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1770th Ordnance Supply and Maintenance (AVN) Company: A Brief History
The 1770th Ordnance Maintenance and Supply Company (Aviation) began its operation life as the 816th Ordnance Company, Aviation (AB), based at Mitchell Field on Long Island in New York in mid-1942. In the fall, the company was relocated to Grenier Field in Manchester, New Hampshire with other subordinate units of the 33rd Service group. The day after Christmas, the company departed for Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, the staging point for units headed to Europe. On 5 January 1943, the group boarded a train bound for the Port of New York and departed for the U.K. in the early hours of 6 January.
Arriving in Greenock, Scotland on 12 January, the company was taken by train to its new home at Station 367 at Kingscliffe, the initial home of the 33rd Service Group and the 56th Fighter Group. In early February, a small group of men were sent to Station 356 at Debden, to begin preparing the base for operations there. Soon the small group was augmented by the arrival of men from the 1631st Ordnance Company Motor Maintenance (Q) detachment. At this juncture, the new outfit was designated the 1770th Ordnance Company (MM) (Q). In late May, the remainder of the company began to arrive at Debden.
On 1 June, the company became operational, and was re-designated the 1770th Ordnance Supply and Maintenance Company (Aviation). With the 21 June addition of two officers and forty-three enlisted men from the 1085th Ordnance Company Aviation (AB), the 1770th Ordnance Supply and Maintenance Company (Aviation) was at full strength. The men remaining with the 33rd Service Group Headquarters (by then at Horsham St. Faith) to service the 56th Fighter Group were designated Detachment A, 1770th Ordnance Supply and Maintenance Company (Aviation).
The 1770th was active at Debden through 15 April 1945, at which time it was disbanded under the massive reorganization of 8th Air Force Service Groups as detailed in 8th Air Force Headquarters General Order 52. Three officers and forty-three enlisted men were assigned to the 864th Air Engineering Squadron, while one officer and twenty-nine enlisted men were ordered to the 688th Air Materiel Squadron. The remaining two enlisted men were sent to the 438th Headquarters and Base Services Squadron.
In the final entry of the company's history, CO Walter Orenshaw took time to note the unit's achievements. "Reflecting back to the beginning of Ordnance activities on this Field, it is recalled that a small Ordnance Detachment arrived here from Kingscliffe for the purpose of establishing and maintaining the first Station Ordnance Office at the first American operational fighter station in the ETO."
In closing, he added, "It is with a feeling of satisfaction and gratefulness that we were privileged to play, even so small a part, in the most successful of all air shows through its important phases and throughout its successfully long run. A consensus of personal expressions has brought forth one conclusive fact, namely, that we be given a like opportunity to serve in our next Theater."
Arriving in Greenock, Scotland on 12 January, the company was taken by train to its new home at Station 367 at Kingscliffe, the initial home of the 33rd Service Group and the 56th Fighter Group. In early February, a small group of men were sent to Station 356 at Debden, to begin preparing the base for operations there. Soon the small group was augmented by the arrival of men from the 1631st Ordnance Company Motor Maintenance (Q) detachment. At this juncture, the new outfit was designated the 1770th Ordnance Company (MM) (Q). In late May, the remainder of the company began to arrive at Debden.
On 1 June, the company became operational, and was re-designated the 1770th Ordnance Supply and Maintenance Company (Aviation). With the 21 June addition of two officers and forty-three enlisted men from the 1085th Ordnance Company Aviation (AB), the 1770th Ordnance Supply and Maintenance Company (Aviation) was at full strength. The men remaining with the 33rd Service Group Headquarters (by then at Horsham St. Faith) to service the 56th Fighter Group were designated Detachment A, 1770th Ordnance Supply and Maintenance Company (Aviation).
The 1770th was active at Debden through 15 April 1945, at which time it was disbanded under the massive reorganization of 8th Air Force Service Groups as detailed in 8th Air Force Headquarters General Order 52. Three officers and forty-three enlisted men were assigned to the 864th Air Engineering Squadron, while one officer and twenty-nine enlisted men were ordered to the 688th Air Materiel Squadron. The remaining two enlisted men were sent to the 438th Headquarters and Base Services Squadron.
In the final entry of the company's history, CO Walter Orenshaw took time to note the unit's achievements. "Reflecting back to the beginning of Ordnance activities on this Field, it is recalled that a small Ordnance Detachment arrived here from Kingscliffe for the purpose of establishing and maintaining the first Station Ordnance Office at the first American operational fighter station in the ETO."
In closing, he added, "It is with a feeling of satisfaction and gratefulness that we were privileged to play, even so small a part, in the most successful of all air shows through its important phases and throughout its successfully long run. A consensus of personal expressions has brought forth one conclusive fact, namely, that we be given a like opportunity to serve in our next Theater."
