- 752nd Tank Battalion (Medium)
activated at Ft. Knox, KY
|
1 June 1941 |
- Personnel arrive at Ft. Lewis, WA
for training
|
December 1941 |
- Depart Ft. Lewis for Desert
Training Center, Indio, CA
|
13 April 1942 |
- Battalion entrains for Indiantown
Gap, PA
|
29 July 1942 |
- Battalion arrives at Indiantown
Gap, PA
|
3 August 1942 |
- 752nd departs New York Port of
Embarkation aboard the RMS Orcades
|
6 August 1942 |
- Arrives at Liverpool, England for
training at Camp Pennings, Tidworth Barracks, and Perham Downs
|
17 August 1942 |
- Battalion departs Liverpool, England for
North Africa aboard the RMS Reina Del Pacifico
|
7 January 1943 |
- Battalion
arrives at Oran, North Africa
|
17 January 1943 |
- 752nd
Tank Battalion inactivated, reclassified as 2642nd Armored Replacement
Battalion
|
17 March 1943 |
- 2642nd
Armored Replacement Battalion inactivated, reclassified as 752nd Tank
Battalion
|
16 September 1943 |
- Reorganized
as 752nd Medium Tank Battalion, with addition of D Company (Light Tanks)
|
22 December 1943 |
- Battalion
personnel ship out of Bizerte, Tunisia for Italy aboard LCI's
|
10 January 1944 |
- Battalion
personnel arrive at port of Bagnoli, Italy, near Naples
|
12 January 1944 |
- LSTs
loaded with 752nd tanks ship out of Bizerte
|
12 January 1944 |
- LSTs
arrive with 752nd tanks at Salerno
|
14 January 1944 |
- Battalion
training area set up near Eboli, Italy
|
15 January 1944 |
- 752nd
moves out as part of Anzio breakout
|
24 May 1944 |
- B
Company receives the 752nd's first combat assignment, with its first
engagement 0.4 miles southeast of Maenza. HQ Company suffers
battalion's first combat casualties from counter-battery at this same
location. A Company enters its first combat 1.7 miles south of
Roccagorga.
|
27 May 1944 |
- C
Company enters its first combat 1.4 miles south of Roccagorga.
|
28 May 1944 |
- Liberation
of Rome. Battalion loses its first tanks, as three B Company tanks are
knocked out on Via Prenestina in hard fighting just east of Rome.
|
4 June 1944 |
- 752nd
supports 34th Infantry in fierce battle
for Cecina. Battalion suffers its highest single-day tank
loss, with A Company losing 9 tanks on 1 July. B Company destroys one
Tiger tank.
|
29 June - 2 July 1944 |
- Lengthy
struggle for control of Rosignano, the battalion's highest-casualty
battle (33 casualties).
|
3-12 July 1944 |
- A
Company enters Livorno (Leghorn), followed by C Company the next day.
|
18 July 1944 |
- All
medium companies supporting 85th Infantry attack on Mt. Altuzzo as
Gothic Line is breached.
|
12-18 September 1944 |
- Battalion
moves through Passo il Giogo
|
19 September 1944 |
- B
and C Companies support 85th Infantry attack toward Firenzuola
|
22 September 1944 |
- C
and HQ Companies defeat German forces at "The
Rock" (Hill 966), later awarded 85th Infantry Divisional
Commendation for this action.
|
26-27 September 1944 |
- Assault
Gun Platoon exchanges M7 Priests for 105mm M4A3s
|
24 December 1944 |
- D
Company light tankers rejoin rest of battalion, having remained at
Eboli training area since arriving in Italy. New M5A1s drawn to replace
those left in Eboli.
|
21 January 1945 |
- Battalion
exchanges 39 M4 and M4A1 tanks for 76mm M4A3 vehicles, and
completes exchange on March 7, 1945 with total of 54 M4A3s. Some older
M4 and M4A1 tanks remain in forward positions, and are retained for
later use as lead vehicles when traveling through minefields.
|
24 February 1945 |
- D
Company exchanges M5A1 tanks for 75 mm M24 Chaffee light tanks, and
move into forward positions to support Medium companies.
|
12 March 1945 |
- All
17 M24 tanks of D Company turned in to 1st Armored Division, replaced
by 17 M5A1 tanks on April 7th.
|
5 April 1945 |
- D-Day
for the Spring Offensive. B and C Companies support 34th Infantry
in the assault under heavy artillery and rocket tank barrage.
|
16 April 1945 |
- B
Company leads the attack out of the hills south of Bologna along
Highway 65, entering the city at 0700. Bologna was the fourth large
city liberated by the 752nd (previously Rome, Cecina, and Livorno).
|
21 April 1945 |
- D
Company light tanks become the first allied armor to cross the Po
River and advance 30 miles (48 km) in 6 hours while engaging in several
firefights along the way. Took and
held Verona as bypassed enemy tried to retreat through town
during the night.
|
25 April 1945 |
- Battle for Vicenza, fiercest
battle in the Po Valley campaign. 752nd suffers 19 casualties, its
heaviest single-day toll.
|
28 April 1945 |
- Germans
sign secret surrender agreement in Italy. Heavy firefights in
Bassano-Sandrigo area, with B Company suffering the battalion's final
tank losses of the war. Total combat losses for the entire battalion
are 52 medium tanks knocked out (damaged or destroyed).
|
29 April 1945 |
- The
752nd Tank Battalion suffers its last combat casualty in the Italian
campaign, Cpl. George "Red" Blessing of B Company.
|
1 May 1945 |
- The
war in Italy finally ends. 752nd engages in several firefights
earlier in day, armistice confirmed at 1700 and all advances halted.
Battalion remains in Italy in peacekeeping role.
|
2 May 1945 |
- C
Company is awarded a commendation from the 85th Infantry Division for
action in September 1944 (GO #49)
|
15 June 1945 |
- General
Bolte of 34th Infantry presents 752nd with Distinguished
Unit Citation (later renamed Presidential Unit Citation).
Awarded for Po Valley action per GO #110.
|
19 September 1945 |
- Lt.
Col. Woodbury leaves the 752nd to join the Command and General Staff
School in States, Major Singley takes over.
|
22 September 1945 |
- 752nd
Tank Battalion is inactivated
|
10 August 1947 |
