Unit History: Formed on March 15, 1943, at Camp Gordon, GA, as Heavy Self-Propelled Battalion with 31 Officers from Camp Wheeler, VA, Infantry Training Center and then 37 enlisted men from 638th Tank Destroyer Battalion who were at Camp Shelby, MI. Sailed aboard the Dutch vessel, Poelau Laut, departing from San Francisco on Aug 12, 1945 and arriving at Pearl Harbor on Aug. 20. Departed on Aug. 22, landing at Eniwetok Atoll on Sep. 1, 1945. Transferred to the SS Santa Cruz and departed on Sep. 30, arriving in the Philippines on Oct. 8-9, 1945. Returned to Los Angeles (San Pedro) Port aboard the Admiral Simms on Jan. 11-12, 1946. Deactivated Jan. 11, 1946 at Camp Anza, CA.
Combat Equipment: M36
Commanding Officers: Lt. Col. William H. Halstead (4/11/42); Lt Col. Walter P. Goodwin (12/31/42); Lt. Col. Howard Ayers (11/8/43); Maj. William C. Wilkes (Temp 2/19/44); Lt. Col. Rolland E. George (3/2/44) with Wilkes as E.O.; Lt. Col. Francis F. Schweinler (10/30/44); Maj. Nosun (10/45)
Code Name/s: N/A
Campaign Credits: None
Awards: None
Location August 1945: en route to Philippines on VJ Day, Aug. 15, 1945 (SS Poelau Laut)
Additional Information/Materials:
1.) Unit History – Compiled from official war department records of the 806th, with excerpts from the unit’s itinerary kept by Lt. Col. Schweinler, along with some personal memories and data from Lloyd’s Register of Shipping. Authored by Robert E. Wood with typing by Helen R. Wood. Dated, April of 1987. Provided courtesy of Della Morris.
2.) Miscellaneous Documents – from the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum and Boyhood Home, Abilene, Kansas and courtesy of the Tank Destroyer Association by L. L. Gill, TDA Historian (*).
Unit Attachments, Feb. 15, 1944………………1 Page
2nd Anniversary Pamphlet, March 15, 1944…3 Pages (*)
3rd Anniversary Pamphlet, March 15, 1945….3 Pages (inc. Officer/NCO roster (*)
3.) Group Photo C Company – Taken at Camp Shelby, Mississippi, in March of 1945. Provided courtesy of Paul Stevens. Shown kneeling in the front row on far right is Cpl. Clarence Timinelli.
4.) Group Photo B Company – Taken at Camp Shelby, Mississippi, in April of 1945.
5.) Group Photo of Medical Detachment – Taken at Camp Shelby, Mississippi in April of 1945, which was only a few months before they shipped out to the Pacific. Courtesy of Colby Kenyon.
6.) Transfer Orders – Personnel from Camp Gordon, GA to Fort Hood, TX for the Enlisted Pioneer Course at the Tank Destroyer School, dated September 3, 1942. Documents courtesy of Chip Hank.
7.) HQ Roster with Addresses – Probably distributed at the end of the war so that the men could keep in touch. Thank you to veteran Ralph E. Jaenicke for saving the document and to Dave Browne who provided it to the site.