2nd Battalion, 44th Air Defense Artillery Regiment
"Strike Fear"
The 2nd Battalion (Air Assault), 44th Air Defense Artillery inherits its association with the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) from its lineage with the 81st Airborne Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion.
The 81st Airborne Anti-Aircraft Battalion was activated on 4 Sep 1942, by General Order #8, HQ 101st Airborne Division at Camp Clairborne, Louisiana. The battalion, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel W. C. Scoggin, was a special troop unit of the 101st Airborne Division and was activated from units of the 401st and 327th Glider Infantry Regiments. All personnel were infantry trained.
The 3rd Battalion of the 401st Glider Infantry, less Company K, was transferred to the 81st Battalion with I and L Companies becoming Battery C and F. Company B of the 327th Glider Infantry became Battery B of the 81st. The first and second platoons of the anti-tank companies of the 327th Glider Infantry became Battery A, 81st Battalion. The heavy weapons Companies H and E of the 327th Glider Infantry became Battery D and E, 81st Battalion. The Headquarters Detachment came from Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry, via Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 401st Glider Infantry. The Medical Detachment was composed of medical personnel from the 327th and 401st Glider Infantry, 326th and 325th A/B Medical Companies. All personnel above the T/O of 71 men per battery, 23 men of Medical Detachment and 26 men of Headquarters Detachment were transferred out to other units of the division. Batteries A, B and C were anti-tank batteries, each with eight 37mm A/T guns, which were changed to 57mm anti-tank guns and then to the British 6-pounder guns for combat. Ironically the 57mm M1 anti-tank gun was a US copy of the British 6-pounder, but the carriage for the British weapons were more suited to gliders. Batteries D, E and F were anti-aircraft batteries, each with twelve .50 caliber air-cooled machine guns on M3 mounts. After Normandy, ground mounts were secured so the guns could be fired as ground weapons to support the infantry units of the division, who had only .30 caliber air-cooled machine guns.
The battalion moved to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, with the Division, on 29 Sep 1942. Training began on the new weapons, loading of gliders, taking glider flights and unloading the gliders. The battalion participated in all division exercises and maneuvers.
The division was scheduled to sail for England 5 September 1943, from Pier 90, North River, New York. The battalion was assigned as advanced party to the ship, to furnish all fatigue details, ship security and manning the ship's AA guns, with Lieutenant Colonel Scoggin commander of troops aboard ship.
The Ship 294 (HMS Samaria) landed at Liverpool, England, and the battalion moved by train to Basildon Park, near Reading, Berkshire. Training was intensified on physical training (including long and short marches), firing of weapons, glider loading, glider flights, unit and division tactical exercies. On 25 Mar 1944, Lieutenant Colonel Scoggin was transferred and Manor X. B. Cox Jr. was given command of the battalion and remained in command for the duration.
On 6 June 1944, Batteries A and B were air lifted by glider to Normandy, France, where they landed at H+2 hours.
Batteries D, E, and F came in by sea with the assault wave of engineers and infantrymen of the 8th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division landing at H+15 minutes. They set up the first anti-aircraft protection on the beach and remained in this position until 11 June 1944, when they were released by 7th Corps and returned to battalion control, so they could set up AA protection for division headquarters and major bridges around Carentan. The batteries were given credit for at least two enemy planes destroyed during 6-7 June 1944.
