628th Tank Destroyer Battalion
Encyclopedia
The 628th Tank Destroyer Battalion was a tank destroyer battalion
of the United States Army
active during the Second World War. It was redesignated the 628th Tank Battalion
after the end of the war, and today exists as the 103rd Armor Regiment
.
. The 628th remained in the United States until January 1944, when it was shipped to the United Kingdom aboard the Aquitania
. From 11 April to 5 July, it operated three marshaling camps in southern England, providing accommodation and administration for combat troops of the 1st and the 29th Divisions being prepared for the Normandy landings.
The battalion landed in Normandy on 30 July, equipped with M10 Wolverine
s. After a brief period in camp, it was attached to the newly arrived 5th Armored Division, and began operations on 2 August, with first contact with an enemy force on 4 August. In order to co-operate more closely with the 5th Armored, the battalion was split up, with one company going to each of the division's Combat Command
s.
The force moved south through Avranches
and then southwest to Le Mans
, before pushing north on 10 August to help close the Falaise Pocket
. On 11 August a Panzer IV
was destroyed, the first of the battalion's tank kills, and the same night, the rearguard of Company A encountered a German column, and in a close-range action accounted for eight vehicles and 240 enemy troops; a sergeant of the company received both the Silver Star
and the Croix de Guerre
for this action, giving the battalion its first tank kill and its first combat decoration on the same day.
The battalion headed eastwards on 15 August, briefly crossing the Eure River
on the 17th. The commanding officer, Lt. Col. Hernandez, was killed on 20 August whilst observing indirect fire, and succeeded by his executive officer, Major Gallagher; in the same action, two Panzer V tanks were destroyed for the loss of one M10, the first tank destroyer lost in action by the battalion. After operating along the Seine for several days, the battalion withdrew southeast to rest on the 25th.
On 27, 5 August Armored was detached from the XV Corps
and ordered to drive east to the Belgian border; the battalion left camp on the 30th and, passing through Paris, arrived on the border late on the night of 2 September. The battalion was reorganized and attached in its entirety to Combat Command R, before the division moved south to Sedan
and eastwards to Luxembourg
, crossing the border on 9 September and arriving at the German border on the 11th.
fortifications around Wallendorf
, aiming to push through to Bitburg
. The first elements of the battalion crossed onto German soil on the 13th, with the remainder of the battalion crossing on the 15th and establishing a command post six miles inside Germany. The battalion came under a strong counter-attack on the 17th, with Lt. Rennbaum of B Company receiving the Distinguished Service Cross
for his work in evacuating his platoon under heavy fire.
The 19th saw further intensification of the fighting, with artillery fire rising to the point where it was decided to withdraw all units back across the river into Luxembourg; the last element of the battalion left Germany at 5 am on the 20th. In this final day of combat, eleven German tanks were definitely destroyed by the battalion, with a further seven probably destroyed but not confirmed.
Through October and November 1944, the battalion remained in defensive positions, moving northwards to Faymonville
in eastern Belgium in early October. Throughout this time, it mostly carried out indirect fire missions; Company C, attached to Combat Command B, was deployed for the attack on Aachen
, but not committed to combat. The battalion moved eastwards into Germany, billeted near Kalterherberg, in late October; shortly thereafter, on 1 November, the battalion was re-equipped with new M36 Jackson
tank destroyers.
In late November, Combat Command R, along with Company C, was detached from the 5th Armored to provide support to the 8th Infantry Division in the Battle of Hurtgen Forest
; on 3 December, Combat Command A, with Company A, was likewise attached to the 4th Infantry, with both very heavy fighting – at one point, Company C was reduced to only one M-36 out of twelve able to operate. The battalion was strafed by ME-109s on the 3rd; two were downed by anti-aircraft fire, the first aircraft the battalion had destroyed. On the 8th, plans were made to pull the battalion out of the line to prepare for a crossing of the Roer River, with companies B and C remaining in action for the time being.
was becoming clear; the battalion was immediately ordered to provide anti-paratroop patrols along the divisional supply lines, and on the 19th was detached from the 5th Armored and attached to the 78th Infantry Division in XIX Corps
, north of the main offensive area.
On 23 December, when it became apparent that the line north of the "bulge" was stable, the battalion was detached from the 78th Division and attached to 3rd Armored Division in VII Corps, deployed on the northern side of the German salient; it arrived in place in the early afternoon of the 24th, and took up defensive positions. After a brief encounter with German infantry on the 24th, combat began in the early hours of Christmas Day; a tank destroyer of Company B knocked out two Panther tank
s at 25 yards range, causing the opposing force to withdraw and avoid the area. The battalion remained on the defensive until the 3rd Armored was withdrawn into reserve, and on 1 January was attached to the 82nd Airborne Division for eleven days to help clear the area west of the Salm River; during this period, the battalion lost four M36s and fourteen men, destroying six tanks – including two Tiger II
tanks.
On 27 January the battalion was once again attached to its old partner, the 5th Armored Division, and joined them to rest and prepare for a crossing of the Roer River; Company A was detached to join the divisional artillery, and during the four weeks of preparations fired two thousand rounds of indirect fire. On 23 February the attack began, with Company B crossing the Roer at Linnich
on the 25th, and the remainder of the battalion following the next day. The division then swung northwards through the Rhineland
, reaching the west bank of the Rhine on 10 March. From the 13th to the 29th, the battalion fired 1500 rounds of harassing fire at targets in the Ruhr
, on the far bank.
On 30 March the companies were assigned to combat commands in preparation for offensive operations, and crossed the river on the 31st, over a pontoon bridge at Wessel
; the final breakout had begun. On 2 April, the division bypassed Münster
, arriving at the Wesser River shortly thereafter and pausing until 8 April, when the river was crossed at Hamelin
. The division moved north-east, passing to the south of Hannover and reaching the River Elbe on the 11th.
Whilst the division was consolidating its position on the west bank, intelligence reports suggested that the Clausewitz Panzer Division
had broken out from the Berlin area, and was heading south in order to cut American supply lines and join up with other units in the Hartz Mountains
. In order to counter this threat, the division moved west, leaving Combat Command A (with Company A) to cover the Elbe. A divisional supply train was ambushed on the 16th, losing several vehicles; among them was a truck from the battalion, carrying the unit standard. This, however, was recaptured the next day. On the 23rd, a Panzer V tank was knocked out, the fifty-sixth and final tank destroyed by the battalion.
After two weeks of mopping-up operations, the region was deemed clear, and the companies reverted to battalion command on 25 April; the following day, the battalion moved to take up occupation duties in the Peine region
of Lower Saxony
, where it was located at the end of the war.
By the end of the war, the Battalion had accounted for 60 tanks and self-propelled guns, as well as 30 pieces of artillery and over a hundred other vehicles, with over 1200 enemy killed and 1500 prisoners taken.
. In May 1946 it was redesignated as the 628th Tank Battalion
, under which title it saw service in Europe for three years during the 1950s. In 1959 it joined with elements of the 110th Infantry Regiment and the 108th and 166th Field Artillery Battalions to form the 103rd Armor Regiment
, a parent regiment
in the Combat Arms Regimental System.
Tank destroyer battalion (United States)
The tank destroyer battalion was a type of unit used by the United States Army during World War II. The unit was organized in one of two different forms—a towed battalion equipped with anti-tank guns, or a self-propelled battalion equipped with armored tank destroyers. U.S. Army doctrine held that...
of the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
active during the Second World War. It was redesignated the 628th Tank Battalion
628th Tank Battalion (United States)
The 628th Tank Battalion was an armored battalion of the United States Army active during the Cold War, formed in 1946 and merged into the 103rd Armor Regiment in 1959....
after the end of the war, and today exists as the 103rd Armor Regiment
103rd Armor Regiment (United States)
The 103rd Armor Regiment is an armored regiment in the Pennsylvania National Guard first formed in 1941.-Lineage:Constituted 3 December 1941 in the Army of the United States as the 628th Tank Destroyer Battalion...
.
Early service
The battalion was formed in early 1941 as the 28th Infantry Division Provisional Antitank Battalion, and on 15 December was redesignated as the 628th Tank Destroyer Battalion, in line with the reorganization of the anti-tank force. During training, in 1943, the battalion provided a cadre to form the nucleus of the 648th Tank Destroyer Battalion648th Tank Destroyer Battalion
The 648th Tank Destroyer Battalion was a tank destroyer battalion of the United States Army active during the Second World War.The battalion was activated at Camp Bowie on 6 March 1943, formed around a cadre drawn from the 628th Tank Destroyer Battalion...
. The 628th remained in the United States until January 1944, when it was shipped to the United Kingdom aboard the Aquitania
RMS Aquitania
RMS Aquitania was a Cunard Line ocean liner designed by Leonard Peskett and built by John Brown & Company in Clydebank, Scotland. She was launched on 21 April 1913 and sailed on her maiden voyage to New York on 30 May 1914...
. From 11 April to 5 July, it operated three marshaling camps in southern England, providing accommodation and administration for combat troops of the 1st and the 29th Divisions being prepared for the Normandy landings.
France
M10 Wolverine
The M10 tank destroyer, formally 3-inch Gun Motor Carriage, M10 was a United States tank destroyer of World War II based on the chassis of the M4 Sherman tank. It was numerically the most important U.S...
s. After a brief period in camp, it was attached to the newly arrived 5th Armored Division, and began operations on 2 August, with first contact with an enemy force on 4 August. In order to co-operate more closely with the 5th Armored, the battalion was split up, with one company going to each of the division's Combat Command
Combat command
A Combat Command was a combined-arms military organization of comparable size to a brigade or regiment employed by armored forces of the U.S. Army from 1942 until 1963...
s.
The force moved south through Avranches
Avranches
Avranches is a commune in the Manche department in the Basse-Normandie region in north-western France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department. The inhabitants are called Avranchinais.-History:...
and then southwest to Le Mans
Le Mans
Le Mans is a city in France, located on the Sarthe River. Traditionally the capital of the province of Maine, it is now the capital of the Sarthe department and the seat of the Roman Catholic diocese of Le Mans. Le Mans is a part of the Pays de la Loire region.Its inhabitants are called Manceaux...
, before pushing north on 10 August to help close the Falaise Pocket
Falaise pocket
The battle of the Falaise Pocket, fought during the Second World War from 12 to 21 August 1944, was the decisive engagement of the Battle of Normandy...
. On 11 August a Panzer IV
Panzer IV
The Panzerkampfwagen IV , commonly known as the Panzer IV, was a medium tank developed in Nazi Germany in the late 1930s and used extensively during the Second World War. Its ordnance inventory designation was Sd.Kfz...
was destroyed, the first of the battalion's tank kills, and the same night, the rearguard of Company A encountered a German column, and in a close-range action accounted for eight vehicles and 240 enemy troops; a sergeant of the company received both the Silver Star
Silver Star
The Silver Star is the third-highest combat military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States armed forces for valor in the face of the enemy....
and the Croix de Guerre
Croix de guerre
The Croix de guerre is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was awarded during World War I, again in World War II, and in other conflicts...
for this action, giving the battalion its first tank kill and its first combat decoration on the same day.
The battalion headed eastwards on 15 August, briefly crossing the Eure River
Eure River
The Eure is a river in northern France, left tributary of the Seine. It rises at Marchainville in the Orne département and joins the Seine near Pont-de-l'Arche...
on the 17th. The commanding officer, Lt. Col. Hernandez, was killed on 20 August whilst observing indirect fire, and succeeded by his executive officer, Major Gallagher; in the same action, two Panzer V tanks were destroyed for the loss of one M10, the first tank destroyer lost in action by the battalion. After operating along the Seine for several days, the battalion withdrew southeast to rest on the 25th.
On 27, 5 August Armored was detached from the XV Corps
XV Corps (United States)
The XV Corps of the US Army was initially constituted on 1 October 1933 as part of the Organized Reserves, and was activated on 15 February 1943 at Camp Beauregard, Louisiana. During the Second World War, XV Corps fought for 307 days in the European Theater of Operations, fighting from Normandy...
and ordered to drive east to the Belgian border; the battalion left camp on the 30th and, passing through Paris, arrived on the border late on the night of 2 September. The battalion was reorganized and attached in its entirety to Combat Command R, before the division moved south to Sedan
Sedan, France
Sedan is a commune in France, a sub-prefecture of the Ardennes department in northern France.-Geography:The historic centre is built on a peninsula formed by an arc of the Meuse River. It is around from the Belgian border.-History:...
and eastwards to Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
, crossing the border on 9 September and arriving at the German border on the 11th.
Siegfried Line
On the 13th, the division began to push against the Siegfried LineSiegfried Line
The original Siegfried line was a line of defensive forts and tank defences built by Germany as a section of the Hindenburg Line 1916–1917 in northern France during World War I...
fortifications around Wallendorf
Wallendorf
Wallendorf is a municipality in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate, on the Sauer river. It was first mentioned in an old document from 1136 as "Vualcheresdorf". Wallendorf has 388 inhabitants. It is located on the German side of a bridge connecting it to the Luxembourgish town of...
, aiming to push through to Bitburg
Bitburg
Bitburg It is situated approx. 25 km north-west of Trier, and 50 km north-east of Luxembourg . One American airbase, Spangdahlem Air Base, is located nearby.-History:...
. The first elements of the battalion crossed onto German soil on the 13th, with the remainder of the battalion crossing on the 15th and establishing a command post six miles inside Germany. The battalion came under a strong counter-attack on the 17th, with Lt. Rennbaum of B Company receiving the Distinguished Service Cross
Distinguished Service Cross (United States)
The Distinguished Service Cross is the second highest military decoration that can be awarded to a member of the United States Army, for extreme gallantry and risk of life in actual combat with an armed enemy force. Actions that merit the Distinguished Service Cross must be of such a high degree...
for his work in evacuating his platoon under heavy fire.
The 19th saw further intensification of the fighting, with artillery fire rising to the point where it was decided to withdraw all units back across the river into Luxembourg; the last element of the battalion left Germany at 5 am on the 20th. In this final day of combat, eleven German tanks were definitely destroyed by the battalion, with a further seven probably destroyed but not confirmed.
Through October and November 1944, the battalion remained in defensive positions, moving northwards to Faymonville
Faymonville
Faymonville is a town in Liège, Belgium, part of the municipality of Waimes. Its inhabitants are nicknamed the "Turks" by the neighbouring towns and villages. It is believed that the inhabitants refused to join the crusades against the Ottoman Empire in the 16th century, and were called as Turks...
in eastern Belgium in early October. Throughout this time, it mostly carried out indirect fire missions; Company C, attached to Combat Command B, was deployed for the attack on Aachen
Aachen
Aachen has historically been a spa town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Aachen was a favoured residence of Charlemagne, and the place of coronation of the Kings of Germany. Geographically, Aachen is the westernmost town of Germany, located along its borders with Belgium and the Netherlands, ...
, but not committed to combat. The battalion moved eastwards into Germany, billeted near Kalterherberg, in late October; shortly thereafter, on 1 November, the battalion was re-equipped with new M36 Jackson
M36 Jackson
The M36 tank destroyer, formally 90 mm Gun Motor Carriage, M36, was an American tank destroyer used during World War II. American soldiers usually referred to them as TDs for 'tank destroyers'...
tank destroyers.
In late November, Combat Command R, along with Company C, was detached from the 5th Armored to provide support to the 8th Infantry Division in the Battle of Hurtgen Forest
Battle of Hurtgen Forest
The Battle of Hürtgen Forest is the name given to the series of fierce battles fought between U.S. and German forces during World War II in the Hürtgen Forest, which became the longest battle on German ground during World War II, and the longest single battle the U.S. Army has ever fought...
; on 3 December, Combat Command A, with Company A, was likewise attached to the 4th Infantry, with both very heavy fighting – at one point, Company C was reduced to only one M-36 out of twelve able to operate. The battalion was strafed by ME-109s on the 3rd; two were downed by anti-aircraft fire, the first aircraft the battalion had destroyed. On the 8th, plans were made to pull the battalion out of the line to prepare for a crossing of the Roer River, with companies B and C remaining in action for the time being.
Battle of the Bulge
On 17 December, the scale of the German offensive in the ArdennesBattle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive , launched toward the end of World War II through the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Wallonia in Belgium, hence its French name , and France and...
was becoming clear; the battalion was immediately ordered to provide anti-paratroop patrols along the divisional supply lines, and on the 19th was detached from the 5th Armored and attached to the 78th Infantry Division in XIX Corps
XIX Corps (United States)
XIX Corps started as the III Armored Corps at Camp Polk, Louisiana on 20 August 1942 under the command of Major General Willis D. Crittenberger....
, north of the main offensive area.
On 23 December, when it became apparent that the line north of the "bulge" was stable, the battalion was detached from the 78th Division and attached to 3rd Armored Division in VII Corps, deployed on the northern side of the German salient; it arrived in place in the early afternoon of the 24th, and took up defensive positions. After a brief encounter with German infantry on the 24th, combat began in the early hours of Christmas Day; a tank destroyer of Company B knocked out two Panther tank
Panther tank
Panther is the common name of a medium tank fielded by Nazi Germany in World War II that served from mid-1943 to the end of the European war in 1945. It was intended as a counter to the T-34, and to replace the Panzer III and Panzer IV; while never replacing the latter, it served alongside it as...
s at 25 yards range, causing the opposing force to withdraw and avoid the area. The battalion remained on the defensive until the 3rd Armored was withdrawn into reserve, and on 1 January was attached to the 82nd Airborne Division for eleven days to help clear the area west of the Salm River; during this period, the battalion lost four M36s and fourteen men, destroying six tanks – including two Tiger II
Tiger II
Tiger II is the common name of a German heavy tank of the Second World War. The final official German designation was Panzerkampfwagen Tiger Ausf. B,Panzerkampfwagen – abbr: Pz. or Pz.Kfw. Ausführung – abbr: Ausf. .The full titles Panzerkampfwagen Tiger Ausf...
tanks.
Advance into Germany
On 11 January the battalion was attached to the 75th Infantry Division, but left them on the 16th, without having made contact with the enemy, and moved into XVIII Airborne Corps Reserve.On 27 January the battalion was once again attached to its old partner, the 5th Armored Division, and joined them to rest and prepare for a crossing of the Roer River; Company A was detached to join the divisional artillery, and during the four weeks of preparations fired two thousand rounds of indirect fire. On 23 February the attack began, with Company B crossing the Roer at Linnich
Linnich
Linnich is a town in the district of Düren in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located on the river Rur, approx. 10 km north-west of Jülich.-Economy:Linnich is the home of SIG Combibloc the specialist for aseptic carton packaging....
on the 25th, and the remainder of the battalion following the next day. The division then swung northwards through the Rhineland
Rhineland
Historically, the Rhinelands refers to a loosely-defined region embracing the land on either bank of the River Rhine in central Europe....
, reaching the west bank of the Rhine on 10 March. From the 13th to the 29th, the battalion fired 1500 rounds of harassing fire at targets in the Ruhr
Ruhr
The Ruhr is a medium-size river in western Germany , a right tributary of the Rhine.-Description:The source of the Ruhr is near the town of Winterberg in the mountainous Sauerland region, at an elevation of approximately 2,200 feet...
, on the far bank.
On 30 March the companies were assigned to combat commands in preparation for offensive operations, and crossed the river on the 31st, over a pontoon bridge at Wessel
Wessel
The name Wessel refers to several persons:* Peter Wessel, also known as Tordenskjold, a Dano-Norwegian naval war hero* Caspar Wessel, a Dano-Norwegian mathematician who was the first person to describe the complex numbers...
; the final breakout had begun. On 2 April, the division bypassed Münster
Münster
Münster is an independent city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in the northern part of the state and is considered to be the cultural centre of the Westphalia region. It is also capital of the local government region Münsterland...
, arriving at the Wesser River shortly thereafter and pausing until 8 April, when the river was crossed at Hamelin
Hamelin
Hamelin is a town on the river Weser in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is the capital of the district of Hamelin-Pyrmont and has a population of 58,696 ....
. The division moved north-east, passing to the south of Hannover and reaching the River Elbe on the 11th.
Whilst the division was consolidating its position on the west bank, intelligence reports suggested that the Clausewitz Panzer Division
Panzer Division Clausewitz
Panzer-Division Clausewitz was a German panzer division during World War II, named for Carl von Clausewitz.It was formed in central Germany area at the beginning of April 1945 under the command of Martin Unrein, from the 233rd Panzergrenadier Division and also drawing Panzergrenadier troops from...
had broken out from the Berlin area, and was heading south in order to cut American supply lines and join up with other units in the Hartz Mountains
Hartz Mountains
Hartz Mountains can refer to one of:* Hartz Mountains, a mountain range on Baffin Island, Nunavut, Canada* Hartz Mountains, twin mountains in Tasmania, Australia...
. In order to counter this threat, the division moved west, leaving Combat Command A (with Company A) to cover the Elbe. A divisional supply train was ambushed on the 16th, losing several vehicles; among them was a truck from the battalion, carrying the unit standard. This, however, was recaptured the next day. On the 23rd, a Panzer V tank was knocked out, the fifty-sixth and final tank destroyed by the battalion.
After two weeks of mopping-up operations, the region was deemed clear, and the companies reverted to battalion command on 25 April; the following day, the battalion moved to take up occupation duties in the Peine region
Peine (district)
Peine is a district in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is bounded by the districts of Hildesheim, Hanover and Gifhorn, and the cities of Brunswick and Salzgitter.-History:...
of Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony is a German state situated in north-western Germany and is second in area and fourth in population among the sixteen states of Germany...
, where it was located at the end of the war.
By the end of the war, the Battalion had accounted for 60 tanks and self-propelled guns, as well as 30 pieces of artillery and over a hundred other vehicles, with over 1200 enemy killed and 1500 prisoners taken.
Later service
The battalion was inactivated on 14 November 1945, becoming a reserve unit of the Pennsylvania National GuardPennsylvania National Guard
The Pennsylvania National Guard is composed of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard and the Pennsylvania Air National Guard. It is one of the largest National Guards in the nation. It has the largest Army National Guard of all the states and the fourth largest Air National Guard. These forces are...
. In May 1946 it was redesignated as the 628th Tank Battalion
628th Tank Battalion (United States)
The 628th Tank Battalion was an armored battalion of the United States Army active during the Cold War, formed in 1946 and merged into the 103rd Armor Regiment in 1959....
, under which title it saw service in Europe for three years during the 1950s. In 1959 it joined with elements of the 110th Infantry Regiment and the 108th and 166th Field Artillery Battalions to form the 103rd Armor Regiment
103rd Armor Regiment (United States)
The 103rd Armor Regiment is an armored regiment in the Pennsylvania National Guard first formed in 1941.-Lineage:Constituted 3 December 1941 in the Army of the United States as the 628th Tank Destroyer Battalion...
, a parent regiment
Parent regiment
Many armies use different regimental systems. The United States Army, among others, uses the parent regiment system.In this system, adopted in 1957 under the Combat Arms Regimental System, or CARS, regiments are simply there to preserve units' lineage, and few regiments actually are complete...
in the Combat Arms Regimental System.