# WWII Artillery Delivery **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 11, 2019, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wwii-artillery-delivery/841644 "2019-10-11T18:55:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Stinky\_Pete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Stinky\_Pete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stinky_Pete)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2019, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wwii-artillery-delivery/841644/1 "2019-10-11T18:55:37Z")
Recently I read about a case in August 1944 in France several American units of the 30th division were encircled by the Germans. To support them “Medical supplies were fired into the American positions by artillery shell.” My question is do any of you guys know of other times and places where artillery was used for special express delivery as in this case? ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2019, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wwii-artillery-delivery/841644/2 "2019-10-11T21:44:12Z")
Where did you read that? ---
**Author:** ![Lamoral](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lamoral/32/16078_2.png) [@Lamoral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamoral)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2019, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wwii-artillery-delivery/841644/3 "2019-10-11T23:29:55Z")
Artillery shells were also used to spread [propaganda leaflets.](http://www.psywarrior.com/PropArtilleryShell.html) ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2019, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wwii-artillery-delivery/841644/4 "2019-10-11T23:53:19Z")
> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > Where did you read that? This web site talks about it: [http://ww2today.com/10-august-1944-attempt-to-resupply-hill-314-by-air-and-shell](http://ww2today.com/10-august-1944-attempt-to-resupply-hill-314-by-air-and-shell) Also repeated here: > **[Hallowed Ground: Hill 314, Mortain, France](https://www.historynet.com/hallowed-ground-hill-314-mortain-france/?f)** > > The French village of Mortain sits halfway up the western slope of what during World War II the U.S. Army referred to as Hill 314. The promontory’s The location was just outside of Mortain, France, and it occurred on August 10, 1944. Reportedly they took the propaganda leaflets from shells and replaced them with medical supplies. ---
**Author:** ![Stinky\_Pete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Stinky\_Pete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stinky_Pete)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2019, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wwii-artillery-delivery/841644/5 "2019-10-12T02:15:56Z")
This info comes from: Overlord:D-Day & the Battle for Normandy by Max Hastings published in 1984 page 286 Would have been occurring during second week of August 1944 “Medical supplies were fired into the Americans positions by artillery shell.” ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2019, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wwii-artillery-delivery/841644/6 "2019-10-12T02:57:35Z")
Found an article: [" 1944 US Army attempt to resupply Hill 314 by air and shell."](http://ww2today.com/10-august-1944-attempt-to-resupply-hill-314-by-air-and-shell) With technical details! ---
**Author:** ![JacobSwan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@JacobSwan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JacobSwan)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2019, 10:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wwii-artillery-delivery/841644/7 "2019-10-12T10:15:52Z")
Mail has been delivered via sub launched cruise missile: > **[Rocket mail](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocket_mail)** > > Rocket mail is the delivery of mail by rocket or missile. The rocket lands by deploying an internal parachute upon arrival. It has been attempted by various organizations in many different countries, with varying levels of success. It has never become widely seen as being a viable option for delivering mail, due to the cost of the schemes and numerous failures. > The collection of philatelic material ("stamps") used for (and depicting) rocket mail is part of a specialist branch of aerophilatel... ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2019, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wwii-artillery-delivery/841644/8 "2019-10-12T11:52:10Z")
> [@Ranchoth](#): > > Found an article: > > [" 1944 US Army attempt to resupply Hill 314 by air and shell."](http://ww2today.com/10-august-1944-attempt-to-resupply-hill-314-by-air-and-shell) > > With technical details! > [@](#): > > In the meantime, the S-3 of the 230th Field Artillery Battalion had an idea to relieve the situation. Ten rounds of M-84 (base ejection HC smoke)) ammunition were opened, and the smoke canisters and base ejection charge removed. The rounds were then filled with medical supplies, bandages, dressings, sulfanilamide and morphine syrettes. I suspected smoke canisters. Safer to dismantle. I wonder if the chemical mortars were used. (BTW–I know the US did not use Chem Weapons in WW2. But were had them, & a lot of Chem Artillery units were used to lay down smoke screens.)