TankDestroyer.net

SEEK * STRIKE * DESTROY

610th Tank Destroyer Battalion

Unit History:  Activated on 11 April, 1942, at Camp Barkley, Texas, as a towed battalion.  Arrived Greenock, Scotland, on 11 June, 1944.  Landed at Utah Beach on 31 July.  Committed to action 10 August near Craon, France, and participated in elimination of Falaise Pocket.  Raced east to the Moselle River by September.  Converted to the M36 in September–October, the first unit to do so.  Helped clear Maginot Line fortifications in November.  Ordered to the Ardennes on 21 December.  Helped eliminate the Bulge in January 1945.  Battled through Siegfried Line in February near Brandscheid.  Transferred back south in March.  Crossed the Rhine at Worms on 29 March.  Raced through central and southern Germany in April and reached the vicinity of Munich by month’s end.  Ended war in Ingolstadt.  Attached to: 4th, 26th, 35th, 42d, 80th, 87th Infantry divisions; 101st Cavalry Group.  History text from the book The Tank Killers by Harry Yeide.  Used by permission.

Combat Equipment:  8/44 – Towed 3″ Gun; 9/25/44 – M36.

Commanding Officers:  Capt. Herman H. Greenhaw (Original CO as 1st Lt., 4/10/42);  Lt. Col. Joseph M. Lovell (5/2/42 as a Major);  Major Benjamin F. Taylor (11/42);  Lt. Col. William L. Herold (5/21/43, DOW, 8/20/44);  Lt. Col. Arthur B. Jeffery (8/20/44);  Major Walter A. Kantola (1/15/45);  Lt. Col. Einar M. Bergstrom (2/5/45);  Lt. Col. Lilburn H. Stevens (7/11/45)

Code Name/s:  Nuisance, Highshoe

Campaign Credits:  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:  Prum, Germany

The following link is to a website maintained by Terry D. Janes, author of the book Patton’s Troubleshooters, which tells the story of the 80th Infantry Division and the 702nd Tank Battalion.  Along with his book, Terry has many other items relating to WWI and WWII available for purchase.  What caught my eye were the many articles he has posted, including a letter written by a Donald A. Stewart to his parents.  Donald was part of the 610th Tank Destroyer Battalion, which was attached to the 80th Infantry Division.  His letter provides a basic history of the unit from the time they left New York, in June of 1944, until May 26, 1945, when he wrote the letter. 

1.)  Letter from Donald A. Stewart to his parents. (Sorry, the Link is currently down!)

2.)  The 610th Tank Destroyer Battalion (Apr. 10, 1942 – Dec. 7, 1945) – The 146 page book was completed by Maj. Roy T. McGrann (Battalion Intelligence Officer) in 1946. A preliminary copy was published in the unit’s “Hellcat” newsletter while they were on occupational duty in Nurnberg, Germany. As men were being sent home and the unit was breaking up, the materials were provided to McGrann to complete the work. In the book’s introduction, McGrann states that he promised Lt. Col. Herold that he would complete it. This promise was also made to the rest of the battalion in the last issue of the “Hellcat” and ultimately fufilled in 1946.

A special thank you to the McGrann family who have graciously permitted us to make the document available on our site for families and researchers to use. We also want to thank Chip Stewart, for his work on the html files used to create the document. There are bookmarks to the various sections and it is seachable.

3.)  After Action Reports – from the Combined Arms Research Library of the Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

           Aug. to Sep. 1944…………11 Pages (includes casualties and awards listings)

              Oct. 1 to 25, 1944………….2 Pages

           Dec. 1 to 31, 1944………….8 Pages (S-2 Report)

           Dec. 1 to 31, 1944………….7 Pages (S-3 Report)

4.)  Miscellaneous Documents-from the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum and Boyhood Home, Abilene, Kansas.

           Unit Reorganization, Dec. 14, 1944…………….1 Page

5.)  The Hellcat Newspaper – While performing occupational duties in Germany, the 610th published their own newspaper called “The Hellcat”.  The three issues provided below were done while the unit was in Nurnberg, Germany.  Provided courtesy of Robert Sikorski.

                 July 23, 1945……………..Vol. IV, No. 2

                 August 6, 1945…………..Vol. IV, No. 3

                 September 5, 1945………Vol. IV, No. 5

6.)  1st Platoon Recon. Photo – A group photo of the 1st Reconnaissance Platoon personnel while station at Nurnberg, Germany, after the war. The only person identified is Staff Sergeant Willam J. O’Brien, who we believe commanded the group. Bill is standing in the third row from the front, on far left. Photo provided courtesy of Eileen Eudy.

7.)  Thanksgiving Menu & Roster – A five page menu from Company C, while they were stationed at Camp Atterbury, Indiana in 1943. Includes a menu of the meal and a full roster of the company. The last page includes signatures of 19 of the men along with their nicknames. Provided courtesy of Gary Treadwell.

8.)  Photo Gallery