Unit History: On 21 December, 1941, a provisional antitank battalion of the 76th Field Artillery Brigade was activated as the 776th Tank Destroyer Battalion. Issued M10’s while still in the States. Arrived Casablanca, Morocco, 25 January, 1943. Fought in area of Maknassy and Ferryville, Tunisia. Eighteen enlisted men participated in Sicily campaign as radio operators and military police. Debarked vicinity of Cappaci, Italy, beginning 19 September, 1943. Main body committed near Rotondi 10 October, 1943, where it supported the Volturno River crossing. Supported Rapido River crossing and fought near Cassino January–March 1944. Joined breakthrough of Hitler Line May 1944, entered Rome 4 June and joined drive to Arno River. Transferred to southern France in September–October 1944, during which they drew M36’s. Moved into line near Luneville on 30 October, 1944. Supported French 2d Armored Division advance to Strasbourg in November. Battled German Nordwind offensive around Rimling, France, in January 1945, where they claimed first Jagdtiger destroyed on Western front. Attacked Siegfried Line near Omersheim, Germany, and crossed Rhine River near Worms in March 1945. Aided capture of Mannheim, Heidelberg, and Ulm, Germany, and crossed Danube in April 1945. Ended war in Ehrwald, Austria. Attached to: 1st Armored Division; 4th, 34th, 44th, 63d, 85th, 100th Infantry divisions. History text from the book The Tank Killers by Harry Yeide. Used by permission.
Combat Equipment: 3/43 – M10; 10/44 – M36
Commanding Officers: Lt. Col. Frank E. Meek (Original CO, 7/14/41); Lt. Col. James P. Barney, Jr. (3/20/42); Maj. William O. Shirley (4/28/44); Lt. Col. Dwight E. Moorhead (8/27/44); Lt. Col. John Dibble Jr. (7/5/45); Maj. James J. Bergen Jr. (9/13/45); Capt. Walter S. Snodell Jr. (9/16/45): Lt. Col. Theodore C. Argue (10/2/45); Capt. John G. C. Brown (11/4/45)
Code Name/s: Vandal & Firefly
Campaign Credits: Tunisia……………………….Nov. 17, to May 13, 1943
Naples – Foggia……………Sep. 9, 1943 to Jan. 21, 1944
Rome Arno………………….Jan. 22, to Sept. 9, 1944
Rhineland……………………Sept. 15, 1944 to Mar. 21, 1945
Central Europe……………..Mar. 22, to May 11, 1945
Awards: Croix De Guerre (French or Belgium “Cross of War”)
Location August 1945: Insviller, Germany
Additional Information/Materials:
1.) An Informal History of the 776th Tank Destroyer Battalion. Published at the end of the war by the men of the unit and printed by Anton Pustet in Salzburg, Austria. The book is large so it is provided in two parts. The scans were provided courtesy of Tom Hubred. NOTE – THESE FILES ARE LARGE
Unit History Part 1 – Pages 1 to 52 (Distinctive Unit Insignia on Cover, Memoriam and photos)
Unit History Part 2 – Pages 52 to 106 (Includes photos, campaign list, citations, awards, station list, roster and maps)
2.) Roster – As provided in the Informal History.
3.) Company A History – A detailed history from its early National Guard unit days through the end of the war. Numerous names throughout the text. Courtesy of the Tank Destroyer Association by L. L. Gill, TDA Historian.
4.) B Company 776 Tank Destroyer Battalion In Combat, by James A. Montgomery – A detailed history with crew photos (including ID’s, location and date), a company photo/roster, commendation letters and additional photos. Courtesy of the Tank Destroyer Association by L. L. Gill, TDA Historian. Posted with permission from Tom Montgomery, son of James Montgomery who served as a radio operator in a platoon command half-track. For a view of the war from a TD veterans perspective, you can order a hardbound copy of the book for $20.00 (including U.S. postage) from: Thomas A. Montgomery, 515 Vinnedge Ct., Fairfield, OH 45014. NOTE – THESE FILES ARE LARGE
Part 1……………………………..22 Pages
Part 2……………………………..22 Pages
Part 3……………………………..22 Pages
Part 4……………………………..22 Pages
5.) Company C Rosters, May and June, 1942 – Partial lists of enlisted personnel while the unit was stationed at Fort Lewis, Washington. Courtesy of Tom Hubred.
6.) Colonel Barney Letter – A five page letter, written by Col. James P. Barney, containing his experiences and observations following TD combat in North Africa. Courtesy of the Tank Destroyer Association by L. L. Gill, TDA Historian.
7.) Colonel Barney Narrative – An 18 page summary of his “lessons learned” regarding equipment, personnel and tactics following his command of a TD unit in combat. It is preceeded by a short news article about him which was published in the Temple Daily Telegram, Temple, Texas. Courtesy of Tom Hubred.
8.) Diaries – Maintained by Captain Willis F. Cole, Company A. Courtesy of the Tank Destroyer Association by L. L. Gill, TDA Historian.
Dec 17, 1942 – March 25, 1943……………………..35 Pages
March 26, 1943 – May 31, 1943
Part 1……………………………………..18 Pages
Part 2……………………………………..18 Pages
September, 1943 – Dec 11, 1943
Part 1……………………………………..19 Pages
Part 2……………………………………..19 Pages
Part 3……………………………………..19 Pages
Dec 18, 1943 – Feb 17, 1944
Part 1……………………………………..24 Pages
Part 2……………………………………..24 Pages
Part 3……………………………………..26 Pages
9.) Photo Gallery (See item #24 for additional photos)
10.) Operational Reports/Unit Journals/Unit History – Operational Reports from the Combined Arms Research Library of the Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Also courtesy of Tom Hubred (*).
Sep. 26-Oct. 31, 1943……9 Pages (Includes casualty report)
Oct. 31-Nov. 30, 1943……8 Pages (Includes casualty report)
Nov. 1-28, 1943………….15 Pages (Messages only)
Nov. 1-30, 1943………….31 Pages (Journal – includes casualties & messages)(*)
Dec. 1-31, 1943……………5 Pages
Dec. 3-31, 1943…………..16 Pages (Journal – includes casualties & messages)(*)
Jan. 1-31, 1944…………….4 Pages (Includes casualty list)
Jan. 1-31, 1944……………23 Pages (Journal – includes casualties & messages)(*)
Feb. 1-29, 1944…………….4 Pages
Feb. 1-29, 1944…………..23 Pages (Journal – includes casualties & messages)(*)
Mar. 1-31, 1944……………3 Pages
Mar. 1-31, 1944…………..16 Pages (Journal)(*)
Apr. 1-30, 1944……………3 Pages
Apr. 1-30, 1944………….. 9 Pages (Journal)(*)
May 1-31, 1944…………….5 Pages (Poor quality)
May 1-31, 1944…………..23 Pages (Journal – includes casualties)(*)
May 12-31, 1944…………14 Pages (Messages only)
Jun. 1-30, 1944……………5 Pages
Jun. 1-30, 1944…………..34 Pages (Journal – includes casualties & messages)(*)
Jul. 1-31, 1944…………….9 Pages (Includes casualty listing)
Jul. 1-31, 1944……………39 Pages (Journal – includes casualties & messages)(*)
Nov. 1-30, 1944…………10 Pages (*)
Nov. 1-30, 1944…………35 Pages (Journal – Incl casualties & Off. Roster) (*)
Dec. 1-31, 1944…………..9 Pages (*)
Dec. 1-31, 1944…………33 Pages (Journal – Pt. 1) (*)
Dec. 1-31, 1944…………32 Pages (Journal – Pt. 2, Incl. casualties & Off. Roster) (*)
Jan. 1-31, 1945……………8 Pages
Feb. 1-28, 1945……………7 Pages (Some areas poor)
May 10-31, 1945…………26 Pages (Unit Hist – incl. awards & promotions)(*)
11.) General Orders – Issued by the 63rd and 103rd Infantry Divisions for awards to unit personnel. Courtesy of Tom Hubred.
Part 1……………………….11 Pages
Part 2……………………….10 Pages
Part 3……………………….15 Pages
Part 4……………………….11 Pages
12.) Field and March Orders – Various orders issued between October 1943 and December 1944. Courtesy of Tom Hubred.
Part 1……………………….15 Pages
Part 2……………………….14 Pages
13.) Operations Instructions – Documents from the NARA. Some pages are difficult to read. Courtesy of Tom Hubred.
Feb., 1945……………………2 Pages
March, 1945………………..13 Pages
April, 1945 Pt. 1……………11 Pages
April, 1945 Pt. 2……………10 Pages
14.) Unit Citation Documents – In May of 1945, the 776th recommended that their A and C Company personnel be cited by the War Department for actions during the period March 17-19, 1945. The following are all part of the recommendation package submitted. The award was never issued. Courtesy of Tom Hubred.
Unit Citation Action Summary…………………………10 Pages
63rd ID G-2 (Intelligence) Extracts……………………9 Pages
Proposed Citation…………………………………………1 Page
Roster, Co A & Attachments……………………………4 Pages
Roster, Co C & Attachments……………………………5 Pages
Casualties, A & C Cos., 17-19 Mar, 1945……………2 Pages
Personal Statements……………………………………10 Pages
15.) Miscellaneous Documents – Courtesy of Tom Hubred. Also courtesy of the Tank Destroyer Association by L. L. Gill, TDA Historian. (*). Courtesy of Carol Davis Gamble (**).
Unit General Orders, 1945…………………………………6 Pages
Unit Citations from the 63rd Inf. Div…………………….2 Pages
Unit Commendations, 1944………………………………..3 Pages
57mm AT Gun Test, Dec. 12, 1944………………………3 Pages
Attack on Fort Simserhof…………………………………..2 Pages
Assessment of M36………………………………………….2 Pages
Bazooka test on MK V Panzer……………………………..2 Pages
Various Documents, 1941-1943…………………………20 Pages
Various Documents, 1944-1945…………………………22 Pages
HQ Co Merit Svc Unit Plaque & auth personnel………..3 Pages
Medical Detachment History, June 30, 1945……………6 Pages
Unit Inactivation Order, Nov. 24, 1945…………………..1 Page
Short Narrative from unknown source…………………..2 Pages (*)
Awards, Battlefield Commisions & Stations……………7 Pages (**)
Index of Records……………………………………………..1 Page (These are the unit files available from the National Archives in College Park, Maryland. If you would like to obtain copies, please contact us and we can help you with the process)
16.) Personal Narratives – These were written by a former veteran of the 776th, during the 1970’s, in response to questions he recieved from the author doing research for an upcoming book on U. S. tank destroyer forces. Courtesy of the Tank Destroyer Association by L. L. Gill, TDA Historian.
Willard Totten, Recon Company, 5-22-79………………1 Page
Willard Totten, 7-4-79………………………………………2 Pages
17.) Tiger Tracks Newsletters – Published by the 776th TD Bn. Association for it’s members. Courtesy of the Tank Destroyer Association by L. L. Gill, TDA Historian. Courtesy of Carol Davis Gamble (*) NOTE: MAY ISSUE IS A LARGE FILE
May, 1989…………………9 Pages
April, 1990…………………8 Pages (*)
June, 1994………………..9 Pages (*)
Feb, 1995………………..10 Pages
Dec, 2000…………………8 Pages (*)
18.) “Vandal Scandal” – Newsletter published by the unit in Dec, 1942, while they were stationed at Camp Hood, Texas. Courtesy of Tom Hubred.
19.) Recon Company Personnel – Photo showing small group of Recon Company personnel. Appears to have been taken after the war in Germany or Austria. If you recognize any of the men, please contact us so we can provide an ID. Courtesy of Tom Hubred.
20.) Recon Platoon Photo – A group of 24 men from the Reconnaissance Company of the unit, probably taken after the war. The photo includes a list of names but no direct way to identify them although the first name on the list is Eldon A. Post and he is sitting in the first row on the far left. Provided courtesy of Randall Post.
21.) Route Maps – A set of two maps showing the route the 776th took while in Africa/Italy and then Europe. The cities are difficult to make out but hopefully you can figure most of them comparing them to a more detailed map. Provided courtesy of Tom Hubred.
Africa/Italy Route Map Europe Route Map
22.) Harbor Defenses Christmas 1941 Menu – A 20 page mainly pictorial document reviewing the military units stationed around the San Fransico, California area. The document also includes the menu for their Christmas dinner and a roster of men of the 56th Coast Artillery, which is where James A. Montgomery was stationed at the time. The 776th drew many of its men from the western states and then trained in San Francisco. Courtesy of Tom Montgomery.
23.) Reunion Group Photos – Original images taken at a few of the unit’s reunions and provided courtesy of Tom Montgomery. If you can help us identify any of the men in the photos, please contact us at: info@tankdestroyer.net.
Photo 1 Photo 2 Photo 3 (1982)
Photo 2: Albert A. Liegel (HQ Co.) is shown kneeling, fifth from right in the front row. Also in the front row is Louis A. Pieper (C Co.), second from right. Thank you to Al Pieper for the identifications.
24.) Reunion Booklets – These were sent to attendees following the actual reunions. Various issues include a mix of group and individual photos, reunion minutes, financials, letters from 776th members, unit news and a bit of unit history. Courtesy of Tom Montgomery. Courtesy of Tom Hubred (*). Courtesy of Carol Davis Gamble (**).
1970 (**) 1978 1980 1982 1990 (*) 1994 (**) 1996 (**) 1998(**)
25.) Photo Albums – A collection of photographs taken by James A. Montgomery who served in B Company. His son Tom has painstakenly scanned the four albums and provided them to us. The albums are so large that they needed to be divided into sections for easier download. Larger versions of the individual images are available by request.
Album 1 (Section 1) (Section 2) (Section 3) (Section 4)
Album 2 (Section 1) (Section 2) (Section 3) (Section 4)
Album 3 (Section 1) (Section 2)
Album 4 (Section 1) (Section 2)
26.) Thankgiving Program 1942 – “A” Company, Thanksgiving program for November 26th, 1942, which was while the unit was stationed at Camp Hood, Texas. The program includes a menu as well as a roster of officers and enlisted men. Provided courtesy of Colby Kenyon.
27.) Company A Group Photo – A group photo of A Company taken at an unidentified location. Unfortunately the photo is not the highest resoultion so finding individual soldier is not possible.