4th Armored Division (United States)

Badge of the 4th US Armored Division

The 4th Armored Division ( German 4th US Armored Division ; nickname: Name Enough or Patton's Vanguard ) was one of the large armored units that emerged in the wake of the worsening danger of war in the early 1940s when the US Army expanded . After arriving in the European theater of war, the Panzer Division took part in various battles, earning its reputation as General George S. Patton's spearhead. The missions in Lorraine and the Ardennes stand out from the history of operations . Set up in April 1941, the 4th US Armored Division followed the 1st and 2nd US Armored Divisions (both in 1940, the 3rd US Armored Division was set up at the same time).

Line up and training

In response to developments in Europe and the escalating tensions in Asia, the US Army was significantly enlarged. The experience of the European theater of war showed that mobile warfare with large tank units had gained significantly in importance after the First World War - and to which one had to react in the USA. As a result, the army command set up several large armored units within a few months, including the 4th US Armored Division on April 15, 1941 (at the same time as the 3rd US Armored Division / Camp Beauregard) in Pine Camp .

The workforce came from the 1st US Armored Division , especially among the officers , but also from cavalry units. Unlike infantry divisions, whose teams often shared common regional origins, the US Army recruited personnel for the US armored division from across the country in the first few weeks after it was set up.

The 4th US Armored Division began actual training at the end of May 1941, when the original workforce had risen from around 3,800 to over 10,000 at the time of formation. The first few months were mainly characterized by shortages, at the beginning the division had only 20 vehicles, which is why, among other things, tank dummies were used. The first significant event for the 4th Armored Division was a change of command. Maj. Gen. Henry W. Baird - division commander until May 1942 - retired from military service and was replaced by Maj. Gen. John S. Wood replaced. This familiarized the division with mobile warfare and its challenges in several maneuvers (including in Tennessee and California ).

In the fall of 1943, the 4th US Panzer Division was reorganized and reduced to a workforce of just under 10,940 men (the original size of the US Panzer Division was 14,500 men). For this purpose, the US Army dissolved the two existing tank regiments (only the 2nd and 3rd Panzer Divisions retained the old organization) and formed three tank battalions (consisting of three companies of medium battle tanks and one company of light battle tanks). Overall, the nominal strength per battalion was 53 tanks and 729 men. In parallel to the tank regiments, the organization of the divisional infantry was also changed. Three battalions, each with a nominal strength of 1,001 men (equipped with M3 troop transports ), were formed from the infantry regiment . Embarked for Europe at the end of December 1943, the 4th US Armored Division reached Great Britain on January 8, 1944, where the division was based in the county of Wiltshire.

Organization and equipment

Originally, the 4th US Armored Division consisted of two tank regiments and one armored infantry regiment, each supported by an engineer and reconnaissance battalion and an intelligence company. Furthermore, the armored division was under the division's own artillery and transport units.

After the restructuring in September 1943, the division was subordinate to three tank and infantry battalions, three battalions of divisional artillery, transport units and engineers, a telecommunications and reconnaissance department. In addition, various units such as the 704th anti-tank battalion were subordinate to the Panzer Division at various times.

The organization of the US armored divisions in action has a special feature - the combination of individual troop units to form the so-called Combat Command. These are large tactical units under the division, which generally consisted of a mix of tank and infantry troops and were supported by reconnaissance, artillery, anti-aircraft and anti-tank units . Each Combat Command should be able to react as a unit to the challenges on the battlefield. The headquarters of the 4th Armored Division were under the Combat Command A (CCA), Combat Command B (CCB) and Combat Command R (CCR; reserve).

M-4A1 Sherman tank

In the beginning, the light tank M3 Stuart formed the backbone of the light tank company. This was later replaced by the M5 and from 1945 by the M24 Chaffee . As a standard tank, the 4th US Armored Division used the M4 Sherman in various versions. In the USA, for example, the division worked with the M4A3, but in Great Britain was equipped with the earlier version (M4A1). In the course of the war, the 4th US Armored Division also received improved variants, such as the M4A3E8. The division's infantry battalions were equipped with M3 half-tracks. Their arsenal consisted of submachine guns ( Thompson , Grease Gun ), M1 Garand and M1 Carbine rifles , machine guns (.30 and .50 caliber machine guns) and bazookas . In the divisional artillery, the M7 self-propelled gun (each battalion with a nominal strength of 18 guns ) was used. In addition, various other military vehicles, such as the M8 Greyhound as a wheel-driven reconnaissance vehicle, are used.

Organization:

Division headquarters
Panzer Divisions:

8th Tank Battalion (Btn)
35. Tank Btn
37. Tank Btn

Infantry Divisions:

10. Armored Infantry Btn
51. Armored Infantry Btn
53. Armored Infantry Btn

Support troops:

25th Cavalry Rcn Sq (Mecz)
24th Armored Engineer Btn
144th Armored Signal Co

Divisional artillery:

22d Armored FA Btn
66th Armored FA Btn
94th Armored FA Btn

Baggage train:

126th Ordnance Maintenance Btn
4th Armored Medical Btn
Military Police Platoon Band

Use in World War II

The 4th US Armored Division did not take part in the landing operations for the Normandy landing ; it was only shipped to France in mid-July 1944. Units of the division reached the continent on July 13, and the division took up its first positions on July 17 along the front south of Carentan .

The 4th US Panzer Division was baptized by fire on the evening of July 18, when parts of the 53rd Armored Infantry Bn faced a counterattack by the 2nd SS Division "Das Reich" . The front could only be stabilized again when the 10th Armored Infantry Bn intervened. Subordinated to the VIII. Corps, the division took part in the breakout of the US forces from Normandy ( Operation Cobra ) from July 28, 1944 . The 4th US Armored Division played a decisive role in the capture of Coutances and Avranches . From here the division advanced via Rennes to Brittany and reached the Châteaubriant – Lorient line between August 4th and 7th. Five days later, with the support of the French resistance, the division's CCA was able to take the city of Nantes . From August 13, 1944, the division was under the XII. Corps with which the 4th US Armored Division moved via Orléans and Troyes (was reached by the CCA on August 25, 1944) towards the German border. On August 31, parts of the division reached the Meuse at Commercy .

As an association in the XII. Corps, the 4th US Armored Division took part in the Battle of Nancy from September 5th to 15th. After successful crossings over the Moselle at Dieutouard and north of Luneville, the combat groups of the Nancy division were able to enclose on September 14th - except for a small corridor. After crossing the Moselle, the 4th US Armored Division was confronted with a counter-attack by the 5th Armored Army (Battle of Arracourt; September 18-19). Although numerically superior, the German attack failed due to tactical errors, but also because of the Allies' air superiority. After a relatively quiet phase in October 1944, the division resumed combat in November and advanced towards the Saar. The division was in service here until early December 1944.

Situation in Bastogne between December 19 and 23, 1944

The beginning of the Battle of the Bulge helped the 4th US Armored Division to become famous. From December 19, 1944 the III. Subordinated to the Corps , the division covered more than 250 kilometers in a forced march. On December 22nd, combat groups of the division attacked the ring around the strategically important city of Bastogne in the direction of Martelange from the Léglise – Arlon staging area. Although there were only a few kilometers between Bastogne and the starting point of the relief attempt, it took the 4th US Armored Division until December 26th to open a corridor to the trapped troops in Bastogne. After the successful breakthrough, the division operated in the last months of the war from Luxembourg in the direction of Trier and Worms and advanced across the Rhine at the end of March. By the end of the war, the division reached the Czech river Otava .

After the end of the war, the 4th US Armored Division remained in Germany until spring 1946 (last stationed in Hanover), officially returned to the USA on April 25, 1946 and was taken out of active service only one day later.

Cold War

The 4th Armored Division was reactivated in 1954 and came in 1957 as part of Operation Gyroscope by West Germany for the 7th US Army ( VII. US Corps ) with headquarters in Göppingen , Cooke Barracks. In 1971 the 4th US Armored Division was redesignated as the 1st US Armored Division .

Commanders of the 4th US Armored Division

April 15, 1941 - May 1942	Maj. Gen. Henry W. Baird
May 1942 - January 11, 1944	Maj. Gen. John S. Wood
December 3, 1944	Maj. Gen. Hugh J. Gaffey
February 21, 1945	Col. Walter A. Bigby
February 25, 1945	Brig. Gen. Holmes E. Dager
March 1, 1945	Maj. Gen. Hugh J. Gaffey
March 21, 1945	Brig. Gen. William H. Hoge
June 1945	Maj. Gen. Bruce L. Clarke
July - September 1945	Brig. Gen. William Lyn. Roberts

Awards given to members of the division

Medal of Honor	3
DSC (Distinguished Service Cross)	45
DSM (Distinguished Service Medal)	3
DFC (Distinguished Flying Cross)	7th
Legion of Merit	27
Silver Star	757
Soldiers Medal	12
Soldiers Medal	12
Bronze star	3,918
Air Medal	95

Web links

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Fox, Don M. (2003). Patton's Vanguard: The United States Army Fourth Armored Division Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Co.