The 4th Armored Division was activated on Apr 15 1941 at Pille Camp, New York and moved to Camp Forrest, Tennessee Oct 2 1942 for the 1st Corps Tennessee Maneuvers. On Nov 17 1942, the unit arrived at Camp Young, California, where it participated in the Desert Training Center, #1 California Maneuvers. The Division was then transferred to Camp Bowie, Texas Jun 13 1943, staged at Camp Myles Standish, Massachusetts Dec 20 1943 until departed Boston Port of Embarkation 9 days later and arrived in England on Jan 11 1944. The 4th Armored Division landed in France Jul 13 1944, crossed into Luxembourg Feb 9 1945 and entered Germany Mar 9 1945 where it was re-designated 1st Constabulary Brigade on May 1 1946.
4th Armored Division Casualties
KIA : 1143 – WIA : 4551 – DOW : 213
4th Armored Division Commanders
Maj Gen Henry W. Baird : April 1941 – May 1942
Maj Gen John S. Wood : May 1942 – December 1944
Maj Gen Hugh J. Gaffey : December 1944 – March 1945
Maj Gen William M. Hoge : March 1945 – June 1945
Brig Gen B. L. Clarke : June 1945 – July 1945
Brig Gen W. Lyn Roberts : July 1945 – September 1945
Maj Gen Fay B. Prickett : September 1945
4th Armored Division Order of Battle 1944
HQs & HQs Co 4th Armored Division
HQs & Hqs Battery Division Artillery
CCA
CCB
CCR
HQs & HQs Division Trains
Military Police Platoon
8th Tank Battalion
10th Armored Infantry Battalion
22nd Armored Field Artillery Battalion
24th Armored Engineer Battalion
25th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron, Mecz
35th Tank Battalion
37th Tank Battalion
46th Medical Battalion Armored
51st Armored Infantry Battalion
53rd Armored Infantry Battalion
66th Armored Field Artillery Battalion
94th Armored Field Artillery Battalion
126th Armored Ordnance Maintenance Battalion
144th Armored Signal Company
489th AAA-Auto-Wpns Battalion : at Jun 19 44 – May 19 45
504th Counter Intelligence Corps Det
704th Tank Destroyer Battalion : at Apr 25 45 – May 9 45
811th Tank Destroyer Battalion : at Mar 3 45 – Mar 11 45
4th Armored Division Combat Narratives
The 4/AD landed across Utah Beach France on Jul 13 1944 and entered combat on Jul 17 1944, taking Coutances with CCB by Jul 28 1944. It took Avranches and captured the Sée River bridge Jul 30 and then drove south to cut off the Brittany Peninsula as it reached Vannes Aug 5.
After investing Lorient on Aug 7 it entered an evacuated Nantes Aug 11 and took Orléans with CCA on Aug 16.
By Aug 31 CCA had reached the Meuse River at Commercy and Pont-sur-Meuse and established bridgeheads. Relieved there by the 80th Infantry Division on Sept 2 1944, the division crossed the Moselle River near Lorey against heavy opposition with CCB as CCA crossed into the Dieulouard Bridgehead stopping strong German counterattacks during Sep 11 to 13. CCB forced the Marne-Rhine Canal at Crevic and Maixe against strong opposition Sep 15 and CCR moved into Lunéville the next day.
In a series of tank duels, the division mopped up the Arracourt region Sep 19 – 22 1944. A German attack overran CCA lines on Sep 25 and the division lost Vic-sur-Veille and Moncourt, then withdrew the next clay from Juvelize and Coincourt.
The Battle for Hill 318 was fought Sep 27 to 28 with heavy losses, but on Sep 29 the division finally defeated the German attempt to take Arracourt.
The division then went over to the defensive on line from Chambrey to Xanrey to Henamenil untill Oct 11 and on Oct 12 was relieved by the 26th Infantry Division for rehabilitation.
The division attacked Nov 9 1944 and reached Fonteny which was taken by CCB Nov 11.
After suffering heavy tank losses to a German counterattack which retook Rodalbe on Nov 12, the division advanced against strong opposition to capture Dieuze and recapture Rodalbe on the 19.
CCB crossed the Saare at Romelfing on the 24 and cleared Baerendorf in a house-to-house fighting, checked a German counterattack there the next clay, and took Wolfskirchen despite flooded streams by Nov 27 1944. The division then cleared its zone of responsibility, and next opened the attack on Saare-Union Dec 1 1944, which was taken the following day by the 26th Infantry Division.
The division fought the Battle of Bining Dec 5 to 6 and was relieved by the 12th Armored Division on Dec 7 1944.
ln response to the German Ardenne Counteroffensive the division moved 150 miles as it assembled in the the Arlon – Luxembourg area on Dec 20 1944 while CCB reached the Bastogne area and contacted 10th Armored Division. On Dec 22 1944 the division took Martelange in the drive to relieve Bastogne, fought the Battle for Chaumont Dec 23 – 25 and seized Bigonville in heavy combat on the 24.
CCR pushed through Assenois to Bastogne on Dec 26, and the next day vehicles from division entered the city and ended the siege.
On Dec 29 1944 CCA opened the Arlon – Bastogne Highway. The division then held the corridor into Bastogne and gave fire support to the 35th Infantry Division, helping to clear Lutrebois on Jan 2 1945. CCB attacked toward Noville Jan 9 and the division attacked through the 6th Armored Division toward Bourcy on Jan 10 1945. The division then maintained defensive positions, clearing Hosdorf on the Our River in a local attack Feb 2 1945.
CCB attacked through the 80th Infantry Division at Geichlingen Feb 22 and seized the bridge over the Pruem River at Sinspelt intact the next day. As CCA crossed the Pruem at Oberweiss on the 25, CCB established a bridgehead across the Nims at Rittersdorf.
The following day it seized the high ground north of Bitburg but was unable to clear Erdorf on the Kyll River.
On Feb 27, CCA took Matzen and CCB captured Fliessen. The division assembled near Bitburg Mar 3 1945 and attacked through the 5th Infantry Division on Mar 5, reaching the Rhine River Mar 8 where it regrouped and mopped up.
The division then attacked out of the Moselle Bridgehead at Treis Mar 15 and reached the Nahe River at Bad Kreuznach on the following day. It moved to the Rhine River at Worms Mar 20 and crossed Mar 24, driving through the bridgehead there to reach the Main River near Hanau Mar 25. It took an undefended Darmstadt same clay.
On Mar 28 1945 the division attacked across the Main at Grossauheim and crossed the Werra River at Creuzburg Apr 1 1945. The division took Gotha Apr 4 1945 and reached the Saale River south of Jena which it crossed on Apr 12 to establish bridgeheads over the Zwick Mulde at Wolkenburg on Apr 13.
It withdrew to reserve on Apr 19, and attacked again May 6 through the Regen and Freyung Passes in Czechoslovakia. Forward elements were at Pisek when hostilities ended May 7 1945.
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