Armored Regiments of the U.S Army in World War II

[quincannon]

PART I

1ST ARMORED REGIMENT

1st Cavalry Regiment  reorganized and redesignated 15 July 1940 as 1st Armored Regiment, and assigned to the 1st Armored Division.

Reorganized 20 July 1944, and elements reorganized and  redesignated as follows:

Regiment (less 2nd Battalion) as 1st Tank Battalion

2nd Battalion, disbanded.

Campaigns: Algeria-French Morocco (with arrowhead), Tunisia, Naples-Foggia, Anzio, Rome-Arno

2ND ARMORED REGIMENT

Activated 15 April 1941 and assigned to the 3rd Armored Division.

Redesignated 8 May 1941 as the 32nd Armored Regiment.

2ND ARMORED REGIMENT

Activated 15 July 1942 from assets provided by the 2nd Cavalry Regiment, and assigned to the 9th Armored Division.

Regiment broken up 9 October 1943 and elements reorganized and redesignated  as follows:

Regiment ( less 1st and 3rd Battalions, Band, Maintenance, Service, and Reconnaissance Companies) as 2nd Tank Battalion

1st Battalion as 776th Tank Battalion and relieved from assignment to 9th Armored Division.

3rd Battalion as  19th Tank Battalion

Reconnaissance Company as Troop D, 89th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron

Band, Maintenance, and Service Companies disbanded.

3RD ARMORED REGIMENT

Activated 15 April 1941 and assigned to the 3rd Armored Division.

Redesignated 8 May 1941 as the 33rd Armored Regiment.

3RD ARMORED REGIMENT

Activated 15 July 1942 from assets provided by the 3rd Cavalry Regiment, and assigned to the 10th Armored Division.

Regiment broken up 20 September 1943, and elements reorganized and redesignated as follows:

Regiment (less 1st and 3rd Battalions, Band, Maintenance, Service, and Reconnaissance Companies) as 3rd Tank Battalion

1st Battalion as 777th Tank Battalion and relieved of assignment to 10th Armored Division.

3rd Battalion as 21st Tank Battalion.

Reconnaissance Company as Troop D, 90th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron

Band, Maintenance, and Service Companies disbanded.

4TH ARMORED REGIMENT

Activated 15 April 1941 and assigned to the 3rd Armored Division.

Redesignated 8 May 1941 as the 40th Armored Regiment.

Inactivated 1 January 1942 and relieved of assignment to the 3rd Armored Division.

5TH ARMORED REGIMENT

Activated 15 April 1941 and assigned to the 4th Armored Division.

Redesignated 8 May 1941 as the 35th Armored Regiment.

5TH ARMORED REGIMENT

Activated 15 July 1943 and assigned to the 16th Armored Division.

Regiment broken up 10 September 1943 and elements reorganized and redesignated as follows

Regiment (less 1st and 3rd Battalions, Band, Maintenance, Service and Reconnaissance Companies) as 5th Tank Battalion.

1st Battalion as 717th Tank Battalion and relieved of assignment to 16th Armored Division.

3rd Battalion as 26th Tank Battalion

Reconnaissance Company as Troop D, 23rd Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron

Band, Maintenance and Service Companies disbanded.

7TH ARMORED REGIMENT

Activated 15 April 1941 and assigned to the 4th Armored Division

Redesignated 8 May 1941 as the 37th Armored Regiment.

8TH ARMORED REGIMENT

Activated 15 April 1941 and assigned to the 4th Armored Division

Redesignated 8 May 1941 as the 80th Armored Regiment.

9TH ARMORED REGIMENT

Activated 15 March 1943 and assigned to the 20th Armored Division.

Regiment broken up 10 September 1943 and elements reorganized and redesignated as follows:

Regiment (less 1st and 3rd Battalions, Band, Maintenance, Service and Reconnaissance Companies) as 9th Tank Battalion

1st Battalion as 718th Tank Battalion and relieved from assignment to 20th Armored Division.

3rd Battalion as 27th Tank Battalion.

Reconnaissance Company as Troop D, 33rd Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron.

Band, Maintenance, and Service Companies disbanded.

11TH ARMORED REGIMENT

Activated 15 July 1942 with assets provided by the 11th Cavalry Regiment, and assigned to the 10th Armored Division.

Regiment broken up 20 September 1943 and elements reorganized and redesignated as follows:

Regiment (less 3rd Battalion, Band, Maintenance, Service and Reconnaissance Companies) as 11th Tank Battalion.

3rd Battalion as 712th Tank Battalion, and relieved of assignment to 10th Armored Division.

Reconnaissance Company as Troop E, 90th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron.

Band, Maintenance, and Service Companies disbanded.

13TH ARMORED REGIMENT

13th Cavalry Regiment reorganized and redesignated 15 July 1940 as the 13th Armored Regiment, and assigned to the 1st Armored Division. 

Regiment broken up 20 July 1944, and elements reorganized and redesignated as follows:

Headquarters and Headquarters Company, Service Company, and Companies D, E, and F as 13th Tank Battalion.

3rd Battalion and Maintenance Company as 4th Tank Battalion.

Reconnaissance Company as Troop D, 81st Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron.

Headquarters and Headquarters Companies 1st and 2nd Battalions, and Companies A, B, and C disbanded.

Campaigns: Algeria-French Morocco, Tunisia, Naples-Foggia, Anzio, Rome-Arno

14TH ARMORED REGIMENT

Activated 15 July 1942 with assets provided by the 14th Cavalry Regiment, and assigned to the 9th Armored Division.

Regiment broken up 9 October 1943 and elements reorganized and redesignated as follows:

Regiment (less 3rd Battalion, Band, Maintenance, Service, and Reconnaissance Companies) as 14th Tank Battalion

3rd Battalion as 711th Tank Battalion and relieved of assignment to 9th Armored Division.

Reconnaissance Company as Troop E, 89th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron.

Band, Maintenance, and Service Companies disbanded.

16TH ARMORED REGIMENT

Activated 15 July 1943 and assigned to the 16th Armored Division.

Regiment broken up 10 September 1943 and elements reorganized and redesignated as follows:

Regiment (less 3rd Battalion,  Band, Service, Maintenance, and Reconnaissance Companies) as 16th Tank Battalion.

3rd Battalion as 787th Tan Battalion and relieved from assignment to 16th Armored Division.

Reconnaissance Company as Troop E, 23rd Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron.

Band, Maintenance, and Service Companies disbanded.

20TH ARMORED REGIMENT

Activated 15 March 1943 and assigned to the 20th Armored Division.

Regiment broken up 10 September 1943 and elements reorganized and redesignated as follows:

Regiment (less 3rd Battalion, Band, Maintenance, Service and Reconnaissance Companies) as 20th Tank Battalion.

3rd Battalion as 788th Tank Battalion and relieve from assignment to 20th Armored Division.

Reconnaissance Company as Troop #, 33rd Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron.

Band, Maintenance, and Service Companies disbanded.

31ST ARMORED REGIMENT

Activated 1 October 1941 and assigned to the 5th Armored Division.

Inactivated 1 January 1942.

Activated 2 March 1942 and assigned to the 7th Armored Division.

Regiment broken up 20 September 1943 and elements reorganized and redesignated as follows:

Regiment (less 1st and 3rd Battalions, Band, Maintenance, Service, and Reconnaissance Companies) as 31st Tank Battalion.

1st Battalion as 774th Tank Battalion and relieve from assignment to 7th Armored Division.

3rd Battalion as 17th Tank Battalion. 

Reconnaissance Company as Troop D, 87th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron.

Band, Maintenance, and Service Companies disbanded.

32ND ARMORED REGIMENT

2nd Armored Regiment redesignated 8 May 1941 as 32nd Armored Regiment and remained assigned to the 3rd Armored Division.

Campaigns: Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace, Central Europe

33RD ARMORED REGIMENT

3rd Armored Regiment redesignated 8 May 1941 as 33rd Armored Regiment and remained assigned to the 3rd Armored Division.

Campaigns: Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace, Central Europe 

[Beth]

QC don't take it personal that I edited the title into lower cases. I don't know if anyone has ever noticed but I limit total uppercase for board headers.

[quincannon]

I didn't notice, and probably never would have if you had not mentioned it.

[yanmacca]

Great work Chuck.
Do you recall when I was sorting out badges or emblems for the US Army data you provided for my site?

Now I have run across some for them there regiments that you have posted, here is two for the 1st armoured regiment [although one maybe when it was a cavalry unit;

[quincannon]

I do recall.

The portion on the left of that picture is the Regimental Coat of Arms for the 1st Cavalry. You would find the shield portion embroidered on the eagle chest on the unit colors, with the crest (The Blackhawk) embroidered on those same colors above the eagles head.  It continued to be used through the period when the regiment was known as the 1st Armored Regiment, and then used by the 1st Tank Battalion, until 1957 when the U S Army Regimental System was adopted, and the 1st Tank Battalion and some of the previously disbanded elements of the former regiment were reconstituted and the 1st Cavalry reborn. Today I think there are four or five squadrons active, and they range from Alaska to Texas, to Georgia. When Colt was in the 2nd AD the 2nd Squadron, 1st Cavalry was the division reconnaissance squadron.

The image on the right is the Regimental Badge of the 1st Cavalry, and it too was the badge of the 1st Armored Regiment, and the 1st Tank Battalion.

We use badge differently than you do in the UK. Technically all ours are called regimental distinctive unit insignias(DUI). Within DUI's though they are subdivided into two categories badges and shields. The difference is that the badge is shaped and fabricated more like that of law enforcement, while the shield is generally solid in construction

I will give you some examples to look up so you may see the difference

1st, 7th, and 13th Cavalry are badges.

The 4th, 11th, 14th, 16th Cavalry and 32nd Armor are shields.

For the 1st Cavalry the symbolism on the DUI is as follows

The eight pointed star is symbolic of the dragoon, and the color is Tenne (Dragoon Yellow)

The sword belt is the dragoon sword belt of 1836

The Blackhawk is from the Blackhawk War symbolizing that the regiment, first raised as the Regiment of United States Dragoons drew on officers and enlisted men that served in the Battalion of Mounted Rangers that served in the Blackhawk War

The motto Animo et Fide means Courageous and Faithful.

The dragon in the coat of arms is an elusion to the word Dragoon. 

[quincannon]

Ian: To show you how this regimental system works post 1957 I will use as an example the 1st Cavalry as it existed during the Vietnam War. It is confusing and I warn you that even people within the Army do not really understand it.

The purpose is that historic regiments that existed prior to 1957 could have their lineages continued in the modern army. Essentially each component unit is descended directly from a company, battery or troop of the former regiment. There by the honors and decorations of the former regiment preserved.

Regimental headquarters is in theory active at zero strength and under Department of the Army control. In practice it is made up fiction, and DA control means that the headquarters is a 5" X 8" file card existing in a filing cabinet at the Center for Military History.

1st Squadron - Recon Sqdn. 1st AD - descends from Troop A

2nd Squadron - Recon Sqdn, 2nd AD - Descends from Troop B

3rd Squadron - Recon Sqdn, 1st AD - replacing 1st Sqnd in Texas when 1st Sqdn deployed to VN - descends from Troop C
4th Squadron - Assigned to the United States Military Academy, West Point - descends from Troop D

Troop E - Recon Troop 11th Infantry Brigade (Separate)

6th Squadron - Recon Sqdn 2nd AD = replacing 2nd Sqdn in Texas when 2nd Sqdn was deployed to VN - descends from Troop F

7th Squadron - Non- divisional air cavalry squadron deployed in VN - descends fro Troop G

The way it is done on general orders is for instance with 6th Squadron.

Troop F is redesignated Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 6th Squadron, 1st Cavalry. The units subordinate to that squadron are constituted (placed on the rolls of the Army) as new units, Therefore within that squadron HHT is the honors carrying unit, while Troops A,B,C, and D had no previous existence.

It is one hell of a crazy system which no one really understands very well.
 

[carl]

Who were the individuals responsible for shifting the lineage

of a Battalion to a Company of that Battalion ?

[quincannon]

Not sure I understand the question Carl. Either that or you did not understand my post, which is most likely in that 99 percent of the Army does not understand the system under which this travesty operates.

The people responsible in the end are that mavens of the Organizational History Branch, Center for Military History.

The idea was from the pure of heart. It stemmed from the regiments going away as tactical units in 1957, and the system was designed so that every tactical unit of the future would have a link to the past.

It could have been made very simple, and if you read the DA Pamphlet that promulgated the thing back in 57 it was. As time went on it became more complicated, and it flat failed when the army went from a mobilization base to an all professional force.

If you could reformulate your question I could give you a better and more specific answer.

If you are asking what would be a simple way to preserve the history of U S Army units in a changing world, I would suggest it be done in the same manner it was done in WWII for the armored Infantry regiments and cavalry groups. When I finish this thread for Ian I will do both so that if he wishes he can use it on his web site.

The typical AIR though was done as follows, and I will use the 6th Armored Infantry as an example.

Regiment (less 2nd and 3rd Battalions) designated 6th Armored Infantry Battalion

2nd Battalion as 11th Armored Infantry Battalion

3rd Battalion as 14th Armored Infantry Battalion

At that point all three of the battalions retain their history, honors, and awards up to the date of the reorganization. After the reorganization they become three separate units whose lineages are thereafter separate.

There would have to be a nut roll to de-conflict numbers as you carried the program across the Army as a whole, but I would hasten to point out that what the Army did with the FA and AAA battalions and the Cavalry squadrons  in WWII worked very well and de-confliction was avoided by proper planning.

A system like this would work very well today, and all the confusion associated with any "regimental system" could be completely avoided  

[carl]

I do understand. My rant may not have been clear.

In your example of the 2nd Armored Regiment

in 1942, it was clearly the lineal descendant of

the 2nd Cavalry. The personnel of the 2nd

Cavalry formed the 2nd Armored. I am

sure that in their minds it was still the

2nd Cavalry.

I think that the Lineage administrators

then, and later in 1957-1964, did a

poor job and was curious as to the

identity of individuals.

The lineage should follow the personnel composing

the unit at renaming time, not

an arbitrary administrative decision.

[quincannon]

OH, OH, OH.

The answer has many fathers, and an aged old crone of a concubine (the cavalry branch) for a mother.

Specifically to your example of the 2nd Armored Regiment, as well as the 3rd, 11th and 14th, the people that migrated from these cavalry regiments to the same numbered armored regiment did in fact feel like the unit was a continuation of the old cavalry regiments. You find mention of it in the narratives as these same soldiers participated in the Bulge and other battles. There were still many soldiers from the old horse cavalry that were tankers in 44 and 45.

These regiments were in fact continuations as far at lineage goes from the dates of their reorganization until January 1943, about a six month period, until the General Orders that reorganized them were amended and they officially became "new" units, thus allowing those old numbers to be freed up for the use by cavalry.

You must recall that there was great political friction between the cavalry branch and the "experimental" armored force at the time. Cavalry officers that saw which way the world was turning were fleeing the cavalry branch in droves for the armored force. The horse cavalry was without a mission. They were in short useless. The branch was dying a rapid death, but still cavalry was a very powerful political force within the Army. You must also recall that the 1st and 13th were in combat at the time. No one even considered messing around with these two.

Infantry, Field Artillery, and Engineers were very heathy branches at the time. The Armored Force was new and becoming stronger by the day. Cavalry was on its deathbed as a branch, and tell you the truth I think these things were not done in an arbitrary manner so much as an act of giving a sip of water to a dying man.

I cannot tell you who specifically made these decisions, but Marshall had to sign off on them, and if I had to guess it was McNair who told his staff give the cavalry what it wants and tell them to shut up.

In 57-64 it was mainly the work of one person and her acolytes Mary Lee Stubbs. Again her heart was in the right place, but her crystal ball showing how the army would change, expand, contract, and absorb new organizational concepts was cracked, and the system created to be flexible, turned out to be very brittle.

[quincannon]

PART II

34TH ARMORED REGIMENT

Activated 1 October 1941 and assigned to the 5th Armored Division.
Regiment broken up 20 September 1943 and elements reorganized and redesignated as follows:
Regimental Headquarters and Headquarters Company and 2nd Battalion as 34th Tank Battalion.
1st Battalion as 772nd Tank Battalion and relieved of assignment to 5th Armored Division.
3rd Battalion as 10th Tank Battalion.
Reconnaissance Company as Troop D, 85th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron.
Maintenance, and Service Companies disbanded.

35TH ARMORED REGIMENT

5th Armored Regiment redesignated 8 May 1941 as the 35th Armored Regiment.
Regiment broken up 10 September 1943 and elements reorganized and redesignated as follows,
Regimental Headquarters and Headquarters Company and 2nd Battalion as 35th Tank Battalion.
1st Battalion as 771st Tank Battalion, and relieved of assignment to 4th Armored Division.
3rd Battalion as 8th Tank Battalion
Reconnaissance Company as Troop D, 25th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron.
Maintenance and Service Companies disbanded.

36TH ARMORED REGIMENT

36th Armored Regiment activated 1 April 1942 and assigned to the 8th Armored Division.

Regiment broken up 20 September 1943, elements reorganized and redesignated as follows:

Regiment (less 1st and 3rd Battalions, Band, Maintenance, Service, and Reconnaissance Companies) as 36th Tank Battalion.

1st Battalion as 775th Tank Battalion and relieved of assignment to 8th Armored Division.

3rd Battalion as 18th Tank Battalion.

Reconnaissance Company as Troop D, 88th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron.

Band, Maintenance and Service Companies disbanded.

37TH ARMORED REGIMENT

7th Armored Regiment redesignated 8 May 1941 as 37th Armored Regiment.

Regiment broken up 10 September 1943, elements reorganized and redesignated as follows:

Regimental Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, and Company D, as 37th Tank Battalion.

3rd Battalion as 706th Tank Battalion and relieved fro assignment to 4th Armored Division.

Reconnaissance Company as Troop E , 25th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron.

Remainder of 2nd Battalion personnel absorbed into 37th Tank Battalion.

Maintenance and Service Companies disbanded.

40TH ARMORED REGIMENT

4th Armored Regiment activated 2 March 1942 and assigned to the 7th Armored Division.

Regiment broken up 20 September 1943, elements reorganized and redesignated as follows:

Regiment (less 3rd Battalion, Maintenance, Service and Reconnaissance Companies) as 40th Tank Battalion.

3rd Battalion as 709th Tank Battalion

Reconnaissance Company as Troop E, 7th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron.

Maintenance, and Service Companies disbanded.

41ST ARMORED REGIMENT

41st Armored Regiment activated 15 August 1942 and assigned to the 11th Armored Division.

Regiment broken up 20 September 1943, elements reorganized and redesignated as follows:

Regiment (less 1st and 3rd Battalions, Band, Maintenance, Service and Reconnaissance Companies) as 41st Tank Battalion.

1st Battalion as 778th Tank Battalion and relieved of assignment to 11th Armored Division.

3rd Battalion as 22nd Tank Battalion.

Reconnaissance Company as Troop D, 41st Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron.

Band, Maintenance, and Service Companies disbanded.

42ND ARMORED REGIMENT

42nd Armored Regiment activated 15 August 1942 and assigned to the 11th Armored Division.

Regiment broken up 20 September 1943, elements reorganized and redesignated as follows:

Regiment (less 3rd Battalion, Band, Maintenance, Service and Reconnaissance Companies) as 42nd Tank Battalion

3rd Battalion as 713th Tank Battalion and relieved from assignment to 11th Armored Division.

Reconnaissance Company as Troop E, 41st Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron.

Band, Maintenance, and Service Companies disbanded.

43RD ARMORED REGIMENT

43rd Armored Regiment activated 15 September 1942 and assigned to the 12th Armored Division.

Regiment broken up 11 November 1943, elements reorganized and redesignated as follows:

Regiment (less 1st and 3rd Battalions, Band, Maintenance, Service, and Reconnaissance Companies) as 43rd Tank Battalion.

1st Battalion as 779th Tank Battalion and relieved from assignment to 12th Armored Division.

3rd Battalion as 23rd Tank Battalion.

Reconnaissance Company as Troop D, 92nd Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron.

Band, Maintenance, and Service Companies disbanded.

44TH ARMORED REGIMENT

44th Armored Regiment activated 15 September 1942 and assigned to the 12th Armored Division.

Regiment broken up 11 November, elements reorganized and redesignated as follows:

Regiment (less 3rd Battalion,  Maintenance, Service, and Reconnaissance Companies) as 44th Tank Battalion.

3rd Battalion as 714th Tank Battalion and relieved fro assignment to 12th Armored Division.

Reconnaissance Company as Troop E, 92nd Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron.

Maintenance, and Service Companies disbanded. 

45TH ARMORED REGIMENT

45th Armored Regiment activated 15 October 1942 and assigned to the 13th Armored Division.

Regiment broken up 20 September 1943, elements reorganized and redesignated as follows.

Regiment (less 1st and 3rd Battalions, Band, Maintenance, Service, and Reconnaissance Companies) as 45th Tank Battalion.

1st Battalion as 780th Tank Battalion and relieved of assignment to the 13th Armored Division.

3rd Battalion as 24th Tank Battalion.

Reconnaissance Company as Troop D, 93rd Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron.

Band, Maintenance, and Service Companies disbanded.  

47TH ARMORED REGIMENT

47th Armored Regiment activated 15 November 1942 and assigned to the 14th Armored Division.

Regiment broken up 20 September 1943, elements reorganized and redesignated as follows:

Regiment ( less 1st and 3rd Battalions, Band, Maintenance, Service, and Reconnaissance Companies) as 47th Tank Battalion.

1st Battalion as 786th Tank Battalion and relieved from assignment to 14th Armored Division.

3rd Battalion as 25th Tank Battalion.

Reconnaissance Company as Troop D, 94th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron.

Band, Maintenance, and Service Companies disbanded. 

48TH ARMORED REGIMENT

48th Armored Regiment activated 15 November 1942 and assigned to the 14th Armored Division.

Regiment broken up 20 September 1943, elements reorganized and redesignated as follows:

Regiment (less 3rd Battalion, Band, Maintenance, Service and Reconnaissance Companies as 48th Tank Battalion.

3rd Battalion as 716th Tank Battalion, and relieved from assignment to 14th Armored Division.

Reconnaissance Company as Troop E, 94th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron.

Band, Maintenance, and Services Companies disbanded.

 

[yanmacca]

Chuck, when I save this info, and hopefully add an emblem to each regiment, would you suggest that I used the regimental coat of arms or the badge / shield.

[deadwoodgultch]

Ian, I stay out of this stuff, but opinion here is patch/badge.

[yanmacca]

Thanks Tom, I have noticed that Wikipedia provides both the coat of arms and the badge for nearly all of these regiments and it would show off Chucks work in grand style to feature say the regimental badge heading his data.

[quincannon]

Were it me I would use the Distinctive Unit Insignia (which is either the badge or shield depending upon how the DUI was constructed).

Coats of Arms were not approved until sometime after 1921. In fact the 7th Cavalry was one of the first regiments of any type to have one approved. Those regiments that existed and were active prior to World War II generally had them approved though not all, and at least one, still does not have one approved even to this day. So I would not suggest that Coats of Arms be used.

All of the Cavalry Groups had a DUI approved before WWII, except one that I know of, so that would be what I would use for them.

The same goes for the Armored Infantry Regiments.

Armored Regiments not so much. Most of them had neither a DUI or Coat of Arms approved during the wartime period.

When the war came along the Quartermaster Corps which was in charge of heraldry at the time stopped have these designed, approved, and manufactured in 1942-43, and the process did not start again until following the war.

I can provide for you a complete list of which regiments and groups had an approved insignia that they used during the war. Let me finish all the narratives, then I will put together the list.