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6th Tank Destroyer Group

Unit History:  Unit was activated at Camp Hood, TX on Sep. 1, 1942.  The unit moved to Camp Young, CA on Jan 8, 1943, which was part of the Desert Training Center. They then moved to Camp Maxey, TX on Jul. 31, 1943, as part of the Third Army.  They were prepared for shipment at Camp Kilmer, NJ, on Jan. 16, 1944, and shipped from the New York Port of Embarkation on Jan. 29, 1944.  Arrived in England on Feb. 5, 1944 and then shipped to France, landing on Jul. 25, 1944.  Acted as part of Task Force “A” VIII Corps of Third Army.  Beginning Sep. 5, 1944, unit supported XIII Corps, Ninth Army, as their Anti-Tank section.  Moved into Belgium on Oct. 24, 1944, and then into Holland on Nov. 6, 1944.  They then moved into Germany on Mar. 16, 1945.  Unit was deactivated on May 1, 1946, and redesignated as the 5th Constabulatory Regiment on May 1, 1946.  Attached/Supported: VIII and XIII Corps.  Portions of this information gathered from WWII Order of Battle by Shelby L. Stanton.

Combat Equipment:  N/A

Commanding Officers:  Col. Branner P. Purdue; Col. Logan Berry; Col. Frank T. Searcy (8/3/44); Col. John A. Beall Jr.(6/3/45)

Code Name/s:  Highschool

Campaign Credits:    Normandy…………………..Jun. 6, to Jul. 24, 1944

                                   Northern France……………Jul. 25, to Sept. 14, 1944

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

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

Awards:  None

Location August 1945:  Dulken, Germany

Additional Information/Materials:

1.)  Detailed Unit History by Rob Haldeman

2.)  After Action Reports

……………January 1945  (13 pages)

……………February 1945  (3 pages)

……………March 1945  (23 pages)

…………..April 1945  (6 pages)

…………..May 1945  (3 pages)

3.)  Morning Reports

…………..January 1945  at Heerlen, Holland

…………..March 1945 at Heerlen, Holland and Viersen, Germany

…………..June 1945 at Peine, Coburg and Bad Aibling, Germany

…………..July 1945 at Bad Aibling, Germany

4.)  Unit History Worksheet – Jan. 1950

5.)  Payroll Records and Rosters

…………..October 1942  (Enlisted personnel – Payroll) at Camp Hood, TX

…………..October 1942  (Enlisted personnel, roster only) at Camp Hood, TX

…………..October 1942  (Officers. roster only) at Camp Hood, TX

…………..December 1943  (Enlisted Personnel – Payroll) at Camp Maxey, TX

…………..December 1943  (Officers, roster only) at Camp Maxey, TX

6.)  Organization Chart – Official Table of Organization 18-10-1 for a Headquarters, Tank Destroyer Group. Although the unit did have two Chaplains and two attached Medical Officers, the number of other personnel doesn’t match the After Action Reports for the unit. The original Tank Destroyer philosophy was rarely if ever used in WWII because the German Blitzkreig “lightning war” never materialized. Only a few Tank Destroyer Groups were ever utilized and those that were, weren’t used as originally intended. Chart used with Permission from, The Americans in Brittany 1944, The Battle for Brest, by Jonathan Gawne, H+C Publications, copyright 2002.

7.)  Official History of Battle of Brittany – Aug. 1st to Sep. 21st, 1944

8.index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=132;historical-record-battle-of-brittany-aug-1st-to-sept-21st-1944&catid=30;unitarticles&Itemid=139)  Operations of 6th TD Grp as part of Task Force A – The document is dated as covering the period August 3rd – 9th, 1944, and was written by Major Truman Alford, who was the unit’s S4 Officer. I believe Truman wrote the account either as part of his requirements for the Advanced Infantry Course (1947-1948) or possibly for others to use for the course.

………………Part 1  (Cover to page 8)

………………Part 2 (Page 9 to page 21)

9.)  Operations of Task Force “A” – Aug. 1st to Sep. 22nd, 1944 (General Herbert Earnest approved)

10.)  “One Hundred and Eighty Days” – XIII Corps from the Siegfried Line to the Elbe River

………………..Part 1  –  Cover to page 23

………………..Part 2  –  Page 24 to 43

11.)  Escape “Pill-Box” Compasses – A very nicely done article on the www.paratrooper.be website by Wouter Has. A book “1944 American in Brittany, the Battle for Brest” by Jonathan Gawne identifies that the personnel of TFA (Task Force A) were issued escape kits, which included a silk map, a small compass and a small hacksaw because they would be operating behind enemy lines.

12.)  The Wooden Shoes – August 1944 roster of the 6th Tank Destroyer Group. Article by R. Haldeman

12.)  Miscellaneous Documents

        General Orders #72, July 21, 1943…………………………..2 Pages

13.)  Article on 6th personnel at Dachau – Article begins on the first page of Vol. 1, No. 7 of the Appleknocker Newspaper published by the 802nd TD Bn.

14.)  Photo Gallery – 1

15.)  Photo Gallery – 2

16.)  Photo Gallery – 3