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643rd TD Battalion

643-Dodd-Hilliard-McNulty-1496
Shown are L to R, Frank Dodd, Jack Hilliard and Frank McNulty. Photo courtesy of Jack Hilliard.
643-Dodd-King-McNulty-1497
A group of soldiers of the 643rd. Starting from right are Frank McNulty, Lester King and Frank Dodd with elbow on wall. The rest are unknown. Photo courtesy of Jack Hilliard.
643-Frank-Dodd-on-Rebel-1498
Frank Dodd sitting on their M18 Tank Destroyer named "Rebel Hellcat" as noted on the barrel. Photo courtesy of Jack Hilliard.
643-Gordon-Lugten-1-1499
Shot of Gordon Lugten who was the assistant driver on the Rebel Hellcat. Photo courtesy of Jack Hilliard.
643-Gordon-Lugten-2-1500
Another shot of Gordon Lugten. Photo courtesy of Jack Hilliard.
643-Hilliard-Dodd-at-Rebel-1501
Shown are Jack Hilliard on left and Frank Dodd on right in front of their M18 named "Rebel Hellcat". Photo courtesy of Jack Hilliard.
643-Hilliard-Gun-Grew-1502
The crew of the "Rebel Hellcat". L to R are Frank Dodd (Gunner), Gordon Lugten (Assistant Driver), Clifton Guyette (Driver) Frank McNulty (Assistant Driver) and Jack Hilliard (Gun Commander). Photo courtesy of Jack Hilliard.
643-Lugten-Hilliard-Dodd-un-1503
L to R are Gordon Lugten, Jack Hilliard, Frank Dodd and an unknown soldier. Photo courtesy of Jack Hilliard.
643-Lugten-McNulty-Dodd-1504
Shown standing in front are Gordon Lugten on left and Frank Dodd on right. Frank McNulty is sitting on gun barrel. Photo courtesy of Jack Hilliard.
643-McNulty-Dodd-Hilliard-1505
Shown on wing of plane are L to R, Frank McNulty, Frank Dodd and Jack Hilliard. Photo courtesy of Jack Hilliard.
643rd-Flag-pic-1506
643-unknown-and-Guyette-1507
Shown is Jonathan Hartman on left and Clifton Guyette on right. Photo courtesy of Jack Hilliard.
643-Ardennes--G.-Morrison-1739
Pvt. George C. Morrison is shown looking at a frost-covered, frozen body of an American paratrooper in the Ardenne Forest of Reharmont, Belgium. Morrison's 643rd Tank Destroyer Battalion was attached to the 82nd Airborne Division of the 1st Army. The paratrooper belonged to the 82nd Airborne. This Signal Corps photo is dated 1/6/45 and is the third photo in a series that was found in a museum in the Netherlands. One of the other images shows up in Steven Ambrose's book - Citizen Soldier. In his book the photo is incorrectly identified as showing a dead German soldier. Photo courtesy of Sylvia McClelland-Morrison.
643rd__Benny_Ashbaugh_and_driver-2542
Shown is A Company's Benny L. Ashbaugh, TD Commander on left with his driver. The unit had been equipped with the 3" towed guns were they arrived in France but re-equipped with M18s in March of 1945. Photo courtesy of Merlene Ashbaugh.
643rd_Group_of_four__Ashbaugh_TD_behind-2543
A group of four soldiers are shown with a line of M18 TDs. The soldiers are unknown but the second TD in line was identified as being Commanded by Benny L. Ashbaugh, of A Company. Photo courtesy of Merlene Ashbaugh.
643rd_refurb_Cpat._Dennis-2846
Dennis Ambruso drives a restored M18. Dennis is the nephew of Salvatore Ambruso who was the 643rd's A Company Motor Sergeant. Dennis was inspired to form the 643rd TD re-enactment group in 1977 and has collected and restored a number of military vehicles, including an M20 Armored Car. He was also instrumental in obtaining the M18, which he obtained by soliciting the government of Yugoslavia. After they restored the unit, it became the centerpiece of the a life-size diorama at the Military Museum of Southern New England.
643rd_Sal_Ambruso_and_motor_crew-2847
Shown is the Motor Platoon of Company A with Sgt. Salvatore Ambruso standing on far right. This image was probably taken while the unit was still in the U.S., while on maneuvers or at one of the camps where they were trained. Photo courtesy of Dennis Ambruso.
643rd_Salvatore_Ambruso__1_5_truck-2848
Sgt. Salvatore Ambruso takes the lead in attempting to extract one of the unit's 1-1/2 ton trucks from the mud. As you can see "Sal" had attracted a large crowd of onlookers for the event. Photo courtesy of Dennis Ambruso.
643rd_TD_Retreiver-2850
A detail of the M32 Tank Recovery Vehicle used by A Company and specifically Sgt. Salvatore Ambruso and the other men of his Motor Platoon. Other men's names listed on the unit include Cote, Reed, and Behlen from Connecticut along with Cahill from Minnesota and Broughton from Iowa. The M32 was based on a Sherman Tank chassis. Photo courtesy of Dennis Ambruso.
643rd_truck_during_training-2851
One of a group of images showing the process of pulling one of the unit's trucks out of the mud or possibly over an obstacle. Photo courtesy of Dennis Ambruso, nephew of Sgt. Salvatore Ambruso.
643rd_truck_during_training_2-2852
A close-up of the truck being extricated from the mud shows its 643rd nameplate, clearly displayed on the unit's grill. Photo courtesy of Dennis Ambruso, nephew of Sgt. Salvatore Ambruso.
643rd_truck_during_training_3-2853
Another image of the truck using its winch to provide some lift. Photo courtesy of Dennis Ambruso, nephew of Sgt. Salvatore Ambruso.
643rd_truck_during_training_4-2854
The truck has now moved and is basically free of the mud and obstacle. Photo courtesy of Dennis Ambruso, nephew of Sgt. Salvatore Ambruso.
643rd_units_turned_in_after_war-2855
A line of M18s of the 643rd is shown with their muzzle and turret covers in place. Probably taken after the war had ended and hostilities had ceased. A number of Tank and TD units were used after the war for occupational duties. The 643rd had originally been equipped with the 3" towed gun but they were replaced with the M18, early in 1945. Photo courtesy of Dennis Ambruso, nephew of Sgt. Salvatore Ambruso.
643_TD_Firing-2856
One of a series of images showing one of the unit's M18 shooting their cannon at a range in Germany. An interesting detail of this unit is that it has two Browning .50 Caliber machine guns mounted on the turret, one on the front and one on the back. Photo courtesy of Dennis Ambruso, nephew of Sgt. Salvatore Ambruso.
643rd_TD_is_hit-2849
The second image in the series showing an M18 firing.Photo courtesy of Dennis Ambruso, nephew of Sgt. Salvatore Ambruso.
643rd_Ferd_E._Whiet_with_TD-3446
A photo of T/4 Ferd E. White with his TD, probably taken after the war. Photo courtesy of Mickey White.
643rd_Ferd_E._White_and_buddies_at_TD-3447
A photo of T/4 Ferd E. White with his TD, and members of the crew, after the war. L to R: Sgt. George Rickard, Ferd, Cpl. Jack Meyer, T/5 Narduzzo Mele and Carl Schipman. Photo courtesy of Mickey White.
643rd_Ferd_E._White_at_plane_1945-3448
Ferd E. White stands in front of some type of U.S. plane. Photo courtesy of Mickey White.
643rd_Ferd_E.White_with_small_boy-3449
Ferd E. White poses with a small boy, probably taken after the war. Photo courtesy of Mickey White.
643rd_Troop_ship_sleeping_quarters-3450
The trip crossing the Atlantic was difficult for the men. Conditions on the troopships were cramped and the men were literally sleeping on top of each other. Here is a photo the men's cots stacked four high. Photo courtesy of Mickey White.