06/15/2025
ON THIS DATE IN 113th FIELD ARTILLERY HISTORY:
On this day let us pause to remember the men of the 113th Field Artillery Battalion who were lost on June 15, 1944, while the unit was crossing the English Channel on their way to Normandy, France. Headquarters and Headquarters Batteries, Battery B and Battery C were aboard USS LST-133, a Tank Landing ship. A little after 8:00 in the morning, while the men were cleaning up from breakfast a tremendous explosion shattered the stern of the ship. When head counts were taken it was determined that 20 soldiers of the 113th were missing and their bodies were lost to the sea. Twelve of the missing were from HHB, six were from Battery B, and two of the missing were from Battery C. Nineteen of these soldiers are memorialized on the wall of the missing in the Normandy American Military Cemetery in France and one is on the wall of the missing at the Cambridge American Military Cemetery in England. Still on board the ship Technician 5th Grade James E. Clark, Jr of Battery C and Private Stanley Moniuszko of HHB were killed and Corporal George Tyner of the Headquarters Battery was badly wounded and died a couple days later in England. Seven other soldiers were seriously injured. Below is a list of the missing. Let us never forget the sacrifices these brothers made in the defense of freedom.
TEC4 Joseph E. Barbour, HHB
SGT Clyde W. Beachen, Btry C
PVT Steve W. Carroll, HHB
SSG James B. Collier, HHB
CPL James S. Davis, HHB
TEC5 Clarence M. Edwards, HHB
TEC5 Donald B. Edwards, HHB
PVT Otis G. Hall, Btry B
PVT John A. Hussli, Btry B
CPL Jacob C. Marshall, HHB
TEC4 John W. Martin, HHB
PVT Cecil E. McLendon, Btry B
SGT John E. Nelms, Jr, Btry B
PVT Albert P. Ramiez, HHB
TEC5 Wiley G. Ratcliff, Btry C
PVT Outra Schroader, Btry B
TEC5 William S. Srp, HHB
PVT J. C. Swanger, Btry B
PFC John F. Udovic, HHB
CPL James A. Wilkins, HHB
