- Our Community
- Community Overview City History Community Demographics Chamber of Commerce Events and Activities City Calendar City Parks On-Line Store Cemeteries Local Weather Photo Gallery
- Library School District Public Safety Emergency Management Police Fire ADA Compliance Americans with Disabilities Wall of Honor Wall of Honor
- Grove Regional Airport Grand Lake Association INTEGRIS Grove Hospital Har-Ber Village Lendonwood Garden Playmakers Theatre Cayuga Mission
- Doing Business
- Welcome Visitors
- Grand Lake Association Grove Area Chamber of Commerce Grove Regional Airport Playmakers Theatre
- Cayuga Mission Grand Lake Queen Har-Ber Village Lendonwood Garden Starbirds National Rod Custom Car Hall of Fame Grand River Dam Authority (GRDA)
- On-line Store Photo Gallery Events Where to Eat Where to Stay Where to Park in Downtown Grove Wolf Creek Park & Boating Facility
- Inside City Hall
- Contact City Hall Staff Directory Submit a Complaint or Comment City Code Comprehensive Plan Jobs - Equal Opportunity Employer Non-Discrimination Download Employment Application Submit Employment Application
- Agendas and Minutes City Council Boards and Committees Convention and Tourism Bureau Economic Development Authority Municipal Airport Authority Municipal Service Authority Planning and Zoning Board Zoning Board of Adjustments ADA Compliance Americans with Disabilities
- Departments Administration Airport Buildings and Grounds Community Development Economic Development Finance Fire Emergency Management Municipal Court Police Public Works Utility Services
- Helpful Resources
- Alerts and Notifications Email Subscriptions Events and Meetings Agendas and Minutes City Calendar In the News City News
- Contact the City Staff Directory Submit a Request or Concern Code Red Code Red Login Documents and Forms Documents and Reports Forms, Permits and Applications Maps
- Social Media City of Grove on Facebook Wolf Creek Park on Facebook Grove Animal Control on Facebook Frequently Asked Questions Frequently Used Numbers Helpful Links
United States Army 86th Chemical Mortar Battalion (The Lobster)
U. S. ARMY 86TH CHEMICAL MORTAR BATTALION (THE LOBSTER) - The 86th Chemical Mortar Battalion served in support of infantry throughout Europe during World War II. Nicknamed "The Lobster" (the battalion's code name in Europe). The Battalion had placed a memorial monument to its men at Fort McClellan, Alabama. The Army closed that post on September 15, 1999, and all six (2nd, 3rd, 81st, 83rd, 86th, 91st) chemical mortar battalion monuments were moved to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, along with other Chemical Corps monuments including that of the 1st Gas Regiment. The monuments are now emplaced in a Memorial Park at Leonard Wood near the Chemical Corps Museum there.
- Activated: May 17, 1943 as 86th Chemical Bn Motorized at Camp Swift, TX
- Redesignated: Feb 15, 1945 as 86th Chemical Mortar Bn
- Inactivated: Nov 1, 1946 at Camp Campbell, KY
- Overseas: Arrived NYPE April 19, 1944, England April 26, 1944, France-ETO June 30, 1944; returned NYPE July 10, 1945.
- Campaigns: Ardennes-Alsace, Central Europe, Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland
- Number of men killed in action: 40
- Number of days in combat: 315
- Number of rounds fired: 152,257
Note: The battalion departed New York aboard the New Amsterdam, arrived in Scotland April 25, 1944, moved by train to Port Sunlight, Cheshire, received two months training, and sailed for France on June 29, 1944. The unit was in Bischofteinitz, Czechoslovakia, at war's end, departed there for Le Havre, France (Camp Lucky Strike), on June 13, 1945, and sailed for the U.S. aboard the SS Sea Pike on July 1, 1945. After 30 days leave, personnel reported to Camp Campbell, KY, for further training and deployment to the Pacific theater on Oct 1, 1945. With the Japanese surrender, the battalion's redeployment orders were canceled and the unit was inactivated.
Unit decorations:
- Companies A & C - Streamer in the colors of the Belgian Croix de Guerre embroidered Ardennes
- Companies B & C - Distinguished Unit Streamer embroidered Hurtgen Forest
- Company C - Streamer in the colors of the Belgian Croix de Guerre embroidered Elsenborn Crest,and the Belgian Fourragere in the colors of the Belgian Croix de Guerre
