wwii 744th light tank battalion

8/7/2019 WWII 744th Light Tank Battalion

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V1 u S A R M ~ ~ r - f . R T i vr . . N. A.oRy

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To the men andOfficers of thisBattalion for theirDevotion to duty.


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To All Officers and Men of the Battalion.It has been my great privilege and honor to command

the 744th Light Tank Battalion for over three years. Theyhave been three full years for you. Years full of creditableachievement. Years full of friendship and acquaintanceshipwith strong capable men united in a common endeavor toaccomplish a common mission.

You have participated in the successful accomplishmentof the European phase of that common mission. This booklettells of the glory and the cost of that accomplishment.Nothing I could say or write could add glory to your workor minimize the cost.

As you wait for your next mission, wherever it may be,remember those who are no longer present and rememberthat they paid their price to maintain the battalion policy.

You have never failed to do an assigned mission to thebest of your ability regardless of conditions or cost.

RICHARD J. HUNT,Lt. Co., 744th Light Tank Bn.,Commandmg.


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HistoryThe Battalion was activated at Camp Bowie, Texas on 27April 1942 under command of Major (Now Lt. Col) Richard J. Huntwho has been in command continuously since that date. TheBattalion drew its cadre from the 755 th Tank Battalion. Of the11 officers and 108 Enlisted Men who formed that Cadre only 3officers and S3 Enlisted Men now remain with the Battalion.The Battalion was busily engaged with basic traininl{ at CampBowie until 21 August 1942. when by train and motor, it departedfor Camp Hood, Texas. the Tank Destroyer Center, to remain therefor almost a year fighting the "TDs" and the "battles" of CopperasCove, Cowhouse Creek, Cotton\\ood Camp, and Brookhaven Range.In July 1943 the Battalion left all that for Louisiana, ThirdArmy Maneuvers, dust, mosquitoes, red bugs, the Sabine River,Leesvi11e, Alexandria, and six weeks of "hard" living. It was rough,

and everybody was happy to move into Camp Polk when it wasall over.But Camp Polk didn't last long. On the 21 September 1943we left by train for Port Jackson, S. C. Soon we knew that ourtime was drawing near. Showdown inspections, turning in equipment,

and last minute furloughs, and, on 20 November 1943 we wereoff for an unknown destination on the way overseas.The Battalion arrived at Camp Myles Standish, Mass. andstayed there for five weeks waiting for a boat, but some didn't mindbecause passes were easy to get and BoSion and Providence offeredmany points of interests. (Lots of history was made there).On 28 December 1943 the Battalion boarded the U. S. Trans-port General George S. Simonds and set sail the following afternoonfor some place, we knew not where. There were boat drills, sub-marine scares, and plenty of rumors and one or two people

got seasick. Then on 9 Jan 1944 we dropped anchor in Liverpool, England.Camp Court-y-Gollen in Wales, was the first station. Therewas Abergavenny and Crick howell and Gilwern. England was thecountry of Brussel sprouts, fish and chips, pubs, mild and bitter,tbe Hokey-Pokey, bicycles, shillings, tea, blackout, powdered eggs,and lots of other things which were new and strange to us.There was training, too, becau6e we knew we had a job todo. We fired our tanks and other weapons at Castle Martin Range

on the sea, and we spent two weeks with the 82 od Airborne Division on Strawberry Hill near Mansfield. On 1 May 44 the Batta-


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lion left Court-y-G6I1en for good and moved to Ludlow. Thein vasion was near; waterproofing and other preparations began inearndt.

On 10 June 1944 (0+4) the first elements 01 the Battalionm o v ~ d to a concentration area in Southern England ne3r Minchin-hampton. Final preparation .. were completed, and on 29 June 1944the Battalion embarked from Weymouth in LCTs and LSTs, landing _in Normandy, France on 30 June Hl44 (0+24). Utah Beach,S1. Mere Eglise, then Cerisy Fore5L

It was easy for a while, and then, on 26 Juiy 1944, the warcame home to the 744 th Light Tank Battalion at S1. GermainD'Elle, Mnuffet. and Rouxville. It was our first taste 01 combat,with the Ninth Inf. Regt. of the 2 nd Inf. Division. and one which wes; all ne\ er forget. We learned what hedgerows meant, and wedeveloped a healthy respect for the paratroopers of the 3rd ParaDivision.

The breakthrough at nearby St. Lo had been made, and soonwe were with the 28th Infantry Division f i g h t i n ~ our way throughPercy, St. Sever Calvados. Champ Du Boult, Gathemo, Sourdeval,Ger, Le N e u b e r ~ , and Elbeui on the Seine, hitherto unknown placeswhich will never fade from our memory now.

The Battalion crossed the Seine River on 30 Aug 1944 androlled through Northern France and into Belgium without engagingin any actions of importance We were in XIX Corps Reserve andenjoying it. To be remembered are the long road marches, themany French and Belgian flags flying everywhere, the happypeople with their offerings of pears, apples, tomatoes, fresh eggs,the pretty mademoiselles who insisted upon demonstrating theiraffections when the column came to a halt Company C will re-member Valenciennes.

On 19 September 1944 the Battalion moved into Holland withthe 113th Cavalry Group to take up defen,ive positions along theArmy North flank in the vicinity of Sittard. Company B remainedin l3elgium with a Belgian Brigade for over two months. The defensive line was thin in those days, but the Battalion was not al-ways on the defensive. With a few Engineers, Tank Destroyersand Orange Army personnel, on 29 September 1944, the Batta-lion attacked and seized the towns of Holtum, Buchten, Born, and~ i e u w s t a d t . Isenbruch, jWH across the border in Germany, provedto bt a little too much for us to chew without infantry support.for two months the Battalion remained in the Sittard sector defending"uch pla:l:s as Wehr, Tuddern, Millen and Papenhoven.


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The Most Decorated.Officer:Burnett, Elijah C. Captain, award the following Sil-ver Star, Croix De Guerre, Bronze Star, PurpleHeart and Oak Leaf Cluster to the Purple Heart.Enlisted ManHerrera, Joseph Sergeant, awarded the followingBronze Star, Purple Heart with two Oak Leaf Clusters.


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HIGH LIGHTSDid you know that the Battalion has moved the totalof 2216 miles since it landed on the continent.Here is another one for you. The Transportation Platoonhas traveled a total of 216,000 miles to keep you supplied

with tho necessities.The total number of rounds of ammo (of all types) fired

by the Bn in the ETO was 1,415,863 rds. This is an averageof 2,800 rds per man.Hold your seat! The average consumption of gasolinefor each move of the Bn. was 187,850 gals. The total con-sumption of gasoline by this unit on the continent was 2,066,350

gallons.Let us not forget the water truck, which hauled 495,000 galsof water. The average gallons of water hauled per day was1500.Men and Officers of this unit have a total of 38 Silver Stars,102 Bronze Stars,2 British Military Medals, 2 Croix De Guerreand approximately 200 Purple Hearts.

wwii 744th light tank battalion

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