History
The Second Armored Division was formed
at Fort Benning, Georgia, on July 15, 1940, under the command of Maj.
Gen. Charles L. Scott. Training of the new division was the
responsibility of Col. George S. Patton, Jr. When Scott was appointed
commander of the First Armored Corps in November 1940, Patton now a
brigadier general and the most colorful of all the division's leaders,
assumed command. Under his leadership the division continued training
through 1941 and participated in general maneuvers in Tennessee,
Louisiana, Texas, and the Carolinas. While on these maneuvers Patton
reportedly said the division would be "Hell on Wheels" when it met the
enemy. The name stuck and became part of the division patch.
Elements of the Division first saw
action in North Africa, landing at Casablanca, 8 November 1942, and
later taking part in the fighting at Beja, Tunisia, but the Division as
a whole did not enter combat until the invasion of Sicily, when it made
an assault landing at Gela, 10 July 1943. The Division saw action at
Butera, Campobello,-and Palermo. After the Sicilian campaign, the
Division trained in England for the cross-Channel invasion, landed in
Normandy D plus 3, 9 June 1944, and went into action in the vicinity of
Carentan; ; the Division raced across France in July and August, drove
through Belgium and attacked across the Albert Canal 13 September 1944,
crossing the German border at Schimmert, 18 September to take up
defensive positions near Geilenkirchen. On 3 October, the Division
launched an attack on the Siegfried Line from Marienberg, broke through,
crossed the Wurm River and seized Puffendorf 16 November and Barmen 28
November. The Division was holding positions on the Roer when it was
ordered to help contain the German Ardennes offensive. The Division
fought in eastern Belgium, blunting the German Fifth Panzer Army's
penetration of American lines. The Division helped reduce the Bulge in
January, fighting in the Ardennes forest in deep snow, and cleared the
area from Houffalize to the Ourthe River of the enemy. After a rest in
February, the Division drove on across the Rhine 27 March, and was the
first American Division to reach the Elbe at Schonebeck on 11 April. It
was halted on the Elbe, 20 April, on orders. In July the Division
entered Berlin-the first American unit to enter the German capital city.
During World War II the division was
recognized for distinguished service and bravery with 9,369 awards,
including two medals of honor, twenty-three distinguished service
crosses, and 2,302 silver stars, as well as nearly 6,000 purple hearts.
In 238 battle days the Second Armored suffered 7,348 casualties,
including 1,160 killed in action. The division returned to Camp Hood,
Texas, in 1946 to retrain and rebuild.
(Source and (c):
Global Security)
Units
Headquarters Company
Service Company
Combat Command A
Combat Command B
41st Armored Infantry Regiment
66th Armored Regiment
67th Armored Regiment
17th Armored Engineer Battalion
82d Armored Reconnaissance Battalion
142d Armored Signal Company
2d Armored Division Artillery
14th Armored Field Artillery Battalion
78th Armored Field Artillery Battalion
92d Armored Field Artillery Battalion
2d Armored Division Trains
2d Ordnance Maintenance Battalion
48th Armored Medical Battalion
Relevant links
http://www.2ndarmoredhellonwheels.com/
Casualties of the Division and
supporting units buried in Margraten or KIA in the Netherlands and
buried elsewhere.
41st Armored Infantry Battalion