The 6th Armored Division was activated on Feb 15 1942 at Fort Knox, Kentucky then moved to Camp Chaffee, Arkansas on March 15 to participate (Aug 25 1942) to the VIII Corps Louisiana Maneuvers.
It returned to Camp Chaffee Sep 21 1942 and moved then to Camp Young, California on Oct 10 for the Desert Training Center, #1 California Maneuvers.
The 6/AD arrived at Camp Cooke, California on Mar 20 1943, staged at Camp Shanks, New York form Feb 3 1944 until departed New York Port of Embarkation on Feb 11.
It arrived in England the Feb 23 1944 and landed in France on Jul 19 1944.
The 6/AD crossed into Luxembourg on Dec 29 1944, into Belgium on Dec 30 1944 and returned to France on Mar 12 1945. The division entered finally Germany on Mar 20 1945, staged in Germany and returned to New York POE on Sep 18 1945.
It was inactivated at the same date at Camp Shanks New York.
6th Armored Division – Casualties
Killed in Action : 833
Wounded in Action : 3666
Died of Wounds : 156
6th Armored Division – Commanders
Maj Gen William H. H. Morris Jr : Feb 1942 – May 1943
Maj Gen Robert W. Grow : May 1943 – Jul 1945
Brig Gen George W. Read Jr : Jul 1945 – Intactivation
6th Armored Division – Order of Battle 1944
HQs & HQs Co., 6th Armored Division
HQs & HQs Battery Division Artillery
HQs & HQs Co., Division Trains
Armored Military Police Platoon
Combat Command A
Combat Command B
Reserve Command
9th Armored Infantry Battalion
15th Tank Battalion
25th Armored Engineer Battalion
44th Armored Infantry Battalion
50th Armored Infantry Battalion
68th Tank Battalion
69th Tank Battalion
76th Armored Medical Battalion
86th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron, Mecz
128th Armored Field Artillery Battalion
128th Armored Ordnance Maintenance Battalion
146th Armored Signal Company
212th Armored Field Artillery Battalion
231st Armored Field Artillery Battalion
506th Counter Intelligence Corps Det
603rd Tank Destroyer Battalion – at : Nov 22 1944 – Jun 29 1945
691st Tank Destroyer Battalion – at : Dec 15 1944 – Dec 23 1944
737th Tank Battalion – at : Nov 22 1944 – Dec 3 1944
777th AAA Auto-Wpns Battalion – at : Jul 22 1944 – Jun 29 1945
6th Armored Division Combat Narrative
The 6th Armored Division landed across Utah Beach, France on Jul 19 1944 and assembled at Le Mesnil 6 days later. It was committed through the 8th Infantry Division to clear the heights near Le Bingard on Jul 27 1944 and CCA secured a bridgehead across the Sienne River near Pont de la Roche on Jul 29 1944.
On Jul 31, CCR overran Granville and the division moved to Avranches where it relieved the 4th Armored Division and secured the area bridges. The division swung into Brittany on Aug 1 1944 and closed on Brest Aug 7 while destroying a German force at Plouvien Aug 8 – 9.
While CCA invested Brest, CCB and CCR relieved the 4th Armored Division at Vannes and Lorient, respectively on Sep 12 – 15 1944 the 6/AD moved to relieve the 35th Infantry Division of protecting the south flank between Orléans and Auxerre on Sep 2 1944. CCA was relieved in the Lorient sector by the 94th Infantry Division on Sep 13, and CCB relieved the 4th Armored Division at Lunéville, Sep 19.
The 6/AD attacked on Oct 8, crossed the Seille River on Nov 9 and mopped up the Nomeny area despite mud, mines, and congestion. The division established bridgeheads across the Nied River against strong opposition on Nov 11 1944 at Sanry, and CCA cleared Arraincourt Nov 13.
The division reached Maderbach Creek at Remering with CCB by Nov 25 after fierce fighting through mud, mines, and craters. CCA pushed through the Foret de Puttange but fell back on Nov 26 and CCB was unable to get tanks through the mud along the Maderbach.
The division was relieved in this area on Dec 2 1944 and patrolled to the Saare River Dec 5, taking Sarreguemines with the 35th Infantry Division the next day. It then maintained defensive positions near Saarbrucken.
ln response to the German Ardenne Counter offensive, the division was given responsibility for the sector south of the Sauer River between Ettelbruck and Mostroff on Dec 27 1944. It Was then heavily engaged in the Mageret – Wardin area east of Bastogne commencing Dec 31 1944, being forced to withdraw by German attacks until Jan 8 1945 when it counterattacked to recover lost ground in its sector.
On Jan 10 1945 the 4th Armored Division attacked through its lines, and the next day the division took over the attack toward Bras. CCA captured Wardin on Jan 12 and CCB cleared Mageret on Jan 13 – 14.
The 6/AD fought house-to-house in Oubourcy Jan 15 and seized Moinet and Hill 510 on Jan 20. Weiler fell Jan 22 and Kalborn fell, after an unsuccessful previous attack, on Jan 29. The division then took over a new zone west of the Our River on Feb 4 1945, and assembled at Kalborn Feb 6 1945.
The 6th Armored attacked across the Our River at Kalborn and Dahnen on the Feb 7 and by Feb 9 armor was crossed over the Bailey Bridge there.
It relieved the 17th Airborne Division February 10 – 11 1945 as CCB maintained the Our Bridgehead, and then renewed the offensive into the West Wall on Feb 20. The penetration of the West Wall was marked as Ober Eisenach fell Feb 22, and the final objective town of Muxerath was cleared on Feb 24 1945.
The division moved then to a new zone west of the Prüm River and relieved the 90th Infantry Division on Feb 25. CCA established a small bridgehead at Manderscheid which was enlarged as CCB, after being initially forced back across, took Lunebach the 28. The 6/AD reached the Nims River and crossed near Schoenecken Mar 3 1945. The following day it assembled in reserve in the Arzfeld area.
The division attacked Mar 20 at Homburg and CCA reached the Rhine River at Rhein – Durkheim the next day. The division crossed the Rhine River at Oppenheim on Mar 25 Mar and CCA reached the Main River, coming under heavy antiaircraft fire from Frankfurt.
The division established bridgeheads across the Main and was relieved on Mar 27 1945, attacking north of Frankfurt on Mar 30.
By Apr 2 1945, it completed crossing the Fulda River at Malsfeld and encircled Mulhausen 2 days later.
After, Langensalza fell Apr 16, the division consolidated and then renewed its offensive on Apr 11 as it crossed the Saale River southwest of Naumberg.
It reached the Zwick Mulde at Rochlitz on Apr 14 and on Apr 16, turned over its bridgehead there to the 76th Infantry Division. The division maintained defensive positions along this river until hostilities ceased on May 7 1945.
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