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SEEK * STRIKE * DESTROY

774th Tank Destroyer Battalion

774_Bn-Distinc-Insig---S

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unit History:  Activated on 15 December, 1941, at Camp Blanding, Florida.  Converted to a towed battalion before arriving at Gourock, Scotland, on 12 June, 1944.  Debarked at Utah Beach on 7 August.  Joined fighting around Argentan.  Ran eastward across France to Lorraine as part of a cavalry screen and the 7th Armored Division. Participated in fighting around Metz starting in September.  Fought along the Saar in December and then joined rush north to the Ardennes.  Converted to the M36 in late February 1945.  Drove to the Rhine in March.  Held Rhine west of the Ruhr Pocket in April, then took on military government duties.  Attached to: 7th Armored Division; 5th, 80th, 90th, 94th, 95th Infantry divisions; 43d Cavalry Group.  History text from the book The Tank Killers by Harry Yeide. Used by permission.

Combat Equipment:  8/44 – Towed 3″ Gun; 3/45 – M36

Commanding Officers:  Lt. Col. William L. Mattox (Original CO);  Major John C. Hooker (6/21/42);  Lt. Col. Conrad B. Sturges (7/10/42)

Code Name/s:  Convex

Campaign Credits:    Northern France……………Jul. 25, to Sept. 14, 1944

                                 Rhineland……………………Sept. 15, 1944 to Mar. 21, 1945

                                 Ardennes-Alsace…………..Dec. 16, 1944 to Jan 25, 1945

                                 Central Europe……………..Mar. 22, to May 11, 1945

Awards:  None

Location August 1945:  Thionville, France

Additional Information/Materials:

1.)  Seek – Strike – Destroy, The Story of the 774th Tank Destroyer Battalion – Book published by Zimmermann in Nürnberg, Germany, 1945.  The following sections were scanned from a copy of the book graciously provided by Art Pelkey. 

            Introduction – Includes Memorium and Staff Officer pages

            Pages 1-30 – Early history to Oct. 1944

            Pages 31-48 – History Oct. 1944 to Jan. 1945  (Includes Route Map)

            Pages 49-70 – History Jan. 1945 to May 1945 

            Pages 71-100 – Headquarters, Comm., Transportation, Maint. and Recon

            Pages 101-130 – Recon. cont., Company A and Company B

            Pages 131-160 – Comp. C, Med. Detach., Battlefield Commissions & Sports

            Pages 161-183 – Sports cont., Awards and Distinctive Unit Insignia “Crest”

            Pages 184-199 – Roster and book staff

2.)  After Battle/After Action Reports-from the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum and Boyhood Home, Abilene, Kansas.

            Sept. 1-30, 1944………………………………5 Pages (Difficult to read)

            Oct. 1-31, 1944……………………………….4 Pages

            Nov. 1-30, 1944………………………………4 Pages

            Dec. 1-31, 1944………………………………3 Pages

            Jan. 1-31, 1945………………………………2 Pages

            Feb. 1-28, 1945………………………………4 Pages (Includes 2 awards)

            Mar. 1-31, 1945………………………………7 Pages (Includes awards)

            Apr. 1-30, 1945………………………………7 Pages

            May 1-9, 1945………………………………..2 Pages (Includes officers & awards)

3.)  Various Histories-from the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum and Boyhood Home, Abilene, Kansas.

            Post-Maneuver, Dec. 15, 1941-Dec. 3, 1942…43 Pages

            Summary, Dec. 16, 1941-Aug. 1944………….11 Pages (Includes officer roster)

            Aug. 1-31, 1944…………………………………….3 Pages

            Battle Participation, Dec. 10, 1944………………2 Pages (Includes awards)

            June, 1-Oct. 25, 1945……………………………..8 Pages (Includes transfers & awards)

4.)  Miscellaneous Documents-from the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum and Boyhood Home, Abilene, Kansas.

             Commendations, 1942-1945…………………..11 Pages

             Various Documents, 1941………………………54 Pages

             Various Documents, 1942………………………31 Pages

             Various Documents, 1943………………………31 Pages

             Various Documents, 1944………………………37 Pages

             Various Documents, 1945………………………39 Pages

             Unit Deactivation, Oct. 28, 1945………………..1 Page

5.)  774th Reunion Placemat – This placemat was sent to me by 774th Tank Destroyer Battalion member Art Pelkey.  It identifies each of the unit’s credited campaigns of WWII, the places the unit was stationed and the locations of their reunions since 1984.  The unit had their 69th Anniversary Reunion in October of 2010, at Myrtle Beach, SC.  Forty people attended, including six of the unit’s veterans.

6.)  774th Tank Destroyer Battalion Association Newsletters – Courtesy of Larry Potter

      #59 – July 2005

      #62 – July 2006

      #63 – Nov. 2006

      #64 – May 2007

      #69 – July 2009

7.)  Photo Gallery