The book chronicles the military service of norbert gerling through his training, assignment to company c of the 609th tank destroyer battalion and service in europe. The battalion was activated on 15 december 1941 at fort benning, georgia. Jeremy met norbert while working on other projects and realized that his story needed to be told in full. Norbert entered the service and was assigned to c company of the 609th tank destroyer battalion, serving as a gunner on a tank destroyer crew.
At some point, bill served with company c of the 811th tank destroyer battalion, probably after the war had ended, due to not having enough points to ship home. Yearbook 1942, fort bragg, nc includes a short history and photos of unit personnel in 1942. Us tank and tank destroyer battalions in the eto 194445 battle orders. It was sent to europe in september, 1944, where it. He started at camp shelby then went overseas to england to collect. It saw service during 194445 in the european theater of operations, primarily attached to the 100th infantry division in an infantry support role. The 609th received credit for campaigns in northern france, the rhineland, the ardennes and central europe. The original concept called for battalions to be concentrated in tank destroyer brigades and. Pop pop served in headquarters company as a truck driver and mechanic for the 609th tank destroyer battalion. The unit was organized in one of two different formsa towed battalion equipped with anti tank guns, or a mechanized battalion equipped with armored selfpropelled guns. Norbert victor gerling was born on may 26, 1919, in st. Technician 5th grade, driver and heavy equipment mechanic.
The 609th td battalion was equipped with the m18 76mm gmc and deployed. Price, john the digital collections of the national wwii museum. Armed forces by maintaining and promoting americas overseas commemorative cemeteries and memorials. Oclcs webjunction has pulled together information and resources to assist library staff as they consider how to handle. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel. The battalion was formed in 1944 to support the 3rd army led by general george patton. To link to this object, paste this link in email, im or document to embed this object, paste this html in website. The tank destroyer units were formed in response to the german use of massed formations of armored vehicles. General finn was largely involved in directing multinational sports activities in 194748. It is my hope that this site may bring together the families of these men to celebrate their accomplishments during wwii and in life. Wwii1954 period, us army, 1944 pattern, jackets, field. The tank destroyer battalion was a type of unit used by the united states army during world war ii. Buy 609th tank destroyer battalion roundelclean style by pzd501 as a tshirt, classic tshirt, triblend tshirt, lightweight hoodie, fitted scoop tshirt, fitted vneck tshirt, relaxed fit tshirt, graphic tshirt, chiffon top, sleevel. A fresh platoon of tank destroyers from the 705th tank destroyer battalion.
Unit history booklet titled well done and originally done in austria by members of the unit and printed by salzburger druckerei and verlag printers of salzburg, who are still in business today. The 631st tank destroyer battalion was a tank destroyer battalion of the united states army active during the second world war the battalion, originally composed of troops from the 31st infantry division, was activated on 15 december 1941 as part of the general reorganisation of the anti tank force. Hunnicutt series, this book is heavy with us army official photos of the test vehicles some are not clear, but thats the nature of what the army did, photographically, in documenting armored development. For example, by the end of january, 1945, the 47 th infantry regiment which fought in france and germany had lost well over 100% of their strength to battle casualties, where men were either killed, wounded, missing, or taken as prisoner of war.
This very detailed book explains the invention of the tank destroyer concept in the american military, goes into great detail about the vehicle involved from the ineffective m6 and m3 tank destroyers no more than an ineffective anti tank gun bolted onto a jeep or half track hastily thrown together and deployed at the beginning of americas. This book is about the technical development of tank destroyers by the us in the period of 194045, and covers the subject comprehensively. What is the history of the 807th tank destroyer battalion. The 609th tank destroyer battalion was activated on december 15, 1941 at fort bragg, north carolina.
Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Excellent reference site for collectors such as myself. Highroad was a tank destroyer battalion of the united states army active during the second world war. Us tank and tank destroyer battalions in the eto 194445 battle orders zaloga, steven j. Battle of the bulgechapter xix wikisource, the free. By contrast, the m18s from the 609th tank destroyer battalion made frequent changes in location after firing. It is an interlocked ornament, found in nordic monuments, composed of three torques. The 648th tank destroyer battalion was a tank destroyer battalion of the united states army active during the second world war. The mixture of insignia and distinctive colors of several arms incorporated in the armored force symbolize integrity and esprit. Another inclusion is a letter and invitation card dated 1948. It is doubtful if the american artillery stopped a single tank.
The battalion was formed in march 1941 as the 5th infantry division provisional antitank battalion, and on 16 december was redesignated as the 605th tank destroyer battalion, in line with the reorganisation of the anti tank force. The tank destroyer battalion was a type of unit used by the united states army during world. Inside bastogne itself, mcauliffe had a part of team snafu as a kind of interior guard, backed up by four selfpropelled tank destroyers. This conclusion was reached from information gleaned by reading accounts by different authors in books detailing the events of the bastogne operation and through information gathered by discussions with members of the local bastogne historical committee during my december 2004 visit to. Harald sundt, co of the 607th was reconstituted with the same troops used in the previous configuration. I recently came across two seperate tank destroyer storiesmy ladys grandfather sgt mays whose 609th tank destroyer battalion part of 10th a tank destroyers trigger time forum trigger time forum. The tank destroyer force was created as a mobile ghq antitank reserve in 1941. The 705th tank destroyer battalion was a tank destroyer battalion of the united states army active during the second world war. It deployed into normandy on 31 august 1944, equipped with towed 3 anti tank. For additional information on the 609th tank destroyer battalion and other tank destroyer battalions, please visit jeremy p. Us tank and tank destroyer battalions in the eto 194445. The battalion was activated at camp bowie on 6 march 1943, formed around a cadre drawn from the 628th tank destroyer battalion.
Robert taylor reichenbach world war 2 service summary. The casualties suffered by a typical american infantry regiment serving in world war ii were horrendous. Armys tank destroyers werent the failure history has made them out to be lightlyarmored and heavilyarmed, tank destroyers proved effective against panzers war is. In practice, the realities of combat and the erosion of the german panzer force meant that the tank destroyers were usually attached individually to divisions. The division was activated on 15 july 1942, at fort benning, georgia, around a nucleus of the reorganized and redesignated 3rd and 11th cavalry regiments nickname. It was originally formed from artillery elements of the 5th armored division, and its lineage is today perpetuated by the 75th cavalry regiment. Us army units, book 8 boxes 14041567 163rd infantry. A history of americas world war ii tank destroyer force.
The tiger nickname of the 10th originates from a divisionwide contest held while it was training in the united states, symbolizing the division clawing and mauling its way through the enemy. The panther press books about tds td soldiers margraten td. This site is dedicated to the men that served our country in tank destroyers. I recently purchased a sterlingenamel inlayed tank destroyers ring along with the 774th td unit history book together at a local antique shop which belonged to joseph e thibault who was a member of recon b company. The 824th tank destroyer battalion was a tank destroyer battalion of the united states army active during the second world war. After fighting through france and southern germany, the battalion ended the war in austria. Numerous and frequentlyupdated resource results are available from this search. Buy 609th tank destroyer battalion by pzd501 as a tshirt, classic tshirt, triblend tshirt, lightweight hoodie, fitted scoop tshirt, fitted vneck tshirt, relaxed fit tshirt, graphic tshirt, chiffon top, sleeveless top, graphic t.
About the time that the enemy army became fully revealed, a platoon from the 609th tank destroyer battalion rolled into noville, and added the gunpower of its four tank destroyers to the guns already shooting. The 605th tank destroyer battalion was a tank destroyer battalion of the united states army active during world war ii. A history of americas world war ii tank destroyer force kindle edition by yeide, harry. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the tank killers. This book chronicles gerlings initial training at fort bragg, north carolina and his eventual assignment to company c, 609th tank destroyer battalion. The tank destroyer units were formed in response to the german use of massed formations of armored vehicles units early in wwii.
The veteran describes his experiences traveling 1,200 miles across the battered european landscape as a gunner aboard an m18 hellcat tank destroyer. History of the 609th tank destroyer battalion written in 1988, by col. Joined operations against siegfried l millions of unique designs by independent artists. Tank destroyer battalion united states news newspapers books scholar jstor january 20. The first tank battle company c, 55th armored engineer battalion, combat command b ccb 10th armored division was part of general pattons 3rd army advancing in the vicinity of the saarmoselle triangle, prior to the 16th of december 1944. He trained with the unit at fort bragg, north carolina, where they were. Shoot and scoot local veteran shares story of tank. Next up is a manila envelope dated 1942 to them lieutenant colonel finn, 609th tank destroyer battalion, fort bragg, nc. This book chronicles gerlings assignment to company c, 609th tank destroyer battalion and describes his experiences while traveling 1,200 miles across the battered european landscape as the gunner aboard an m18 hellcat tank destroyer. Company b and 3rd platoon recon company, 607th td bncompany a, 735th tank battalioncompany k, 346th inf.
The 612th tank destroyer battalion was a unit of the united states army during world war ii. Went into corps reserve, beginning 28 september, east of moutier, france, where crews fired artillery missions through october. After action report, 609th tank destroyer battalion, oct. John entered the service on november 8, 1941, at fort jackson, sc, and after his basic training was assigned to the pioneer company of the 609th tank destroyer battalion.
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