Document Source: Order of Battle of the United States Army, World War II, European Theater of Operations. Office of the Theater Historian, Paris, France, December 20, 1945.
Activated on September 15, 1942, at Camp Campbell (Kentucky) the 12th Armored Division moved on September 6, 1943, to the Second Army #3 Tennessee Maneuvers; the 12-AD was then sent to Camp Barkeley (Texas) on November 17, 1943, and relocated on July 8, 1943, to Camp Bowie (Texas). Back to Camp Barkeley (Texas) July 16, 1944, until moved and staged at Camp Shanks (New York) until the division departed the New York (POE) on September 20, 1944, and arrived in England on October 2, 1944. The 12-AD landed in France on November 9, 1944, entered Germany on December 21, 1944, until the Division returned to the New York (POE) on December 1, 1945, and was inactivated at Camp Kilmer (New Jersey) on December 3, 1945.
Casualties
Killed in Action 517
Wounded in action 2257
Missing in Action 659
Captured 3
Battle Casualties 3436
Non-Battle Casualties 2540
Total Casualties 5976
Campaigns
Rhineland
Ardennes-Alsace
Central Europe
Statistics
Activated 15 September 1942
Arrived ETO 2 October 1944
Arrived Continent (D+156) 9 November 1944
Entered Combat (First Elements) 5 December 1944
Entered Combat (Entire Division) 7 December 1944
Days in Combat 102
Awards
Distinguished Service Cross 6
Legion of Merit 4
Silver Star 198
Soldiers Medal 12
Bronze Star 1199
Air Medal 50
Distinguished Flying Cross 3
Prisoners of War Taken 72.243
12th Armored Division: The mixture of insignia and distinctive colors of several arms incorporated in the Armored Force symbolize integrity and esprit. It is an interlocked ornament, found in Nordic monuments, composed of three torques: red for Artillery; blue for Infantry; and yellow for Cavalry. The symbols represent the characteristics of Armored Divisions: the tank track, mobility, and armor protection; the cannon, fire power; and the red bolt of lightning, shock action.
Commanding General
Maj Gen Carlos E. Brewer 15 Sep 42
Maj Gen Douglass T. Greene 1 Aug 44
Maj Gen Roderick R. Allen 1 Oct 44
Brig Gen Willard A. Holbrook Jr Jul 45
Artillery Commander
Col Charles R. Gildart 1 Oct 44
Chief of Staff
Col Richard H. Gordon 1 Oct 44
Col Wallace H. Barnes 14 Dec 44
Assistant CoS G-1
Lt Col Hugh Mair 1 Oct 44
Assistant CoS G-2
Lt Col Charles Smyroski 1 Oct 44
Assistant CoS G-3
Lt Col H. Paul Holz 1 Oct 44
Assistant CoS G-4
Lt Col J. M. Bradley 1 Oct 44
Adjutant General
Lt Col Edwin M. Connell 1 Oct 44
CO, Combat Command A
Brig Gen Riley F. Ennis 1 Oct 44
CO, Combat Command B
Col Charles V. Bromley 1 Oct 44
CO, Reserve Command
Col Richard A. Gordon 14 Dec 44
Order of Battle 1945
Headquarters Company
Combat Command A
Combat Command B
Reserve Command
23d Tank Battalion
43d Tank Battalion
714th Tank Battalion
17th Armored Infantry Battalion
56th Armored Infantry Battalion
66th Armored Infantry Battalion
92d Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron (Mechanized)
119th Armored Engineer Battalion
152d Armored Signal Company
12th Armored Division Artillery
493d Armored Field Artillery Battalion
494th Armored Field Artillery Battalion
495th Armored Field Artillery Battalion
12th Armored Division Trains
134th Ordnance Maintenance Battalion
82d Armored Medical Battalion
Military Police Platoon
Band
Attachments
Antiaircraft Artillery
572d AAA AW Bn (SP) 4 Dec 44-18 May 45
Armored
CCV (French 2d Armd Div) 30 Apr 45-4 May 45
Cavalry
101st Cav Gp 8 Apr 45-4 May 45
42d Rcn Tr (42d Div) 13 Apr 45-14 Apr 45
Chemical
Co A, 99th Cml Mort Bn 7 Mar 45-8 Mar 45
Engineer
206th Engr C Bn 18 Mar 45-20 Mar 45
256th Engr C Bn 14 Apr 45-21 Apr 45
290th Engr C Bn 21 Apr 45-4 May 45
Field Artillery
204th FA Gp 18 Mar 45-22 Mar 45
342d FA Bn 28 Mar 45-4 May 45
933d FA Bn (155-MM How) 31 Mar 45-19 Apr 45
Hq, 36th FA Gp 1 Apr 45-19 Apr 45
937th FA Bn (155-MM How) 1 Apr 45-4 May 45
935th FA Bn (4.5″ Gun) 11 Apr 45-19 Apr 45
Btry A, 977th FA Bn (155-MM Gun) 24 Apr 45-25 Apr 45
Infantry
1st & 2d Bns, 22d Inf (4th Div) 2 Apr 45-3 Apr 45
3d Bn, 222d Inf (42d Div) 2 Apr 45-8 Apr 45
2d Bn, 242d Inf (42d Div) 5 Apr 45-7 Apr 45
Co G, 242d Inf (42d Div) 10 Apr 45-12 Apr 45
3d Bn, 242d Inf (42d Div) 12 Apr 45-14 Apr 45
15th CT (3d Div) 24 Apr 45-25 Apr 45
Tank Destroyer
827th TD Bn (SP) 19 Dec 44-13 Feb 45
Detachments
Armored
Co A, 43d Tk Bn 103d Div 5 Dec 44-7 Jan 45
Co A, 23d Tk Bn 100th Div 1 Jan 45-7 Jan 45
CCB 79th Div 7 Jan 45-15 Jan 45
714th Tk Bn 70th Div 12 Feb 45-17 Feb 45
CCA 70th Div 2 Mar 45-8 Mar 45
CCR 101st Cav Gp 2 Mar 45-8 Mar 45
Co C, 43d Tk Bn 63d Div 9 Mar 45-14 Mar 45
CCA 94th Div 22 Mar 45-24 Mar 45
CCA 42d Div 7 Apr 45-13 Apr 45
