68th Armor Regiment


The 68th Armor Regiment is an armored regiment of the United States Army. It was first activated in 1933 in the Regular Army as the 68th Infantry Regiment.

Lineage

World War I

During World War I in France as part of the American Expeditionary Forces, the 326th, 327th, and 328th Battalions, Tank Corps and the 1st Tank Center were established between April and June 1918. In September 1918, the 326th and 327th Battalions were redesignated the 344th and 345th Battalions respectively, and they fought in the St. Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne campaigns. The 345th was the predecessor lineage to the 1st, 2nd, and 7th Tank Companies, and Company B of the 344th became the 5th Tank Company. The 328th Battalion, formed in the U.S., became the 3rd, 4th, and 6th Tank Companies.

Unrelated unit also designated "68th Infantry Regiment"

The 68th Infantry Regiment was originally constituted in the Regular Army on 9 July 1918 and assigned to the 9th Division. It was organized in July 1918 at Camp Sheridan, Montgomery, Alabama, from personnel of the 46th Infantry Regiment. It did not go overseas before the end of the war, and was relieved from the 9th Division and demobilized 15 February 1919 at Camp Sheridan.

Interwar period

The 68th Infantry was constituted on 1 October 1933 in the Regular Army as the 68th Infantry, and absorbed the lineage of the tank companies. The 68th Infantry was allotted to the 6th Corps Area, and activated as a "Regular Army Inactive" unit at Peoria, Illinois, manned with Organized Reserve personnel. On 7 April 1937, the headquarters location was changed to Chicago, Illinois. The 1st and 2nd Battalions were activated on 1 January 1940 at Fort Benning, Georgia, less Reserve personnel, by redesignation of the 1st through 7th Tank Companies of the 1st through 7th Divisions. The inactive elements of the regiment were withdrawn from the Sixth Corps Area and allotted to the Fourth Corps Area. On 30 May 1940, the 2nd Battalion was transferred to Fort Lewis, Washington. On 30 June 1940, the 1st Battalion was inactivated at Fort Benning. On 15 July 1940, the remaining active elements of the regiment were redesignated as the 68th Armored Regiment and assigned to the 2nd Armored Brigade of the 2nd Armored Division. The regiment was activated 1 August 1940 at Fort Benning, Georgia. When the structure of U.S. armored divisions was reorganized marly in 1942, the regiment was inactivated on 8 January 1942 at Fort Benning and relieved from assignment to the 2nd Armored Division. The 68th Armored Regiment was assigned on 15 February 1942 to the new 6th Armored Division and reactivated at Fort Knox, Kentucky.

1st Tank Company

  • Organized 7 June 1918 in the National Army in France as Company A, 327th Battalion, Tank Corps, American Expeditionary Force.
  • Redesignated 12 September 1918 as Company A, 345th Battalion, Tank Corps.
  • Reorganized and redesignated 8 January 1921 as the 1st Tank Company and allotted to the Regular Army
  • Assigned 1 April 1921 to the 1st Division
  • Relieved 16 October 1939 from assignment to the 1st Division
  • Consolidated 1 January 1940 with Company A, 68th Infantry and consolidated unit designated as Company A, 68th Infantry.
  • Inactivated 5 June 1940 at Fort Benning.
  • Redesignated 15 July 1940 as Company A, 68th Armored Regiment, and assigned to the 2nd Armored Division.
  • Activated 1 August 1940 at Fort Benning.
  • See "Regiment" for further history

    2nd Tank Company

  • Organized 7 June 1918 in the National Army in France as Company C, 327th Battalion, Tank Corps, AEF.
  • Redesignated 12 September 1918 as Company C, 345th Battalion, Tank Corps.
  • Reorganized and redesignated 8 January 1921 as the 2nd Tank Company, allotted to the Regular Army, and assigned to the 2nd Division.
  • Redesignated 1 January 1940 as Company D, 68th Infantry Regiment.
  • Redesignated 15 July 1940 as Company D, 68th Armored Regiment, and assigned to the 2nd Armored Division.

    3rd Tank Company

  • Organized April 1918 in the National Army at Camp Colt, Pennsylvania as Company A, 328th Battalion, Tank Corps
  • Reorganized and redesignated 8 January 1921 as the 3rd Tank Company, allotted to the Regular Army, and assigned to the 3rd Division.
  • Redesignated 1 January 1940 as Company E, 68th Infantry.
  • Redesignated 15 July 1940 as Company E, 68th Armored Regiment, and assigned to the 2nd Armored Division.

    4th Tank Company

  • Organized April 1918 in the National Army at Camp Colt, Pennsylvania as Company C, 328th Battalion, Tank Corps
  • Reorganized and redesignated 8 January 1921 as the 4th Tank Company, allotted to the Regular Army, and assigned to the 4th Division)
  • Inactivated 27 September 1921 at Fort Lewis, Washington.
  • Activated 15 September 1931 at Fort McClellan, Alabama.
  • Redesignated 1 January 1940 as Company B, 68th Infantry, and relieved from assignment to the 4th Division.
  • Inactivated 5 June 1940 at Fort Benning, Georgia
  • Redesignated 15 July 1940 as Company B, 68th Armored Regiment, and assigned to the 2nd Armored Division.
  • Activated 1 August 1940 at Fort Benning.

    5th and 6th Tank Companies

  • Organized 17 February 1918 as Company B, Tank Service, American Expeditionary Force.
  • Redesignated 16 April 1918 in the National Army at Borg, France as Company B, 1st Tank Center, American Expeditionary Force.
  • Redesignated on 6 June 1918 as Company B, 326th Battalion, Tank Corps.
  • Redesignated 1 September 1918 as Company B, 344th Battalion, Tank Corps.
  • Reorganized and redesignated 8 January 1921 as the 5th Tank Company, allotted to the Regular Army, and assigned to the 5th Division.
  • Consolidated 1 January 1940 with the 6th Tank Company, 6th Division, and reorganized and redesignated as Company C, 68th Infantry Regiment
  • Inactivated 5 June 1940 at Fort Benning, Georgia.
  • Redesignated 15 July 1940 as Company C, 68th Armored Regiment, and assigned to the 2nd Armored Division.
  • Activated 1 August 1940 at Fort Benning.

    7th Tank Company

  • Organized 7 June 1918 as Company B, 327th Battalion, Tank Corps, American Expeditionary Force.
  • Redesignated 12 September 1918 as Company B, 345th Battalion, Tank Corps.
  • Reorganized and redesignated 8 January 1921 as the 7th Tank Company, allotted to the Regular Army, and assigned to the 7th Division.
  • Inactivated 6 September 1921 at Camp Meade, Maryland.
  • Redesignated 1 January 1940 as Company F, 68th Infantry Regiment, and activated at Fort Benning, Georgia.
  • Redesignated 15 July 1940 as Company F, 68th Armored Regiment, and assigned to the 2nd Armored Division.

    Company G, 68th Infantry Regiment (Light Tanks)

  • Constituted 1 October 1933 in the Regular Army as Company G, 68th Infantry Regiment.
  • Redesignated 15 July 1940 as Company G, 68th Armored Regiment, and assigned to the 2nd Armored Division.
  • Activated 13 August 1940 at Fort Benning.

    Company H, 68th Infantry Regiment (Light Tanks)

  • Constituted 1 October 1933 in the Regular Army as Company G, 68th Infantry Regiment.
  • Redesignated 15 July 1940 as Company G, 68th Armored Regiment, and assigned to the 2nd Armored Division.
  • Activated 13 August 1940 at Fort Benning.

    Armored regiment

  • ;
  • 1st Battalion inactivated 30 June 1940 at Fort Benning, Georgia,.
  • Converted and redesignated 15 July 1940 as the 68th Armored Regiment and assigned to the 2nd Armored Division.
  • Regiment activated 1 August 1940 at Fort Benning, Georgia.
  • Inactivated 8 January 1942 at Fort Benning, Georgia, and relieved from assignment to the 2nd Armored Division
  • Assigned 15 February 1942 to the 6th Armored Division and activated at Fort Knox, Kentucky
  • Moved to Camp Chaffee, Arkansas on 20 March 1942 for divisional training and maneuvers.
  • Moved to Camp Young, California on 12 October 1942 to train at the Desert Training Center.

    Triangulation

  • Regiment broken up 20 September 1943 and its elements reorganized and redesignated as follows:
  1. Regimental Headquarters and Headquarters Company and 2d Battalion as the 68th Tank Battalion and remained assigned to the 6th Armored Division
  2. 1st Battalion as the 773d Tank Battalion and relieved from assignment to the 6th Armored Division
  3. 3d Battalion as the 15th Tank Battalion and remained assigned to the 6th Armored Division
  4. Reconnaissance Company as Troop D, 86th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron, Mechanized, and remained an element of the 6th Armored Division
  5. Maintenance and Service Companies, and Band disbanded.

    World War II

Troop D, 86th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron

  • Deployed from the New York Port of Embarkation on 11 February 1944.
  • Arrived in England on 23 February 1944.
  • Deployed further to France on 19 July 1944.
  • Was located at Kahla, Germany on 14 August 1945
  • Return to Boston Port of Embarkation on 18 September 1945

    15th Tank Battalion

  • Deployed from the New York Port of Embarkation on 11 February 1944.
  • Arrived in England on 24 February 1944.
  • Further deployed to France on 22 July 1944
  • Located at Jena, Germany on 14 August 1945
  • Returned to the New York Port of Embarkation on 20 February 1946

    68th Tank Battalion

  • Deployed from the New York Port of Embarkation on 11 February 1944.
  • Arrived in England on 24 February 1944.
  • Further deployed to France on 22 July 1944
  • Located at Buttstädt, Germany on 14 August 1945
  • Returned to the Hampton Roads Port of Embarkation on 29 December 1945

    773rd Tank Battalion

  • Deployed from the San Francisco Port of Embarkation on 8 February 1944.
  • Arrived in Hawaii on 15 February 1944.
  • Further deployed to Saipan on 15 July 1944
  • Further deployed to Tinian on 24 July 1944
  • Returned to Hawaii on 17 August 1944
  • Further deployed to Hojaki Shima on 26 March 1945
  • Further deployed to Tokashiki Shima 27 March 1945
  • Further deployed to Keise Shima 31 March 1945
  • Further deployed to Ie Shima 27 March 1945
  • Inactivated 15 April 1946 in Japan