N747th tank battalion history books

I scanned the images and text and created word documents for the pages, which i took to kinkos and had them create booklets. In some black and white photos the marking appears as a wolf head on a simple white square. Established 16 december 1941, at forrest, tennessee, as a heavy selfpropelled unit. A handful of light tank battalions were kept on the books. It was then moved to fort knox, kentucky, where the battalion was training when the japanese attacked pearl harbor on december 7, 1941. After action report, 744th light tank battalion, july 44. In september, mission changed to operation of special equipment for breaching and clearing minefields. Their primary weapon system is the m1a1 abrams main battle tank and they are part of the 4th marine division and marine forces reserve. I thought it would be a good idea to preserve the content for my three nephews, so they would know more about their grandfather.

World war ii oral history, books about world war ii, world. The 778th tank battalion, originally the first battalion, 41st armored regiment was organized on september 21, 1943, at camp barkeley, texas. Belgium holds a ceremony and a remembrance for the soldiers of his battallion every several years and the family members get the opportunity to experience the trip these soldiers made in germany and belgium. Unit history of the 68th tank battalion this will be the record of the 68th tank battalions participation in successive campaigns from the historic breakthrough in normandy to ve day in the heart of germany. The battalion participated in combat operations throughout northern europe until ve day, primarily attached. Oral history videos videos prisoners of war killed in action tour of museum 12th armored division association timelinelise pommois how you can help gift shop reunion info reunion photos cemeteries contact us. The battalion participated in combat operations throughout northern europe until ve day. Ellis tank slid into a bomb crater with four feet of water and flipped over. It is my considered opinion that there is no other military organization, which excels the 41st tank battalion. The 751st tank battalion was activated at fort benning, georgia, on june 1, 1941. Unit history of the 68th tank battalion this will be the record of the 68th tank battalion s participation in successive campaigns from the historic breakthrough in normandy to ve day in the heart of germany.

The book chronicles the lives of young black men from all over the united states who registered for the draft or. It is the 774th tank destroyer unit book, printed in nurnberg germany. Activated on 15 december, 1941, at camp blanding, florida. Overlooked in other accounts of the war, their story is finally told in daybyday detail from the battalion records and personal interviews compiled by the author. 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. Before beginning this narrative, however, there are some remarks we must make. The unit headquarters is at the navy and marine corps reserve center san diego, california, but other units in the battalion are located. July 3, 1944 712th tank battalion world war ii oral history. While that gives the preferred organisation for both, it doesnt say for certain what they actually used in action. The battalion participated in combat operations throughout northern europe until ve day, primarily attached to the 29th infantry division. Converted to a towed battalion before arriving at gourock, scotland, on 12 june, 1944.

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. Home world war ii operational documents after action report 775th tank battalion. Those with a link will take you to a battalionpublished history. Aug 12, 2004 and actually it was either the 744th light tank battalion or the 740th medium tank battalion that first received m24 light tanks, first recorded as of 2200 hours 25 december, although the 740th picked up theirs at a british depot prior to moving on stavelot. Wartime history built as a m4 largehatch composite hull sherman.

War history of the sixth tank battalion war history of the. Very soon after the redesignation the battalion moved from camp gordon to ft. Assigned to the 710th tank battalion, a company, 1st platoon. It was one of five tank battalions all independent which landed in normandy on dday 6 june 1944. Reorganized as standard tank battalion november and attached to 94th infantry division in st. Redesignated 70th light tank battalion 7 october 1941. He left a copy of the history of the 745th tank battalion. John buford recognized the value of such ground from the defensive side, deploying his cavalry and cannon to slow the confederate advance on the first day, west of gettysburg. They were pretty much the same in organization, if not in how they were used. 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.

Army as m4 sherman medium tank hull number unknown. Im or document to embed this object, paste this html in website. Veritas journal of army special operations history. In those days, it was known as the 99th infantry battalion anti tank. As they waited in that hot louisiana field, leonard smith and his fellow recruits were on their way to becoming part of the first african american unit in the history of the united states army to fight in tanks. 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. 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. After action report, 744th light tank battalion, july 44 thru. The standard tank battalion three medium tank companies and one light tank company essentially superceded the medium tank battalion. It trained at fort knox and at camp bouse, az as a canal defense light cdl unit and as a standard medium tank battalion from october 15, 1943 to april 24, 1944 then sailed to england on july 26, 1944. Home world war ii operational documents after action report, 744th light tank battalion, july 44 thru mar.

Great photos, cartoon illustrations, and time lines of travels and strikes. The story of the 749th tank battalion in world war ii volume 1 1st edition by b. It does have a little damage to the bottom and top of the binding, which look to mainly be from use. 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. Abmc headquarters 2300 clarendon blvd, suite 500 arlington, va 22201 phone. Home world war ii operational documents unit journal741st tank battalion. The men of the 795th ost battalion georgian were posted on hill 20, south of ste. 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 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. After action report, 744th light tank battalion, july 44 thru mar 45. On 12 october 1944, redesignated 738th medium tank battalion, special mine exploder.

The battalion is also tasked to organize, train, and equip individual marines and combat ready tank companies to augment and reinforce the active duty component when required to serve as part of the total force of the united states. July 3, 1944 712th tank battalion oral history audiobooks. Those may have been the first m24 to actually see combat. Our battalion, the 899th tank destroyer battalion, was activated on july 1, 1940. Debarked at le havre, france, on 11 november 1944 and moved to aachen, germany. It was credited with an assault landing at normandy, landing the morning after the initial dday landings. In fact as a battle group it has done entirely too well and has misled some observers into the idea that perhaps the opposition did not amount to much.

Steven zaloga notes that the reason is obscure, and i can do no better than that. It is a wonder now what seemed so desirable about such a status but when on 20 sept. My grandfather was the commander of the 740th tank battallion that saved the country of belgium from the german forces. A brief history of the 751st tank battalion t he 751st tank battalion was activated at fort benning, georgia, on june 1, 1941. The combat history of the 746th tank battalion during world war ii recounts the combat history of one of four independent tank battalions of the u. In early 1942, the battalion moved from fort knox to camp gordon, near augusta, georgia, and then to fort jackson, south carolina. The units official designation was the 761st tank battalion colored. The 745th tank battalion was an independent tank battalion that participated in the european theater of operations. This museum is located in abilene and serves as a display and teaching museum for the study of world war ii. Somebody that wasnt there, he would think that youre making that story up. After the war it was briefly engaged in occupation duties. This incident, reported in the 709th tank battalion book 335 days in combat, is not the same as i witnessed. It was activated with the thunderbolt division on august 15, 1942 at camp polk. Moved to front on 26 january 1945 and joined attack on kesternich.

The following sections were scanned from a copy of the book graciously provided by art pelkey. Mereeglise and for an antitank gunner, it is lovely ground. The light tanks and a platoon of tank destroyers from the 704th tank destroyer battalion led off, followed by paired teams of tank and armored infantry companies. To link to this object, paste this link in email, im or document to embed this object, paste this html in website. Because the 15th was known as the wolf pack, it had a wolfs head over an armored triangle as the battalion insignia.

Those with a link will take you to a battalion published history. Again selected for special equipmentdd tanks to be used for crossing of the rhineto which one company was devoted. As they waited in that hot louisiana field, leonard smith and his fellow recruits were on their way to becoming part of the first african american unit in the history of. The resilience of 741st tank battalions leader capt. My uncle wilfred minielli was a member of the 749th tank battalion in world war ii. 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. The reason they dont talk is they couldnt get the picture over to somebody that wasnt there. 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. The life of a tanker could vary wildly from anothers depending on where he got. Click here to find out about these interviews combat interviews of the 31st tank battalion. Formed from 67th infantry medium tanks at fort meade, maryland, on 15 june 1940 under lt. War history of the sixth tank battalion war history of. The 6th armored division had three tank battalions.

The 68th tank battalion in combat bangor public library. 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. Overlooked in other accounts of the war, their story is finally told in daybyday detail from the battalion records and personal. Seek strike destroy, the story of the 774th tank destroyer battalion book published by zimmermann in nurnberg, germany, 1945. The thunderbolt division had just come of maneuvers in louisiana and texas. The scattered german outposts, members of a replacement engineer battalion, dived for cover as the tanks raced along the road, then hastily surrendered to the infantry following. The fourth tank was commanded by jule braatz, a recently married 26yearold sergeant from wausau, wisconsin. Brothers in arms is the actual, heroic account of the 761st tank battalion, an africanamerican armored unit that fought in world war ii. The websites page on the 784st td, armored thunderbolt, us tank and tank destroyer battalions in the eto 194445 by zaloga, yeides td and two separate tank battalion books, sherman by hunnicutt, combat lessons, the rank and file, what they do and how they are doing it 17, and 9. Home world war ii operational documents after action report, 744th light tank battalion, july 44 thru mar 45. History of the 745th tank battalion books ww ii us. Ransom, plus a cadre of old army men from the 15th infantry regiment to. Click here to find out about these interviews 31st tank battalion morning report stations.

Nicknamed flyin home after the song of the same name. There were two types of tank battalion, the type attached to infantry divisions, as independent tank battalions, and the type that were a part of an armored division. It was one of five independent tank battalions that landed in normandy on dday. Introduction includes memorium and staff officer pages pages early history to oct.