803rd Ordnance (Light Maintenance) Company

When a vehicle or a weapon used by one of the other units in the division became disabled, it was sent to the 803rd Ordnance for repairs. This maintenance of the weapons and vehicles was of fundamental importance to keep the division moving and maintain its effectiveness as a fighting force. Most of the time, the 803rd Ordnance moved and operated behind the lines, only advancing when the frontlines had moved a significant distance. There were some cases where soldiers from the 803rd were directly in harms way, and even instances such as in the Unit narrative from January 1945 that highlight individual acts of heroism displayed by soldiers from the 803rd Ordnance.

During combat operations, units were required to submit a report of operations on a monthly basis. These were dubbed "Unit Journals" and have formed an integral part of the unit's history. Under “The War: Document Collection” tab, the 803rd Ordnance Company has a monthly Unit Journal that differs slightly from those of the Infantry Regiments. The 803rd Ordnance Unit Journals were written as a narrative of their movement operations, but they also contain casualty reports, awards, and occasional promotion citation.

The 803rd Ordnance/ Light Maintenance Company originally was not part of the 103rd Infantry Division in 1921. The 803rd Ordnance was created when the 103rd Infantry Division was activated from its Reserve status in 1942. The purpose of the 803rd Ordnance Company was to provide technical and mechanical support for the 103rd Division’s weapons and vehicles.

The Unit Journal for the 803rd Ordnance Company is available here.

The Morning Reports for the 803rd Ordnance Company are available here.