U.S. 20th Armored Division
Encyclopedia
The 20th Armored Division was an armored division of the United States Army
in World War II
. It was activated on 15 March 1943 at Camp Campbell in Kentucky
. The Division has no real nickname although it did associate itself with the nickname "Armoraiders" while in training at Camp Campbell. (Nickname information taken from the 18 March 1944 issue of the Camp Campbell Newspaper, Retreat to Taps.)
After certification as a liberating division by the Center of Military History on October 28, 1988, and the awarding of a Liberation Certificate by the United States Holocaust Memorial Council, veterans of the division adopted the name LIBERATORS as a Division Motto.
The 20th Armored Division departed Boston
on 5 February and arrived at Le Havre
, France, 18 February 1945. On its arrival, SHAEF discovered that the division required an unprecedented amount of additional training before being ready for combat. It was sent to Buchy
for a month of training before being deemed acceptable for combat duty. It then moved through, Belgium to Langendernbach
, Germany, 10 April. After giving serious thought to breaking up the new division to provide replacements for the veteran armored divisions under his 12th U.S. Army Group, General Omar N. Bradley, sent the unit to Marktbreit
, where the division was attached to the III Corps
; 20 April. Three days later, it was detached and reassigned to the XV Corps, Seventh Army, at Würzburg
, Germany.
The condition of the division when it arrived overseas was undoubtedly affected by a recent change in its primary mission. Until October 1944, the 20th Armored Division's mission was to train soldiers and qualify them for overseas shipment as replacements for armored units. To perform this mission, the division included in its strength an unusually large number of intelligent and highly trained men, including students from several of the Army's advanced college training programs.
Some incomplete records minmize the division's activity, i.e.: Elements of the division first saw action as Task Force Campbell when a false surrender by the enemy resulted in fighting in the town of Dorf, 25 April. The division assembled near Deiningen
and reconnoitered for routes to the Danube
. The Danube was crossed, 28 April, the 20th meeting sporadic, light resistance. Elements seized the bridge over the Paar river at Schrobenhausen
and secured crossings over the Ilm River. The only element of the 20th to participate in a serious engagement was the 27th Tank Battalion. The 27th Tank was attached to the veteran 42nd Infantry Division during its attack on Munich
, 29–30 April. The rest of the 20th had been ordered off the roads leading into Munich on 28 April to allow the 42nd and 45th Infantry Divisions to attack Munich.
The actual arrival of the 20th Armored Division into combat occurred April 4–9, 1945. The division's Armored Field Artillery Battalions (the 412th, 413th, and 414th), with elements of the 33rd Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron, moved up to the west bank of the Rhine River to support the 101st Airborne Division near Delhoven, Germany, and the 82nd Airborne Division across the river from Hitdorf, Germany. It was the 412th that supported the 82nd in their attack on Hitdorf that resulted in the awarding of a Unit Citation.
The 20th Armored Division's 27th Tank Battalion was attached to the 42nd Infantry Division on 23 April 1945 and led the attack to capture the town of Donauworth on the 25th to secure the crossing of the Danube River. The success of the operation prompted this quote from Lt. Col. Donald E. Downard, commanding officer of the 2nd Battalion, 222nd Infantry (42nd Infantry Division) who had witnessed more than 25 months of combat, "I have never seen a more aggresive armored unit."
Elements of the 20th Armored Division, primarily from Combat Command B, comprised Task Force 20 which was awarded a Unit Citation. The Recommendation for Unit Citation dated 3 October 1945 states, These units, which constituted Task Force 20, are cited for outstanding performance of duty in action during the period 28–30 April 1945, in the vicinity of Neuherberg, Germany. With soldierly courage and irrepresible determination members of Task Force 20 pushed an armored spearhead 45 miles beyond the Danube River to the outskirts of Munich, destroying a supply train, capturing almost 800 prisoners, and securing four bridges over the Amper River intact. Continuing the attack on 29–30 April against an enemy entrenched in elaborately prepared dugouts and behind the thick walls of the SS Training Center and an Anti-tank School which were defended by small arms, machine guns, hundreds of panzerfausts and twelve 88 mm guns, our troops killed 700 SS Troops, who fought stubbornly and fanatically. This victory destroyed the defenses of Munich, Germany, removing resistance to the entry of troops into the City.
The division crossed the Inn River
at Wasserburg
on 3 May, entered Traunstein
, 4 May, and was moving toward Salzburg
when it received word that hostilities would cease in Europe. The division is credited with only eight days in combat losing only 46 men killed in action and 134 wounded. The division returned to the U.S. in August 1945 and was slated to invade Japan, but after the atomic bombs were dropped it was inactivated 2 April 1946 at Camp Hood in Texas.
Peanuts
creator Charles Schulz rose to the rank of Staff Sergeant while a member of the division. Elements of the 20th Division participated in the liberation of Dachau concentration camp. Schulz's unit was near but did not actually enter the camp.
Future Vice President Spiro T. Agnew attained the rank of 1st Lieutenant while with the 20th Armored Division's 480th Armored Infantry Regiment (prior to reorganization to light armored division TO&E).
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...
in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. It was activated on 15 March 1943 at Camp Campbell in Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
. The Division has no real nickname although it did associate itself with the nickname "Armoraiders" while in training at Camp Campbell. (Nickname information taken from the 18 March 1944 issue of the Camp Campbell Newspaper, Retreat to Taps.)
After certification as a liberating division by the Center of Military History on October 28, 1988, and the awarding of a Liberation Certificate by the United States Holocaust Memorial Council, veterans of the division adopted the name LIBERATORS as a Division Motto.
History
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
on 5 February and arrived at Le Havre
Le Havre
Le Havre is a city in the Seine-Maritime department of the Haute-Normandie region in France. It is situated in north-western France, on the right bank of the mouth of the river Seine on the English Channel. Le Havre is the most populous commune in the Haute-Normandie region, although the total...
, France, 18 February 1945. On its arrival, SHAEF discovered that the division required an unprecedented amount of additional training before being ready for combat. It was sent to Buchy
Buchy, Moselle
Buchy is a commune in the Moselle department in Lorraine in north-eastern France.-Population:...
for a month of training before being deemed acceptable for combat duty. It then moved through, Belgium to Langendernbach
Langendernbach
Langendernbach is a village in the municipality Dornburg, Limburg-Weilburg district, Hesse, in western Germany....
, Germany, 10 April. After giving serious thought to breaking up the new division to provide replacements for the veteran armored divisions under his 12th U.S. Army Group, General Omar N. Bradley, sent the unit to Marktbreit
Marktbreit
Marktbreit is a town in the district of Kitzingen in the Regierungsbezirk Unterfranken in Bavaria situated at the most southern point of the Main river. It is the birthplace of Alois Alzheimer who first identified the symptoms of what is now known as Alzheimer's Disease...
, where the division was attached to the III Corps
U.S. III Corps
III Corps is a corps of the United States Army headquartered at Fort Hood, Texas. It is a major formation of the United States Army Forces Command....
; 20 April. Three days later, it was detached and reassigned to the XV Corps, Seventh Army, at Würzburg
Würzburg
Würzburg is a city in the region of Franconia which lies in the northern tip of Bavaria, Germany. Located at the Main River, it is the capital of the Regierungsbezirk Lower Franconia. The regional dialect is Franconian....
, Germany.
The condition of the division when it arrived overseas was undoubtedly affected by a recent change in its primary mission. Until October 1944, the 20th Armored Division's mission was to train soldiers and qualify them for overseas shipment as replacements for armored units. To perform this mission, the division included in its strength an unusually large number of intelligent and highly trained men, including students from several of the Army's advanced college training programs.
Some incomplete records minmize the division's activity, i.e.: Elements of the division first saw action as Task Force Campbell when a false surrender by the enemy resulted in fighting in the town of Dorf, 25 April. The division assembled near Deiningen
Deiningen
Deiningen is a municipality in the district of Donau-Ries in Bavaria in Germany....
and reconnoitered for routes to the Danube
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
. The Danube was crossed, 28 April, the 20th meeting sporadic, light resistance. Elements seized the bridge over the Paar river at Schrobenhausen
Schrobenhausen
Schrobenhausen is a town in the Neuburg-Schrobenhausen district, in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated on the river Paar, approx. 25 km southwest of Ingolstadt, and 35 km northeast of Augsburg....
and secured crossings over the Ilm River. The only element of the 20th to participate in a serious engagement was the 27th Tank Battalion. The 27th Tank was attached to the veteran 42nd Infantry Division during its attack on Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, 29–30 April. The rest of the 20th had been ordered off the roads leading into Munich on 28 April to allow the 42nd and 45th Infantry Divisions to attack Munich.
The actual arrival of the 20th Armored Division into combat occurred April 4–9, 1945. The division's Armored Field Artillery Battalions (the 412th, 413th, and 414th), with elements of the 33rd Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron, moved up to the west bank of the Rhine River to support the 101st Airborne Division near Delhoven, Germany, and the 82nd Airborne Division across the river from Hitdorf, Germany. It was the 412th that supported the 82nd in their attack on Hitdorf that resulted in the awarding of a Unit Citation.
The 20th Armored Division's 27th Tank Battalion was attached to the 42nd Infantry Division on 23 April 1945 and led the attack to capture the town of Donauworth on the 25th to secure the crossing of the Danube River. The success of the operation prompted this quote from Lt. Col. Donald E. Downard, commanding officer of the 2nd Battalion, 222nd Infantry (42nd Infantry Division) who had witnessed more than 25 months of combat, "I have never seen a more aggresive armored unit."
Elements of the 20th Armored Division, primarily from Combat Command B, comprised Task Force 20 which was awarded a Unit Citation. The Recommendation for Unit Citation dated 3 October 1945 states, These units, which constituted Task Force 20, are cited for outstanding performance of duty in action during the period 28–30 April 1945, in the vicinity of Neuherberg, Germany. With soldierly courage and irrepresible determination members of Task Force 20 pushed an armored spearhead 45 miles beyond the Danube River to the outskirts of Munich, destroying a supply train, capturing almost 800 prisoners, and securing four bridges over the Amper River intact. Continuing the attack on 29–30 April against an enemy entrenched in elaborately prepared dugouts and behind the thick walls of the SS Training Center and an Anti-tank School which were defended by small arms, machine guns, hundreds of panzerfausts and twelve 88 mm guns, our troops killed 700 SS Troops, who fought stubbornly and fanatically. This victory destroyed the defenses of Munich, Germany, removing resistance to the entry of troops into the City.
The division crossed the Inn River
Inn River
The Inn is a river in Switzerland, Austria and Germany. It is a right tributary of the Danube and is approximately 500km long. The highest point of its drainage basin is the summit of Piz Bernina, at 4,049 metres.- Geography :...
at Wasserburg
Wasserburg am Inn
Wasserburg am Inn is a town in the district Rosenheim in Upper Bavaria, Germany. The historic centre is a peninsula, formed by the meandering Inn River...
on 3 May, entered Traunstein
Traunstein
Traunstein is a town in the south-eastern part of Bavaria, Germany, and is the administrative center of a district by the same name. It is situated at the heart of a region called Chiemgau, approximately 11 km east of Lake Chiemsee between Munich and Salzburg, 15 km north of the Alps, and...
, 4 May, and was moving toward Salzburg
Salzburg
-Population development:In 1935, the population significantly increased when Salzburg absorbed adjacent municipalities. After World War II, numerous refugees found a new home in the city. New residential space was created for American soldiers of the postwar Occupation, and could be used for...
when it received word that hostilities would cease in Europe. The division is credited with only eight days in combat losing only 46 men killed in action and 134 wounded. The division returned to the U.S. in August 1945 and was slated to invade Japan, but after the atomic bombs were dropped it was inactivated 2 April 1946 at Camp Hood in Texas.
Peanuts
Peanuts
Peanuts is a syndicated daily and Sunday American comic strip written and illustrated by Charles M. Schulz, which ran from October 2, 1950, to February 13, 2000, continuing in reruns afterward...
creator Charles Schulz rose to the rank of Staff Sergeant while a member of the division. Elements of the 20th Division participated in the liberation of Dachau concentration camp. Schulz's unit was near but did not actually enter the camp.
Future Vice President Spiro T. Agnew attained the rank of 1st Lieutenant while with the 20th Armored Division's 480th Armored Infantry Regiment (prior to reorganization to light armored division TO&E).