[3], Of interest is that all details regarding the camp were sealed and classified by the US Government; presumably because of the camp's involvement with an improved version of the V-1 flying bomb. and received orders to attack towards the west to help reduce the Ruhr Pocket. 1 Service Section with 1 2½ Ton Truck and 1 ¼ Ton Truck, This page was last edited on 16 January 2021, at 18:35. The week's action resulted in the loss of 50% of the personnel the 110th and 111th Panzer-Grenadier Divisions had brought into the Saar-Moselle triangle. The 8th Infantry Division was formed in 1918 during World War I and was sent to France that same year. Unna finally fell that afternoon after another air strike. (attached by companies to Combat Commands) [2], On 3 April 8 turned 180 degrees in response to orders into the Ruhr Pocket and CCR attacked west toward Recklinghausen. 8th Armored Division Statistics: WWII The 8th Armored Division spent a total of 63 days in combat, fighting in three campaigns. 1 - ASTP roster from the University of Detroit, 1943-44 The D Series were small scale maneuver problems designed as a precursor to the full scale Sixth Louisiana Maneuver Period. CCB was assigned to protect right flank of the 2nd Armored and the 83rd Inf. 148th Armored Signal Company: Capt W. C. Jackson The 8th participated in the liberation of the Halberstadt-Zwieberge concentration camps near Langenstein (see below). CCA attacked Sennelager directly in an attempt to reduce a German strongpoint. The 8th Armored Division was activated on 1 April 1942 at Fort Knox, Kentucky, with "surplus" units of the recently reorganized 4th Armored Division and newly-organized units. The 8th Armored Division was an armored division of the United States Army that served in the European Theater of World War II. Div. 88th Armored Reconnaissance Battalion: Lt. Col. T. B. Harrington US Air Corps replacements from San Antonio. of the 83rd Inf. The third side of the armored division's offensive triangle was the armored field artillery. By 9 March CCB of the 8th secured the town of Ossenberg as well as the towns of Borth and Wallach. Heavy house to house fighting slowed the attack. NOTICE: 8th Armored Division Association Annual Reunion. of the First Army. Division Chronicle. It was also known as the "Iron Snake" late in the war, after a correspondent for Newsweek likened the 8th to a "great ironclad snake" as it crossed the Rhine River in late March 1945. The Division arrived on the European Continent on 4 Jul 44 and elements began their World War II combat on 6 July with the entire division engaged on 8 July 1944. [1], On 31 March the division was relieved by units of the 75th Inf. The tank battles of North Africa and Russia in early 1942 caused the US Army to recognize the need to drastically increase the number of its armored units. [1], On 21 April CCR cleared the woods south of Blankenburg and linked up with elements of the 1st Inf. Do you have any old rosters such as the following you could share with us? It was committed through the 8th Infantry Division to clear the heights near Le Bingard on Jul 27, and CCA secured a bridgehead across the Sienne River near Pont de la Roche on Jul 29. [1][8], Early experience with armored warfare in the First World War made it clear that tanks could not fight in isolation. The next day CCR captured Hohenheide and Fröndenberg after an air strike drove 4 German tanks out of the town. [1], From the period of April through October 1944, the division conducted post-maneuver training, losing a number of trained personnel to other units and absorbing and training their replacements. Co. C, 53 Armored Engineers built a bridge across the canal in just 44 minutes. CCB moved to Westerhausen and CCR moved to Aspenstedt to clear the remaining woods around Blankenburg. It is an interlocked ornament, found in Nordic monuments, composed of three torques: red for Artillery; blue for Infantry; and yellow for Cavalry. It was also known as the "Iron Snake" late in the war, after a correspondent for Newsweek likened the 8th to a "great ironclad snake" as it crossed the Rhine River in late March 1945. Div. These units were identical, except that the battalion was organized as companies, while the squadron as troops (although the light tank unit was a company in either organization).[12]. I just picked one to list them in as there was no way to determine the proper one when transfer and promotion dates were not known. On 19 February 1945, the Division launched a full-scale attack, storming the heights of Munzigen Ridge, backbone of the Saar-Moselle Triangle, and took all objectives. On 6 April, CCB made a 25-mile (40 km) 'end run' around Soest to the outskirts of Ost Onnen to cut off a German breakout path from the Ruhr pocket. 8th Armored losses were 3 M4A3 Sherman tanks, 4 Halftracks and heavy personnel casualties. 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.   3 - Any other rosters or other items of interest which you might have available. The German forces lost 6 Mark V Panther tanks, 4 20 mm guns, 1 large railroad gun, and 3 tons of small arms. This is a virtual site for and about the members of the 5th Armored Division Association. At the end of October the 8th received movement orders to Camp Kilmer, New York in preparation for shipment overseas. Div. Men whose battalion is known but company is not known are shown in the Hq Company of the battalion. Co. C of the 53rd Engineers worked through the night to bridge the Niers River which was holding up the advance on Moers. Those remaining were sent to various I & E (Information and Education) training schools. The nickname of the 8th Armored Division, the "Thundering Herd", was coined before the division went to Europe in late 1944. A 21st century medium for a 21st century America. Grimes went on to serve as Commandant of the Cavalry School at Fort Riley, Kansas. The great thing about the Roster is that all the names are listed twice: once in an alphabetical listing and again in the soldier?s Battalion and Company. [9] The M4A3E8 76 or 'Easy Eight' version of the Sherman was also used by the 8th as it became available. and secured the town of Wachtendonk at the confluence of Niers River and Nette River. The division was inactivated on 13 November 1945 at Camp Patrick Henry, Virginia by Gen. Charles F. The following day CCR moved to secure the road between Werl and Wickede and captured the towns of Parsit, Bremen, Vierhausen, Schluckingen and Wiehagen capturing 238 German soldiers, 1 Tiger tank, and 3 88 mm anti-tank guns. The successes of the German armored units in Poland and France underscored America's need for an effective armored force. These reported to the three armored artillery battalions, respectively. [1], From 8 May through 30 May the division remained on occupation duty and continued to clean up stragglers and small pockets of resistance. The devastating successes of the German armored units in Poland and France underscored America's need for an effective armored force. German losses were 8 tanks, 1 anti-aircraft gun, 1 anti-tank gun and 1 halftrack. If you can't find someone you are looking for, please go to our search page. [1], On 22 March division artillery units moved into firing positions in preparation for the assault on the east bank of the Rhine River as part of Operation Plunder. CCB attacked Lintfort and Rheinberg with the 35th. If you have information to share, send a copy - no originals please - to Scott Thorpe, Webmaster, to help us update our records. On 14 April the remaining units of the Division began moving to an assembly area in the vicinity of Braunschweig with CCA going to Wolfenbüttel and CCR going to Denstorf. The 16th Armored Division arrived in France, 11 February 1945, and was attached to the Third Army. [1], The 8th launched its attack on schedule but CCB was soon stalled by fierce German resistance at Neuhaus. Their crews reflected their FO role by the addition of an officer/observer who took command when not in an active tank combat situation. 473rd AAA AW (SP) Battalion [1], There is an official 8th Armored Division memorial at the American Cemetery in the city of Margraten, The Netherlands[4], The nickname of the 8th Armored Division, the "Thundering Herd", was coined before the division went to Europe in late 1944. During that 63 days, their casualty figures were as follows: Killed 260 Wounded 1,015 Missing 38 Captured Battle Casualties 1,313 Non-Battle Casualties 1,141 Total Casualties 2,454 Percent of T/O Strength 23.0 It was essential that tanks be supported by infantry. The Germans moved reinforcements, including Hitler Youth into Unna from the Muelhausen garrison. Highest ranks are shown where possible but some are probably not correct since different orders showed different ranks. Names and information on the rosters are from various sources. [1], Col. Wallace, the commander of CCR, was captured by German forces during the night of 4 April. The division, finding the enemy already halted and beginning to fall back, took part in the Third Army drive against the Moselle-Saar salient. 130th Armored Ordnance Battalion: Lt. Col. CCR captured Zweckel in the afternoon and launched an attack on Kirchellen which was secured by nightfall. During this period the 8th supplied trained personnel to the 9th through 14th Armored Divisions. I. O. Drewry. In mid-January the division was seconded to the Third Army and raced 350 miles (560 km) across France through heavy snow and ice to Pont-à-Mousson to help stem the German drive for Strasbourg, part of the German Operation Nordwind It was at this point that the division was assigned the call-sign 'Tornado'. It is believed that these were the last official wartime casualties of the division. CCR attacked and captures the towns of Scholven and Feldhausen. [1], The division moved to Simpelveld, the Netherlands for rest and refitting absorbing approximately 200 replacements. The division was the first armored division to cross the Rhine in the 9th Army area, crossing at bridge sites 'G' and 'H'. The 8th crossed the Lippe River, and assembled at Selm. CCR captured the towns of Stripe and Norddorf, and continued through Vollinghausen, Oberhagen, and Ebbinghausen before stopping for the night in front of Horne. The 8th was now part of the Ninth Army and continued refitting and replacing losses during the first half of February 1945. CCA was relieved on 13 April and ordered to move east of Unna across the Weser River to the vicinity of Wolfenbüttel. New orders were received late in the next day to capture Dorsten so that the Lippe River could be bridged allowing armor to move northward. The successes of the German armored units in Poland and France underscored America's need for an effective armored force. 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