[Twelfth Armored Division, Scrapbook 4] Page: 17
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THE
ORE
X1A\Iw.t ,
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T~ahe Armored Command is one of the youngest, most mobile and hard-
hitting branches of the Army Ground Forces. It is composed of tank
units, armored infantry, self propelled artillery,
armored engineers, and ,a se signal, medical, ordnance
and quartermaster units With headquarters at Fort Knox, Kentucky,
it is commanded by Major General Alvan C. Gillem, Jr.I
X
LT. G EN.DANIEL VAN VOORHIS
" .i rth e rtleiry p dces the tca " b 'were
~ nw:s ".r ,c inearned fun r 'l
MAJ. GEN. ADNA R. CHAFFEE, dr p ertd
.an r, 01 F ice, hud the ub: i.oS 1job of
I'ntenew military unit when
"rnc wa.Is at peace and funds were t1
fully limited He was executive officer to
ioi VarVon Vorhis in 1930 and pioneered in
rind a p..werful mobile force strong in
C: ( i nr 2Wc rmcr He died August 22, 1941.The armored division, as
created for offensive warfare
the enemy's lines, to created
The men of the Armored Cot
best-disciplined troops in the
passed. Their weapons and
today.well as the separate tank battalion, was
and its mission is to penetrate or encircle
chaos, and to destroy communications.
mmand are among the best-trained and
Army Their esprit de corps is unsur-
vehicles are the best on any battlefieldArmored Battalions fought in the Philippines. American tanks and
crews fought with the British in Libya. On Nov. 7, 1942, armored
divisions landed on the North and West coasts of Africa. They were
the spearhead of the invasion and were in the forefront in Tunisia,
under Lieutenant General George S. Patton, Jr., and other veteran
commanders of armored units.
Fort Knox, named after Major General Henry Knox, first Secretary
of War, is the home of the Armored Command. It was here that the
first Armored Division and many of the separate tank battalions that
have distinguished themselves in Africa, Italy and other theaters of
operations were activated and received their early training. Here
battle replacements are trained and tank mechanics, commanders and
all the necessary personnel are developed. Here, too, are the vitally
important Armored Medical Research Laboratory and the Armored
Board. The Laboratory constantly studies environmental influences
which affect the safety and well-being of armored troops; the Board
tests and develops new armored equipment.Formerly called the1
changed to "Command
Air Forces.
p9Force, the designation "Force"
confusion with Ground, ServiceOI1ILAN
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1II1 T I if
T he men and tanks and guns of the Armored Command go into battle as
part of an integrated fighting team. American armor has progressed
steadily toward the goal of effective cooperation with infantry and air power
The separate tank battalion was designed for attachment to an infantry di-
vision. The armored division is itself a composite battle unit, with tanks,
artillery, infantry and other services. The trend has been tow ard a perfect
balance, culminating in the reorganized armored division with three tank
battalions, three armored artillery battalions and three armored infantry bat-
talions. Originally, tacticians conceived of even greater concentrations of ar-
mor and created the Armored Corps, the largest tactical unit of the American
armored force. The corps came into being five days after the birth of the
Armored Force with the activation of the I Armored Corps at Fort Knox,
Ky., under Maj. Gen. Adna R. Chaffee. Among later commanders was Lt.
Gen. George S. Patton who was destined to lead both divisions of the Corps
into battle. In the Tunisian campaign, he commanded the II Army Corps
which included the 1st Armored Division, and the 2nd Armored Division was
part of the Seventh Army which he led in the brilliant assault on Sicily. The
II Armored Corps was activated in January, 1942, under Maj. Gen. Alvan C.
Gillem, Jr., and later commanded by Maj. Gen. William H. H. Morris, Jr.
The III Armored Corps was activated in September, 1942, and commanded
by Maj. Gen. Willis D. Crittenberger. The IV Armored Corps was activated
on April 1, 1943, under the command of Maj. Gen. Walton H. Walker
From the first, the Armored Corps emphasized combined-arms training, each
taking its place as part of an Army. Girding for battle, as directed by Army
Ground Forces, the Corps' coordinated effort reached the point of complete
integration. The Armored Corps, foregoing the triangle, became Armn
Corps, fusing all elements of ground power for the fight ahead.p.,
LT GEN GEORGE 5 PITTON JR
.,t'neriu "
-1e'.elo;
commc ".'Armor'
f- cesMAJ GEN
4r r e.' ._.rWILLIAM H H MORRIS, JR
ips H ".C - ' rc.was
and1919- Mork V
THIS IS THE COLLAR INSIGNIA
FOR ARMORED OFFICERSI
a'R i
Xi
LT. GEN. JACOB L. DEVERS, General Chaffe's
.cCu' r ,i deelped and c ponded the Armored
,rce f,,, bes.nc the original dreams of its early
asocotes On May 1I, 1943, he assumeJ
c- mmand of American troops in the European
T CCt r, w th heodauarters in London' . . td 9x1
MAJ. GEN. WILLIS D. CRITTENBERGER
A caso~r," ..' ',. experience, General Cnt-
tenberger h,.s t ecn ,sC. ted wIth arm 'red forces F
since July 20, 1940. when he come to Fort Knox
for duty with the 1st Ar-.red Division. He has p
been commr t I' - ' Armored Dission and 5
f titIII.A"""t
.. xr. ., p. 6:rte *
a .1925 - Medium Ti
MAJ. GEN. WALTON H. WALKER
a'', bnt ' -n tSir
France during the 'cst war and served in peace'
n the Onent He was execute officer of the V
Plans D,.'sion cf the Wcr Department Get-
Stcff. and has comm - i tec 3r! ~ E1
F
I
G
II
T
I
MAJ. GEN. ALVAN C. GILLEM, JR., tocticion
and training expert, succeeded General Desers
May 11, 1943. He is a pioneer in armor.S "a }} '. a' K t M ':' .:,V
M1: "Vfit. K L!A n ("r4 y I,4,, w riE,,5i .a' } .4 ''- 1'" 4 i . I k_ a M .' ,i f''rl J t'at - -. PS '"
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1T +'a. i'. " r+. R " x ,c $ '" p,. , RA ' rArmored
" to avoidCOMMANDING GENERAL, ARMORED COMMAND
- e41930 - Medium T-2 M.1931 - CHRISTIE
N GIANKS
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United States. Army. Armored Division, 12th. [Twelfth Armored Division, Scrapbook 4], book, Date Unknown; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth587549/m1/18/: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting The 12th Armored Division Memorial Museum.