Combat History of the 6th AD: : Title Page and Front Matter

Introduction

Table of Contents

Pre-combat history

Title: Combat History of the 6th Armored Division

With a Statement by Maj Gen Robert W Grow, CG, 6th AD

"Combat History, The Super Sixth" is a compilation of data from many sources, but by far the greater part of the material was obtained from after-action reports prepared by the G-3 Section, 6th Armored Division, under the direction of Major Clyde J. Burk, Assistant G-3, with Lts. Hunter Haines, Chester Kneller, Bernard Yaeger, and Paul Cundiff assisting, and appears here under Section II with slight variations.

Credit is given to Lt. Col. Ernest W. Mitchell Jr., G-2 of the 6th Armored Division, for his preparation of the material used as a base for Sectio ' n I, the story of the 6th Armored Division, which gives the overall, picture of the Division's role in combat operations in Europe, and for his permission to use same.

The charts and other data presented in another section of this book were chosen from material compiled by the Office of the Chief of Staff under the direction of Captain Cyrus R. Shockey, Aide-de-Camp, and art work was done, for the most part, by Sgt. Frank X. Scalise, G-2 Section. Photographs were made by official U. S. Army Signal Corps photographers and the Publisher.

To the above named individuals, and also to the staff of the Division I & E Section and Public Relations Office, the Publisher wishes to express his appreciation for the use of the material and for the cooperation which made the compilation of this history possible.

Although this book is not an official publication, much of the material contained herein was taken from official records, and the remainder has been carefully checked to avoid any misrepresentation of facts or figures.

It is regrettable that this type of history does not provide for the mention of the many gallant individual achievements which so characterized the men of the 6th Armored Division, whose "esprit de Corps" was second to none in the U. S. Army. However, the reader may well see reflected in this impersonal record the loyalty, devotion, and sacrifices that made this smooth functioning, fighting team such an important member of the Armies on the Western Front, and enabled it to finish all of its missions with the satisfactory label-"Success"-inscribed thereon.

William E. Rutledge, Jr.
PUBLISHER

Dedicated to the Super Sixers who gave their lives for liberty.

Photo of Major General Robert W. Grow, CG 6th AD

The 6th Armored Division was created February 15, 1942. 29 months and 12 days later it was committed to action in Normandy. Except for a period of less than two weeks, the Division, in whole or in part, was continuously in action int the European Theater until the end of the war with Germany -- more than nine months of combat. This volume contains the factual record of combat. No attempt is made to extend credit to the individual officers and men for their leadership and gallantry, the greatest factor in our success. Their record must be sought in the files of citations of the War Department and subordinate echelons of command. For the Division as a whole, the record is one of accomplishment to which every member can point with pride. From the hedges of Brittany through the forest gorges of the Ardennes and the flooded bottoms of Lorraine, to the beautiful rolling hills of Saxony, the Division mastered every variety of terrain. In the pages which follow, there is no account of failure; the combat record of the 6th Armored Division may be closed with the report, "mission accomplished". To the heroic sacrifices of more than 1,200 who lost their lives, and more than 4,000 others who were wounded, we owe a debt which we can discharge only by our life-long efforts to maintain a just peace.

Introduction

Table of Contents

Pre-combat history

Return to 6th Armored home page.

NOTE: Remove question mark from email address below when sending email.

Page maintained by Bruce Frederick
Last update: April 21, 1998