Fifteen minutes later millikin ordered the last two tanks and the mortar vehicles. The 70th armor regiment is an armored unit of the united states army. During ww ii, jensen served as a cook in the bivouac of a potent tank battalion. It landed in north africa as part of operation torch and participated in the invasion of sicily, dday. Robert knoebel obituary 2020 absecon, pa times herald. The construction projects undertaken by the seabees were not confined solely to building naval installations but they were called upon to construct vital bases for the army, marines and for the allies around the globe. He enlisted in the united states army in 1942 and was a tank commander in the 761st tank battalion. At least one more photo of cannonball taken later in the campaign after it was retrieved can be seen in armored strike force, a history of the 70th tank battalion by charles c. The photo history of the american 70th tank battalion in world war ii kindle edition by roberts jr.
The battle of unsan 1st cavalry division association. Marvin jensen, a veteran of the 70th, compellingly describes the men, their machines, and the incredible stories of combat in eight major campaigns in the european theater of world war ii. The 70th heavy tank battalion was to be relieved by the 245th tank battalion, the organic tank battalion of the 45th infantry division. When war was declared, the 70th was one of the few trained tank units available for combat. In order to meet these diversified demands, seabee battalions were composed of. Roberts, jr this collection of almost 600 rare photographsmost from veterans and other private sourcesdepict vehicles, soldiers, equipment, terrain, life behind the lines, and more. The m4a1 tank numbered 16 is named anne and is from company a, 70th tank battalion. Staff sergeant ruben rivers was born in 1921 in tecumseh, oklahoma. Mar, 2021 the korean war order of battle book by gordon rottman has some information about the 70th tank battalion but not extensive information. After the war it was inactivated, but later the division number and shoulder sleeve insignia were authorized for use by the 63d army reserve command arcom. The 70th tank battalion was the first to be formed in july 1940. Amazon is listing a july 1, 2016 release date for the title armored strike force. The 70th tank battalion from north africa to normandy to germany is the only book available about this uniquely active and historically important world war ii tank battalion. Since the unit was stationed on the east coast of the u.
This is a 272 page hard cover from stackpole books. The 77th armor is an armored regiment of the united states army. The 70th tank battalion was at the forefront of virtually every major campaign against hitlers war machine eight in all, more than any other u. For some incredible reason, our generals like almond dismissed these brave, resourceful veterans as laundry. Medical detachment, 70th tank battalion unit history. The men of the 70th tank battalion fought from tunis and sicily to normandy on dday. The medical detachments parent organization was the 70th tank battalion the oldest and most experienced independent tank battalion in the eto, initially formed from 1st battalion, 67th infantry regiment medium tanks then stationed at fort george g. Medical detachment, 70th tank battalion unit history ww2 us. The 70th tank battalion s history in world war ii is one of the most remarkable stories in the annals of military history. Created in 1940 as the first independent tank battalion in the u. The 70th tank battalion was one of the first three tank battalions to deploy to korea in the korean war, where it saw significant action, primarily with the 1st cavalry division.
The previous year 1949, chinas resolute guerilla armies had won one of the most decisive battles in all history, at huaihai, trapping and annihilating a 500,000 man regular army without control of the air or even artillery equality. In 1990 he founded roberts armory, a traveling museum that participates in reenactments, parades, and documentaries. This page was created for the families of the 70th tank battalion and in honor of my uncle mac, joseph e. The plan was for the 3rd battalion to cover the withdrawal. Late in december colonel raff had received from afhq and turned over to the french a company of american m5 light honey tanks company a, 70th tank battalion, light, but after an encounter with german antitank guns at pichon and long hours in combat without. His first book is a proud history of the unit and, not incidentally, a tribute to his friends at the front. Late in december colonel raff had received from afhq and turned over to the french a company of american m5 light honey tanks company a, 70th tank battalion, light, but after an encounter with german antitank guns at pichon and long hours in combat without maintenance, the honeys were of little use. From north africa to normandy to germany 9780891416104. However, my disappointment was that my dad was a tank commander of the 70th battalion and he was never mentioned. The battle for normandy free online library on history books. Simmonss 1st battalion was advancing from magneville east of ecausseville behind two tank squadrons of squadron a of the 70th tank battalion progressing along national highway. The battalion began transferring property to the 245th tank battalion on 7 december and the bulk of the battalion departed korea by ship on 17 december. In addition, the 7th cavalry was called from chinnampo to assist in the withdrawal. Bob was an army veteran of wwii and proud member of the 70th tank battalion.
The 70th armor regiment was designated a parent organization as part of the combat arms regimental system cars in 1963. Before we get to cannon ball, here are a few bullets on the storied 70th tank battalion, to which cannon ball belonged. Turns out, like shamgray says, the 70th tank and 70th armor needed consolidation. It landed in north africa as part of operation torch and participated in the invasion of sicily, dday, the normandy campaign, the battle of the bulge, and the final drive into germany. Jensens compelling book about the role of the 70th tank battalion.
The photo history of the american 70th tank battalion in world war ii by charles c. He joined the army on august 18, 1942 at the age of 17 and was deployed overseas where he survived 5 military campaigns. To the far left is an m10 3inch gun motor carriage tank destroyer. Meanwhile, the 5th cavalry, along with a company, 70th tank battalion was ordered north to cover the planned withdrawal of the 8th cavalry. Marvin g jensen the 70th tank battalion was at the forefront of virtually every major campaign against hitlers war machine eight in all, more than any other u. Strategists and historians, writing about world war ii, dday, the landings at normandy, and the battles to liberate europe would do well to read mr. Company a landed in algiers while company b secured morocco and company c was assigned to secure port lyautey. Nov 25, 2015 small, now somewhat of a local celebrity, published his own version of what had actually happened in his book on exercise tiger, as this mysterious and controversial operation was called. The photo history of the american 70th tank battalion in world war ii. The 63rd infantry division blood and fire was an infantry division of the united states army that fought in europe during world war ii. The photo history of the american 70th tank battalion in world war ii june 16, 2016 by tankandafvnews leave a comment amazon is listing a july 1, 2016 release date for the title armored strike force.
Us army units book 2 boxes 127489 33rd armored regiment. These were known as the easy eight shermans this tank was equipped with a high velocity 76 mm gun and a heavier horizontal volute suspension. It landed in north africa as part of operation torch and participated in the invasion of sicily, dday, the normandy campaign, the battle of. It was the noise of this conflict in unsan that millikin and his men heard from the northeast edge of the town. The 746th tank battalion was activated at camp rucker, alabama on 20 august 1942 as the 746th tank battalion medium, drawing its initial cadre of officers from the 760th tank battalion and an additional six officers and 5 enlisted men from the 70th tank battalion. Ecausseville in 1944 manche battle of normandy dday. Dec, 2005 arrived from the 9th armored, the assault gun and mortar platoons of the 70th tank battalion, a battery of 105mm.
The footage in this video constitutes an unedited historical document and has been uploaded for research p. Illinois, kentucky, massachusetts, new york, ohio, virginia, and wisconsin. The 70th tank battalions history in world war ii is one of the most remarkable stories in the annals of military history. The m4 numbered 5 is named intruder and is from one of the armored regiments of the 3rd armored division. Formed in july 1940, the 70th tank battalion was the first independent tank battalion in the u.
The 70th tank battalion was an elite unit from the start. By 29 october, the 8th cavalry regiment along with elements of the 99th field artillery and b company, 70th tank battalion had advanced north from pyongyang to sukchon, sinanju and to the vicinity of unsan, with the mission of relieving rok elements of the i corps in the area. Four more separate tank battalions the 191st194th were formed soon after from national guard tank companies from california, connecticut. The book was very good in that it told the story of the 70th tank battalion throughout world war ii. Four tanks of the 1st platoon of b company, 70th tank battalion, already had fought their way through the town and arrived at the road fork south of it. The 70th armor regiment is an armored tank unit of the united states army. Apr 28, 2016 70th engineer battalion history the 70th engineer battalion traces its lineage back to 15 july 1941 when it was constituted as the 2nd battalion, 35th engineer regiment. The book also covers some of the battles of the 16th armored recon company as well as the 70th tank battalion which replaced the 71st after they were practically wiped out in combat. The author of the official history of new zealand in the second world war 193945, w. The photo history of the american 70th tank battalion in world war ii charles c.
Group of personnel of the 70th tank battalion in front of one their barracks, at fort george g. The seabees began as regular construction battalions made up of 32 officers and 1079 enlisted men. This was the text book type of action envisioned by military planners at the time, where tanks. The m46 tanks of the 6th tank battalion were placed to lead the 70th tank battalion s m4a3 tanks because the m46s mounted 90mm guns, could turn completely around in place an important consideration in the mountainous terrain traversed by a single and narrow road, and had better armor protection than the m4a3 tanks, which mounted only 76mm guns. Tiger involved 30,000 gis from the 4th ivy league infantry division, the 297th combat engineers, and the 70th tank battalion, who would practice a mass. Abmc headquarters 2300 clarendon blvd, suite 500 arlington, va 22201 phone. Army, it was relied on for the critical jobs in eight campaigns. Murphy, said the fighting by the british armour and 70th division created much confusion in the enemy camp and that, had the 32nd army tank brigade attempted, it could certainly have got to ed duda and in doing so would have thwarted the german plans. Lost at yongdong is a new book about the 71st heavy tank battalion in the korean war 195051. Armys first separate tank battalion, activated on june 15, 1940 from regular army troops.
However, my disappointment was that my dad was a tank. Army regimental system with only a single battalion, the 1st battalion, 77th armor regiment, and is therefore classified as both a single battalion and the remainder of the regiment itself. Then, through the hazardous norman hedgerows to the glory of paris on liberation day, from the seigfried line into the. It was constituted as the 70th tank battalion in july 1940. The photo history of the american 70th tank battalion in.
They were there in the very beginning as the battalion chosen by general patton to strike. The official facebook page of the 2nd battalion, 70th armor regiment, thunderbolts. It basically is impossible to tell, since battalions rarely made any distinction between the various types of m4 and they were not reported as such in tank status reports to the 12th army group. Ive been adding or updating articles on the normandy assault tank battalions 70th, 741st, 743rd, 745th, 747th when i came across the 70th. They were there in the very beginning as the battalion chosen by general patton to strike the first blow against nazicontrolled north africa in 1942. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading armored strike force. This is a very nice original early tank battalion patch on wool that the vet added the 70 himself with marker. The 70th tank battalion received its first m4 76mm 1011 august 1944, 17 of them. Also found much in 70th tank article that was incomplete or wrong. An analysis of the armorinfantry team in korea, june 1.
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