HISTORY:
A brief
history of the 756th Tank Battalion
(The following
is from the book The History of the Third Infantry Division in
World War II edited by Donald G. Taggert, reprinted by The
Battery Press, Nashville, 1987. pg. 571)
The 756th
was activated as a light tank battalion on June 1, 1941, at Fort
Lewis, Washington. The battalion received its first training at
Fort Lewis as part of the IX Corps. It first joined the 3d Infantry
Division after it left Fort Lewis on August 4, 1942, at Fort Ord,
California, at it was there it took its first amphibious training.
At Camp Picket,
Virginia, Company A (reinforced) was attached to the 7th
Infantry and Company C (reinforced) was attached to the 30th
Infantry. The remainder of the battalion went to Fort Dix, New
Jersey on November 28, 1942, for further staging. Companies A and C
landed with the 3d Division at Fedala and assisted the Division in
establishing and exploiting one of the first beachheads in the North
African theater.
The remainder of the
Battalion rejoined its units at Port Lyautey in February, 1943. It
was relieved of attachment to the Division on May 7 and moved to
Pont du Cheliff, Algeria under control of I Armored Corps. Its next
move was to Petit Port in May and to Magenta, Algeria early in June,
where it trained with elements of the Fifth Army Tank Destroyer
school.
The first combat
commitment of the 756th was at Paestum on September 17,
attached to the 45th Infantry Division. It was
re-attached to the 34th Infantry Division on October 1,
after having supported the 45th in action, and continued
in this mission until October 20, when it reverted to VI Corps
control.
After numerous
combat missions, the unit was re-designated from the 756th
Tank Battalion (L) to 756th Tank Battalion by authority
of General Order No. 107, Headquarters Fifth Army, dated December
15, 1943.
The Battalion
supported the 34th Division on the first and second
attempts at crossing the Rapido River, the second of which, on
January 29, was successful. The 756th was the first
Allied unit into Cassino. The Battalion continued in close support
of the 34th Division until February 22, when it was
relieved after having suffered heavy casualties in personnel and
tanks.
During the period
from May 11, 1944 to June 10 the Battalion was attached no less than
eleven times, each one for combat. It participated in all phases of
the drive on Rome. It was not relieved until June 10, six days
after the fall of Rome.
The 756th
Tank Battalion was attached to the 3d Infantry Division at Qualiano,
near Naples on June 19, as the Division was preparing for its part
in the invasion of southern France.
Except for two brief
periods with the 103rd Infantry Division, the 756th
remained with the 3d Division for the rest of the war. Its hardest
fight came during the Colmar Pocket battle, in which accurate enemy
panzerfaust, bazooka and tank destroyer fire accounted for
much of its armor. The Battalion in turn, however exacted a heavy
toll in enemy armor and personnel.
From D-day, August
15, 1944, until May 8, 1945, the Battalion was continuously in
action except for one ten-day period.
(The following
in from the book Tank Battalions of the U.S. Army by James A.
Sawicki, Wyvern Publications, Dumfries Virginia (1983) pg. 331)
Constituted 13
January 1941 in the Regular Army as the 76th Tank
Battalion (Light). Redesignated 8 May 1941 as the 756th
Tank Battalion (Light). Activated 1 June 1941 at Fort Lewis,
Washington. Inactivated 8 February 1946 at Camp Kilmer, New
Jersey. Activated 1 August 1946 at Frot Benning, Georgia.
Reorganized and redesignated 15 January 1948 as the 756th
Heavy Tank Battalion. Redesignated 73rd Heavy Tank
Battalion, 10 January 1949.
(Watch this page for a more comprehensive history in the near
future.)
