1st Tank Destroyer Brigade

1st Tank Destroyer Brigade 1943 1 Tank Destroyer Uniform Shoulder Patch.png 1942 1945 United States United States Army Tank destroyer headquarters Third Army (1944–1945) World War II The 1st Tank Destroyer Brigade was a United States Army brigade of World War II. It was formed in November 1942, and landed in France in July 1944. It took part in the campaign in Western Europe and was disbanded in November 1945. The 434th Field Artillery Brigade has continued the 1st Tank Destroyer Brigade's lineage since 1947. History Role The 1st Tank Destroyer Brigade was formed at Camp Hood in Texas on 18 November 1942, and was one of the two tank destroyer brigades established by the Army (the other being the 2nd Tank Destroyer Brigade, which was established on 24 November 1944).Stanton 1984 326 The initial role of both brigades was to oversee the training of the large number of tank destroyer battalions that had been formed.Greenfield Palmer Wiley 1987 209 At this time, US Army doctrine called for tank destroyers to primarily operate as concentrated tank destroyer battalions during combat. These battalions were to be grouped in regiments and brigades when needed to combat large forces of enemy tanks.Gabel 1985 1 Combat experience in Europe demonstrated that tank destroyer brigades were not needed. Tank destroyers were usually parcelled out to other units, and were rarely concentrated in battalions. The thirteen tank destroyer group headquarters dispatched to Europe never led massed units of tank destroyers, and nor did the 1st Tank Destroyer Brigade.Gabel 1985 59–60 The 2nd Tank Destroyer Brigade was disbanded in March 1944 without having ever been dispatched overseas.Stanton 1984 326 Deployments The brigade was transferred to Camp Claiborne in Louisiana on 26 February 1944. Between 15 September and 15 November 1943 it took part in the Louisiana Maneuvers. The brigade departed the United States on 2 January 1944, and arrived in the United Kingdom eight days later.Stanton 1984 326 The 1st Tank Destroyer Brigade was landed in Normandy on 11 July 1944. On 1 August its headquarters took control of Task Force A, which comprised several armoured units and was tasked with securing railroad bridges in Brittany as part of VIII Corps.Stanton 1984 326 Task Force A initially comprised the brigade headquarters, the 15th Cavalry Group and the 159th Engineer Battalion and was commanded by Brigadier General Herbert L. Earnest.Blumenson 1961 389 An infantry battalion was later detached from the 83rd Infantry Division to reinforce Task Force A.Blumenson 1961 391 The task force took part in the early stages of the Battle of Saint-Malo before continuing west. Task Force A was disbanded on 22 September.Stanton 1984 326 On 30 September 1944 the 1st Tank Destroyer Brigade became the United States Third Army's tank destroyer section.Stanton 1984 326 This involved the brigade headquarters staff being integrated into the Third Army's headquarters to provide advice on anti-tank issues.Zaloga 2005 45 It continued in this role until the end of the war in Europe. Following the German surrender the brigade undertook occupation duties in Germany.Stanton 1984 326 It concluded these duties on 31 October 1945 and was disbanded on 3 November that year.Stanton 1984 326Headquarters, 434th Field Artillery Brigade Lineage https://history.army.mil/html/forcestruc/lineages/branches/fa/0434fabde.htm https://web.archive.org/web/20080421190302/http://www.history.army.mil/html/forcestruc/lineages/branches/fa/0434fabde.htm dead April 21, 2008 Lineage And Honors Information U.S. Army Center of Military History 23 May 2021 When the 434th Field Artillery Brigade was formed on 7 May 1947 it inherited the lineage of the 1st Tank Destroyer Brigade.434th Field Artillery Brigade https://sill-www.army.mil/434/ Fort Sill United States Army See also List of tank destroyer units of the United States Army References Citations Works consulted Blumenson Martin Martin Blumenson Breakout and Pursuit United States Army in World War II 1961 Center of Military History Washington, D.C. https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USA/USA-E-Breakout/index.html 5594822 Gabel Christopher R. Seek, Strike, and Destroy: U.S. Army Tank Destroyer Doctrine in World War 1985 Combat Studies Institute Fort Leavenworth, Kansas https://www.armyupress.army.mil/Portals/7/combat-studies-institute/csi-books/gabel2.pdf Leavenworth Papers 58392594 Greenfield Kent Roberts Palmer Robert R. Wiley Bell I. The Army Ground Forces: The Organization of Ground Combat Troops 1987 Center of Military History Washington, D.C. https://history.army.mil/html/books/002/2-1/CMH_Pub_2-1.pdf https://web.archive.org/web/20120927085000/http://www.history.army.mil/html/books/002/2-1/CMH_Pub_2-1.pdf dead September 27, 2012 1947 United States Army in World War II Stanton Shelby L. Order of Battle U.S. Army, World War II 1984 Presidio Press Novato. California 0-89141-195-X Zaloga Steve US Tank and Tank Destroyer Battalions in the ETO 1944-45 2005 Osprey Oxford 978-1-84176-798-7 Category:Tank destroyer brigades of the United States Army Category:Military units and formations established in 1942 Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1945