US Armored

= personal recollection

2nd Armored3rd Armored6th Armored7th Armored9th Armored10th Armored11th Armored526th Armored Infantry Battalion712th Tank Battalion761st Tank Battalion

2nd Armored

Richard Kuno Blankennagel (2nd Infantry Division), "Taking the Bulge, January 1945." Blankennagel was fortunate to be fluent in German. His recollections are continued here and here.

James R. (Bob) Carpenter (2nd Armored Division), "My Memory of Hellenthal"

"There was a German soldier, who was wounded. He was in that house on the floor or stretcher. For some reason the medic decided to give him an over-dose. No one stopped him or discouraged him in any way, including myself. To me this illustrates what combat turns a human into, an animal. Basically, in the infantry you live like an animal."

"My brother at Krinkelt–Rocherath" Antonio R. Jean reconstructs his brother's experiences at Krinkelt–Rocherath.

Richard L. Warren (428th Military Police, attached to the 2nd Infantry Division)

3rd Armored

Many3rd Armored interviews, long and short, many on the Malmedy massacre, can be found on the Third Armored "Spearhead" Division Web Site.

"Spearheading with the Third Armored Division" official 1945 pamphlet history of the 3rd Armored Division in WWII. Skip to the Ardennes Winter Campaign .

A. Eaton Roberts (Third Armored Division) excerpted from Roberts' Five Stars To Victory: The exploits of Task Force Lovelady.

Samuel Hogan (Third Armored Division), "The Story of the Task Force Hogan." Intense, gripping account of being cut off behind enemy lines.

Albert John Palfey (Third Armored Division) "The Trap that Doomed Kampfgruppe Peiper"

Jim Cullen (3rd Armored Division), interspersed with the After Action Repors, on hard fighting in Sterpigny and Cherain, Belgium.

James K. Cullen (3rd Armored Division), "A Soldier's Month in the Ardennes"

"The Heroic Defense of the Aisne Valley" by Gerard Roggen (CRIBA)

Robert T. Gravlin (23rd Armored Engineer Battalion). On the discovery of some Germans in US uniforms, who obviously learned English English.

"I asked him if he thought Detroit would win the World Series. He said no, but they put up a bloody good fight. We pulled them out of the Jeep because the World Series had been between the Cardinals and the Browns. It was discovered they were Germans in US uniforms. We sent them back to our G-2 Intelligence group."

6th Armored

Benjamin A. Goodin (6th Armored Division), "Time on Target: Le Bois Jacques, North of Bastogne"

Roger McKee Connor, the son of George Roger Connor, KIA January 4, 1945, travels to Belgium and his father's grave.

7th Armored

Truman Luther Van Tine (7th Armored Division). George J. Winter reconstructs this soldier's life, leading up to his mortal wounding at Poteau, Belgium.

Cletus W. McGinnis / "Lieutenant-Colonel" Brown on a confused, deadly engagement in Manhay.

The Capture of Poteau by George J. Winter, on the capture of Poteau by the 7th Armored Division. Begins with a few good paragraphs about the methods and sources of WWII US Military history-writing.

Letter sent home shortly after the battle.

9th Armored

George E. McAvoy (9th Armored Division, 149th Armored Signal Company) "Troops on the line December 16th, 1944 deserve to be honored", a review of the action more than a personal account.

Presidential Unit Citation for Combat Command A, 9th Armored Division (March 7, 2002).

"Outnumbered five to one, with its infantry rifles companies surrounded for most of the time, clerks, cooks, mechanics, drivers and others manned the 10.000 yard final defensive line. Supported by the outstandingly responsive and accurate fire of its artillery battalion, this widely dispersed force stopped every attack for six days until its surrounded infantry were ordered to fight their way back to them."

John F. Mc Kinney (9th Armored Division)

10th Armored

Bernie Barenbrugge, 10th Armored Division (read down for the battle in Bastogne).

"This was no doubt the worst ordeal of my entire Army career. Hunger, capture and death seemed imminent. Under these circumstances you do some serious praying and think a lot of your loved ones, while you're following orders to survive."

11th Armored

Amazon. Tank Driver: With the 11th Armored from the Battle of the Bulge to Ve Day by J. Ted Hartman.

"The 'Thunderbolts' in Belgium in the Battle of the Bulge" by Patrick J. Kearney, on the 11th Armored Division. Includes photographs of 11th Armored Division memorials in Belgium.

"The 55th AIB [11th Armored Division] in Belgium in the Battle of the Bulge" by Patrick J. Kearney.

"The Communique" by Wayne Van Dyke. Semi-fictionalized account (names changed, dialogue inserted) of 11th Armored Division action at Noville, Belgium. Dialogue often entertaining.

"I wonder what "K" ration means," asked Joe.
"I don't know exactly," answered Lawrence, "but I believe they kept inventing new rations and gave each one a different letter to identify it."
"Naw, that ain't right," stated Abers. "K means kill. It's the "K" rations they give you when they expect you to get killed. Back home on maneuvers they fed us "C" rations. That meant camp rations."

Wilfred McCarty (11th Armored Division), "Serving with the 11th Armored Division during the Battle of the Bulge" also covers the liberation of Manthausen

"Thunderbolts Honored in Bastogne" by Patrick J. Kearney, 11th Armored Division Association. Report on a ceremony honoring the 11th Armored Division (May 30, 2000).

Patrick J. Kearney (11th Armored Division), "New Year's Even in Tillet"

"Our 'Bulge' Chaplain" by Patrick J. Kearney, on the 11th Armored Division's Catholic Chaplain, Regis J. Galvin.

526th Armored Infantry Battalion

Carl Smith (526th Armored Infantry) "The Gas Dump at Stavelot." Pursued by a Panzer tank, they set a gas dump alight.

Vic Brennan (526th Armored Infantry Battalion). A vain attack on a German Tiger.

Private Walker Fields (526th Armored Infantry Battalion) on destroying a German fuel dump near Stavelot.

John V. Pehovic (526th Armored Infantry Battalion), "12 Hours in Stavelot". Gripping narrative.

"The battle at Stavelot erupted with such quick dynamic force that it almost defies description. A full pitched battle developed and was underway as soon as the task force arrived. We knew nothing of the terrain, there were no lines of communication, we had no idea what troops were in the area, nor what this disposition was — we moved into a complete vacuum with no time to evaluate the situation nor time to develop a plan of resistance."

"I confirm that the 526th AIB, and especially Company "A", while they may bow their heads in deference to other famous units in the Army, they never have to bow in humility."

Charles A. Mitchell (526th Armored Infantry) "Action at Stavelot: 17-18 December 1944"

712th Tank Battalion

Amazon. Online Book: Tanks for the Memories edited by Aaron Elson. Elson transcribed sessions between members of the 712th Tank Battalion (attached to the 90th Infantry). The method really worked—the common reticence of the combat veteran doesn't apply among his own, and veterans supplement and jog each others' memories much better than a non-veteran can. Paper edition available on Amazon.com.

How Cold Was It? and Four Men and a Tank from Tanks for the Memories, transcribed interviews with members of the 712th Tank Battalion.

761st Tank Battalion

Amazon. Brothers In Arms : The Epic Story of the 761St Tank Battalion, WWII's Forgotten Heroes by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Anthony Walton.

NPR: Morning Edition story. Not much on the Bulge, but great nonetheless.

Abdul-Jabbar's battle by Rob Minzesheimer, The Journal News (May 2004).

The Battle of the Bulge : The 761st Tank Battalion by Lee Davis. Colored tank battalion fought in the Battle of the Bulge and was the first American force to link up with the Soviets.

"The 761st Black Panthers, they came out fighting" Quotes Patton's speech—typical Patton:

"�Men, you're the first Negro tankers to ever fight in the American Army. I would never have asked for you if you weren't good. I have nothing but the best in my Army. I don't care what color you are as long as you go up there and kill those Kraut sons of bitches. Everyone has their eyes on you and is expecting great things from you. Most of all, your race is looking forward to you. Don't let them down and damn you, don't let me down!"

Amazon. The 761st "Black Panther" Tank Tank Battalion in World War II by Joe W. Wilson, Jr.

"When the Black Panthers Prowled" by Philip W. Latimer, Army Magazine (1992).

Fact Sheet on 761st Tank Battalion from U.S. Army Center of Military History.

"Father's Day: 761" by Mike Ramey. Father's day inspiration for black men, from a syndicated columnist.

Official Website of the 761st Tank Battallion and Allied Veterans Association.