HEADQUARTERS 208th AAA Group

Biak, N.E.I. 10 September 1945

HISTORY OF THE 208TH AOTIAiTRCRAFT ARTILLERY GROUP

The 208th Coast Artillery Regiment (AA) under command of Colonel William C. Donaldson, arrived on the transport Matsonia in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia on 9 March 1942. While in Brisbane, the regiment was quartered at the Ascot Race Course. On 16 March 1942, the regiment boarded the train at Ascot Station and departed for Townsville in North Queensland and arrived at that location on 18 Maroh 1942. At that time the threat of Japanese invasion was quite keenly felt in Australia and the possibility of early air attack was imminent. The 208th was placed in tactical location in the Townsville sector. The regiment was attached to the 40th Coast Artillery Brigade (AA) commanded by General Robert H. Von Volkenburgh.

On 18 March 1942, a motor convoy of 25 vehicles with two officers and fifty-two enlisted men (inoluding aid men) left Bris­bane to reconnoiter a motor route to Townsville. Vehioles used were twenty-three two and one-half ton cargo trucks and two one-quarter ton trucks. The vehicles were empty, save for a mess truck, maintenance truck and a communications truck. The convoy comman­der was 2d Lieutenant Douglas C. Lindsay. The convoy arrived at the 208th Coast Artillery (AA) Headquarters in Townsville on 27 March 1942, total distance travelled, 1165 miles. The route tra­versed some almost impassable country and the report rendered was of immense value in planning future cargo movements by truck from Brisbane to Rookhampton, Townsville, Charters Towers, and points further north on the Australian Mainland. It revealed that many types of vehioles, vans, mobile and truck-drawn artillery and radars could not make the trip during certain seasons and permit the equipment to arrive in serviceable condition.

On 10 May 1942, Colonel Donaldson was relieved of command to take over another assignment and Colonel Eorton L. Chandler, formerly of the 197th Coast Artillery Regiment (AA) was placed in oommand of the 208th.

The tactical assignment in the Townsville sector continued with the consolidation of antiaircraft defense positions and con­tinual improvement of such installation. In early July the first contact with the enemy was made, when a Japanese aircraft, reliably

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reported to be a Mavis flying boat, was sighted by visual observa­tion well over a hundred miles north of Townsville. As the air­craft approached the defended area, it was picked up by the search­lights but orders from the air defense commander prevented employ­ment of the antiaircraft artillery. Fighter aircraft engaged the enemy plane with results unknown. On 25th July 1942, a repeat raid was staged, and the same type aircraft was used. This time the three inch antiaircraft artillery guns went into action and engaged the aircraft at approximately 21,000 feet altitude. Results of firing were not visible. Bombs were dropped at sea and in the vi­cinity of the Ross River Meat Plant without casualties or damage resulting.

The defense of the Townsville area included antiaircraft positions on Magnetic Island, an island due east of the city. On 15th August 1942, work was commenced on a submarine cable to this island from the mainland by the Communications Section of Regimen­tal Headquarters Battery. When the project was completed it proved a most valuable link in the administrative and alert networks of the defense. During this early period the Intelligence Section of Regimental Headquarters worked in close liaison with Royal Aus­tralian Air Force regarding early warning and on general intelli­gence matters. The relationship was always cordial and cooperative and proved beneficial to all.

On 13 August 1942, the regiment was changed in organization from two to three battalions, the first battalion being a gun (three inch) battalion, the second an automatic weapons battalion (37mm and calibre .50 machine gun) and the third a searchlight battalion. ^he reorganization brought additional personnel into the regiment. Considerable of the augmentation was accomplished by transfers of personnel from the 94th Coast Artillery Regiment (AA) which had arrived in Vfestern Australia at approximately the same time as the 208th had arrived in Brisbane. At approximately the same time that the regiment was reorganized, the Second Bat­talion received its first 40mm (Bofors) guns and training in their use was inaugurated.

On 13 September 1942, Headquarters and Headquarters Battery of the 1st Battalion, Batteries A,B,G, and H, Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 3d Eattalion, and Battery I were pulled out of tactical position and moved to a staging area. The tactical positions vacated by the 208th were taken over by the 197th Coast ' Artillery Regiment (AA) and the elements of the 208th still re­maining in position passed to the control of the 197th.

On 15 October 1942, the units pulled out of position in mid-September, were organized into a provisional composite bat­talion and it departed by water from Townsville for Port Moresby, New Guinea, arriving on 19 October 1942, where it was placed into position as the antiaircraft defense for the then most forward forces of the Allies. The fire units, lights and radars were ready for action from revetted positions on 12 November 1942.

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On 15 November 1942, Batteries C and E of the 208th were taken out of tactical location in Townsville and organized into the 1st Provisional Antiaircraft Artillery Group under the 40th Coast Artil­lery Brigade (AA). This provisional Group was prepared for a move to New Guinea. The Group left Townsville by water and landed in Oro Bay, New Guinea where it went into position.

The balance of the regiment continued in position during the remainder of 1942 and early 1943 and fast became an integral part of the early American forces which forged from the Australian Main­land the tremendous base for future operations to the North and Northwest. Townsville became an air base of considerable size and importance and its antiaircraft defense was a responsibility of like proportion.

On 15 'iay 1943, the 208th Coast Artillery Regiment (AA) was reorganized as the 208th Antiaircraft Artillery Group and the three battalions of the regiment were redesignated as follows t 1st Battalion became the 745th Antiaircraft Artillery Gun Battalion, the 2d Battalion became the 211th Antiaircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion, and the 3d Battalion became the 238th Antiair­craft Artillery Searchlight Battalion.

On 10 June 1943, General Order Number 31 was issued by Headquarters, United States Army Forces in the Far East, awarding the Distinguished Unit Citation to the 208th Coast Artillery Re­giment (AA) for its participation in the Papuan Campaign.

On 4 July 1943, Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 208th Antiaircraft Artillery Group with other antiaircraft units depar­ted from Townsville, Queensland in a convoy of sixteen vessels for Port Moresby, New Guinea and arrived there on 7 July 1943. The unit stayed at Port Moresby and on 13 July 1943, departed by air over the Owen Stanley Range and landed at Dobodura, New Guinea, ar­riving the same day. The group was ordered to organize antiair­craft defense of the Oro Bay-Dobodura area. Air attacks from this point on were frequent and the enemy aircraft were engaged whenever the air defense commander released authority to fire.

On 9 July 1943, the Provisional Group, consisting of C Battery of the 745th Antiaircraft Artillery Gun Battalion (formerly C Battery, 208th and A Battery of the 211th (formerly E Battery of the 208th) which had been in position at Oro Bay, New Guinea, "V was dissolved and the two batteries reverted to control of the 208th Antiaircraft Artillery Group.

On 18 September 1943, the rear echelon of the 208th Anti­aircraft Artillery Group arrived at Dobodura from Port Moresby.

On 15 November 1943, concurrently with the activation of 14th Antiaircraft Command, the 208th Antiaircraft Artillery Group was assigned to the Command.

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On 29 February 1944, the 211th Antiaircraft Artillery Auto­matic Weapons Battalion was relieved from attachment to the 208th Antiaircraft Artillery Group, thus marking the first real break in the long history of the original regiment that came overseas two years previously.

On 12 Maroh, 1944, Colonel Horton L. Chandler after almost two years of continuous service as Commanding Offioer of the 208th, was relieved and Colonel (then Lieutenant Colonel) James M. Mozley, previously in command of the 166th Antiaircraft Artillery Gun Battalion, was appointed to command the Group.

On 24 April 1944, the 745th Antiaircraft Artillery Gun Battalion, the 238th Antiaircraft Artillery Searchlight Battalion were relieved of attachment to the Group, thus marking the final dissolution of the original organization.

On 27 April 1944, the Group departed from Dobodura and embark­ed at Oro Bay for Finschafen, New Guinea, and arrived there the following day. After remaining in the antiaircraft staging area for about two weeks, the Group departed by water for Hollandia, Butch New Guinea, arriving on 14th May 1944,

The Group made extensive preparations for a projected oper- -ation further Northwest along the New Guinea Coast, but a change in plans cancelled the Group's part in the arrangements. Instead, the Group had attached to it the 476th Antiaircraft Artillery Automatic .Veapons Battalion, the 155th Antiaircraft Artillery Gun Battalion, Battery C of the 236th Antiaircraft Artillery Search­light Battalion, and the 674th and 675th Antiaircraft Artillery Machine Gun Batteries, and was given the mission of providing the antiaircraft defense of a task force, headed by the 41st Infantry Division, Major General Horace H. Fuller commanding, whose objec­tive was an amphibious assault on Biak Island, Shouten Group, Netherlands East Indies, an island guarding the entrance to Geel-vink Bay on the Vogelpop Peninsula of Dutch New Guinea. Biak Island was at the time being rapidly developed as an air base by the Japanese, and its capture by Allied forces was a requisite to any further operations by the Allied air forces against the Phil­ippines and other enemy held areas.

The Group headquarters and an echelon of enlisted men plus ad­vance elements from all the attached tactical antiaircraft units dee-parted from Hollandia, Dutch New Guinea on 25 May 1944 on an LST for the operation, arrived at Bosnek beach, the site ohosen for the landing and went ashore. The ensuing battle for the beach-head and landing strips revealed the administrative, tactical, and tech­nical superiority of our forces over that of the enemy, and the antiaircraft units displayed ability unexcelled in this theatre up to that time. In all, 26 Japanese aircraft were destroyed, 10 probably destroyed, and 8 damaged. These statistics are compiled from General Orders from the 32c Antiaircraft Artillery Erigade, the antiaircraft headquarters for^he task force. In addition.

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heavy antiaircraft artillery was employed against enemy ground targets, and automatic weapons were used as close-in support for forward infantry lines. When a decision from higher headquarters required development of Owi island, a small coral isle due South of Bosnek village on Biak, the Group undertook to plan and pro­vide the antiaircraft defense of that installation as well as those on Biak. There was no loss of life among members of the Group during the Biak oampaign. Master Sergeant (then Staff Sergeant) John W. Johnstone was wounded by an enemy hand grenade. Colonel James M. Mbzley and Lieutenant Colonel (then Major) Robert T. Connor received awards of the Bronze Star Medal for leadership and ability during the active stages of the campaign. The campaign was closed officially on 20 August 1944, although intermittent air raids continued as late as 22 March, 1945.

The balance of 1944 saw the antiaircraft defense improved and consolidated and as Owi Island decreased in importance, fire units from there were transferred to Biak to complement the defense of the fast growing air and supply depots located there.

Commencing with 25 January 1945, the antiairoraft defense was gradually diminished, a portion of the automatic weapons bat­talion leaving at that time with the 41st Infantry Division for the Philippines.

On 24 April, 1945, Colonel Vern V.'albridge arrived to assume oommand of the Group, Colonel Mbzley having been evacuated by air to the United States. From then until 15 August 1945, the Group has remained in status quo, maintaining the antiaircraft defense of Biak as well as providing the Aircraft Warning Service at that base.

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