The scene he described on omaha beach typified his battalions first hours in combat. This book does a great job of telling a real story in a compelling way. The training and combat history of company d, 19th tank. The fourth tank was commanded by jule braatz, a recently married 26yearold sergeant from wausau, wisconsin. After action report, 757th tank battalion, feb 44jan 45, apr. November opened with the 14th army tank battalion the calgary regiment cac, caa quartered in headley, hants with headquarters at headley mount. Home world war ii operational documents history, 717th tank battalion.
The thunderbolt division had just come of maneuvers in louisiana and texas. The 778th tank battalion, originally the first battalion, 41st armored regiment was organized on september 21, 1943, at camp barkeley, texas. The battalion was the first armored unit to reach the po valley and cross it. Scanned document us army center of military history. The 741st waged a grueling war that began on dday when twentyseven of its amphibious tanks sank and hapless crewmen perished in the frigid water. The battalions history is one of courage, determination, and dedication to. This torture of mine isnt the battle of the bulge but its my war and i hope he is proud of what i have done during the course of it. In april 1919, in blangysurternoise where the battalion had been billetted since the armistice, the co of the 6th tank battalion, lord somers late 1st life guards summoned a meeting of all his officers, ncos and men at which it was unanimously agreed to devote the private funds of the battalion to publishing the battalion history for the benefit of all surviving members and late members. On the other flank an enemy strongpoint protected the radar station at cardonville. The unit shipped out on january 2, 1944, and arrived at gourock, scotland, in january, 1944. Tank busters, the 607th tank destroyer battalion by walt. A handful of light tank battalions were kept on the books. War diary of the 14th army tank battalion the calgary regiment.
The 70th armor regiment is an armored tank unit of the united states army. I joined the 709th tank battalion as their first replacement on july 11, 1944, incidentally, their first day of combat. Home world war ii operational documents after action report, 747th tank battalion. This museum is located in abilene and serves as a display and teaching museum for the study of world war ii and its impact on the american people. July 3, 1944 712th tank battalion world war ii oral history. Some about our usmc tanker predecessors, some about our time by tankers or tankers are in the book and some about the new breed of usmc tankers. A battalion truck was driven hundreds of miles through germany to locate and haul a linotype machine so that type could be set for this book. So i got hold of the official history of 739th medium tank battalion, special mine exploder by capt richard g schneider, and an after action report for the 739ths a company for the period december 1944 to february 1945. The fourth tank was commanded by jule braatz, a recently married 26.
Home world war ii operational documents 707th tank battalion. The tank busters the history of the 607th tank destroyer battalion in combat on the western front. Their primary weapon system is the m1a1 abrams main battle tank and they are part of the 4th marine division and marine forces reserve. When the germans surrendered in may, the battalion was part of the force occupying the cities of brescia, bergamo, and milan. Formed from 67th infantry medium tanks at fort meade, maryland, on 15 june 1940 under lt. At a little after noon on july 3, 1944, the five medium tanks in the first platoon of a company of the 712 th tank battalion were heading toward their first combat assignment, outside the village of pretot. The standard tank battalion three medium tank companies and one light tank company essentially superceded the medium tank battalion. Nasa sends generated thoughts and generated feelings to control a human being. Redesignated 70th light tank battalion 7 october 1941. In those days, it was known as the 99th infantry battalion anti tank. After action report, 740th tank battalion, january thru april. Redesignated from the 44th antitank battalion provisional at fort dix, new jersey, on 15 december, 1941. And the following are links to other pages about 31st tank bn.
Home world war ii operational documents after action report, 744th light tank battalion. Lineage for the 43rd tank regiment 15 sep 42 activated camp campbell, ky and assigned to the 12 armored divsion. I was dropped off a truck as dusk was just over the horizon. History of the 714th tank battalion through march 1952. Included in the battalions monthly histories is a daily. The combat history of the 746th tank battalion during world war ii. The only man who greeted me was our first sargent john campbell. Our battalion, the 899th tank destroyer battalion, was activated on july 1, 1940. War history of the sixth tank battalion war history of the. The 747th tank battalion was an independent tank battalion that participated in the european. If any tankers have any other books of interest, please submit them to the webmaster. The 743rd tank battalion was an independent tank battalion that participated in the european theater of operations with the united states army in world war ii. A small enemy force supported by a few mobile 88s held the stgermaindupert area. Most military histories relate strategies and events on a large scale this.
Nonetheless a few momentous, nerveshaking days had to elapse before the first gun of. This book offers a unique insight into the lives of members of the 712th us tank. After action report, 744th light tank battalion, july 44 thru. A military history buff will be engrossed with ernst rebentischs the combat history of the 23rd panzer division. The 712th tank battalion in the second world war aaron elson.
Very soon after the redesignation the battalion moved from camp gordon to ft. It was constituted as the 70th tank battalion in july 1940, an independent. Thank you for using this guestbook over the many years this site has existed, since may 1999 i hope you enjoy sharing information with others who visit this site. History of the 714th tank battalion 12th armored division. This unit history is for the 48th tank battalion during the battle of the rhine and the battle of central europe from 1944 to 1945. This is the story of the 607th tank destroyer battalions fight across europe. Hutton in florida, is white, but almost everyone else in the 761st tank battalion was black. It was activated with the thunderbolt division on august 15, 1942 at camp polk. Fifth corps, artillery, 8 june 19449 may 1945 186th field artillery battalion shows the route of the 186th field artillery battalion in normandy, france to pilsen, czechoslovakia during world war ii. It does have a little damage to the bottom and top of the binding, which look to mainly be from use. Steven zaloga notes that the reason is obscure, and i can do no better than that. Home world war ii operational documents after action report, 757th tank battalion, feb 44jan 45. Kernersville, north carolina co a 737th tank battalion kia.
After action report, 744th light tank battalion, july 44 thru mar 45. Us army units book 2 boxes 127489 33rd armored regiment. While that gives the preferred organisation for both, it doesnt say for certain what they actually used in action. Book recalls black world war ii tank battalion the. It is a wonder now what seemed so desirable about such a status but when on 20 sept. Those with a link will take you to a battalionpublished history. Kareem abduljabber has done a fabulous job of documenting the 761st tank battalions service during world war ii. The tank corps was formed from the heavy branch mgc on 27 july 1917 and the battalions adopted numbering rather than letter designations although tank names followed the same lettering. The book chronicles the lives of young black men from all over the united states who registered for the draft or volunteered in the united states army in 1942. That the book did get printed at all is astonishing to its author. The 747th tank battalion was an independent tank battalion that participated in the european theater of operations with the united states army in world war ii. It does have a little damage to the bottom and top. The document the training and combat history of company d, 19th tank battalion, from may 1943 to july 1945. The verdun meeting on 19 december set in chain the first of a series of actions which the allies would take to wrest the initiative from the enemy.
In april 1919, in blangysurternoise where the battalion had been billetted since the armistice, the co of the 6th tank battalion, lord somers late 1st life guards summoned a meeting of all his officers, ncos and men at which it was unanimously agreed to devote the private funds of the battalion to publishing the battalion history for the. I thought it would be a good idea to preserve the content for my three nephews, so they would know more about their grandfather. By the end of the north african and italian campaigns, the 751st tank battalion had racked up a total of 581 days of actual combat time. It was created to enable all interested visitors to see a brief history of this famous separate tank battalion of wwii and to share any information about the veterans who were in action with the battalion. Books and research materials specifically about the 31st tank battalion. African american soldiers in world war ii in their own words this lesson plan was created by paul larue and his students at washington high school. Home world war ii operational documents after action report, 740th tank battalion, january thru april 45.
Read, highlight, and take notes, across web, tablet, and phone. Listed below are some books that might be of interest to brother tankers. The series chronicles the history of the 4th tank battalion 1st armored division for june and july 1945. Throughout their individual histories, all the battalions of the 70th armor regiment. This is just one of the sometimes fantastic difficulties overcome during the manufacture of these pages in the bombdevastated city of frankfurtonmain in july 1945. At fort jackson, the 714th conducted basic and advanced unit training as a separate tank battalion until march 1944. My grandfather was the commander of the 740th tank battallion that saved the country of belgium from the german forces. Mcclintock served with the 741st tank battalion in world war ii.
History of the 714th tank battalion through march 1952 thnovember 11, 1951 marks the 8 anniversary of the activation of the 714th tank battalion. The combat history of the 23rd panzer division in world war. My father, olin garner johnston, served in the 745th tank battalion during world war ii. He left a copy of the history of the 745th tank battalion. Feb 07, 2012 lineage for the 43rd tank regiment 15 sep 42 activated camp campbell, ky and assigned to the 12 armored divsion. The book is a meticulously researched account of the divisions history from its formation in france in 1941 until the end of ww ii in may, 1945. An independent battalion, it was attached to the 95th, 90th and 87th infantry divisions during world war ii. The armys segregated tank battalions in world war ji by dale e. Nonetheless a few momentous, nerveshaking days had to elapse before the first gun of the counterattack could be fired. Brothers in arms is the actual, heroic account of the 761st tank battalion, an africanamerican armored unit that fought in world war ii. Williams has told the story of the 761st, one of the. Retyped version with difficult to see photos, but it is a searchable document within adobe acrobat. It was one of five tank battalions all independent which landed in normandy on dday 6 june 1944.
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