Weisberg, Benjamin “Ben”.

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Weisberg, Benjamin “Ben” born 25-10-1911, in Sioux City, Iowa, but was raised in NYC. His parents had escaped the Progroms in Poland and emigrated to the U.S. near the turn of the century. Ben obtained an engineering degree from NYU, while working nights at the Post Office. He trained in aeronautical engineering but could not fly because he wore corrective glasses for his vision. He joined a field artillery unit in the N.Y. National Guard. Federalized to active service after Pearl Harbor, On Sunday morning 07-12-1941, a Japanese war fleet arrives at the American naval base Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The Japanese attack the Americans with bombs and torpedoes. When the attack is over, more than 3,500 Americans are dead and wounded. Eighteen warships are also sunk and hundreds of aircraft are destroyed or damaged. Japan attacks the United States to prevent the Americans from thwarting Japanese plans for territorial expansion in Asia. The surprise attack is perfectly executed, but Japan has not defeated the US with it. The damage caused appears to be quickly repaired and the most important American aircraft carriers are in other ports at that time. The United States can therefore strike back quickly.

Ben sought Airborne duty and was given command of the 377th PFA battalion, which did not yet exist. The 377th Field Artillery Regiment is a field artillery regiment of the United States Army. A parent regiment under the U.S. Army Regimental System, the regiment’s 2nd Battalion, 377th Field Artillery Regiment is assigned to the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 11th Airborne Division. Elements of the regiment have also served with the 101st Airborne Division and 82nd Airborne Division , and have seen service in World War II, Vietnam, and in both Iraq and Afghanistan during the Global War on Terror. The 1st and 3rd Battalions as well as Batteries D and E are Inactive.

Working in close cooperation with Major Courtney ‘Dapper’ Neilson, died age 27 and Captain William Edward Brubaker, died age 98,

Ben molded his newly jump-qualified enlisted men into a finely trained unit. Three firing batteries,an anti tank and anti aircraft battery, and a service and HQ battery were formed. A new doctrine for dropping and deploying 75mm pack howitzers was created. These weapons, which could be dropped in sections by parachute, were to support the 502nd PIR, nicknamed “Five-Oh-Deuce” under command of Lietenant Colonel Chappuis, Steve Archie “Silent Steve”.

  the TO&E Parachute Regiment of the 101st Airborne. Weisberg had enjoyed a comfortable working relationship with both General Lee, William Carey “Bill”. Father Of The Airborne, the original C.O. of the 101st Airborne, as well as General Anthony Clement McAuliffe , the DIVARTY commander. But this changed when Maxwell Davenport Taylor assumed command of the division. Taylor found a reason to relieve LTC Weisberg after the Normandy invasion. Details of this will be found in my 4th book. The 85th TCS of the 437th TCG had badly misdropped Weisberg’s battalion in France, with all 18 planeloads (approximately 180 of Weisberg’s men) landing on the wrong map. The 81st and 82nd Troop Carrier Squadrons of the 436th TCG, also misdropped the remaining 36 sticks carrying the 377th PFA Bn., with only 2 sticks landing within 2 miles of the planned DZ. Many officers and men of the 377th were killed or captured in Normandy and the survivors fought well as infantrymen.  All but one of their howitzers had been lost on the mis drops. Because of the seperation of men from their howitzers in Normandy, most of the 377th entered Holland in gliders. The unit was able to come back from a disastrous start in Normandy, to establish a superior record in Holland and Bastogne. LTC Weisberg was very popular with his men  and it was regrettable that he missed being with the unit he created during their fruition as a team in battle. Letters he received later indicate his men credited Ben for the success of the 377th in later combat. After leaving the 101st, Ben went to an officers’ pool in London, then was assigned as EXO of SAARF. He traveled through Germany and postwar Japan with a bomb damage survey unit, then spent four years stationed at Dachau for occupation duties. Ben Weisberg served in Korea with KMAG and spent a full career in the Army, with stations around the globe. He passed away on 30-12-1982 (age 71) in Tacoma, Pierce County, Washington, United States. Ben is survived by his wife, Ruth Fournier, born Barker Weisberg (1917–2006, age 89)

whom he met as a WAC lieutenant aboard the S.S. Strathnaver, enroute to England in 1943. One of his daughters, Courtnay, was named after his EXO, Courtney ‘Dap’ Neilson, who was killed in Normandy.

Weisberg, Benjamin “Ben”. is buried at the Quogue Cemetery, Quogue, Suffolk County, New York, United States.

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