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
DATE	CORPS	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]

Return to Table of Contents