2th US Armored Division Hell on Wheels
The 2nd Panzer Division on 15 July 1940 in Fort Benning, Georgia set up. She was one of the first two formed Panzerdivsionen and has the vielfältgste career within the American armored divisions behind.
Their first use was in November 1942 within the Division of Operation "Torch" (landing in the French part Nordarikas). In this operation, but it has been held in reserve was to not only to combat.
Her second deployment within the Division of the 7th U.S. Army (Patton) in Operation Husky (invasion of Sicily). The division was one of the first to be brought to Britain. From Sicily, the Division reached on 24 November 1943 the British island near Tidwoth.
The first elements of the division fought on 13 June 1944 in Normandy, while the remaining parts until 2 July 1944, the Normandy reached.
The 2nd Panzer Division was one of the main parts, on 25 July 1944 during Operation Cobra, the breakout from Normandy should create.
Later, the division part of the rapid advance into Belgium in August 1944. Like all other parts of the 12th Army Group is the division of the Siegfried-line stand in the autumn of 1944. Here they fought mainly in the direction Roer.
During the Ardennes offensive, the division is a part of the troops that start on the northern front to counterattack. Towards Christmas joins the Division from the south and thus stops the advancing part of the 5th Panzer Army near Dinant. After several days of heavy fighting the end of december, shatters the Division at the spearhead of the 2nd and 9 have Panzer Division in one of the largest tank battles ever fought, the American tanks.
In February 1945, the Division is part of Operation "Grenade," a campaign against the dams at Roer. Here it forms the northern flank of the U.S. Army during the advance into Germany.
The 3rd Panzer Division, it forms the northern spearhead and help the Army Group B in March 1945 to include in the Ruhr pocket.
Commanders
Major General Bruce Magruder (July 1940)
Major General Orlando Ward (January 1941)
Major General Ernest Harmon (February 1942)
Major General Vernon Prichard (July 1942)
Major General Hugh Gaffey (May 1943)
Major General Edward H. Brooks (March 18, 1944)
Major General Ernest N. Harmon (September 12, 1944)
Brigadier General Isaac D. White (18 January 1945)
Outline
Combat Command A
Combat Command B
66. Panzer Regiment
67. Panzer Regiment
41. Armoured Infantry Regiment
82. Armoured Reconnaissance Battalion
14. Armored field artillery battalion
78. Armored field artillery battalion
92. Armored field artillery battalion
17. Armoured Engineer Battalion
142. Tank Company news
48. Panzer medical department
Military police train