607th Tank Destroyer Battalion
In December, 1942 and January, 1943, personnel from Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia replaced the losses of the preceding nine months.
On 15 December 1943, it was reorganized, changing from a self-propelled to a towed battalion equipped with the 3in Gun M5 and the Reconnaissance Company being inactivated.
During the period of 7 to 27 July, the division advanced very slowly, especially in the areas around Foret De Monte Castro on Hill 122, on the approaches to Seves Island and at Beau Coudray.
Lo to the southwest toward Periers and the exploitation of the forced breakthrough, the enemy withdrew from the division front on the night of 27 July.
On the 6th the drive continued towards Le Mans, during which Co C destroyed an enemy half track, the first armored vehicle hit by the battalion.
The battalion continued to support the infantry regiments, and helped repel several armored and infantry attacks in the areas around Le Bourg-Saint-Leonard, Chambois and St. Eugenie; between 16 and 21 August, they accounted for thirty-four tanks, twenty-three self-propelled guns, nine halftracks and sixteen artillery pieces destroyed or captured,[1][2] with over five hundred prisoners taken and fifteen men awarded Silver Stars.
Between 27 August and 1 September, the various companies in support of the 357th and 359th IR's moved north of Reims and to Ft. de Brimont, a distance of 135 miles from Fontainbleau.
On 8 Sept., the unit participated in fending off a counterattack by the German Panzer Brigade 106 which was attacking in the Mairy/Trieux/Briey area (Battle of Mairy).
[3] The attack commenced in the pre-dawn hours but the 607th's first contact with the Germans was at 0700hrs when enemy tanks began firing at Mairy.
Around 0800 the Germans attempted to outflank the anti-tank defenses by coming into the town from the south aboard 11 armored half-tracks.
Two were knocked out by bazooka fire from the TD platoon and, as they attempted to exit the town to the north, four more were lost to the 3" guns.
On this date, a gun from the 2nd platoon, C Company, located 200 yards west of Basse Parth, fired ten rounds into Germany, targeting the church steeple in Perl.
During the week of 12–19 Nov., the battalion re-equipped with the self-propelled M36 tank destroyer, armed with a 90mm gun, and returned to combat just in time for the final attack on the city.
The 95th, including the 607th and other attached units, received a commendation letter from General George S. Patton for their part in the battle at Metz.
On 28 November, the 1st platoon of Co. C was defending the town of Falck, waiting for the arrival of the infantry, when a barrage of artillery was laid down followed by a German ground attack.
[8] For the remainder of the month, the companies, supporting the infantry regiments, moved on a seven-mile front to within three miles of the Saar River near Saarlautern.
[9] Two members of the 607th were awarded Distinguished Service Cross's, Cpl Eugene L. LaFountain (WIA) and 1st Lt. Richard A. Reynolds (KIA), for their actions in the bridgehead area.
With the enemy's thrust into the Ardennes, offensive action in the bridgehead slowed and units took up a defensive posture, preparing to counter any potential massed German attacks.
With clearance from the 89th Infantry Division to move through their area to the north, the TF proceeded northwest through Ohrdruf and Arnstadt.
Lt. Grant W. Claymore rescued two more men from the burning TD, earning a Distinguished Service Cross for his heroism.
[14] By evening, the TF and the three IR's held a line generally from just outside Stadtilm southwest to Angstedt, a distance of seven miles.
The two companies continued moving east towards Rudolstadt, where they began meeting resistance, but by nightfall the southwest part of town had been taken.
The next day, with the assistance of the 346th IR, the attack continued with the goal of capturing an intact bridge across the Saale River but this was not to be.
A bridgehead was established and on the 14th the task force crossed the newly erected treadway bridge and headed east towards Peuschen, meeting resistance a few miles west of the town.
The next day the task force continued to move eastward, passing through numerous small towns against light resistance.
[15] Units of Co. A, with part of the 347th Infantry Regiment advanced through more small towns and were able to seize a bridge over the White Elster River in Plauen.
Co. C seized the bridge at Elsterberg, destroying an 88mm anti-tank gun, and secured the high ground east of town.
On 18 and 19 April, Task Force Sundt remained in place patrolling to the east and on the 20th, the TF, less the infantry company, assembled in the vicinity of Neuensalz.
[16] During the two-week period of 23 April – 6 May, elements of the Battalion remained in defensive positions, conducting equipment maintenance.
[17] Following a period serving as occupation troops, the 607th departed Marseille, France, aboard the USAT George Washington, arriving in the Port of New York, NY, on 26 October 1945.
