During the U.S. First Army's five campaigns in Europe, men of the 486th. Constantly demonstrated their versatility with 50 caliber quadruple mounts and 37 mm. automatic cannon mounted on M 15 and M 16 half-tracts. Whether the target was an enemy Focke Wulf 190, or a Mark-V tank, Col. Raymond E. Dunnington's ack –ack soldiers were ready and willing to pass the ammunition. They did so to the tune of more than 30-Categoty 1 (total destroyed) and 16 Category 16 (damaged and probably destroyed) confirmations on everything from light bombing planes to jet –propelled fighters. On ground targets, conservation figures show that the battalion destroyed more then 200 combat vehicles of all types, including tanks, armored cars, horse drawn artillery pieces, and at least two railway trains. The battalion was the first of its kind on German soil in WW II. The first to shoot down an enemy aircraft from that German soil.
The 486 was attached to the Third Armored Division, First Army and landed on Omaha Beach, in Normandy, on June 23, 1944 and was operational in more than 70 direct attacks on the 3 AD and served on the continent of Europe until VE day. They always considered themselves SPEARHEADERS as they do today.
For shooting down the first plane on German soil, click the link below.