HISTORY OF B BATTERY

By

Sgt J.F. McLaren

In April of 1947, Btry B 147th FA  Bn was reactivated at Flandreau, SD with one officer and 10 EM as the nucleus of the new unit.  Capt. Thomas J Deck was the commanding officer and M/SGT Lester W Russie was the first sergeant.  Th following year was spent in recruiting and training men so that the unit would be ready for its first summer camp in 1948.  In October of 1947, George D Billam received his commission as second lieutenant and became executive officer for Btry B.

In June of 1948, Btry B went to its first summer training camp at Camp Rapid in western South Dakota.  The summer camp was spent in drill with howitzers and the laying of battery positions. The unit went to the old gunnery range at Newell; S. D., some 30 miles north of Camp Rapid, for service practice. The country was flat and targets could be easily distinguished so that the men got their first glimpse of artillery fire. The 147th showed well in service practice for the first year, and everyone was pleased with the results  of the summer training.  Inclement weather was a handicap , but morale was high.

After camp the unit gained another officer when 1st Lt. Loren Thornton joined the unit. The former Air Force officer became battery executive officer. Capt. Keck resigned his commission and Lt. Thornton took command of the battery, with Lt. Billam as executive officer. During this time the unit was practicing what was learned in the field at Camp Rapid.

In June of 1949, Btry B went to Camp Ripley Minn., for summer field training. Camp Rapid had proven too small to handle the National Guard with its present day large weapons. At Camp Ripley, Btry B trained with the 135th RCT from Minnesota.  During the second year training was better organized. Small arms were fired as well as service practice for the howitzers. At the end of camp the unit was in excellent shape. The 147th FA Bn looked very well with two years of the three year training cycle completed.

After camp, Lt. Thornton resigned his commission, and Lt. Billam, who was now a first lieutenant, took over as the battery commander. The following year was one of intense recruiting and training. The unit had over 80 men at one time. The men used their two years of summer field training to good advantage. In May of 1950, M/Sgt Russie was appointed WOJG. After Guard camp in 1950 he received his W-2.

In June the unit left for Guard camp, training at Camp McCoy, Wisc. The men eagerly awaited this camp since it was to be the climax of the three year training cycle. Organization and training was on a high level and the men worked hard.  The 147th FA Bn left Camp McCoy on 25 June 50. Sunday night the unit bivouacked at Morris, Minn. This is where the men heard the news of the Communist attack on South Korea.

From the 25 June on was a period of waiting.  Everyone felt that the unit was going to be called into federal service. On Aug., Btry B was alerted along with the rest of the South Dakota National Guard. The battery was to go on active duty on 1 Sep 50.   The 147th was to move to Camp Carson, Colo., on 7 Sept.  From 1 to 7 Sept, the days were spent in training at the armory. On 7 Sept battery entrained for Carp Carson. Earlier a truck convoy with 16 men left for Camp Carson. The unit arrived at Camp Carson on 8 September. Once there. the men unloaded the equipment and proceeded to straighten up the area. The next few weeks were spent in clearing the weeds and renovating the rock bordered sidewalks. Gravel was hauled and spread over the ground to prevent it from becoming too muddy. Actual training was not to start until 1 Oct.

On 1 Oct, the NCO's went to what was called cadre training. The cadre classes were refresher courses for the NCO's and taught them the fundamentals of giving classes. Recruits, on the other hand, took what was virtually the same as basic training. Physical hardening was stressed particularly during this time.  The unit entered into advanced training on 1 Nov, which marked the opening of a new phase of more detailed training. Between 24 Nov and 1 Dec, Btry B received its fillers.   A new phase of training started again.

During this basic period, the men went through various stages of training to teach them the functions of an artillery battery. The men were sent through various battle indoctrination courses including the infiltration course, overhead artillery fire, combat in cities and close combat courses. The men fired "bazookas," the carbine and grenade launchers. On 7 January, the National Guardsmen completed 14 weeks of basic training and soon after the unit was levied. Some men were sent to units that were to go over seas. On 15 January, the battery received more men to take the place of those who had left, and so another training phase had to be started. These men were placed in Btry X and given the training required to bring them up to date with the other men.

Five officers have joined the battery since 15 Oct. They are Lt. Joslyn, Lt. Charles Coons, Lt. Charles Bibson, Lt. Edward Tighe, and Lt. John Haiges. In February, Lt. Billam was sent to school and Lt. Joslyn took command of the battery.  The enlisted men who came in November as fillers completed their basic on 3 March. Some of these men were shipped out to different personnel centers while the unit went on with training as before. On 5 May, the last training group completed its cycle, so the unit is now in advanced training.  During advanced training Btry B went on several field problems and participated in more service practice.