Unit History: Activated at Camp Claiborne, Louisiana, on 16 December, 1941. Arrived in England on 10 January, 1944. Landed at Utah Beach on 30 June equipped with M10’s. Committed to battle on 10 July near Carentan. Participated in Cobra breakout in late July; widely separated elements helped capture Mayenne and defeat Mortain counteroffensive in early August. Raced east to Mons, Belgium. Supported operations against Siegfried Line and capture of Aachen, Germany, in October. Fought in Hürtgen Forest in November. Moved to Belgium in December, only to race south to the Ardennes in late December. Crossed Roer River on 25 February, 1945. Pushed to Rhine River at Bonn by 9 March. Crossed river at Remagen on 15 March and supported envelopment of the Ruhr Pocket. Drove east to Harz Mountains in early April. Drove 200 miles to Czechoslovak border by 28 April. Attached to: 1st, 4th, 83d Infantry divisions. History text from the book The Tank Killers by Harry Yeide. Used by permission.
Combat Equipment: 7/44 – M10
Commanding Officers: Lt. Col. Henry L. Davisson
Code Name/s: Jaunt
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
Ardennes-Alsace…………..Dec. 16, 1944 to Jan 25, 1945
Central Europe……………..Mar. 22, to May 11, 1945
Awards: Croix De Guerre (French or Belgium “Cross of War”)
Location August 1945: Versailles, France
Additional Materials:
1.) 634th Tank Destroyer website– maintained by Scott Gibson, son of Leon Gibson of the unit’s Reconnaissance Company.
2.) Unit History – 9 pages. Courtesy of the Tank Destroyer Association by L. L. Gill, TDA Historian.
3.) After Action Reports – from the Combined Arms Research Library of the Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
Jul. 1-31, 1944…………………………7 Pages (Includes casualties)
July, 1944, S1, S2, S3 Journals…..14 Pages
Aug. 1-31, 1944……………………..15 Pages (Includes casualties & awards)
Sep. 1-30, 1944……………………..20 Pages (Includes casualties & awards)
Oct. 1-31, 1944……………………..13 Pages (Includes casualties)
Nov. 1-30, 1944……………………..14 Pages (Includes casualties & awards)
Dec. 1-31, 1944……………………..11 Pages (Includes casualties & awards)
Jan. 1-31, 1945……………………..12 Pages (Includes casualties & awards)
Feb. 1-28, 1945………………………8 Pages (Unit Report)
Mar. 1-31, 1945…………………….13 Pages (Includes casualties & awards)
Apr. 1-30, 1945………………………9 Pages (Unit Report)
May 1-31, 1945………………………8 Pages (Includes casualties & awards)
4.) Personal Interview w/Lt. Emmett R. Duffy – Lt. Duffy was the leader of 3rd Platoon, Company B. He describes TD actions near Verlautenheide during the Battle of Aachen, Germany, October, 1944.
5.) Miscellaneous Documents – from the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum and Boyhood Home, Abilene, Kansas and Javier Tome (*). Also courtesy of the Tank Destroyer Association by L. L. Gill, TDA Historian (+).
Unit Journal, March 24-31, 1945………………….9 Pages (*)
General Orders #72, July 21, 1943……………….2 Pages
Battle Lessons and Recommendations……………7 Pages (+)
6.) Company A Group Photo – Taken in April of 1942 at Camp Claiborne, Louisiana. Cpt. K.L. Herd is listed as the Commanding Officer with 1st Sgts H.M. Fisher, D.T. Prohaska and R.W. Boyer. A full roster for the photo is provided at the top of the image. Provided courtesy of Paul Stevens.
7.) Photo Gallery