Corredigor and Ft. Drum fame, I cannot claim a real connection for the purpose of this forum. But still a Coast Artillery connection none the less.
I'm looking forward to learning more from this site and its members.
Dan, in Maine.
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Post by cbuehler on May 6, 2015 10:20:56 GMT 8
Welcome Dan, As you surely know, the Defense of the Philippines was the actually only time the CAC operated in battle in the manner it was originally intended to; but even then it was against land based targets. It surely did perform its role as a deterrent to Naval intervention however! The Corps found itself manifested in many different roles during both wars.
CB
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Post by Deleted on May 8, 2015 22:06:58 GMT 8
Hi CB,
Yes I agree the Philippines was the only time the Army Coast Artillery went into action against an enemy force.
I do want to give credit to the Marine, Navy and civilian defenders of Wake island who manned the costal guns on Wake and sank a couple of ships and brought down a bunch of enemy planes. I wonder how things would have turned out if all our outposts in the Pacific were re-supplied?
There is the story of a Japanese sub that fired on Ft Stevens Oregon but I dont believe the fort fired back?
I have heard stories from the veterans of the 245th that they fired on a German sub but have never found any official record of it happening. They did find a German sub sunk off the New Jersey coast but I don't know how it was sunk.
Dan
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Post by Deleted on May 15, 2015 21:17:33 GMT 8
I respectfully disagree. One of the primary missions of the Coast Artliiery Corps was AA. In the role CA units were deployed to all theaters of war. Often times they were used as regular artillery or in direct fire mode on the front lines.
In addition, the 244th Coast Artillery fired on enemy transports attempting to beach on Guadalcanal. They claim to have "sunk" one of the transports, although it reached the beach. They were equipped with 155 GPF's.
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Post by beirutvet on Jul 8, 2015 0:23:23 GMT 8
Dan in Maine
Welcome. And you do not need a CAC connection, as you put it, for this forum. All you need is a love of history.
I encourage you to browse through this entire site. You will find gems everywhere. It is an awesome place.
Enjoy
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Post by Deleted on Mar 21, 2016 21:23:34 GMT 8
Hello All,
Dan in Maine,
I'm Mike Murray, a new member on this site.
Take a look at armygroundforces.org We portray Battery K 245th CA in 1943 at Fort Hancock. We are also restoring Battery Gunnison/New Peck to it's 1943 appearance.
Pro Patria Armamus
Mike
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Post by Deleted on Mar 22, 2016 1:01:39 GMT 8
Hi Mike,
I have looked at armygroundforces.org numerous times and I have to say you guys do a GREAT job of keeping the memory of Ft. Hancock and the 245th C.A. alive. I know the old vets are looking down and smiling in approval.
I made a few trips to Ft. Hancock back in the day when I lived in NY. I went with dad to his 245th reunions there starting with the first reunion in 1976. Coincidently, dad was in Battery L on one of the 6" disappearing guns at Gunnison, before it became New Peck.
So are you associated with Battery Mills as in Kingman/Mills?
Dan
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Post by Deleted on Mar 22, 2016 5:26:23 GMT 8
Hi Dan, Thank you for your kind words, it's a lot of work but it's worth every minute that we put into it.
I chose Battery Mills as in Kingman/Mills because that is how I got hooked on the Coast Artillery. In 1975 when I was a Cub Scout our pack camped in front of Battery Mills and the rest is history.
Regards, Mike
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Post by Deleted on Mar 22, 2016 8:48:19 GMT 8
Mike,
I can't think of any better place for a scout troop to camp out at.
Another coincidence, I had a couple of uncles who were in Battery I at Kingman/Mills. Besides my dad, I had a few uncle's on my mom's side who were also in the 245th. They all came from the same neighborhood in Brooklyn.
Dan
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Post by Deleted on Mar 22, 2016 20:09:23 GMT 8
Dan, Brooklyn...the cradle of civilization. My grandmother, who's youngest brother was captured on Corregidor, was originally from Brooklyn. Bushwick to be exact.
Mike
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