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Group to command all Army Ground Forces in the Kerama Retto and assigned the 870th AAA AW Battalion to relieve the Infantry. This battalion prior to the war was a part of the Harlem National Guard Regiment. The battalion was equipped by Iscom Okinawa with Infantry weapons, mortars, bazookas, flame throwers, etc. In addition, one officer and twenty four enlisted men from the 27th Division were furnished as instructors in Infantry Tactics and in technique in employment of Infantry weapons. The Battalion landed in Kerama Retton on 22 May 1944. Headquarters Battery, Battery C, and D landed at Zemami, while Batteries A and B went directly to Tokashiki. With relief on 23 May 1944 of the Infantry Battalion, Lt. Colonel W. F. Lucas, Commanding Officer, 870th AAA AW Battalion, assumed responsibility for ground defense of all installations in Kerama Retto and began patrolling the island perimeter in order to destroy Jap suicide boats and caches of ammunition, food and other supplies. When the 870th Battalion relieved the Infantry on Tokashiki they moved into the position in the lowlands of Tokashiki village held by the Infantry. The village was empty, the natives having been taken to the hills by the Japs as slaves. Fortified Japanese positions on the hills surrounding the village dominated the area, making it impossible to move more than 300 yards from the town without meeting organized Japanese resistance. At night fire from Jap machine guns, sniper and knee mortar fire fell within the town. With the arrival in Tokashiki of over two thousand civilians from Ie Shima with Military Government personnel, the situation became acute. At 0800 on June 24 a coordinated, well-planned and effective attack was made to capture the fortified hill north of the village, to extend the perimeter and strengthen the defensive position. The attack was supported by the Navy gun boat fire and Field Artillery concentration by the 505th AAA Gun Battalion. Light machine guns and sniper fire from pillboxes and caves offered strong resistance. The progress was slowed by flanking fire from concealed machine guns. However, aided by accurate mortar fire, the assault troops took the hill, captured the main fortified position and completed the organization of the position by early evening. The pill boxes were knocked out by flame throwers. Machine gun and mortar positions and an ammunition dump were destroyed. Our looses were one officer and two enlisted men killed, and nine men wounded. Captured enemy material included a light machine gun, grenades and small arms. Jap casualties were twenty killed and ten wounded. To date in the Kerama Retto, the 870th AAA AW Battalion has killed sixty-two Japs, one Korean, captured ninety-one Japs, eighty-nine Koreans and three hundred fifty civilians. As a result of this action, one officer was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal (posthumously) and several officers and enlisted men received the Bronze Star." The original complement from the 469th Regiment returned to the United States as Casuals, and were discharged during the latter part of 1945 and the early part of 1946. Following the termination of World War II, many of the officers and enlisted men remained on active duty, rising steadily in the ranks until their retirement. On February 1, 1968 the 369th Artillery Battalion was reorganized and redesignated the 569th Transportation Battalion. Currently the 369th Regiment Armory, located at 142nd and 5th Avenue, in New York City, houses the 569th Transportation Battalion, New York Army National Guard and the 12th Internal Security Battalion, New York Guard. National Officers President William K. DeFossett 1st Vice President James E. Holt, Jr. 2nd Vice President Myrtle Ann Rhoden Recording Secretary Ruth B. Dunham Ass't Recording Secretary Harriett E. Minor Corresponding Secretary John H. Crump Ass't Corresponding Sec'y Percy G. Buckley Treasurer Ira F. Aldridge, Jr. Financial Secretary Thomas A. Carey Chaplains Rabbi Irving Baumol Father Francis M. Newman Rev. William S. Van Meter Sergeant-at-Arms Edward E. Boyd Board of Directors Ovin A. Shannon Robert V. King, Jr. Clarence P. Reid Joseph Radcliffe Harold Bryant Andrew J. Evans Charles E. Clark Committee Chairmen Adult Activities Dr. Floyd C. Mourning Joseph W. North, Ass't Art William L. Leach Auditing Gertrude Smith Committee of Chaplains Rabbi Irving Baumol Civic Affairs George Donald Covington James W. Randolph, Ass't Constitution and By-Laws Hon. Percy E. Sutton Convention Clifford M. Johnson Editorial Annie L. Chaney Education Paul B. Zuber Entertainment Walter P. Williams Finance Theodore C. Jackson Housing Hon. J. Robert Rhone Legal Milton M. Rosenberg Mediation Hon. George H. Fowler Membership Mary M. Hammond Memorial Hon. Joseph A. Cox Music Thomas Kendrick Nominating Fraser P. Forde Organization Hon. Robert J. Mangum Publicity Alonzo D. Mitchell Representation Hon. Frederick C. Rieber Statistical Donald H. Eaton, Jr. Veterans' Affairs Frank E. Wallace Welfare George W. Bayley Youth Activities Frank Merriweather Ira Jagerman, Asst. [[image - logo 369 Veterans Assn Inc]] PROGRAM FRIDAY 2:00 P.M. - Registration 5:00 P.M. - Hospitality Party 7:00 P.M. - Dinner - Informal 8:30 P.M. - Committee Meetings 10:00 P.M. - Dance - "Evening of Frolic" - Informal 11:30 P.M. - Show Time 12:30 A.M. - Dance Continued 2:00 A.M. - Snack Time - Dining Room 2:00 A.M. - Early Morning Swim SATURDAY 7:30 A.M. - Golfers Breakfast 8:00 A.M. - Regular Breakfast 10:30 A.M. - Continental Breakfast 12:00 Noon - Lunch 1:30 P.M. - Membership Business Meeting 3:00 P.M. - Open Meeting - Guest Speaker 6:00 P.M. - Reception & Cocktail Party for Guest Jacket) Speakers - Semi-Formal (Tux or Dinner 7:30 P.M. - Banquet - Guest Speaker 10:00 P.M. - Ball - Semi-Formal (Tux or Dinner Jacket) Midnight - Show - Star Time 1:00 A.M. - Ball Continued SUNDAY 7:30 A.M. - Golfers Breakfast 8:00 A.M. - Regular Breakfast 10:30 A.M. - Continental Breakfast 11:00 A.M. - Church Service 1:00 P.M. - Lunch and Then Departure 3:00 P.M.
