U.S. 4th Armored Division
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| 4th Armored Division | |
|---|---|
 4th AD Shoulder Sleeve Insignia |
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| Active | April 15, 1941 - 1971 |
| Country | USA |
| Allegiance | Inactive |
| Branch | Regular Army |
| Colors | Red, Blue and Yellow |
The 4th Armored Division of the United States Army was an armored division that compiled a distinguished career in the European theater of World War II. Unlike many other WW2 US Armored Divisions, the 4th never adopted an official divisional nickname or slogan, although during their famous campaign through France and Germany during WWII, the Germans referred to them as "Roosevelt's Butchers".
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[edit] History
It was activated on 15 April 1941, from a cadre from the U.S. 1st Armored Division, and reached the United Kingdom in early 1944. After training in England from January to July 1944, the 4th Armored Division landed at Utah Beach 11 July and entered combat 17 July. As part of the VIII Corps exploitation force for Operation Cobra, the 4th secured the Coutances area on 28 July. The division then swung south to take Nantes, cutting off the Brittany Peninsula, 12 August 1944. Turning east, it drove swiftly across France north of the Loire, smashed across the Moselle 11-13 September, flanked Nancy and captured Luneville, 16 September. It fought several German Panzer Brigades in the Lorraine area at this time, defeating a larger German force through superior tactics and training.
After maintaining a defensive line, Chambrey to Xanrey to Henamenil, from 27 September to 11 October, the division rested briefly before returning to combat 9 November with an attack in the vicinity of Viviers. The 4th cleared Bois de Serres, 12 November, advanced through Dieuze and crossed the Saar River, 21-22 November, to establish and expand bridgehead and took Singling and Bining before being relieved 8 December.
Two days after the Germans launched their Ardennes offensive, the 4th Armored entered the fight (18 December 1944), racing northwest into Belgium, covering 150 miles in 19 hours. The Division attacked the Germans at Bastogne, helping to relieve the besieged 101st Airborne. Six weeks later the Division jumped off from Luxembourg City in an eastward plunge that carried it across the Moselle River at Trier, south and east to Worms, and across the Rhine, 24-25 March 1945. Advancing all night, the 4th crossed the Main River the next day, south of Hanau, and continued to push on. Lauterbach fell 29 March, Creuzburg across the Werra on 1 April, Gotha on the 4th, and by 12 April the Division was across the Saale River. Pursuit of the enemy continued and by 6 May the Division had crossed into Czechoslovakia, established a bridgehead across the Otava River at Strakonice, with forward elements at Pisek.
The Division was commanded by Major General John S. "P" Wood and by Major General Huigh Gaffey. One of its most famous members was Creighton Abrams, who commanded the 37th Tank Battalion, then Combat Command "A". Abrams later rose to command all US forces in Vietnam and served as US Army Chief of Staff in the 1970s. The current US M-1 tank is named after him.
[edit] World War II Assignments
- U.S. 1st Army: December 18, 1943
- U.S. VIII Corps: January 22, 1944
- U.S. XX Corps: March 9, 1944
- U.S. XV Corps: April 20, 1944
- U.S. VIII Corps: July 15, 1944
- U.S. XII Corps: August 13, 1944
- U.S. III Corps: December 19, 1944
- U.S. VIII Corps: January 2, 1945
- U.S. XII Corps: January 12, 1945
- U.S. VIII Corps: April 4, 1945
- U.S. X Corps: April 9, 1945
- U.S. VIII Corps: April 17, 1945
- U.S. XII Corps: April 30, 1945
[edit] Post War Service
After a tour of occupation duty, the 4th returned to the United States for inactivation, some of its elements, however, remaining as occupation forces after redesignation as constabulary units.
The division was reactivated at various times, before it was finally deactivated in 1971 by reflagging the unit as the 1st Armored Division.
