Unit History: Established 16 December 1941, at Forrest, Tennessee, as a heavy self-propelled unit. Redesignated Apr. 15, 1944 at Fort Ord, California, as the 728th Amphibious Tractor Battalion. Shipped from Seattle port of embarkation on Aug. 7, 1944 and landed Hawaii on Aug. 14, 1944. Landed Leyte Philippines on Oct. 20, 1944. Landed Okinawa on Apr. 1, 1945.
Combat Equipment: N/A
Commanding Officers: Lt. Col. William Q. Howell; Lt. Col Fredrick B. Mann (2/6/42)
Code Name/s: Unknown
Campaign Credits: Leyte………………………….Oct. 17, 1944 to Jul. 1, 1945
Okinawa………………………Mar. 26, to Jul. 2, 1945
Awards: Meritorious Unit Commendation – GO 172, Hqs. XXIV Corps, dtd 14 Nov 45. Hq & Svc Co only. Citation undated.
Location August 1945: Mindoro, Philippine Islands
Additional Information/Materials:
1.) Unit History – Written by Walter K. Freeland. Courtesy of the Tank Destroyer Association by L. L. Gill, TDA Historian.
2.) Misc. Unit Reports – from the Combined Arms Research Library of the Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
Aug. 13 to Nov. 27, 1944……8 Pages (Operations Report, many areas difficult to read)
Mar. 5, 1945……………………7 Pages (Field Order #1A, includes one map overlay)
Mar. 7, 1945……………………4 Pages (Field Order #1A Annex, Ship to shore rehearsal, includes overlays)
Mar. 7, 1945……………………1 Page (Field Order #1A, Appendix 3)
Mar. 7, 1945……………………5 Pages (Field Order #1A, Rehersal – Areas difficult to read)
Mar. 10, 1945………………….5 Pages (Field Order #1A, Annex B – Areas difficult to read)
Mar. 10, 1945………………….3 Pages (Field Order #1A, Rehersal – Annex B)
Mar. 10, 1945………………….7 Pages (Field Order #1A, Annex C – Includes map overlay)
Mar. 10, 1945………………….5 Pages (Field Order #1A, Annex D – Includes map overlay)
Mar. 10, 1945………………….4 Pages (Field Order #1A, Annex B, Appendix 1)
Mar. 10, 1945………………….3 Pages (Field Order #1A, Annex B, Appendix 2)
Mar. 10, 1945………………….3 Pages (Field Order #1A, Annex D, Appendix 2)
Mar. 10, 1945………………….6 Pages (Field Order #1A, Annex B, Apdx 3 – Includes overlay & two photo maps)
Apr. 1 to Jun. 30, 1945…….29 Pages (AAR Ryukyus Campaign, few areas difficult to read)
Apr. 10, 1945…………………..2 Pages (Field Orders #2, some areas difficult to read)
Apr. 22, 1945…………………..5 Pages (Field Orders #3, some areas difficult to read, includes map overlays)
Apr. 25, 1945…………………..3 Pages (Field Orders #4, some areas difficult to read, includes map overlay)
May 20, 1945…………………..1 Pages (Field Order #5)
May 24, 1945…………………..2 Pages (Field Order #6)
Jun. 8, 1945…………………….1 Page (Field Order #7)
Jun. 13, 1945…………………..4 Pages (Field Order #8, includes one map overlay. Difficult to read)
Jun. 24, 1945…………………..4 Pages (Field order #9, Poor condition)
3.) Group Photo C Company – Individual soldiers have been identified with names written on and around the men. Some are difficult to read. Provided courtesy of Paul Stevens.
4.) Group Photo B Company – Probably taken at Camp Forrest, Tennessee, with names of the men at the bottom of the page. Col. Howell is listed as the Battalion Commander with Cpt. Farnsworth as B Company Commander. Provided courtesy of Paul Stevens.
5.) Group Photo HQ Company – Taken at Camp Forrest, Tennessee, with names of the men at the bottom of the page. Lt. Roy H. Sullivan is listed as the Company Commander. Provided courtesy of Paul Stevens.
6.) Unit Pictorial, 75th FA Anti-tank Bn – A 19 page pictorial from 1941-1942, of the provisional anti-tank battalion of the 75th Field Artillery Brigade. The 775th TD Bn was formed from elements of the 75th FA Brigade. This pictorial includes commanding officers as well as images and names of personnel from HQ, A, B, C and D Batteries. Lt. Col. William Q. Howell was the unit’s first commander and would continue with the unit after they were redesignated as the 775th Tank Destroyer Battalion.