I’m going to be keeping this page as a log of my research on my Grampa’s time during WW2. The information I am starting with can be seen here.

  • December 10, 2007
    • “645th Tank Destroyer Battalion

      Activated on 15 December 1941 at Camp Barkely, Texas. Battalion arrived in Algeria on 27 May 1943. Landed at Paestum, Italy, on 9 September 1943. Participated in drive up the Italian peninsula, then shifted to Anzio beachhead in February 1944. Withdrawn for training in June 1944 to participate in Operation Dragoon. Landed on 15 August in southern France. Advanced to Vosges Mountains near Grandvillers by October. Joined assault on Siegfried Line in December near Bobenthal, Germany. Fought German Nordwind offensive in January 1945. Converted to M36 beginning late January. Attacked Siegfried Line again south of Sarreguemines in March, crossed the Rhine at Worms on 25 March. Helped reduce Nazi stand at Aschaffenburg at month’s end and capture Nürnberg in mid-April. Reached Munich on 29 April. Attached to: 36th, 45th Infantry divisions.” (source)

    • He was a part of Patton’s army. (source)
    • Dday: “The 645th Tank Destroyer Battalion, commanded by Lt. Col. Van W. Pyland, moved into the area where the Mark IV’s had been successful earlier in driving back Company L, 142d Infantry. This time our destroyers upset an attack and knocked out four tanks. The Germans then blew up Ponte alla Scafa, a clear indication that they considered Highway 18 south of that point no longer usable by their forces.” (source)
    • The 645 TDB was a part of the 45th Infantry Div. “Thunderbird Div.” (source)
    • source says 645th was in N.Africa, Italy, and then came through the south of France to Germany. However, Gramma’s history of Grampa is completely different… is there an error somewhere?
    • Is it possible to start in one division and change to another halfway through? According to source, the 45th (which held the 645th) was in rhineland, ardennes, and central europe but grampa was also in normandy and northern france. According to source (above), these infantry did all campaigns that grampa did (2,4,5,28,30,35,79,83,90) and these armored (does that mean tanks?) did all campaigns that grampa did(3,4,5,6)
    • called gramma. she says that she THINKS but isn’t sure…. that he might have been in a different one to start. that she thinks he once said that the ppl who hadn’t been in long enough to be discharged (including him) were transferred to a different unit (him being the 645th, company c)