The 7th Armored Division was activated on Mar 1 1942 at Camp Polk, Louisiana and moved Sep 15 1942 to the IV Corps Louisiana Maneuvers. It returned to Camp Polk on Nov 9 1942, arrived then Mar 11 1943 at the Desert Training Center for the #2 California Maneuvers, was transferred Aug 12 1943 to Fort Benning, Georgia and arrived at Camp Myles Standish, Massachusetts on Apr 22 1944.
The Division staged et Camp Shanks, New York, from May 2 1944 until departed New York Port of Embarkation on Jun 7 Jun 1944 and arrived in England on Jun 14 1944.
The 7th Armored Division landed in France on Aug 11 1944, crossed into Belgium on Sep 26 and into Holland on Oct 8 1944. It returned to Belgium on Dec 28 1944 and entered Germany Mar 15 1945.
The 7/AD arrived then at Hampton Roads POE on Oct 9 1945 and was inactivated at Camp Patrick Henry, Virginia on Oct 9 1945.
Casualties
Killed in Action – 898
Wounded in Action – 3811
Died of Wounds – 200
7th Armored Division Commanders
Maj Gen Lindsay Mc. Silvester : Mar 1942 – Nov 1944
Maj Gen Robert W. Hasbrouck : Nov 1944 – Sep 1945
Brig Gen Truman E. Boudinot : Sep 1945 – Deactivation
Order of Battle 7th Armored Division – 1944
HQs Company, 7th Armored Division
HQs & HQs Battery Division Artillery
HQs & HQs Division Trains
Armored Military Police Platoon
Combat Command A
Combat Command B
Reserve Combat Command
17th Tank Battalion
23rd Armored Infantry Battalion
31st Tank Battalion
33rd Armored Engineer Battalion
38th Armored Infantry Battalion
40th Tank Battalion
48th Armored Infantry Battalion
77th Armored Medical Battalion
87th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron, Mecz
129th Armored Ordnance Maintenance Battalion
147th Armored Signal Company
434th Armored Field Artillery Battalion
440th Armored Field Artillery Battalion
489th Armored Field Artillery Battalion
507th CIC Detachment
814th Tank Destroyer Battalion – at : Aug 13 44 – May 9 45
820th Tank Destroyer Battalton – at : Dec 25 44 – Dec 30 44
203rd AAA Auto-Wpns Battalion – at : Aug 12 44 – May 9 45
7th Armored Division Combat Narrative
The 7th Armored Division landed in Normandy, France, on Aug 11 1944, drove through Nogent-le-Rotrou and fought the Battle of Chartres on Aug 15 – 17 1944. The division attacked toward the Seine River on Aug 1944 and gained a bridgehead across it at Melun on Aug 24 1944. It then drove rapidly to the Marne River which it crossed at Château-Thierry on Aug 27 1944 as CCA-7/AD established a bridgehead across the Meuse River at Verdun on Aug 31 1944.
The division was halted short of Sedan as fuel was exhausted on Sep 2 1944 but it attacked again Sep 6 to force the Moselle River which it reached the following day at Mondelange after heavy combat.
The 7th Armored contained the German Metz bridgehead, crossing elements over the Moselle under heavy fire Sep 8 1944 which had to be withdrawn Sep 10 – 11 1944. CCA-7/AD battled the German lines west of Metz in fierce fighting while CCB-7AD crossed into the Arnaville Bridgehead Sep 12 1944 despite deep mud.
It attacked the following day toward Mardigny but was quickly halted by heavy fire from Arry. CCR-7/AD next attempted a breakout of the combined 5/ID 90/ID plus the 7th Armored Division bridgehead but failed. CCB-7/AD and CCR-7/AD advanced slowly toward the Seille River and the latter managed to gel into Sillegny on Sep 19 but was forced out with very heavy losses.
CCA-7/AD joined with CCB-7/AD to reach the Seille and bypass Sillegny, but CCB-7/AD was forced back from the river on Sep 20. An attack across the river the next day was repulsed by intense fire. The division withdrew from Corny and Pournoy-la-Chétive Sep 24 and was relieved the next day by the 5th Infantry Division.
The division then went to Holland and attacked from Oploo, Sep 30 against heavy opposition to clear a corridor west of the Maas. CCB took Vortum on Oct 2 and the division fought the Battle of Peel Marshes and Overloon Oct 2 – 6 before breaking off the attack.
The 7/AD established a bridgehead across the Canal de Deurne on Oct 16 as it defended along both this canal and Canal du Nord.
German attacks penetrated the division lines west of Venlo Oct 27 and the division lost Liesel and gave ground south of Austen Oct 29. It was then relieved in the sector and concentrated in the vicinity of Nederweert and Weert.
CCA made a limited attack to clear German forces around the Meijel area in the Canal du Nord area Nov 2 – 5 but this action was soon broken off.
The division was preparing to drive from Linnich Germany on the Roer River when elements were committed to the defense of St-Vith Dec 16 1944. German attacks forced a withdrawal there on Dec 21 1944 and Manhay was lost Dec 24, the latter being retaken Dec 27. The division’s zone was taken over by the 75th Infantry Division Dec 29 and attacked through mines and deep snow toward St-Vith on Jan 20 1945. It captured Born in house-to-house fighting the next day. CCA cleared Hunningen on Jan 22, and then CCB attacked through CCA to clear St-Vith itself Jan 23.
As CCB consolidated near St-Vith, CCA seized Wallerode on Jan 25. The offensive was concluded as CCB reduced the Bois de St Vith Jan 27 – 28 1945. CCR look Strauch and Steckenborn on Feb 5 1945 and the division took over the defense of the Hechelscheid sector on Feb 6 1945 as CCR mopped up toward Schmidt. The division then spent the remainder of Feb in rehabilitation.
On Mar 7 1945 the division assembled near Zülpich and then started clearing the zone west of the Rhine River between Bonn and Remagen. It placed cable across the Rhine on Mar 14 1945. It assembled then across the Rhine’s eastern side Mar 25 and attacked the next day, advancing to reach the Dill River between Herborn and Wetzlar on Mar 27. The following day the division secured crossings between Marburg and Giessen over the Lahn River.
It captured the Edersee Dam intact and secured crossings over the Eder River on Mar 30. CCA attacked and took Niedersfeld Apr 4 and began the reduction of the Ruhr Pocket against heavy opposition, CCB being heavily counterattacked at Gleidorf on Apr 7. Frederburg fell after heavy combat on Apr 8 and by the 16, resistance in the Ruhr Pocket collapsed.
The division assembled at Gottingen Apr 18 and on Apr 30 began the drive from the Elbe to the Baltic which was unopposed and the latter reached west of Kluetz on May 3 1945.
There the division made contact with advancing Soviet Army forces and was in that region when hostilities ended on May 7 1945.
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