"Soldiers of Today and Yesterday"
" Honor,Dignity & Hope "

The 15th Field Artillery Battalion
in World War Two
By: Colonel Ed Hrdlicka 

The 15th Field Artillery Battalion left the USA and arrived in Northern Ireland late October 1943. The 15th was billeted near Armagh, at and around Markethill, a small village. The Battalion HQ and staff and Battery commanders plus other officers were housed in Gosford Castle, one of the oldest and largest castles in Ireland. The Battalion trained here while in N. Ireland. Before we left N. Ireland we were addressed and inspected by General Patton. 

The 15th moved on April 17th, 1944, embarked on the James T. Parker to our marshalling area at Porthcawl in South Wales. After finishing tactical training, the Battalion was billeted in a group of resort hotels along the Esplanade overlooking the Bristol Channel, and began specialized training.

While in Porthcawl the Battalion Commander, Lt. Col. Robert L. Cassibry, staff officers and Battery Commanders were billeted in a large two-story house. I can't remember the name of the lady who owned it. She remained at the home and was so very helpful in "caring" for us.  Often we would provide her with rations and she would cook "home cooked" meals. I have never forgotten this! I am sure this home is still there... All the people in Porthcawl were nice to all of us, soldiers and officers -very helpful, always. 

After a month of preparation the 15th moved to Barry, south Wales for final staging in anticipation of the coming invasion. Here the Infantry-Artillery combat teams were made up. The 15th FA Battalion formed a combat team with the 9th Infantry Regiment. It was here that we were addressed by the First Army Commander, Lt General Omar Bradley and inspected by various General Officers. 

The forward echelon of the 15th moved by rail to board the US Army Transport George Goethals on June 2nd 1944, in Swansea harbor. The unit materiel and remainder of personnel were loaded on the (Liberty ship) Charles Sumner. With the 2nd Infantry Division assigned to follow the 1st and 29th Infantry Divisions landings in France, the 9th Combat team (9th Infantry-15th FA Battalion) received the mission of the initial 2nd Division landing. 

On June 7th 1944, D+1, at 15.30 hours, the 15th Battalion commander, Lt Col. Cassibry, and reconnaissance party, which included all the firing battery commanders, (A Battery - Captain Ed Hrdlicka; B Battery - Captain Emil Meis; C Battery - Captain Herbert Hartung) landed on the French coast at St. Laurent-sur-Mer (Beach: Omaha, Easy Red.) With great success the Battalion moved into action with extremely low casualties and began the Trevieres offensive. I lost, killed in action, only one soldier on D+1. 

I remained as A Battery commander throughout the war, winding up in Losina, Czechoslovakia, near Pilzen, on May 7th, 1945 and May 9th, 1945, VE Day, when war ended. 

We had 336 days of fighting, including five major campaigns:
1.   Normandy
2.   Brest
3.   "Heartbreak Crossroads, the Ardennes"
4.   Rhineland
5.   Central Europe

I retired on Feb 1st 1970, in San Antonio, Texas - 30 years active service.