Fredericksburg in Gillespie County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
Karl Mercer
1918-2007
Photographed By James Hulse, December 2, 2021
1. Karl Mercer Marker
Inscription.
Karl Mercer.
Major in the Army Field Artillery Served in Australia, New Guinea, Luzon, and Japan from December 1941 to February 1946. 1932-1940 in California Army Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps at Poly High School in Long Beach. Citizens' Military Training Camps at the Presidio of Monterey, horse artillery equipped with World War I French 75 mm guns., 1938 "Co-stars" with Ronald Reagan in Hollywood "blockbuster", Sergeant Murphy, about an Army horse., July 1942 - January 1944 in Australia Serves as a survey officer in the 147th Field Artillery Battalion equipped with 105 mm howitzers. When General MacArthur, in person, orders the battalion to fire at landmarks on the horizon during a firepower demonstration, hits earn the general's praise. Expertise as a survey officer during a firing exercise results in promotion to I Corps Artillery., January 1944 - January 1945 On the north coast of the island, moving from the east to the west, fights on the beaches, in the swamps, and in the jungles, including the Battle of Hollandia and the climactic Battle of Biak., January - April 1945 on Luzon The Invasion of the Lingayen Gulf is the beginning of the Battle of Luzon, the principal island of the Philippine Islands. After the operations officer (S-3) of corps artillery is shot by a sniper, promoted to S-3 for the remainder of the campaign to liberate Clark Army Air Field, Baguio, and North Luzon. I Corps Artillery has 5 battalions of howitzers and guns, 2 of which are "big guns": 8-inch howitzers, and 240 mm howitzers nicknamed "Black Dragons". Divisions in the corps are NOT equipped with "big guns". Not enough of them to go around., April-June 1945 in California and in Texas Returns to Long Beach, California for rest and recuperation. President Roosevelt dies and Germany surrenders. Assigned briefly to the 4th Army in San Antonio, Texas, to train artillerymen at Camp Hood, Texas, preparing for the invasion of Japan. Volunteers to rejoin I Corps Artillery on Luzon., June 1945-January 1946 on Luzon and in Japan Plans Operation Olympic, the invasion of Kyushu, the southernmost island of Japan. Atomic bombs are dropped on Japan and Japan surrenders. Volunteers to remain with I Corps Artillery which occupies Osaka, Japan., August 1946 Weds Charleen Eller.
Major in the Army Field Artillery Served in Australia, New Guinea, Luzon, and Japan from December 1941 to February 1946
1932-1940 in California
Army Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps at Poly High School in Long Beach. Citizens' Military Training Camps at the Presidio of Monterey, horse artillery equipped with World War I French 75 mm guns.
1938
"Co-stars" with Ronald Reagan in Hollywood "blockbuster", Sergeant Murphy, about an Army horse.
July 1942 - January 1944 in Australia Serves as a survey officer in the 147th Field Artillery Battalion equipped with 105 mm howitzers.
When General MacArthur, in person, orders the battalion to fire at landmarks on the horizon during a firepower demonstration, hits earn the general's praise.
Expertise as a survey officer during a firing exercise results in promotion to I Corps Artillery.
January 1944 - January 1945 On the north coast of the island, moving from the east to the west, fights on the beaches, in the swamps, and in the jungles, including the Battle of Hollandia and the climactic Battle of Biak.
January - April 1945 on Luzon
The Invasion of the Lingayen Gulf is the beginning of the Battle of Luzon, the principal island of the Philippine Islands.
After
Click or scan to see this page online
the operations officer (S-3) of corps artillery is shot by a sniper, promoted to S-3 for the remainder of the campaign to liberate Clark Army Air Field, Baguio, and North Luzon. I Corps Artillery has 5 battalions of howitzers and guns, 2 of which are "big guns": 8-inch howitzers, and 240 mm howitzers nicknamed "Black Dragons". Divisions in the corps are NOT equipped with "big guns". Not enough of them to go around.
April-June 1945 in California and in Texas
Returns to Long Beach, California for rest and recuperation. President Roosevelt dies and Germany surrenders.
Assigned briefly to the 4th Army in San Antonio, Texas, to train artillerymen at Camp Hood, Texas, preparing for the invasion of Japan.
Volunteers to rejoin I Corps Artillery on Luzon.
June 1945-January 1946 on Luzon and in Japan
Plans Operation Olympic, the invasion of Kyushu, the southernmost island of Japan. Atomic bombs are dropped on Japan and Japan surrenders. Volunteers to remain with I Corps Artillery which occupies Osaka, Japan.
August 1946
Weds Charleen Eller.
Erected 2020 by National Museum of the Pacific War.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, World II. A significant historical month for this entry is January 1944.
Location. 30° 16.334′ N, 98°
Photographed By James Hulse, December 2, 2021
2. The Karl Mercer Marker is the third marker from the right
52.04′ W. Marker is in Fredericksburg, Texas, in Gillespie County. Marker can be reached from the intersection of East Main Street (U.S. 290) and North Washington Street. The marker is located in the southwestern section of the WWII Veterans Memorial Courtyard which is a part of the National Museum of the Pacific War. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 340 East Main Street, Fredericksburg TX 78624, United States of America. Touch for directions.
3. The view of the Karl Mercer Marker from the walkway to the museum
Credits. This page was last revised on April 24, 2022. It was originally submitted on April 24, 2022, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 213 times since then and 28 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on April 24, 2022, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.
