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HEADQUARTERS
75TH MEDICAL BATTALION ARMORED
APO 255, U. S. Army
16 February 1945
SUBJECT: History of the 75th Medical Battalion Armored.
TO : COMMANDING GENERAL, Fifth Armored Division, APO 255, U. S. Army.
In compliance with AR 345-105, the following history of this battalion is hereby submitted:
a. Original Unit.
(1) Designation: 75th Medical Battalion (Armored)
(2) Date of Organization: 1 October 1941
(3) Place of Organization: Fort Knox, Kentucky
(4) Authority for Organization: Letter, War Department, The Adjutant Generals Office, 28 August 1941, File AG 320.2 (8-22-41) MR-MC, Subject: Constitution and Activation of the Fifth Armored Division.
(5) Personnel was obtained from the Armored Force Replacement Training Center, Fort Knox, Kentucky, and from cadres furnished by the Third and Fourth Armored Divisions.
b. Changes in Organization.
At activation the battalion was composed of Headquarters Detachment, Company A and Company B. On 1 January 1942 a change in the Table of Organization redesignated the battalion, 75th Armored Medical Battalion and also added another company. The battalion then consisted of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, Company A, Company B and Company C. The battalion operated under this Table of Organization until 15 September 1943 when it was redesignated, 75th Medical Battalion Armored.
c. Strength, Commissioned and Enlisted.
(1) At activation the battalion was composed of 75 Officers and 150 Enlisted Men.
(2) There was a gradual decrease in Officer strength and an increase in enlisted strength until T/O strength was reached in April 1942. The following table shows net increase and decrease of personnel for 1944. Figures of previous months are not available as the records are stored.
Gains Losses Net
Month Officers Enlisted Men Officers Enlisted Men Gains Losses
|
January |
5 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
4 |
|
|
February |
2 |
5 |
2 |
12 |
|
7 |
|
March |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
|
|
April |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
|
May |
0 |
3 |
2 |
4 |
|
3 |
|
June |
2 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
|
|
July |
2 |
10 |
3 |
2 |
7 |
|
|
August |
4 |
14 |
0 |
17 |
1 |
|
|
September |
0 |
4 |
1 |
27 |
|
24 |
|
October |
2 |
16 |
2 |
12 |
4 |
|
|
November |
2 |
8 |
2 |
8 |
|
|
|
December |
2 |
12 |
1 |
16 |
|
3 |
-1-
History of the 75th Medical Battalion Armored, 16 February 1945 (Continued)
(3) Present Strength: 34 Officers, 2 Warrant Officers and 365 Enlisted Men.
d. Stations (Permanent or temporary) of unit or parts thereof.
Fort Knox, Kentucky was the home of the battalion from activation until 11 February 1942 when we departed for Camp Cooke, California. After a five (5) day train ride we arrived at our new station on 15 February 1942.
Immediately after arriving at Camp Cooke, replacements started arriving from induction centers. A training program was then started for the new members of the battalion. After six (6) months of unit training the battalion moved to Desert Training Center, California for training in desert warfare. This move was made by motor convoy on 13 August 1942, being completed upon reaching the Desert Training Area 14 August 1942.
After three (3) months of desert warfare training, the battalion moved back to Camp Cooke, California. This move was made by motor convoy 21 November 1942, being completed 22 November 1942 when the battalion arrived at Camp Cooke.
On 20 March 1943 the battalion departed from Camp Cooke for the Tennessee Maneuver Area. This move was made by rail and completed when the battalion arrived at Camp Forrest, Tennessee 24 March 1943.
After three (3) months training in this area, the battalion was ordered to move to a new station. The move was by rail from Cookeville, Tennessee to Pine Camp, New York. The Battalion departed 2 July 1943 and arrived at the new station 3 July 1943.
After five (5) months of unit training the battalion was ordered to move to Indiantown Gap Military Reservation, Pennsylvania for a permanent change of station. The movement was made by motor convoy leaving Pine Camp 4 December 1943 and arriving at Indiantown Gap Military Reservation 5 December 1943.
After two (2) months at this station the battalion moved to a staging area. This move was made by rail to Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, 4 February 1944.
The stay at Camp Kilmer was very short as the battalion was processed for overseas movement and then departed 10 February 1944.
After an ocean voyage of fifteen (15) days the battalion disembarked at Liverpool, England 25 February 1944. The battalion was then moved by rail to Ogbourne St George, England, arriving there 26 February 1944.
On 7 April 1944 the battalion moved to Saltram Park (Plymouth) England. The move was made by motor convoy and completed on the same date.
After operating a Marshalling Area Camp for two (2) months the battalion then moved to Tilshead, England to prepare for movement to the continent. The move was made by motor convoy, 16 Jun 1944.
After preparation for movement to the continent the battalion departed for the Marshalling Area, vicinity of Southampton, England. The move was made by motor convoy 22 July 1944.
-2-
History of the 75th Medical Battalion Armored, 16 February 1945 (Continued)
Upon arrival at the Marshalling Area the companies of the battalion were stationed with their respective Combat Commands and departed with them for the continent.
For stations on the continent see paragraph e below.
e. Marches:
Date Points of March Miles Condition of Road Weather Purpose
|
08/13/41 |
Camp Cooke, Calif to Desert Training Area, California |
340 |
Excellent |
Clear |
Desert Training |
|
11/21/41 |
Needles, Calif. to Camp Cooke, Calif. |
325 |
Excellent |
Clear |
Return to permanent station |
|
12/04/43 |
Pine Camp, New York to Indiantown Gap Military Reservation, Pa. |
260 |
Excellent |
Rain |
Change of Station |
|
04/07/44 |
Ogbourne St George, England to Saltram Park, England |
155 |
Good |
Clear |
To operate camps in Marshalling Area |
|
06/16/44 |
Saltram Park, England to Tilshead, England |
130 |
Good |
Clear |
Preparation for move to continent |
|
07/22/44 |
Tilshead, England to Southampton, England |
25 |
Clear |
Clear |
Move to Marshalling Area |
|
07/28/44 |
Utah Beach, France to Assembly Area, France |
8 |
Good |
Clear |
To regroup |
|
07/29/44 |
Assembly Area to ST Sauveur, France |
20 |
Good |
Clear |
|
|
08/02/44 |
St Sauveur to Milleres, France |
23 |
Dusty |
Clear |
Support movement of the Division |
|
08/05/44 |
Milleres to Ducey, France |
51 |
Dusty |
Clear |
|
|
08/06/44 |
Ducey to Fougeres, France |
30 |
|
|
|
|
08/08/44 |
Fougeres to Le Mans, France |
81 |
|
|
|
|
08/10/44 |
Le Mans to Beaufay, France |
32 |
|
|
|
|
08/11/44 |
Beaufay to Le Mesle, France |
36 |
|
|
|
|
08/12/44 |
Le Mesle to Sees, France |
12 |
|
|
|
|
08/16/44 |
Sees to Dreux, France |
71 |
|
|
|
|
08/19/44 |
Dreux to Mantes-Gassicourt, France |
35 |
Good |
|
|
|
08/25/44 |
Mantes-Gassicourt to Thoiry, France |
18 |
|
|
|
|
08/30/44 |
Thoiry to Baron, France |
74 |
|
|
|
|
09/04/44 |
Baron to Hatteville, France |
96 |
|
|
|
|
09/05/44 |
Hatteville to Puiseux, France |
18 |
|
|
|
|
09/08/44 |
Puiseux to Chemery, France |
26 |
|
|
|
|
09/09/44 |
Chemery, France to Bleid, Belgium |
48 |
|
|
|
-3-
History of the 75th Medical Battalion Armored, 16 February 1945 (Continued)
Marches by
Headquarters & Headquarters Co (Contd)