T5. Henry S. "Rickey" Adao
US Army 574th AAA (AW) Battalion
from:New Bedford, Massachusetts.
Henry S. Adao entered Active Service 29th of June 1943 as Private aged 19 years 4 months. He was discharged 20th of Apr 1946 as Technician Fifth GradeS aged 22 years 2 months. He received draft notice for induction into the Army of the United States on 15th Jun 1943. On 29th Jun 1943 he rReported for induction at Armed Forces Induction Center, Boston, Massachusetts. Entered into active service. Reported to Camp Edwards, Massachusetts for Basic Training. Rank Private.
On 30th of Aug 1943 he was assigned to recently activated 574th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion (Self-Propelled) at Camp Edwards, Massachusetts and began Mobilization Training Program consisting of a Basic Anti-Aircraft phase and a Combined Unit Training phase. 4th of May 1943 he completed Mobilization Training Program. Rank Private. On 18th of May 1944 574th AAA AW Bn (SP) was ordered to Camp Claiborne, Louisiana for Combined Operations, arriving by train on 22nd of May 1944. The Combined Operations phase was known as the “944 Louisiana Maneuvers and was conducted with the 84th Infantry Division and elements of the Army Air Corps. 29th Aug 1944 they Completed Combined Operations.
30th of Aug 1944 574th AAA AW Bn (SP) was ordered to Anti-Aircraft Training Center, Camp Stewart, Georgia, arriving by train 1st Sep 1944. Final preparations made for overseas movement to include refitting with half-tracks, vehicles, equipment and personnel reinforcements. 29th Nov 1944 Completed preparations. He was promoted to Private First Class. 30th Nov 1944 574th AAA AW Bn (SP) was ordered to overseas staging area at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, arriving by train 2nd of Dec 1944. Awaiting movement to European Theater of Operations. 14th Dec 1944 574th AAA AW Bn (SP) departed by train for New York Port of Embarkation and boarded the RMS Queen Elizabeth. 16th Dec 1944 574th AAA AW Bn (SP) departed New York Port of Embarkation aboard RMS Queen Elizabeth.
On 21st of Dec 1944 the ship arrived at Port of Glasgow, Scotland. The unit disembarked on 23rd of Dec 1944 at Gourock, Scotland. Final movement by train to Codford, England, arriving 24th of December 1944. Henry was assigned duties as an Anti-Aircraft Artillery Machine Gunner (SP) with D Battery. In Mid-Jan 1945 A and D Batteries, 574th AAA AW Bn (SP) departed Southampton, England aboard a Landing Ship Tank. Arrived Le Havre, France, assembled with their half-tracks and convoyed through France to Belgium. Attached to 4th Armored Division in support of the Ardennes-Alsace Campaign. Mid-Feb 1945 A and D Batteries detached from 4th Armored Division and ordered to Nancy, France to regroup and repair their half-tracks. On 6th of March 1945 574th AAA AW Bn (SP) arrived Le Havre, France. Convoyed across France to Luxembourg. On 13th of March 1945 A and D Batteries regrouped with 574th AAA AW Bn (SP) in Luxembourg and on 19th were attached to 13th Armored Division, in support of Rhineland and Central Europe Campaigns. On the 8th if May 1945 Victory-Europe Day (V-E Day). Allied Supreme Command accepted the unconditional surrender of Germany. 13th of May 1945 574th AAA AW Bn (SP) detached from the 13th Armored Division and were assigned an occupation zone in the Bavarian region south of Munich, Germany. Placed under direct command of the Third Army, U. S. Army of Occupation. 27th Sep 1945 574th AAA AW Bn (SP) moved to Le Havre, France to prepare for transport stateside and deactivation on 9th Dec 1945. Henry was reassigned duties with the 489th AAA AW Bn (SP) in Munich, Germany. Under the War Department Demobilization Plan, soldiers short of the required points necessary to rotate stateside remained in Germany with the U. S. Army of Occupation. On 5th Apr 1946 Henry departed from Le Havre, France aboard victory ship after serving fifteen months overseas. Arrived at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey on 16 Apr 1946. Ordered to Separation Center, Fort Devens, Massachusetts. Honorably Discharged 20 Apr 1946 with Rank of Technician Fifth Grade. His total Active Service was 2 years, 10 months, 6 days.
