12th ARMORED DIVISION

 

 

The mixture of insignia and distinctive colors of several arms incorporated in the Armored Force symbolize integrity and esprit. It is an interlocked ornament, found in Nordic monuments, composed of three torques: red for Artillery; blue for Infantry; and yellow for Cavalry. The symbols represent the characteristics of Armored Divisions: the tank track, mobility and armor protection; the cannon, fire power; and the red bolt of lightning, shock action.

 

[page 521]

 

COMMAND AND STAFF

 Commanding General

1 Oct 44 Maj. Gen. Roderick R. Allen

 Artillery Commander

1 Oct 44 Col. Charles R. Gildart

 Chief of Staff

1 Oct 44 Col. Richard H. Gordon
14 Dec 44 Col. Wallace H. Barnes

 Assistant Chief of Staff G-1

1 Oct 44 Lt. Col. Hugh Mair

 Assistant Chief of Staff G-2

1 Oct 44 Lt. Col. Charles Smyroski

 Assistant Chief of Staff G-3

1 Oct 44 Lt. Col. H. Paul Holz

 Assistant Chief of Staff G-4

1 Oct 44 Lt. Col. J. M. Bradley

 Adjutant General

1 Oct 44 Lt. Col. Edwin M. Connell

 Commanding Officer, Combat Command A

1 Oct 44 Brig. Gen. Riley F. Ennis

 Commanding Officer, Combat Command B

1 Oct 44 Col. Charles V. Bromley

 Commanding Officer, Reserve Command

14 Dec 44 Col. Richard A. Gordon

 

[page 522]

 

STATISTICS

 

Chronology

Activated 15 September 1942

Arrived ETO 2 October 1944

Arrived Continent (D+156) 9 November 1944

Entered Combat:

…First Elements 5 December 1944

…Entire Division 7 December 1944

Days in Combat 102

Casualties (Tentative)

Killed…………………………..517

Wounded…………………….2,257

Missing…………………………659

Captured………………………….3

Battle Casualties………………3,436

Non-Battle Casualties…………2,540

Total Casualties……………….5,976

Percent of T/O Strength………….56.0

Campaigns

Rhineland

Central Europe

 

Individual Awards

Distinguished Service Cross…….6

Legion of Merit…………………4

Silver Star……………………198

Soldiers Medal…………….….12

Bronze Star………………..1,199

Air Medal…………………….50

Distinguished Flying Cross……..3

 

Prisoners of War Taken…..72,243

 

COMPOSITION

Headquarters Company

Combat Command A

Combat Command B

Reserve Command

23d Tank Battalion

43d Tank Battalion

714th Tank Battalion

17th Armored Infantry Battalion

56th Armored Infantry Battalion

66th Armored Infantry Battalion

92d Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron (Mechanized)

119th Armored Engineer Battalion

152d Armored Signal Company

12th Armored Division Artillery

493d Armored Field Artillery Battalion

494th Armored Field Artillery Battalion

495th Armored Field Artillery Battalion

12th Armored Division Trains

134th Ordnance Maintenance Battalion

82d Armored Medical Battalion

Military Police Platoon

Band

 

[page 523]

 

ATTACHMENTS

 

Antiaircraft Artillery

572d AAA AW Bn (SP) 4 Dec 44-18 May 45

Armored

CC V (French 2d Armd Div) 30 Apr 45-4 May 45

Cavalry

101st Cav Gp 8 Apr 45-4 May 45
42d Rcn Tr (42d Div) 13 Apr 45-14 Apr 45

Chemical

Co A, 99th Cml Mort Bn 7 Mar 45-8 Mar 45

Engineer

206th Engr C Bn 18 Mar 45-20 Mar 45
256th Engr C Bn 14 Apr 45-21 Apr 45
290th Engr C Bn 21 Apr 45-4 May 45

Field Artillery

204th FA Gp 18 Mar 45-22 Mar 45
342d FA Bn 28 Mar 45-4 May 45
933d FA Bn (155mm How) 31 Mar 45-19 Apr 45
Hq, 36th FA Gp 1 Apr 45-19 Apr 45
937th FA Bn (155mm How) 1 Apr 45-4 May 45
935th FA Bn (4.5" Gun) 11 Apr 45-19 Apr 45
Btry A, 977th FA Bn (155mm Gun) 24 Apr 45-25 Apr 45

Infantry

1st & 2d Bns, 22d Inf (4th Div) 2 Apr 45-3 Apr 45
3d Bn, 222d Inf (42d Div) 2 Apr 45-8 Apr 45
2d Bn, 242d Inf (42d Div) 5 Apr 45-7 Apr 45
Co G, 242d Inf (42d Div) 10 Apr 45-12 Apr 45
3d Bn, 242d Inf (42d Div) 12 Apr 45-14 Apr 45
15th CT (3d Div) 24 Apr 45-25 Apr 45

Tank Destroyer

827th TD Bn (SP) 19 Dec 44-13 Feb 45

 

[page 524]

 

DETACHMENTS

(Attached to)

 

Armored

Co A, 43d Tk Bn 103d Div 5 Dec 44-7 Jan 45
Co A, 23d Tk Bn 100th Div 1 Jan 45-7 Jan 45
CC B 79th Div 7 Jan 45-15 Jan 45
714th Tk Bn 70th Div 12 Feb 45-17 Feb 45
CC A 70th Div 2 Mar 45-8 Mar 45
CC R 101st Cav Gp 2 Mar 45-8 Mar 45
Co C, 43d Tk Bn 63d Div 9 Mar 45-14 Mar 45
CC A 94th Div 22 Mar 45-24 Mar 45
CC A 42d Div 7 Apr 45-13 Apr 45

 Cavalry

92d Cav Rcn Sq Normandy Base Section 18 Nov 44-30 Nov 44
92d Cav Rcn Sq 63d Div 15 Mar 45-16 Mar 45

 Engineer

Co C, 119th Engr Bn Normandy Base Section 18 Nov 44-30 Nov 44

 Field Artillery

Btry C, 493d Armd FA Bn Normandy Base Section 18 Nov 44-30 Nov 44
493d Armd FA Bn 44th Div 5 Dec 44-7 Dec 44
494th Armd FA Bn 44th Div 5 Dec 44-7 Dec 44
495th Armd FA Bn 100th Div 5 Dec 44-7 Dec 44
493d Armd FA Bn 106th Cav Gp 23 Dec 44-2 Jan 45
495th Armd FA Bn 103d Div 26 Dec 44-2 Jan 45
494th Armd FA Bn 44th Div 26 Dec 44-6 Jan 45
495th Armd FA Bn 100th Div 2 Jan 45-6 Jan 45
493d Armd FA Bn 44th Div 2 Jan 45-6 Jan 45
493d Armd FA Bn 79th Div 7 Jan 45-14 Jan 45
495th Armd FA Bn 79th Div 7 Jan 45-14 Jan 45
495th Armd FA Bn French Algerienne 3d Inf Div 15 Jan 45-16 Jan 45
495th Armd FA Bn 36th Div 20 Jan 45-23 Jan 45
493d Armd FA Bn 36th Div 20 Jan 45-23 Jan 45
494th Armd FA Bn 36th Div 21 Jan 45-23 Jan 45
493d Armd FA Bn French Algerienne 3d Inf Div 23 Jan 45-2 Feb 45
494th Armd FA Bn French Algerienne 3d Inf Div 24 Jan 45-2 Feb 45
495th Armd FA Bn French Algerienne 3d Inf Div 24 Jan 45-2 Feb 45
493d Armd FA Bn 117th Cav Rcn Sq 2 Feb 45
494th Armd FA Bn 28th Div 4 Feb 45-9 Feb 45
495th Armd FA Bn 28th Div 7 Feb 45-10 Feb 45
494th Armd FA Bn 70th Div 10 Feb 45-13 Feb 45
493d Armd FA Bn 44th Div 10 Feb 45-16 Feb 45
495th Armd FA Bn 70th Div 11 Feb 45-12 Feb 45
495th Armd FA Bn 44th Div 13 Feb 45-16 Feb 45
494th Armd FA Bn 44th Div 14 Feb 45-16 Feb 45
494th Armd FA Bn 70th Div 17 Feb 45-9 Mar 45
495th Armd FA Bn 70th Div 17 Feb 45-9 Mar 45
493d Armd FA Bn 70th Div 13 Mar 45-17 Mar 45
494th Armd FA Bn 70th Div 13 Mar 45-17 Mar 45
495th Armd FA Bn 70th Div 13 Mar 45-17 Mar 45

 

[pages 524-526]

 

ASSIGNMENT AND ATTACHMENT TO HIGHER UNITS

 

DATE CORPS ARMY ARMY GROUP
Assigned Attached Assigned Attached
7 Oct 44     UK Base ETOUSA  
13 Nov 44   Ninth (-) 12th  
5 Dec 44 XV Operations Seventh   6th  
27 Dec 44 XXI Operations Seventh   6th  
30 Dec 44 (-) Seventh   6th  
3 Jan 45 XV Seventh   6th  
6 Jan 45 VI Seventh   6th  
3 Feb 45 XXI Seventh   6th  
11 Feb 45 XV Seventh   6th  
28 Feb 45 XXI Seventh   6th  
17 Mar 45 XX Operations Seventh Third 6th 12th
24 Mar 45 XXI Seventh (-) 6th (-)
26 Mar 45 XV Seventh   6th  
31 Mar 45 XXI Seventh   6th  
4 May 45 (-) Seventh   6th  

 

(-) indicates relieved from assignment

 

[page 527]

 

COMMAND POSTS

 

DATE TOWN REGION COUNTRY
2 Oct 44 Liverpool Lancashire England
5 Oct 44 Tidworth Barracks Wiltshire England
17 Nov 44 Auffay Seine-Inferieure France
2 Dec 44 Luneville Meruthe-et-Moselle France
5 Dec 44 Kirberg Bas-Rhin France
7 Dec 44 Domfessel Bas-Rhin France
14 Dec 44 Rahling Bas-Rhin France
16 Dec 44 Rimsdorf Bas-Rhin France
18 Dec 44 Rahling Bas-Rhin France
26 Dec 44 Albestroff Moselle France
29 Dec 44 Dieuze Moselle France
8 Jan 45 Hochfelden Bas-Rhin France
15 Jan 45 Brumath Bas-Rhin France
20 Jan 45 Hochfelden Bas-Rhin France
25 Jan 45 Ittenheim Bas-Rhin France
3 Feb 45 Zellenberg Haut-Rhin France
4 Feb 45 Colmar Haut-Rhin France
7 Feb 45 Wintzenheim Haut-Rhin France
11 Feb 45 Faulquemont Moselle France
18 Feb 45 Faulquemont (2 miles northwest) Moselle France
17 Mar 45 Apach Moselle France
18 Mar 45 Hermeskief Rhineland Germany
18 Mar 45 Brucken Rhineland Germany
19 Mar 45 Baumholden Rhineland Germany
21 Mar 45 Sausenheim Pfalz Germany
22 Mar 45 Mutterstadt Pfalz Germany
24 mar 45 Deidesheim Pfalz Germany
28 Mar 45 Lorsch Hessen Germany
29 Mar 45 Beerfelden Bavaria Germany
30 Mar 45 Amorbach Bavaria Germany
31 Mar 45 Hardheim Baden Germany
31 Mar 45 Paimar Baden Germany
3 Apr 45 Giebelstadt Bavaria Germany
10 Apr 45 Kitzingen (airfield) Bavaria Germany
14 Apr 45 Uffenheim Bavaria Germany
16 Apr 45 Illesheim Bavaria Germany
18 Apr 45 Oberdachstetten Bavaria Germany
20 Apr 45 Ansbach Wurttemberg Germany
21 Apr 45 Dinkelsbuhl Wurttemberg Germany
22 Apr 45 Bopfingen Wurttemberg Germany
24 Apr 45 Dillingen Bavaria Germany
27 Apr 45 Ziemetshausen Bavaria Germany
28 Apr 45 Schwabmunchen Bavaria Germany
29 Apr 45 Landsberg Bavaria Germany
1 May 45 Murnau Bavaria Germany
2 May 45 Redenfelden Bavaria Germany
5 May 45 Heidenheim Wurttemberg Germany

 

[pages 528 (through 18 Mar 45)-530 (beginning 1 May 45)]