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607th Tank Destroyer Battalion

Unit History:  Activated on 15 December, 1941, at Fort Ord, California, from the 7th Infantry Division Provisional Antitank Battalion.  Converted to a towed battalion in December, 1943.  Arrived at Liverpool, England, on 21 April, 1944.   Disembarked at Utah Beach 17–23 June.  Supported advance on Cherbourg, fought along Seves River in July. Participated in drive to Le Mans and envelopment of the Falaise Pocket in August.  Advanced to Moselle River in September and supported operations against Metz through November.  Converted to a self-propelled battalion equipped with M36’s in time for final assault.  Joined drive toward Saar River, capture of Saarlautern, and subsequent fight against Siegfried Line in December.  Deployed to the Ardennes sector in January, 1945.  Committed against Siegfried Line again in February in the Schnee Eifel.  Supported the capture of Koblenz in mid-March.  Crossed the Rhine River at Boppard on 25 March.  Sliced through Hessen and Thüringen during April and reached the Czechoslovak border near Plauen by mid-April.  Thereafter, remained in defensive positions.  Attached to: 82d Airborne Division; 9th, 28th, 87th, 90th, 95th Infantry divisions; 6th Cavalry Group.  History text from the book The Tank Killers by Harry Yeide.  Used by permission.

Combat Equipment:  6/44 – Towed 3″ Gun; 11/44 – M36.

Commanding Officers:  Lt. Col. Bryan S. Halter (Original CO, 12/15/41-1/4/42);  Lt. Col. Milo H. Matteson (2/14/42);  Lt. Col. Harald S. Sundt (4/7/42, Major at this date);  Lt. Col. Arthur C. O’Meara (6/28/45);  Major Donald H. MacNab (8/7/45);  Lt. Col. David DeG Smith (9/12/45)

Code Name/s:  Nylon, Nuisance

Campaign Credits:    Normandy……………………Jun. 6, to Jul. 24, 1944

                                 Northern France……………Jul. 25, to Sept. 14, 1944

                                 Rhineland……………………Sept. 15, 1944 to Mar. 21, 1945

                                 Ardennes-Alsace…………..Dec. 16, 1944 to Jan 25, 1945

                                 Central Europe……………..Mar. 22, to May 11, 1945

Awards:  None

Location August 1945:  Lissendorf, Germany

Additional Information/Materials:

1.)  The Tank Busters – The History of the 607th Tank Destroyer Battalion in Combat on the Western Front. – 67 pages, written by Battalion Historian, 1st Lt. Harold H. Eby, and printed in Munich of Bavaria by Knorr & Hirth, Sendlinger Strasse 83.  Re-typed version with difficult to see photos, but it is a searchable document within Adobe Acrobat.  Includes Roster.

2.)  The Tank Busters – Scan of the original book provided by Steve Dike.  Very nicely done with good photos. Unfortunately due to the size of the document, I was forced to provide it in four parts.  

     Part 1 – Cover to page 21…….(Very large file, please be patient)

     Part 2 – Page 22 to 45…………(Very large file, please be patient)

     Part 3 – Page 46 to 69…………(Very large file, please be patient) Officer’s roster on last page.

     Part 4 – Page 70 to 94…………(Very large file, please be patient) Enlisted men’s roster.

The following documents, except as noted, are all provided courtesy of Steve Dike.  Also from the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum and Boyhood Home, Abilene, Kansas (**).

3.)  Early History, Dec. 1941-Feb. 1942 – 2 Pages (**)

4.)  Official 607th Unit History, Dec. 1941-Dec. 1944 – 23 Pages (includes awards & casualties)

5.)  Official 607th Unit History, Jan. 1945-Aug. 1945 – 16 Pages (includes awards & casualties)

6.)  Official 607th Unit History, Jul. 1945-Sep. 1945 – 3 Pages

7.)  Company B, 607th TD BN Daily Travel Log Compiled by Pvt. Richard Marcum, who served in Company B, and provided courtesy of Brendan Meyer.

8.)  Medical Detachment History and Personnel List

9.)  Google Map of the Daily Log Positions – Provided courtesy of Brendan Meyer

10.)  Daily Journals and Operation Summaries

           Jun. 9-30, 1944…………………..5 Pages

           Jun. 1-30, 1944 (Summary)……3 Pages

           Jul. 1-31, 1944…………………..36 Pages

           Jul. 1-31, 1944 (Summary)…….2 Pages

           Aug. 1-31, 1944………………..30 Pages

           Aug. 1-31, 1944 (Summary)…..3 Pages

           Sep. 1-30, 1944…………………20 Pages

           Sep. 1-30, 1944 (Summary)….11 Pages

           Oct. 1-31, 1944………………….50 Pages

           Oct. 1-31, 1944 (Summary)……9 Pages

           Oct. 15-21, 1944 (Task Force Sundt)……3 Pages

           Nov. 1-30, 1944………………..32 Pages

           Nov. 1-30, 1944 (Summary)…..9 Pages

           Nov. 28, 1944 (After Action Rpt)…2 Pages (3rd Platoon, Company C) (**)

           Dec. 1-31, 1944…………………21 Pages

           Dec. 1-31, 1944 (Summary)….11 Pages 

           Jan. 1-31, 1945…………………25 Pages

           Jan. 1-31, 1945 (Summary)……7 Pages

           Feb. 1-28, 1945…………………15 Pages

           Feb. 1-28, 1945 (Summary)……9 Pages

           Mar. 1-31, 1945…………………25 Pages

           Mar. 1-31, 1945 (Summary)……9 Pages

           Mar. 27-Apr. 1, (Task Force Sundt #1)……..3 Pages 

           Apr. 10-Apr. 19, (Task Force Sundt #2)……4 Pages

           Apr. 1-30, 1945………………….20 Pages

           Apr. 1-30, 1945 (Summary) ….10 Pages

           May 1-31, 1945……………………3 Pages

           May 1-31, 1945 (Summary) ……3 Pages

           July 1-Oct. 15, 1945……………..2 Pages

11.)  Battle of Le Bourg St. Leonard – Chambois – 14 Pages

12.)  Battle Experiences and Suggestions #1 – 2 Pages

        Battle Experiences and Suggestions #2 – 16 Pages      

13.)  General Orders

           1941 G.O.’s #42 & 47………………..2 Pages (Unit Activation)

           1942 G.O. #1-9………………………10 Pages (includes awards listing)

           1943 G.O. #1-4………………………..9 Pages (includes awards listing)

           1944 G.O. #1-19……………………..24 Pages (includes awards listing)

           1945 G.O. #1-25……………………..30 Pages (includes awards listing)

           Award GO’s issued by 90th ID…….23 Pages (Large file)

           Inactivation………………………………1 Page

14.)   Miscellaneous Documents

           Various Orders & Correspondence, 1941-1945, Pt. 1………29 Pages

           Various Orders & Correspondence, 1941-1945, Pt. 2………29 Pages

           Recommendation for Award……………………………………….2 Pages

           Historical Data, Co. C firing into Germany, Sept. 21, 1944…1 Page (**)

           Battalion Photo Rosters, May 31, 1944………………………..10 Pages (**)

           Misc. Oper. Instructions………………..13 Pages

           Index of Records………………………….1 Page

           S.O. #133 608th transfers to 607th….3 Pages

           EM Transfers to Recon. Co…………….2 Pages

           Gen. Patton Commend. to 95th ID……1 Page  

               S.O. #105 602nd transfers to 607th….6 Pages (Pg 1-4 to Co. C, 5-6 to HQ Co)

               Return home ship manifests…………..20 Pages (NOTE: Many members had been                           transferred to other units and many men from various units transferred in)

15.)  Group Photo, Company B – Taken in April, 1942, at Sunnyvale, California.  Several men signed the back of the photo as shown on page 2.

16.)  Group Photo, Company C – Taken in April, 1942, at Sunnyvale, California.  No ID’s on the men.

17.)  Group Photo, Headquarters Company – Taken in April, 1942, at Sunnyvale, CA.  A number of men signed the back of the photo as shown on page 2.

18.)   Group Photo, Company B – This photo shows Company B at a 110 man strength.  It is believed to have been taken between early Sept. and late Dec., 1942, possibly at Camp Hood but more likely at Camp San Luis Obispo, CA.  Dating when the photo was taken is based on the following:  2nd Lieutenant Russell Newell, 1st row, 10th from the left, was assigned to the unit on Sept. 10, 1942, and the large group of men assigned from the midwest in very late Dec. are not present in this photo.  The Officers are shown sitting in the front row along with the First Sergeant.  The unit’s cook is even shown on far right.  Page two of the document provides a listing of the men’s last names and known ranks. The Commanding Officer, Captain Olin K. Taylor, is sitting 11th from the left, in the front row.  Photo provided courtesy of Paul Stevens.

19.)  Group Photo, Company C –  This photo was taken at the same location, and during the same time frame, as the above Company B photo.  The company commander, 1st Lieutenant John R. Yakshe, is sitting in the front row, 10th man from the left.  Directly behind him is Staff Sergeant Stanley C. Lee who was the company mess sergeant.  Private Joseph Aloi is standing in the 2nd row from the front, 8th man from the left.  Photo provided courtesy of Paul Yakshe, son of Lt. Yakshe.

20.)  Group Photo, Battalion Officers – Taken on May 31, 1944, at Camp Barton Stacey in Hampshire, which is in south central England. The image was used in 1946 to create a Christmas Card by the unit’s former Commander, Lt. Col. Harald S. Sundt.  Photo courtesy of Stan Pierson, son of CWO Stanley D. Pierson, Battalion Personnel Officer.

21.)  Signed 5 Franc Note – A French 5 Franc note that was signed by 9 members of the 607th on June 26, 1944.  This was done just 3 days after companies B and C had landed at Utah Beach.  The 3rd and 4th pages include information on the 9 men.  Images of the Franc provided courtesy of Jeff Giambrone.

22.)  Photo Gallery