Attached Anti-Aircraft Artillery Units

Anti-Aircraft Artillery (AAA) services proved to be immensely useful during World War II, and by some post-war estimates were responsible for around twenty-five percent of the total enemy aircraft shot down in both the Pacific and European Theaters of Operation. Throughout their time in combat, the 103rd Infantry Division had two AAA attached to it. These were the 353rd AAA SL Battalion and the 354th AAA AW Battalion (Mobile). These battalions each had a different job as indicated by the designations SL and AW, but were equally invaluable to the protection of the ground forces of the 103rd.

For the 353rd AAA SL (Searchlight) Battalion, their primary job was to illuminate the skies as well as set up radar equipment that could detect the presence of planes. In the event of a night attack by enemy aircraft, the 353rd were responsible for working in tandem with the gunners of the other anti-aircraft units to track and illuminate the enemy planes to be shot down. While the primary mission of the 353rd was to illuminate the sky, there were also incidents when the battalion was instructed to turn their lights on to the battlefield. This was done primarily to support the infantry, but also had the unintended effect of demoralizing the enemy that were blinded by the lights shining across the battlefield. In some reports from the 353rd, several German POWs referenced the powerful lights, coupled with the turning tide of the war, as the reason for their demoralization and surrender to the Americans.

The 354th AAA AW (Automatic Weapons) Battalion (Mobile) was tasked with providing the actual anti-aircraft fire needed to protect against enemy planes or pilot-less aircraft such as V-1 and V-2 rockets that the Germans used to terrorize civilian populations. The 354th used a wide variety of weapons to engage enemy planes, including a 90mm cannon, 37mm anti-aircraft guns, and .50 caliber machine guns that were either individually mounted or mounted together in sets of four. The type of weapon used by the 354th during an air-raid was largely dependent on the height and speed of the enemy planes. In extremely rare cases, anti-aircraft battalions could level their guns at the ground and use them against enemy ground troops in a devastating display of ground fire. There is no known incident of the 354th ever doing this in their time attached to the 103rd Infantry Division.