16th AD Was the Last U.S. Armored Division Formed During WWII, And the Last Deployed

This July, the 16th Annond Divi-don will celebrate its 50th anniversary. The 16th AD was the final ar-mod division to be activated, trained, prepared for overseas movement, and deployed during Wwn. Although it does not bear a nickname, and never became part of the post-World War 11 Regular Army, the 16th played a crucial role in the Central European Campaign and the subsequent occupation in Europe. General order 56, Headquartmr Armored Force activated the 16th k-mad Division on 15 July 1943 at mored Division provided the initial cadre for training. Several of the new division’s officers attended the New Divisions Course at Fort Leavenworth together. They arrived at Camp Chaffee well acquainted and complete with plans for the activation. Soldiers arrived straight out of basic training at Camp Chaff=, Arkan-.

The 8th Ar-World War II Commanden MQ Douglam T. Qreene July 1943-September 1944 BQ John L. Plerce Sept 1944-May 1945 16th AD troops get a hero’s welcome as they liberate Pilsen, Czechoslovakia in May 1945. Port Knox. Steadily, new men and equipment arrived, and the division took form. The division continued to train at Camp Chaffee until it deployed overseas.

Men from all walks of life came to the division. The Army had put out a call for volunteers from the automobile and truck industry. Their technical skills were needed in the new modem armored units. For $30 to $100 skilled mechanics and manufacturers became acquainted with the manual of arms, foot locker inspections, military courtesy, weapons qualification, and countless hours of standing in lines.

The 16th worked hard and prepared for war. There were seemingly endless training cycles and maneuvers in the Ouachita Mountains. During one exercise, the 23rd Cavalry overran a moonshiner’s still going full blast. Men learned the limits of the new equipment. Some officers brought a halftrack downtown for a date and got it stuck in the mud under abridge. After D-Day, American casualty losses increased, and the 16th was tasked to furnish individual trained replacements. These men moved through “Repple Depples” to join units already in combat. Nevertheless, Wll Campalgn Credlts Central Europe the division was combat ready. Soon, there were mors about deployment. By fall 1944, some doubted that the 16th would need to go to Europe, but the German Ardennes offensive dashed such optimism. In late January, the division moved by mil to Camp Shanks, New York for the voyage overseas. Men carefully packed their equipment and loaded up on train after train, Supposedly, one enterprising fmance officer even brought along his safe, filled with bourbon. These trains took a total of 26 different routes to move the armored division to the port of embarkation. Some even traveled by way of Canada.

Camp Shanks was like a mini-Camp Chaffee. The division moved into small tar paper barracks. The men stencilled names, numbers, and symbols on everything. There was more mining, new equipment issue, inspections, and endless shots. But there were also passes to New York. At times, the ferry carried as many as 1,OOO soldiers down the Hudson River and acmss the harbor into the city. Finally, on 5 February 1945, the 16th left for France.

The S. S. Hermitage, along with the S. S. Santa Rosa, S. S. Marine Panther, and the S. S. Marine Eagle carried most of the division. Although some of these had previously been cruise ships, they had been refitted as military transports and comfort was no longer among their virtues. Soon out of New York, the men of the 16th were reminded that the war was still far from over when their ship passed a torpedoed cargo ship slowly sinking. With destroyer escort, they joined a convoy for the trip across the Atlantic. A zigzag course and a few depth charges kept the feared U-boats at bay. Except for the winter seas of the North Atlantic, the trip was uneventful. Lifeboat drill, PT on deck, and German lessons filled each day. On 19 February 1945, the 16th arrived at LeHavre, France.

The division unloaded equipment and moved into a holding area near Forges-les-Eaux, France. Although most French were friendly, some wanted immediate payment for war damages. This caused some unusual interaction between men of the 16th and the local populace. The 16th carried out intense combat lraining and prepped for battle. Some units were tasked to guard and transport German prisoners. Finally in late April, the 16th moved as one unit towards the front.

Initially, the 16th took up the security mission in the city of Nuremberg. Then the 23rd Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron was detached, and from 28-30 April joined the 86th ID in combat from the Isar River to Wasserburg. This city was the headquarters of the German Sixth Army Group, and they met strong resistance, but by May 2, the area was secure. The unit returned to Nuremburg to continue security duty until May 5, when it was ordered to assemble for a drive eastward into Czechoslovakia. The 16th was assigned to General Huebner’s V Corps of General Patton’s Third Army, It rapidly moved to the front, deployed, and attacked to seize Pilsen, Czechoslovakia.

The 16th quickly overcame the sporadic enemy resistance, took large numbers of enemy prisoners, and was welcomed by the friendly populace. They overran the Eger Airport at Pilsen and the famous Skoda Munitions Plant. The city of Pilsen was secured by 6 May. Partisans heard of the American advance and rose up against the Germans in Prague. Unfortunately, an Allied agreement prevented the division from continuing further east. This marked the deepest penetration of Czechoslovakia from the west.

General Patton credited the 16th as being the first members of the Third Army to link up with the advancing Russians. After V-E Day, the 16th remained in the area of Pilsen as part of the occupation. The soldiers enjoyed the local beer and the attention of the friendly Czechs. The officers even erected a plaque to commemorate the liberation of Pilsen.

The points system for rotation changed the division. Some soldiers went to other units for extended occupation duty, or rehaining for the Pacific Theater. New men arrived Finally, on 17 September 1945, the 16th headed back to France. There, the division departed on 6 October for the United States. The 16th arrived in New York and was deactivated at Fort Kilmer, New Jersey on 15 October 1945.

This account was prepared by CPT John Buckheit during his temporary assignment to ARMOR. Additional material was submitted by Walter Norris Smith of LaPorte, Ind., whose father was a member of the 16th AD. I ARMOR - JUly-AUgUSt 7993 39