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Nearby was the friendly city of Fort Smith, whose citizens extended
a warm welcome to the men of the 6th Armored Division that was never to
grow cold.
It was excellent training for combat -- the almost constant rain made
a quagmire of the terrain once vehicles left hard roads; the mosquitoes
became legendary; the chiggers and the wood-ticks contributed their part
to life in the field; and men got their first samples of "C" rations.
Maneuvers continued until the last days of September. Men learned
to drive heavy combat vehicles by starlight and follow tiny, elusive blackout
lights of those ahead over dusty trails. Filling Station operators,
bankers and insurance salesmen became soldiers. And then the Division
returned to Camp Chaffee. At this time a change was made in the division
artillery. The 59th, 69th, and 93rd Artillery Battalions, forming
a group, were detached and three new ones -- the 128th, 212th, and 231st
battalions were assigned.
Division Headquarters pulled to a jerky stop by a little shack labeled
Freda, California, on the 10th of October 1942, and unloaded vehicles on
the siding for the short ride to the Division Assembly Area at Rice.
The dust of the desert floor, face-powder thin, mushroomed in clouds at
the touch of a foot; the temperature soared to astronomical heights; construction
of the tent city that was to mark the home of the Division for more than
five months began. Other units of the division assembled hourly.
Full scale maneuvers came early in 1943, the Division acquiring valuable experience and "winning-out" over another armored outfit which later proved a famous running-mate in Europe: the 4th Armored Division.
Maneuvers came to a close; men took their last look -- at beautiful
desert sunsets, at the blue haze that enveloped the desert floor in early
morning, at the stars that provided a ceiling for their outdoor movies
in the cool evenings. On 15 March, the Division units, less vehicles,
were on their way to Camp Cooke, on the California coast. Division
Headquarters opened its doors on 17 March. Other units detrained
rapidly.
Some phases of training had a new twist to them: practice in "street fighting"; close infiltration course under live ammunition; judo; swimming tests at Santa Barbara; extensive training in reconnaissance work; more days on the firing range. This was followed by a field exercise lasting nearly a week. The Division had changed Commanders, and General Morris was replaced by Major General (then Brig. Gen.) Robert W. Grow, who assumed command of the 6th Armored in June, 1943, and who was to guide the Division through the war. In September, the division underwent reorganization, and was changed from the "heavy-type" to the newer "light-type" division of approximately 11,400 officers and men. The Supply Bn. was relieved of assignment, together with Division Service Co., one Engineer Co., and three tank battalions.
AGF tests were completed. The 6th was ready for overseas service.
The Division was alerted for shipment in January 1944.
The ships docked at Liverpool, England, and Glasgow, Scotland, after
a voyage lasting around twelve days. Division Headquarters anchored
in the harbor near Glasgow on 22nd February, and debarked 25th February.
The troops entrained and reached Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire, England,
that night. Division Headquarters was established in Batsford Park,
Moreton-in-Marsh, and Division units were billeted in and around small
villages in the Oxford-Stratford on Avon-Cheltenham area of England, where
they were to remain over four months.
Training continued; another round with range firing; practicing in Wales, and exercises at Salisbury Plains; one more Division CPX.
The Division had trained extensively for 29 months. It was ready
in every way for combat. As D-day grew nearer, and then dawned, there
was a tenseness in the air that told the men the big moment was coming
at last; that the many months of working and planning and training
would he put to the test.
The middle of July found the Division on the road to Southampton, the
"hards", and the LST'S. Across the English Channel lay the
shores of France and destiny.
General George S. Patton, Jr., Commander of Third U. S. Army, above left, is pictured with Major General Robert
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Last update: April 21, 1998