Welcome to the 244th Field Artillery Battalion, XII Corps, Third United States Army home.

          My father, 1st. Lt. Thomas B. Marriott, Jr., replied to me when I asked him about a photo with a coffin being placed on a caisson.  His reply, “It’s the funeral of a man from the 244th.” I asked why do you have it since the photo wasn’t taken in Europe during the war.  His reply, “This man was killed in the line of duty here in the U.S., one of the original members of the Battalion and I wanted every member of the Battalion to be remembered, it’s the only existing photo” of Pvt. Joseph Creevey.

     Years later, as I was looking through my fathers WWII photo album and saw that same photo, I began thinking about what he said to me about remembering every member of the Battalion.  I decided if no one continued to remember the 244th and its part in WWII, then surely the 244th and its heroes would be forgotten.  

     I asked my mother about the 244th and my father’s roll in it.  She told me of a CD created by Harvey Dexter, son of S/Sgt. Harvey A. Dexter “A” Battery, that she believed my brother had.

     My brother sent me a copy of the CD which contained the After Action Reports, Journal Reports and a few photos.  Harvey Dexter had done a great job with the original research and had also attended a few of the Battalion reunions.  At those Battalion reunions Harvey got to know many of the 244th men and heard many stories.

     In 2013 after several years of research and knowing nothing about creating a web page I decided to create this one.  It seemed the best way to remember the 244th and honor its men.

                                                Also for your reference
Susice 1938-1945. Hradek a Tedrazice 1945
Years of Occupation and Days of Liberation
by Jan Tuma
This is for my father and every 244th man.

244th FAB Group Photo Taken May 5th, 1989

Front Row Left to Right
  1.  A. Antone
  2.  Herbert B. Link
  3.  Damos Rowe
  4.  Nelson
  5.  Albert D. Rudolph
  6.  R. K. Losh
  7.  Robert H.  Bishop
  8.  Willian L. Grantham
  9.  Kenneth Dickerson
10.  Robert F. Floyd
11.  William G. McDonald
2nd Row
  1.  Harry Waters
  2.  Miller
  3.  Perkins
  4.  Sapone
  5.  George S. Price
  6.  Valhola
  7.  R. E. Kuhn
  8.  Allen B. Courtright
  9.  Jose R. Estevez, jr.
10.  Walker
11.  Brazeale
12.  F. R. G. Didds
3rd Row
  1.  Conzoneri
  2.  John E. Duker, jr.
  3.  Rogers
  4.  Harding
  5.  William U. (Doc) Savage
  6.  Paul M. McCoy
  7.  F. C. Burroughs
  8.  William D. Hightower
  9.  Eugene C. Heffner
10.  Oscar E. Phillips
4th Row
  1. Thomas B. Marriott, jr.
  2.  Parker
  3.  Alfred Charles
  4.  John W. Outlaw
  5.  Nello C. Stover
  6.  Chester W. March
  7.  Robert L. Redman
  8.  Victor A. Howski
  9.  O.W. Robertson
10.  E. V. Czarniak
11.  Chester F. Wojtowicz
12.  Leslie T. Arnett
13.  Paul E. Lynes

THIS SITE IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND WILL BE FOR SOME TIME

          Welcome to the Third U.S. Army, XII Corps, 244th. Field Artillery Headquarters Battalion web site. The 244th Field Artillery Battalion was a 155mm (6.10236 inch or 15.5cm), M4 tractor towed Long Tom Battalion and this is their history. If one of your family members were in the 244th during WWII we would very much like to hear from you.  Email us at the244th@gmail.com

     Let me take this opportunity to thank each of the following people who have sent in personal letters, photos and or documents from their fathers or grandfathers who served in the 244th Field Artillery Battalion so they could be used here.

1st Lt. Thomas B. Marriott, jr., 244th Field Artillery Battalion Historian


Mrs. Thomas B. Marriott, jr., wife of 1st Lt. Thomas B. Marriott, jr.


Harvey R. Dexter, 244th Contributing Historian, son of S/Sgt. Harvey A. Dexter, Battery A


Thomas B. Marriott, III, son of 1st Lt. Thomas B. Marriott, jr.


Jan Tůma, Czech Republic WWII Historian, 244th Contributing Historian, Author, Hrádek, Czechia


Jeffrey Pulicari, grandson of S/Sgt. Norman Reeves, Battery B


Marie Varrecchia, daughter of Pfc. Max A. Sabatina, Battery A


J. Lee Mathis son of Cpl. Jasper A. Mathis, Battery B


Arthur Bishop son of Sgt. Robert H. Bishop, Battery B


Carey Clark III, grandson of Major Carey A. Clark, Headquarters Battery


Helen S. Stokes-Rowe wife of T/5 Damos Rowe, Battery B


Larry Hoyle, son of Cpl. Kilby H. Hoyle, Battery C


The Byron Rogers Family of T/5 Byron G. Rogers, Jr., Battery A


The William Hightower Family, sons of 1st Lt. William D. Hightower, Headquarters Battery


Bullemer Timo, WWII Historian, Cham, Germany


Vince Garland, son of 1st Lt. Max L. Garland, Headquarters Battery


“The McDanal Family” of PFC William G. McDonald, Battery C


Jeff Duger, grandson of Sgt. Howard O. Hodge, Battery C


Diane S. (Scottie) Ferras daughter of Capt. William U. Savage, Battery A


Dr. Mary E. Outlaw and Susan Outlaw Stallings daughters of T/5 John W. Outlaw, Battery B


David Adkins, son of Pfc. O. L. Adkins, Battery A


Bruce MacDuffee, son of Pfc. Harry G. MacDuffee, Battery B


David Joachim, son of Pfc. Robert S. Joachim, Headquarters Battery


Carlos. Velez, son of Carlos L. Velez, Service Battery


Charlotte Ridley McDanal, daughter of Pfc. Francis M. Ridley, Battery C


Nello C. Stover Jr., son of T/5 Nello C. Stover, Battery B


Peter J. Moosey, son of Pfc. Joseph P. Moosey, Headquarters Battery


Robert L. Cawood, son of Pfc. Robert L. Cawood, Battery B


Herman Beach, son of T4 Willner Beach, Battery C


Ray Repage, son of Pfc. Santo M. (Sandy) Repage, Battery B


Joseph T. Lyons, Jr., son of Capt. Joseph T. Lyons, Battery B


Guy Collinsworth, son of T/5 Charles Collinsworth, Service Battery


Charles Cormier, son of 1st Sgt. Raymond Cormier, Battery A


Lt. Colonel Robert M. Dexter, grandson of S/Sgt. Harvey A. Dexter, Battery A


Guy Eisen, Luxembourg WWII Historian, Ermsdorf Luxembourg


Fabrice Avoie, French Author and WWII Historian, Le Mans France

 

Joseph Neyton, Nephew to PFC Anthony F. Keane, Batterey C

 

     My special thanks to Patrick Walden without whose efforts as webmaster, this content wouldn’t be. Patrick didn’t hesitate to volunteer as I described to him what I was doing for fun in my spare time and that I was looking for someone who could develop the site.  To Harvey Dexter who provided After Action, Journal Reports, maps and photos that motivated me to action, saving time and generating my interest immediately.  And to Guy Eisen from Ermsdorf Luxembourg who found the website and has contributed so much about the 244th in Luxembourg.

   Jan Tůma, who lives in the Czech Republic and found the 244th website has become a driving force.  Jan is responsible for the placing of the 244th Memorial Plaque and the Memorial Service, both at Kostel sv. Vavřince, Hrádek, Czechia. Each year Jan keeps the memory of the 244th with several celebrations. Jan is always available for guided tours of Czech Republic.

     Guy Eisen living in Ermsdorf Luxembourg is the 244th Battle of The Bulge expert. For many years Guy has been placing fresh flowers on the graves of the 244th men at the Luxembourg American Cemetery.  Since Guy made contacted through the 244th website in March 2021, Guy has repeatedly contributed important information regarding the movements of the 244th. Guy has found the answer to the question of how did the five 244th men die while on patrol. There were stories and suspicions, now there is only what really happened.

     Special thanks should be given to Roland Gaul and the Musée National d’Histoire Militaire, National Museum of Military History, 10, Bamertal L-9209 Diekirch Tel: (352) 80 89 08 Fax: (352) 80 89 08 99  E-mail: reception@mnhm.lu. This Luxembourg museum honors the memory of the 244th by naming it’s 155 mm Long Tom “Bunker Buster,” the name of the number two gun in “A” Battery.  Harvey Dexter and Roland Gaul accomplished this before I started the website.

     Lastly, my father wrote in a letter to his mother Friday February 23, 1945, that they, the 244th would be remembered as a “jack of all trades” Battalion yet I found that no one has remembered and the information on the worldwide web and elsewhere is woefully lacking in content..

     It is my personal hope that others will see what we have done here and understand that in order to have a future you have to remember the past. Then, send personal letters, photos and documents from those who served in the 244th so that information and whom they belonged to will be preserved and viewed here in that future.

     There were 550 plus members in the battalion and we have heard from just twenty-five families. Hopefully there will be more, and someone will also come forward with each Battery Scrap Book and Photo Album last viewed at the last reunion. We would appreciate adding their invaluable contents to this site.

     This is “Life In The Battalion,” what we know of the 244th Field Artillery Battalion and those who served in it.

Thank you,

Jim Marriott, son of 1st Lt. Thomas B. Marriott, Jr. Headquarters Battery

     This site has no affiliation to the United States Army or the Department of Defense. Information provided is from various sources including those who serve with the 244th Field Artillery Battalion

For comments, questions, corrections, update or to send information, please use –
contact.the.244th@gmail.com

© 2024 244th Field Artillery Battalion