Recreating History

12th Armored Division

World War II

Overseas: 20 September 1944.

Campaigns: Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace, Central Europe.

Days of combat: 102.

Distinguished Unit Citations: 1.

Awards: DSC-2 ; DSM-1 ; SS-225; LM-8; DFC-4 ; SM-11 ; BSM-1,453 ; AM-63.

Commanders:

Maj. Gen. Carlos Brewer (September 1942-August 1944)
Maj. Gen. Douglass T. Greene (August-September 1944)
Maj. Gen. Roderick R. Allen (September 1944-July 1945)
Brig. Gen. Willard A. Holbrook, Jr. (July 1945 to inactivation)

Returned to U.S.: 1 December 1945.

Inactivated: 3 December 1945.

Combat Chronicle

The 12th Armored Division landed at Liverpool, England, 2 October 1944. It arrived at Le Havre, France, 11 November 1944. Advance elements met the enemy near Weisslingen, 5 December, and the entire Division moved against the Maginot Line fortifications 2 days later. In its advance, Rohrbach and the Bettviller area were liberated by 12 December, and Utweiler, Germany, was seized 21 December. After a short period of rehabilitation and maintenance, the 12th rolled against the Rhine riverhead at Herlisheim. German defenders repulsed Division attacks in the most violent fighting in the history of the 12th, 9 to 10 January 1945. However, enemy counterattacks failed also. Going over to the offensive, the Division attacked south from Colmar, and in a lightning drive, effected junction with French forces at Rouffach, 5 February, sealing the Colmar pocket and ending German resistance in the Vosges Mountains. Except for elements acting as a protective screen, the Division withdrew to the St. Avoid area for rest and rehabilitation. The attack resumed, 18 March 1945. In a quick drive to the Rhine, Ludwigshafen fell, 21 March, and two other important river cities, Speyer and Germersheim, were secured on the 24th, clearing the Saar Palatinate. Maintaining the rapid pace, the 12th crossed the Rhine River at Worms, 28 March, advanced toward Wurzburg against light resistance, and captured that city. After assisting in the seizure of Schweinfurt, the Division continued toward Nurnberg, 13 April, taking Neustadt, then shifted toward Munich, 17 April. Elements of the 12th raced from Dinkelsbuhl to the Danube, taking the bridge at Dillingen before demolition men could wreck it. This bridge provided a vital artery for Allied troops flooding into southern Germany. The Division spearheaded the Seventh Army drive, securing Landsberg, 29 April, clearing the area between the Ammer and Wurm Seas on the 30th, and moving deeper into the “National Redoubt.” Elements crossed .the Inn River and the Austrian border, 3 May. The 12th was relieved by the 36th Infantry Division, 4 May, and engaged in security duty until 22 November 1945, when it left Marseille, France, for home.

Assignments in the ETO

13 November 1944: Ninth Army, 12th Army Group.
5 December 1944: XV Corps, Seventh Army, 6th Army Group.
27 December 1944: XXI Corps.
30 December 1944: Seventh Army, 6th Army Group.
3 January 1945: XV Corps.
6 January 1945: VI Corps.
3 February 1945: XXI Corps.
11 February 1945: XV Corps.
28 February 1945: XXI Corps.
17 March 1945: Seventh Army, 6th Army Group, but attached to the XX Corps, Third Army, 12th Army Group.
24 March 1945: XXI Corps, Seventh Army, 6th Army Group.
26 March 1945: XV Corps.
31 March 1945: XXI Corps.
4 May 1945: Seventh Army, 6th Army Group.

General

Hellcat Division. Slogan: Speed is the password. Shoulder patch: Same as the 1st Armored, but with a number “12” in the upper portion of the triangle. Association: 12th Armored Division Association, 815 Rosedale Avenue, Bellefonte, Wilmington, Del . (Mr. C. P. Chapman, executive secretary). Publications: Hellcats in World War II, A History of the United States Twelfth Armored Division; by unit members; Army & Navy Publishing Co., Baton Rouge 1, La. ; 1947. Buddy Locator; by unit members; Army & Navy Publishing Co., Baton Rouge 1, La.; 1947. Pictorial Review; by unit members; Albert Love Enterprises, Atlanta 2, Ga.; 1944. Speed is the Password; by unit members; TI&E, ETOUSA; distributor, 12th Armored Division Association. Hellcat News; monthly publication of the 12th Armored Division Association.

12th Armored Division "The Hellcats"


Divisional troops

Armor

23rd Tank Battalion 00.00.0000-00.00.0000
43rd Tank Battalion 00.00.0000-00.00.0000
714th Tank Battalion 00.00.0000-00.00.0000

Infantry

17th Armored Infantry Battalion 00.00.0000-00.00.0000
56th Armored Infantry Battalion 00.00.0000-00.00.0000
66th Armored Infantry Battalion 00.00.0000-00.00.0000

Other troops

Headquarters & Headquarters Company 00.00.0000-00.00.0000
Hq & Hq Company, Division Trains 00.00.0000-00.00.0000
Hq & Hq Company, Combat Command A (CCA) 00.00.0000-00.00.0000
Hq & Hq Company, Combat Command B (CCB) 00.00.0000-00.00.0000
Hq & Hq Company, Reserve Command (CCR) 00.00.0000-00.00.0000
92nd Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron (Mechanized) 00.00.0000-00.00.0000
119th Armored Engineer Battalion 00.00.0000-00.00.0000
152nd Armored Signal Company 00.00.0000-00.00.0000
134th Ordnance Maintenance Battalion 00.00.0000-00.00.0000
82nd Armored Medical Battalion 00.00.0000-00.00.0000
Military Police Platoon 00.00.0000-00.00.0000
Divisional Band 00.00.0000-00.00.0000

Cavalry
101st Cavalry Group 08.04.1945-04.05.1945
42nd Reconnaissance Troop, 42nd Infantry Division 13.04.1945-14.04.1945

Infantry

1st & 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division 02.04.1945-03.04.1945
3rd Battalion, 222nd Infantry Regiment, 42nd Infantry Division 02.04.1945-08.04.1945
2nd Battalion, 242nd Infantry Regiment, 42nd Infantry Division 05.04.1945-07.04.1945
G Company, 242nd Infantry Regiment, 42nd Infantry Division 10.04.1945-12.04.1945
3rd Battalion, 242nd Infantry Regiment, 42nd Infantry Division 12.04.1945-14.04.1945
15th CT, 3rd Infantry Division 24.04.1945-25.04.1945


Detachments  

     
92nd Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron Normandy Base Section 18.11.1944-30.11.1944
C Company, 119th Engineer Battalion Normandy Base Section 18.11.1944-30.11.1944
C Battery, 493rd Armored FA Battalion Normandy Base Section 18.11.1944-30.11.1944
493rd Armored FA Battalion 44th Infantry Division 05.12.1944-07.12.1944
494th Armored FA Battalion 44th Infantry Division 05.12.1944-07.12.1944
495th Armored FA Battalion 100th Infantry Division 05.12.1944-07.12.1944
A Company, 43rd Tank Battalion 103rd Infantry Division 05.12.1944-07.01.1945
493rd Armored FA Battalion 106th Cavalry Group 23.12.1944-02.01.1945
495th Armored FA Battalion 103rd Infantry Division 26.12.1944-02.01.1945
494th Armored FA Battalion 44th Infantry Division 26.12.1944-06.01.1945
A Company, 23rd Tank Battalion 100th Infantry Division 01.01.1945-07.01.1945
495th Armored FA Battalion 100th Infantry Division 02.01.1945-06.01.1945
493rd Armored FA Battalion 44th Infantry Division 02.01.1945-06.01.1945
493rd Armored FA Battalion 79th Infantry Division 07.01.1945-14.01.1945
CC B 79th Infantry Division 07.01.1945-15.01.1945
495th Armored FA Battalion 3rd French Algerienne Infantry Division 15.01.1945-16.01.1945
49th Armored FA Battalion 36th Infantry Division 20.01.1945-23.01.1945
493rd Armored FA Battalion 36th Infantry Division 20.01.1945-23.01.1945
494th Armored FA Battalion 36th Infantry Division 21.01.1945-23.01.1945
493rd Armored FA Battalion 3rd French Algerienne Infantry Division 23.01.1945-02.02.1945
494th Armored FA Battalion 3rd French Algerienne Infantry Division 24.01.1945-02.02.1945
495th Armored FA Battalion 3rd French Algerienne Infantry Division 24.01.1945-02.02.1945
493rd Armored FA Battalion 117th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron 02.02.1945
494th Armored FA Battalion 28th Infantry Division 04.02.1945-09.02.1945
495th Armored FA Battalion 28th Infantry Division 07.02.1945-10.02.1945
494th Armored FA Battalion 70th Infantry Division 10.02.1945-13.02.1945
493rd Armored FA Battalion 44th Infantry Division 10.02.1945-16.02.1945
495th Armored FA Battalion 70th Infantry Division 11.02.1945-12.02.1945
714th Tank Battalion 70th Infantry Division 12.02.1945-17.02.1945
495th Armored FA Battalion 44th Infantry Division 13.02.1945-16.02.1945
494th Armored FA Battalion 44th Infantry Division 14.02.1945-16.02.1945
494th Armored FA Battalion 70th Infantry Division 17.02.1945-09.03.1945
495th Armored FA Battalion 70th Infantry Division 17.02.1945-09.03.1945
CC A 70th Infantry Division 02.03.1945-08.03.1945
CC R 101st Cavalry Group 02.03.1945-08.03.1945
C Company, 43td Tank Battalion 63rd Infantry Division 09.03.1945-14.03.1945
493rd Armored FA Battalion 70th Infantry Division 13.03.1945-17.03.1945
494th Armored FA Battalion 70th Infantry Division 13.03.1945-17.03.1945
495th Armored FA Battalion 70th Infantry Division 13.03.1945-17.03.1945
92nd Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron 63rd Infantry Division 15.03.1945-16.03.1945
CC A 94th Infantry Division 22.03.1945-22.03.1945
CC A 42nd Infantry Division 07.04.1945-13.04.1945

 

Sources & links:

US Army Center of Military History