The Massachusetts Military Academy's most valuable asset is its Commandant, Maj. Gen. Vincent Coyne. By his leadership, concern and guidance, the Academy has been moulded into more than just a collection of cadets, instructors, and associated facilities. It is now considered one of the top military training schools in the country for National Guard Officers.
Gen. Coyne joined the National Guard as a private in 1923. He joined the Massachusetts Military Academy as its Chief Tactical Officer in 1927 and remained in this capacity until 1941 when the school was closed because of the outbreak of World War II.
He was the commanding officer at Fort Revere and for about a year, commander of the 241st Coast Artillery Battalion. Gen. Coyne was the commander of the 532nd Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion (AW) in Texas and he took the unit over seas and served with them through the African and Italian campaigns.
He later became Executive Officer of the 71st AAA Brigade and eventually, its Battalion Commander under the II Corps of the Fifth Army. Gen. Coyne commanded a Task Force of Antiaircraft as part of the 36th Infantry Division at the Rapido River Crossing at the Battle of Cassino.
His units continued in ground support of the 34th, 91st, 88th and 85th Infantry Divisions in Italy. In the final phase of the Italian Campaign he was assigned as the Acting Anti-Aircraft Artillery Corps Commander of the IV Corps with a combined force of British and American units to force the crossing of the Po River in support of the IV Corps Infantry Units.
After the cessation of hostilities, he became Deputy Chief of Staff of several Redeployment Centers at Rome, Florence, and Montecatini, finally ending his career as Commanding Officer at Camp Grant, Ill. General Coyne engaged in six battle campaigns, and four times decorated for gallantry in action having received the Silver Star, the Oak Leaf Cluster to the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, and the Oak Leaf Cluster to the Bronze Star.
"I don't suppose I can transmit to anyone in writing my inner feelings on seeing my troops, vehicles and guns silently moving down the road past my advanced C.P. in the darkness of night into battle."
"I do not suppose anyone can feel as I felt in hearing the guns, mortars, cannon bursting and screaming just ahead of them and all around them as they moved silently through the night like black spectres, quietly moving that battle hell. My God, what must those men of mine been thinking themselves and within themselves. I was proud of them and yet infinitely concerned about them. They had never seen such battle as this into which they were going, but they were well trained troops officered by good competent officers, but they themselves were going into something new - this kind of battle immediately behind the infantry. Hell, Air Field work for them was a cinch - this is no cinch - this is naked battle."
"I, too, asked myself "Have I done all that is correct? Have I planned well and secure? Is there anything left undone?" I know this, that one alone must make the decision and order of battle - that is the Bn. C.O. (myself in this case). This task can never be delegated to a staff officer nor a staff member. Further as the battle "one alone" must personally decide and issue orders as the occasion arises - This, too, cannot be staff, not where battle and men's lives and the success of the mission is at stake. No, it's one alone's job - The Commanding Officer. He alone must be master of the situation, but more importantly master of himself and unafraid to decide most instantly any issue that may arise."
"Well, they've gone in and nothing but darkness and screaming battle enshroud them. I cannot help but say a humble prayer as I stand in the darkness - for the success of their mission and the minimum of dead and wounded, for both of those are inevitable in this battle."(V.P.C.)
1/20/44
"The zero hour approaches as we wait in this small Italian farm house where we have set up our operations for this push. The house was, within a few weeks prior, occupied by the enemy, and peculiarly enough, the Italian owner earned his money to build it in Boston, Massachusetts many years ago."
"We know what our thoughts are as the Heinie shells whistle all around us, and I mean all around for all sizes - 88's, 170's and 203's. Everything is perfectly set from our stand-point and the morale of everyone is extremely high. This action for us is one that has never been attempted before and we are all, of course, curious about hew we can handle it with the greatest efficiency. Accomplishment is our watchword. Personally, I do not seem to even register the inner excitement that I was wont to know prior to a football game. It may well be that our having been under heavy artillery fire constantly has steeled us for such an occasion as this one. The operations, although different in type, are not unsimilar to my political campaign days when many people rushed in and asked questions or gave information and went along. It is a busy place with Liaison Officers filtering in and out and instant decisions made, decisions which mean good men and lives. I sincerely trust to my God that they will all be correct."
8th AAA Group line in.. Lt. Coyne talks to Col. Sullivan and confirms order to 434th AAA AW Bn (SP) and asks to withdraw D Btry. 532nd AAA AW Bn, also to withdraw G Btry. 505th AAA Bn Regt. Approved to withdraw A and D Batteries 532nd AAA AW Bn and G 505th AAA Bn Regt. To original areas to defend 19th Engineers in bivouac. 434th AAA AW Bn (SP) to withdraw to 8th AAA Group area approved by Col. Sullivan. Msg. To Lt. Grady, D Btry, 532nd AAA AW Bn, to withdraw and to defend 19th Engineers in their position. Spread out at G-887158, use coordinate as center point, don't go North of Speed Highway. A Battery gets own water trailer and returns D Btry's to D Battery.