Armored Regiments of the U.S. Army

le US. Army units. The 66th, 67th, and 68th Infantry Regiments (Tank) were r e designated, respectively as the 66th, 67th, and 68th Armored Regiments and assigned to the 2nd Armored Division; the 66th and 68th were light regiments while the 67th was the division's medium regiment. Many of these units were not stationed at Fort Benning prior to the activation of the 2nd Armored Division and a number of personnel and equipment movements and exchanges between the units which formed the 1st and 2nd Armored Divisions occurred during 1940. Three more armored divisions were activated using the three armored regiment per division structure. On 15 April 1941 the 3rd Armored Division was organized at Camp Polk, Louisiana, with a cadre of personnel from the 2nd Armored Division; the new division had the 2nd and 3rd Armored Regiments (light) and the 4th Armored Regiment (Medium). On the same day, a cadre from the 1st Armored Division was used to Armd Regt. 1st 2nd 3rd 5th 9th 11th 13th 14th 16th 20th 31st 34th 35th 36th 37th 40th 41st 42nd 43rd 44th 45th 46th 47th 48th 68th 69th 80th 81St Assignment and

1AD (20 Jul 44) 9AD (9 Oct 43) lOAD (20 Sep 43) 16AD (3 Sep 43) 20AD (10 Sep 43) IOAD (20 Sap 43) 1AD (20 Jul44) 9AD (9 Oct 43) 16AD (10 Sep 53) 20AD (10 Sep 43) 7AD (20 Sep 43) SAD (20 Sep 43) 4AD (10 Sep 43) BAD (20 Sep 43) 4AD (10 Sep 43) 7AD (20 Sep 43) l l A D (20 Sep 43) l l A D (20 Sep 43) WAD (11 Nov 43) 12AO (11 Nov 43) 13AD (20 Sep 43) 13AD (20 Sep 43) 14AD (20 Sep 43) 14AD (20 Sep 43) 6AD (20 Sep 43) 6AD (20 Sep 43) BAD (20 Sep 43) 5 AD (20 Sep 43) 1 Tk Bn

Tk Bn

Tk Bn

Tk Bn

Tk Bn

13Tk Bn

Tk Bn

16Tk Bn lOTk Bn

Tk Bn

18Tk Bn

46Tk Bn

48Tk Bn

68Tk Bn

Remarks Fought in Italy with 1AD Fought in NW Europe with 9 AD Fought in Pacific as 776 Amphib Trac Bn Fought in NW Europe with 9 AD Fought in NW Europe with 10 AD Fought in NW Europe as separate Tk Bn Fought in NW Europe with 10 AD Fought in NW Europe with 16 AD Fought in NW Europe as separate Tk Bn Fought in NW Europe with 16 AD Fought in NW Europe with 20 AD Fought in Pacific as 718 Amphib Trac Bn Fought in NW Europe with 20 AD Fought in NW Europe with 10 AD Fought in NW Europe as separate Tk Bn Fought in Italy with 1 AD Fought in Italy with 1AD Fought in NW Europe with 9 AD Fought in Pacific as separate Tk Bn Fought in NW Europe with 16 AD Fought in NW Europe as separate Tk Bn Fought in NW Europe with 20AD Fought in Pacific as 788 Amphib Trac Bn Fought in NW Europe as separate Tk Bn Fought in NW Eurone with 7 AD Fought in NE Europe with 7 AD Fought in NW Europe with 5 AD Fought in NW Europe as separate Tk Bn Fought in NW Europe with 5 AD Fought in NW Europe with 4 AD Fought in NW Europe as separate Tk Bn Fought in NW Europe with 4 AD Fought in NW Europe with 8 AD Fought in Pacific as separate Tk Bn Fought in NW Europe with 8 AD Fought in NW Europe with 4 AD Fought in Pacific as separate Tk Bn Fought in NW Europe with 7 AD Fought in NW Europe as separate Tk Bn Fought in NW Europe with 11 AD Fought in NW Europe as separate Tk Bn Fought in NW Europe with 11 AD Fought in NW Europe with 11 AD Fought in Pacific as 712 Tk Bn (Flame T) Fought in NW Europe with 12AD Never saw combat Fought in NW Europe with 12 AD Fought in Pacific as separate Tk Bn Fought in NW Europe with 12 AD Fought in NW Europe with 13 AD Fought in Pacific as 780 Amphil Trac Bn Fought in NW Europe with 13 AD Fought in NW Europe with 13 AD Fought in Pacific as 715 Amphib Trac Bn Fought in NW Europe with 14 AD Fought in NW Europe as separate Tk Bn Fought in NW Europe with 14 AD Fought in NW Europe with 14 AD Fought in Pacific as separate Tk Bn Fought in NW Europe with 6 AD Fought in Pacific as 773rd Amphib Trac Fought in NW Europe with 6 AD Fought in NW Europe with 6 AD Fought in Pacific as 708 Arnphib Trac Bn Fought in NW Europe with 8 AD Fought in Pacific as separate Tk Bn Fought in NW Europe with 5 AD Fought in NW Europe as separate Tk Bn these regiments, the 2nd Bn ( - Co D) was absorbed into the Battalion which resulted from the redesignation of the Regt(-) e.g. 2nd Bn. 37th Armd Regt absorbed into 37 Tank Bn. flgure 3. ReorganiEetion of Atmared Regiments, Sept. 19434uly 1944.

activate the 4th Armored Division at Pine Camp, New York. The 4th Armored Division was assigned the 5th and 7th Armored Regiments (Light) and the 8th Armored Regiment (Medium). These initial desig- nations for the regiments of 3rd and 4th Armored Divisions lasted less than a month and on 8 May 1941, the following redesignations took place: eliminated all regiments and gave the division a balanced organization of three tank battalion.^ The two combat command headquarters were re tained to control the division’s units and a third combat command headquarters, designated Combat Command R (Reserve), was added. This reorganization was applied to 13 of the 16 armored divisions in the Fall of 1943. The 1st Armored Division, which was engaged in battle in Italy, did not reorganize until July 1944. For some reason, the 2nd and 3rd Armored Divisions were not reorganized under the new structure until after the war and hence are some times referred to as “Heavy Armored Divisions” in light of their greater tank strength.

Prior to the 1943 reorganization, each armored regiment had a headquarters and headquarters company, three tank battalions, and reconnaissance, service and maintenance companies. In addition, most regiments had a band.

The reorganization was carried out in a fairly uniform manner in each division. Typically, one of the armored regiments was used to produce three tank battalions. The regimental headquarters and second battalion were redesignated as a tank battalion with the same numerical designation as the regiment, and remained assigned to the division. The regiment’s first battalion was given anew designation in the 700s and was relieved from assignment to the division, while the 3rd battalion was given anew designation under fifty and remained assigned to the division.

In the division’s other armored regiment, the regimental headquarters and 1st and 2nd battalions were used to produce one tank battalion with the same numerical designation as the regiment, which remained assigned to the division, while the 3rd battalion received anew designation in the 700s and was relieved from assignment to the division. In each regiment, the Old Unit 66th Armd Regt HQ and HQ Co 1st Bn HQ and HQ Co, Svc Co. Med Det Companies A-D 2nd Bn HQ and HQ Co 3rd Bn HQ and HO Co Companies E, F Reconnaissance Co Service Co Band Maintenance Co Companies G-l New Unit 66th Tank Bn 6th Tank Brie Trp D, 82nd Mecz Cavalry Recon Sqdn Svc Co, 12th Armd Inf Bn Band, 2nd Armd Div Disbanded 67th Annd Regl HQ and HQ Co 3rd Bn HQ and HQ Co Companies D. G-l Companies A, C Reconnaissance Co 67th Tank Bn Cos D, C. 6th Tank Bn’ Trp E, 82nd Mecz Cavalry Recon Sqdn Note: Remaining elements were disbanded. Figure 4. Reorganization of 2d AD, March, 1946. Old Unlt 2nd Annd Regt (Less elements listed below) 2nd Bn HQ and HQ Co Companies B, G Reconnaissance Co Service Company 3rd Bn HQ and HQ Company Companies C, H, I Maintenance Co 33rd Annd Regt (less elements listed below 3rd Bn HQ and HQ Co Companies G. H Reconnaissance Co Maintenance Co 2nd Bn HQ and HQ Co Companies B, C. I Service Co New Unit 32nd Tank Bn HHC Cos D + A, 7th Tk Bn Trp D, 83d Mecz Cavalry Recon Sqdn Svc Co, 12th Armd Inf Bn Disbanded - Reconstituted 28 May 1948, redesignated 61st Heavy Tank Bn 33rd Tank Bn Svc Co. Cos B + C, 7th Tank Bn Trp E. 83rd Mecz Cavalry Recon Sqdn Disbanded Disbanded - Reconstituted 28 May 1948, redesignated 62nd Heavy Tank Bn Figure 5. Reorgar.. Aion of 3d AD, July, 1947.

reconnaissance company became apart of the division’s cavalry reconnaissance squadron, while the band, maintenance and service companies were disbanded. There were, however, exceptions - see the lst, 13th, 37th, 40th, 44th and 69th Armored Regimenta. The 1st Armored Division’s 1st and 13th Armored Regiments were awarded the following campaign participation credits prior to their reorganization as tank battalions in 1944 Algeria-French Morocco (with

Tunisia

The 2nd and 3rd Armored Divisions fought throughout the campaigns in northwest Europe under the regimental structure and were not broken up until after the end of the war. The 2nd Armored Division’s 66th and 67th Armored Regiments earned the following campaign participation credits Algeria-French Morocco (with

Sicilp

The 3rd Armored Division’s 32nd Armd Regt Odpln 1st 1st Cav Mecz 2nd

2nd

3rd

3rd

4th

5th

5th

7th

8th

9th

11th

13th 13th Cav Mecz 14th

16th

20th

31st

32nd 2nd Armd Regt 33rd 3rd Armd Regt 34th

35th 5th Armd Regt 36th

37th 7th Armd Regt 40th 4th Armd Regt

42nd

43rd

44th

45th

46th

47th

48th

66th 66th Inf (Lt Tk) 67th 67th Inf (Med Tk) 68th 68th Inf (Lt Tk) 69th

80th 8thArrndRegt l o n

AD (15 Jul 40-20 Jul44)

3AD (13 Jan 42-8 May 41)

9AD (11 Jul 42-9 Oct 43)

3AD (13 Jan 41-8May 41) lOAD (11 Jul42-20 Sep 43) Broken Up 20 Sep 43 3AD (13 (Jan 41-8 May 41)

4AD (13 Jan 41-8 May 41)

16AD (15 Jul 43-3 Sep 43)

4AD (13 Jan 41-8 May 41)

4AD (13 Jan 42-8 May 41)

20AD (15 Mar 43-10 Sep 43) Broken Up 10 Sep 43 lOAD (11 Jul 42-20 Sep 43) Broken Up 20 Sep 43 1AD (15 Jul 40-20 Jul 44)

9AD (11 Jul 42-9 Oct 43)

16AD (15 Jul 43-10 Sep 43) Broken Up 10 Sep 43 20AD (15 Mar 43-10 Sep 43) Broken Up 10 Sep 43 (28 Aug 4 1 4 a n 42) 7AD (2 Mar 42-20 Sep 43)

3AD (8 May 41-7 Jul 47)

3AD (8 May 41-7 Jul 47) lnactlvated 10 NOV 45

5AD (28 Aug 41-20 Sept 43) Broken Up 20 Sep 43 4AD 98 May 41-10 Sep 43)

8AD (1 Apr 42-20 Sep 43)

AD (8 May 41-10 Sep 43)

3AD (8 May 41-1 Jan 41) 7AD 92 Mar 42-20 Sep 43) l l A D (25 Jul 42-20 Sep 43) Broken Up 20 Sep 43 l l A D (15 Aug 40-20 Sep 43) Broken Up 20 Sep 43 12 AD (7 Jul 42-11 NOV 43)

AD (7 Jul 42-11 NOV 43) Broken Up 11 NOV 43 13AD (15 Oct 42-20 Sep 43) Broken Up 20 Sep 43 13 AD (15 Oct 42-20 Sep 43) Broken Up 20 Sep 43 14AD (15 Nov 42-20 Sep 43) Broken Up 20 Sep 43 14AD (31 Aug 42-20 Sep 43) Broken Up 20 Sep 43 2AD (15 Jul 40-25 Mar 46)

2AD (15 Jul 40-25 Mar 46)

2AD (15 Jul 40-8 Jan 42)

6AD (15 Feb 42-20 Sep 43)

1AD (15 Jul 40-15 Feb 42)

6AD (15 Feb 42-20 Sep 43)

4AD (8 May 41-1 Apr 42) lnactwated 5 Jan 42 BAD (1 Apr 42-20 Sep 43)

5AD (28 Aug 41-20 Sep 43) Broken Up 20 Sep 43