Activated on Apr 15 1941 at Camp Beauregard the 3rd Armored Division moved to Camp Polk, Louisiana, on June 11 1941 and was transferred to Camp Young, California, on July 26 1942 for the Desert Training Center II Armored Corps California Maneuvers. It moved then to Camp Pickett, Virginia, on November 2 1942 and arrived the Indian Town Gap Mil Reservation, Pennsylvania, on January 21 1943. The 3/AD staged at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, August 26 1943 until departed the New York Port of Embarkation on September 5 1943 and arrived England on September 18 1943. The division landed then in France on June 23 1944, crossed into Belgium on September 1944 and entered Germany September 15 1944. The 3rd Armd Div returned to Belgium on December 20 1944 and re-entered Germany on February 7 1945. The 3/AD was inactivated on November 10 1945.
3rd Armored Division – Casualties
Killed in Action : 1810
Wounded in Action 6963
Died of Wounds : 316
3rd Armored Division Commanders :
Maj Gen Alvin C. Gillem : Apr 1942 – Jan 1942
Maj Gen Walton H. Walker : Jan 1942 – Aug 1942
Maj Gen Leroy H. Watson : Aug 1942 – Aug 1944
Maj Gen Maurice Rose : Aug 1944 – Mar 1945
Brig Gen Doyle O. Hickey : Mar 1945 – Jun 1945
Brig Gen Truman E. Boudinot : Jun 1945 – Jul 1945
Brig Gen Frank A. Allen Jr : Jul 1945 – Jul 1945
Maj Gen Robert W. Grow : Jul 1945 to inactivation
3rd Admored Division – Order of Battle 1944-1945
HQs & HQs Company, 3rd Armored Division
Combat Command A
Combat Command B
Combat Command R
23rd Armored Engineer Battalion
32nd Armored Infantry Regiment
33rd Armored Infantry Regiment
36th Armored Infantry Regiment
45th Armored Medical Battalion
54th Armored Field Artillery Regiment
67th Armored Field Artillery Regiment
83rd Armored Reconnaissance Battalion
143rd Armored Signal Company
391st Armored Field Artillery Regiment
3rd Armored Division, Service Company
Division Trains :
Maintenance Battalion
Supply Battalion
413th AAA Gun Battalion : at 07-07-1944 – 16-07-1944
486th AAAA-W Battalion : at 25-06-1944 – 09-05-1945
503rd Counter Intelligence Corps Detachment
643rd Tank Destroyer Battalion : at 22-12-1944 – 26-12-1944
703rd Tank Destroyer Battalion : at 25-06-1944 – 17-12-1944
703rd Tank Destroyer Battalion : at 02-01-1945 – 09-05-1945
803rd Tank Destroyer Battalion : at 25-06-1944 – 02-07-1944
3rd Armored Division – Narative
The 3rd Armored Division arrived in Normandy, France on Jun 23 1944 and entered combat against the Villiers – Fossard salient north-east of St Lô Jun 29 – 30 1944. CCB-3/AR crossed into the Airel Bridgehead on Jul 7 and the division reached the Haut-Vents crossroads after heavy combat by Jul 11.
CCB-3/AD passed through the 1/ID to seize Marigny Jul 26, and CCA-3/AD forced a crossing of the Sienne at Gavray on Jul 30. It then secured a crossing of the Seé at Brécey Jul 31 and on Aug 1, CCB-3/AD attacked toward St Pois.
The division assembled Aug 12 and the next day swung around Domfront toward the Vire – Argentan Road to close the Falaise Gap, capturing Ranes after heavy combat on Aug 15.
It fought through Fromenthal Aug 16 – 17, and on Aug 25 CCB-3/AD crossed the Seine River below Paris at Tilly.
The division crossed the Marne River in the Mieux area and continued to pursue against disorganized resistance, crossing the Aisne River east of Soissons on Aug 29 then entered Belgium. Advancing east from Namur astride the Meuse, the division seized Huy Sep 6, mopped up Liège Sep 8, took Verviers against rearguard resistance, and reached the West Wall at Schmidthof on Sep 12 1944.
The division breached the West Wall fortifications between Roetgen and Rott with CCB-3/AD on Sep 13 as CCA-3/AD pushed through antitank obstacles to Nutheim. CCB-3/AD crossed the Vicht River southwest of Stolberg Sep 14 as CCA-3/AD reached Eilendorf, a suburb of Aachen.
On Sep 15 the division encountered the second belt of West Wall defenses where it suffered heavy tank losses in the Battle of Geisberg Hill which commenced that same day, as CCB-3/AD took but was forced out of Mausbach. The next day CCA-3/AD was halted in its advance on Stolberg, and CCB-3/AD finally took Geisberg Hill on Sep 17 and then was forced off.
The division then fought the Battle for Weissenberg Hill and Muensterbusch Hill Sep 18 – 20. Stolberg finally fell Sep 22, as the division postponed its West Wall offensive and used smoke screens to withdraw CCB-3/AD task forces from Donnerberg. The division was next committed to clearing the Lousberg Heights and cutting the Aachen – Laurensberg Highway Oct 18 – 28 1944.
The division attacked the Stolberg corridor on Nov 16 and took heavy tank losses at Hastenrath and Scherpenseel which fell November 18. The division took Huecheln after battling through a minefield on Nov 24, then attacked to clear the west bank of the Roer River on Dec 10. It took Geich the next clay. As a result of the German Ardenne Counter Offensive, CCA-3/AD went in defense of Eupen, CCB-3/AD assisted 30/ID, and assembled then in the Hotton – Grand Pré area on Dec 19. CCB-3/AD attacked then Stoumont and La Gleize on Dec 20 while the remainder of the division attacked to secure the Manhay – Houffalize Road.
The 3rd Armored contained a German attack at Hotton, but lost a key road junction southeast of Manhay on Dec 23 1944. The following day its roadblock at Belle Haie was reduced and the 3rd attacked to take Grandménil Dec 25 – 26, and CCA-3/AD recovered Sadzot after its temporary loss on Dec 28.
After the 83/ID took over this zone at the end of the month, the division attacked toward Houffalize on Jan 3 1945. Fighting across the Groumont Creek, the Bois de Groumont, and into Provedroux by Jan 8, the 83/ID attacked through its lines the next day. The 3rd then attacked into Bihain Jan 12, reached the Ourthe River Jan 19 and seized Gouvy and Beho on Jan 22 1945.
The 3rd Armored attacked out of the Elle River bridgehead Feb 26 and gained two bridgeheads at Giesch and Paffendorf the next day over the Erft River. After repulsing counterattacks, the division attacked out on Mar 3 and took Stommeln with air support.
It reached the Rhine River at Roggendorf and Worringen Mar 4 and fought the Battle for Cologne Mar 5 – 7 assisted by the 104/ID.
After maintaining defensive positions, it crossed the Rhine Mar 23 and attacked again Mar 25. It reached the Lahn River at Marburg Mar 28 and then closed the Ruhr Pocket after the Battle of Paderborn Mar 31 – April 1. The division reached the Weser River on Apr 7 and the Mulde River near Torten Apr 15. It fought then the Battle for Dessau Apr 21 – 23 and was relieved along the Mulde April 25.
It withdrew to Sangerhausen for rehabilitation Apr 26 and hostilities ended May 7 1945.
Something to Add ?
Photos; Combat Experiences Stories
Documents : use form bellow.
Several photos ? Go to the Upload page (top bar of the site).
Thank you
Allowed jpg, gif, jepg, png, txt, tif, bmp, pdf.
