8th ARMORED DIVISION

 

"Thundering Herd"

 

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 490]

COMMAND AND STAFF

Commanding General

21 Nov 44 Brig. Gen. John M. Devine
3 May 45 Maj. Gen. John M. Devine

Artillery Commander

21 Nov 44 Col. Henry W. Holt

Chief of Staff

21 Nov 44 Col. Charles G. Dodge

Assistant Chief of Staff G-1

21 Nov 44 Lt. Col. Lawrence L. Boyd

Assistant Chief of Staff G-2

21 Nov 44 Lt. Col. Emmet R. White
3 May 45 Maj. Henry C. Schraeder

Assistant Chief of Staff G-3

21 Nov 44 Lt. Col. William S. Crittendon
4 Mar 45 Lt. Col. Edwin H. Burba
11 Apr 45 Lt. Col. Edward Y. Podufaly

Assistant Chief of Staff G-4

21 Nov 44 Lt. Col. Harold N. Lang

Assistant Chief of Staff G-5

16 Jan 45 Maj. Robert C. Polsgrove

Adjutant General

21 Nov 44 Lt. Col. David L. Hairston

Commanding Officer, Combat Command A

21 Nov 44 Brig. Gen. Charles P. Colson

Commanding Officer, Combat Command B

21 Nov 44 Col. Edward Kimball
11 Apr 45 Lt. Col. Edwin H. Burba

Commanding Officer, Reserve Command

21 Nov 44 Col. Robert J. Wallace
6 Apr 45 Col. Yarrow D. Vesely

 

[page 491]

 

STATISTICS

 

Chronology

Activated 1 April 1942
Arrived ETO 21 November 1944
Arrived Continent (D+213) 6 January 1945
Entered Combat--First Elements 19 January 1945
Entered Combat--Entire Division 23 February 45
Days in Combat 63

 

Casualties (Tentative)

Killed 260
Wounded 1,015
Missing 38
Captured  
Battle Casualties 1,313
Non-Battle Casualties 1,141
Total Casualties 2,454
Percent of T/O Strength 23.0

 

Campaigns

Ardennes

Rhineland

Central Europe

 

Individual Awards

Legion of Merit 3
Silver Star 149
Bronze Star 560
Air Medal 27

 

Prisoners of War Taken………………35,494

 

COMPOSITION

Headquarters Company

Combat Command A

Combat Command B

Reserve Command

18th Tank Battalion

36th Tank Battalion

80th Tank Battalion

7th Armored Infantry Battalion

49th Armored Infantry Battalion

58th Armored Infantry Battalion

88th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron (Mechanized)

53d Armored Engineer Battalion

148th Armored Signal Company

8th Armored Division Artillery

398th Armored Field Artillery Battalion

399th Armored Field Artillery Battalion

405th Armored Field Artillery Battalion

8th Armored Division Trains

130th Ordnance Maintenance Battalion

78th Armored Medical Battalion

Military Police Platoon

Band

 

[page 492]

 

ATTACHMENTS

Antiaircraft Artillery

467th AAA AW Bn (SP) 15 Jan 45-1 Feb 45
473d AAA AW Bn (SP) 6 Feb 45-6 May 45

Armored

10th Armd Gp 6 Feb 45-7 Feb 45
691st Tk Bn 21 Feb 45-28 Feb 45
10th Armd Gp 28 Feb 45-5 Mar 45

Chemical

Co C, 92d Cml Mort Bn 2 Apr 45-8 Apr 45

Engineer

999th Engr Treadway Br Co 27 Feb 45-29 Mar 45
989th Engr Treadway Br Co 10 Mar 45-15 Mar 45

Field Artillery

691st FA Bn (105mm How) 21 Feb 45-27 Feb 45
407th FA Bn 28 Feb 45-5 Mar 45
275th Armd FA Bn 27 Mar 45-31 Mar 45
695th FA Bn 27 Mar 45-31 Mar 45
215th FA Bn (155mm How) 27 Mar 45-31 Mar 45
681st FA Bn 4 Apr 45-10 Apr 45
959th FA Bn (4.5" Gun) 5 Apr 45-10 Apr 45

Infantry

290th CT (- 1st Bn) (75th Div) 27 Mar 45-30 Mar 45
1st Bn, 290th Inf (75th Div) 27 Mar 45-31 Mar 45

Tank Destroyer

809th TD Bn (SP) 9 Feb 45-14 Mar 45

 

[page 493]

 

DETACHMENTS

(Attached to)

 

Armored

CC A 94th Div 18 Jan 45-27 Jan 45
CC B 35th Div 4 Mar 45-11 Mar 45
Co C, 18th Tk Bn 35th Div 9 Mar 45-10 Mar 45
Co D, 18th Tk Bn 30th Div 17 Mar 45-26 Mar 45
CC B XIX Corps 14 Apr 45-18 Apr 45
CC A XIX Corps 16 Apr 45-18 Apr 45

Cavalry

88th Cav Rcn Sq 35th Div 5 Mar 45-8 Mar 45
Co D, 88th Cav Rcn Sq 79th Div 17 Mar 45-26 Mar 45

Field Artillery

8th Armd Div Arty XVI Corps 8 Feb 45-18 Feb 45
8th Armd Div Arty 79th Div 20 Mar 45-26 Mar 45

 

[pages 493-494]

 

ASSIGNMENT AND ATTACHMENT TO HIGHER UNITS

DATE CORPS ARMY ARMY GROUP
Assigned Attached Assigned Attached
7 Nov 44     UK Base ETOUSA  
2 Jan 45       12th  
5 Jan 45     Oise Sec Com Z (Sup) 12th  
8 Jan 45   Fifteenth   12th  
12 Jan 45   Fifteenth Third 12th  
23 Jan 45   (-) Third 12th  
1 Feb 45 XVI Ninth (-) 12th Br 21st
3 Feb 45 XVI Ninth   12th Br 21st
1 Apr 45 XIX Ninth   12th Br 21st
4 Apr 45 XIX Ninth   12th (-)
9 Apr 45 XVI Ninth   12th  
12 Apr 45 (-) Ninth   12th  
15 Apr 45 XIX Ninth   12th  

 

(-) Indicates relieved from assignment.

 

[page 495]

 

COMMAND POSTS

 

DATE TOWN REGION COUNTRY
1 Dec 44 Tidworth Wiltshire England
4 Jan 45 Crossing Channel    
11 Jan 45 Bacqueville Manche France
14 Jan 45 Pont-a-Mousson Meurthe-et-Moselle France
3 Feb 45 Heerlen Limburg Netherlands
4 Feb 45 Simpelveld Limburg Netherlands
21 Feb 45 Echt Limburg Netherlands
28 Feb 45 Huckelhoven Rhineland Germany
2 Mar 45 Klinkum Rhineland Germany
3 Mar 45 Hinsbeck Rhineland Germany
6 Mar 45 Grefrath Rhineland Germany
23 Mar 45 Bruckenhausen Rhineland Germany
26 Mar 45 Friedrichsfeld Rhineland Germany
27 Mar 45 Kirchellen Westphalia Germany
30 Mar 45 Zweickel Westphalia Germany
2 Apr 45 Selm Westphalia Germany
4 Apr 45 Delbruck Westphalia Germany
6 Apr 45 Monninghausen Westphalia Germany
7 Apr 45 Erwitte Westphalia Germany
8 Apr 45 Soest Westphalia Germany
10 Apr 45 Werl Westphalia Germany
14 Apr 45 Wolfenbuttel Westphalia Germany
20 Apr 45 Halberstadt Westphalia Germany
23 Apr 45 Osterode Westphalia Germany
26 Apr 45 Gottingen Westphalia Germany

 

[pages 496 (through 14 Apr 45)-497]