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~ DEC sSlmrv ··..,7.;\• .I . '. .f6 7;::'[:::1 I ,\ulhoflly . ••. _:.. ..:.~ ;vi . ·'0 '0':( . lly~_-r .. NNIA.1l11111_1l•._ ______ .. _.,~:7::=_:_:i SlL8lT HEADQUA..R.TERS ~n7€V 607TH TANK DESTROYER BATTALION APO 230 ~ ~ /. 19 Jarmary 1945 ~l\ CJ> Subject: Unit History To : The Adjutant General, Washington, D. C. - 1. Herewith Unit History of the 607th Tank Destroyer Battalion from date of activation, 15 July 1941 to 31 December 1944. r.~ 2. Request acknowledgment of receipt by indorsement hereon. ~ ;/~__Eo.t'-'tife Commanding Officer: :' , J 61) ~ - i i.....\ 1 . _ (, \ I) \.:J' 'I J~ lr.-'doJ;wj~ \.I:\1\.~ ~o . HAROLD R. RA..FERKORN Capt., Inf "--,:v Adjutant ~Incl Incl 1. Unit Eistory, 607 TD Bn /\ d (JJ j 0 -r 0 (:) [ ,~ ~<::o --:;. ..... ~ ~ i;; ,~ \ .. ....... """ / \, " \1 c::., :.. :.::: :='IC:~"L TlC ~I %~ },.",~ ( t· ~ ~ . I'',-'.;--"''' • f\ .I .... ~-4 _, ~~ \~t:,,~ CA~ i. -i L.L~ "~. l'J" ~~ 'b\.' 2-/--' B~UJ!I3!1~,~/9i·fll.~ANTG,~N:r.n~·L ~... D~i4G~~~~/f/fl,re.... l /r~7~ ----.c:...... _ . ....~_ 4 ,:OS c •. I) 'P~." y\~S~ /V ;..,. DEC SSIr-I~W ';",••;\; " (')\ '7 ·.:i·,1i /\IIIIlOIIIY' .JU ;. :";,:\. ~. _._ ...-I[ -, M . .;OJi'.\": llY-./.L:.._.,NNIA. 1l111,1.J..C_'! ...,....---_._.. _.,~~-:::=-::-;{ { I t- HISTORY OF THE SIX HUNDRED SEVENTH TANK DESTROYER BATTALION A. Original Unit 1. Designation: 607th Tank Destroyer Battalion 2. Date of Organization: 15 December 1941 3. Place of Organization: Fort Ord, California 4. Authority for Organization: General Orders Number 42, paragraph 2a, Headquarters Fourth Army, Presidio of San Francisco, California, dated 10 December 1941; General Orders Number 47, paragraphs 1 and 2, Headquarters 7th Infantry" Division, San Jose, California, dated 15 December 1941. 5. Sources from which personnel was obtained: Personnel was obtained from the 7th InfantFj Division Provisional Anti-Talli< Battalion. (See paragraph 2, General Orders Number L~7, Headquarters 7th Infantry Division, San Jose, California, dated 15 December 1941.) Personnel for the 7th Infantry DiVision Provisional Anti-Tank Battalion were attached from the 7th Infantry Division by paragraph 1, Special Orders Number 163, Headquarters 7th Infantry Division, Fort Ord, California, dated 15 July 1941. Sixteen officers and 219 enlisted men. Battery "D", 31st Field Artillery Battalion • • • • • • 136 Hq and Hq Battery, 31st Field Artillery Battalion. • • 34 74th Field Artillery Battalion • • • • • • • • • • • • 15 75th Field Artillery Battalion •• • • • • • • • • • • 15 76th Field Arti11eFJ Battalion • • • • • • • • • • • • 15 17th Infantry Regiment •••••••••••••• •• 2 53d Infantry Regiment • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 1 32d Infantry Regiment •••• • • • • . • • • • •• 1 2I9 In August 1941, three officers and forty-five enlisted men came from the 47th, 48th, and 57th Field Artillery Battalions. Approximately 600 selectees from the states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana were added in ~~rch 1942 bringing the battalion above its authorized strength. In December 1942, and January 1943, 360 selectees from Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, and West Virginia replaced losses of the preceding nine montns. Organization Number Date 7th Infantry Division 97 January to March 1942 Hq 7th Corps Area 2 11 JanuaFJ 1942 Field Artillery Replacement Training Center, Camp Roberts, California 73 16 January 1942 Overseas Discharge and Replacement Depot, Fort McDowell, California 5 20 January 1942 Presidio of Monterey, California 1 2 February 1942 Fort Lewis, WashingLOn 2 8 February 1942 VII Army Corps, San Jose, California 1 3 March 1942 PreSidio of Monterey, California 6 14 II{Jarch 1942 Field Artille~ Replacement Training Genter, Camp Roberts, California 8 14 :March 1942 Reception Center, Ft McArthur, Calif. 10 IS March 1942 Presid~o of Monterey, California 48 17 March 1942 Fort McArthur, California 15 18 March 19L~2 Fort Lewis, Washington 40 19 March 1942 - 1 DEC SSIHtrv .••.,:.:...;. i\ltlho,lIy .'j6f l:~r-:\i ,..M 'o· .. ~ lly.,j..L..:._.. NN1A: ll'II,\.ll.O-,i ------.. _.~~:7:::.::::1 (History of the Six Hundred Seventh Tank Destroyer Battalion, contd) Organization Number Date Presidio of monterey, California 17.5 20 Nlarch 19)..].2 Fort Lewis, Washington 12 21 March 1942 1st Replacement Depot, Fourth Army, Fort Ord, California 6 21 March 1942 Fort Lewis, Washington 80 22 March 1942 Fort Lewis, Was h:Lngton 78 23 March 1942 Fort Douglas, Utah 2 23 March 19)-1-2 Infantry Training a.nd Replacement Center, Camp Roberts, California 29 26 M.arch 1942 Fort Thomas, Kentucky 12 25 December 1942 Fort Benjmnin Harrison, Indiana. 233 28 December 1942 Fort Hayes, Ohio 61 11 January 1943 Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana 25 11 January ·1943 Fort Thomas, Kentucky 25 11 January 19LI.3 l~ote: See par 1, Inclosure 1, for list of replacements since 11 January 19w3. B. Changes in organization 1. Changes in designation: flUII Company was redesignated Reconnaissance Company pursuant to paragraph 1, General Orders Number 8, Headquarters 607th Tank Destroyer Battalion, dated 22 July 1942. 2. Changes due to changes in T/O: The battalion was reorganized under the provisions of T/O 18-2S, dated 27 January 1943. Reduction in strength from 38 officers and 860 enlisted men to 36 officers, 1 warrant officer, and b36 enlisted men. (88e paragraph 1, General urders Number 3, Headquarters 607th Tank Destroyer Battalion, dated 25 ~~y 1943.) 15% overstrength in enlisted men was authorized. 98 enlisted men were transferred to the Tank Destroyer Basic Unit Training Center, North Camp Hood, Texas, per paragraph 1, Special Orders Number 17, TI1ird Head quarters Special Troops, N~edles, California, dated 22 June 1943. On 15 December 1943 the battalion was reorganized under the provisions of T/O 18-35, dated 7 1~y 1943 changing the battalion frorn a self propelled to a towed battalion. The ;:;t.rength was changed from 36 officers, 1 'warrant officer and 636 enlisted n~n to 32 officers, 2 warrant officers and 763 enlisted men. (See paragraph 1, General Orders j"iumber S, Headquarters 607tJl Tank Destroyer Battalion, dated 15 December 1943) The Reconnaissance Corr~any, 607th Tank Destroyer Bat.talion was inactivated by paragraph 2 of the same order. On 16 December 1944 the battalion was reorganized under the prOVisions of T/O 18-25, dated 15 Niarch 1941~ changing the battalion from a towed to a self propelled battalion. (Effective date of change 21 November 19W-~) The strength was chaD?ed from 32 officers, 2 warx'ant offj.cers and 729 enlisted men (Change in T/O redu~ed be.sic privates 5Oj~) to 35 Officers, 2 warrant officers and 607 enl.isted men. (pee para.graph 1, General (jrd,~.rs humber ltl, Headquarters 607th Tank Destroyer Battalion, dated 16 December 1944.) Reconnaissance Cornpany, 607th Tank Destroyer Battalion was activated per paragraph 2 of the same order. - 2 .; ~ DEC SSIFII:W:·;:·,~.:\., ." .f6 l' ;-!" 1 Auillorlly . .:.~:.. ~~ ~ ·'9.l'i)'.'1 ___r:rt --,.-_._.. NNIA,Il"I'l,:..=.___.J.oJ,.:......._ ••1 '. j I (History of the Six Hundred Seventh Tank Destroyer Battalion, contd) C. Strengthi Commissioned and Enlisted: Beginning End of of Period Increase Decrease Period ~ 15 December 1941 0 13 4 17 EM 249 13 262 1 January 1942 0 17 1 16 EM 262 66 328 1 February 1942 0 16 6 22 EM 328 74 402 1 March 1942 0 22 1 23 EM 402 494 896 1 April 1942 0 23 7 30 EM 896 13 883 1 IvIay 1942 0 30 11 41 EM 883 98 785 1 June 1942 0 41 1 42 EM 785 15 770 ... 1 July 1942 0 42 ; 35 EM: 770 42 728 1 August 1942 0 35 6 29 EM 728 26 702 1 September 1942 0 29 3 32 EM 702 40 662 1 October 1942 0 32 1 33 EM 662 18 644 1 November 1942 0 33 I 7 40 EM 644 3 641 1 December 1942 0 40 2 38 EM 641- 233 874 1 January 1943 0 38 13 51 EM 874 86 960 1 February 1943 0 51 3 48 EM 960 9 969 1 March 1943 0 48 6 42 EM 969 107 862 - 3 ". DVSSIFTV ',";." .. '. .r6 7;::;r;i~ lIulhorlly , • '•...- ,I ~ . "2'(r' !!:t.__ -=~~;~,t:'.ti'~::-:'j (History of the Six Hundred Seventh Tank Destroyer Battalion, contd) Beginning End of of Period Increase Decrease Period 1 April 1943 0 42 1 41 EM 862 5 857 1 May 1943 0 41 1 40 EM 857 15 842 1 June 1943 0 40 6 46 EM 842 li8 724 1 July 1943 0 46 5 41 EM 724 12 712 1 August 1943 0 41 2 39 EM 712 9 703 1 September 1943 0 39 10 49 EM 703 15 688 1 October 1943 0 49 1 50 .EM 688 14 674 1 November 1943 0 50 50 EM 674 7 667 1 December 1943 0 50 1 51 EM 667 149 816 1 January 1944 0 51 3 54 EM 816 15 801 1 February 1944 0 54 20 34 EM 801 6 795 1 lJI.arch 1944 0 34 34 EM 795 33 762 I 1 April 1944 0 34 34 EM 762 762 1 May 1944 0 34 34 EM 762 6 756 1 June 1944 0 34 4 38 EM 756 15 771 1 July 1944 0 38 1 37 EM 771 34 737 1 August 1944 0 37 37 EM 737 22 715 - 4 ;'''' . DEC SSlfl~W-:·'·O\' . '. S2~'\ 7 <:;...,' i\lrihollly . u .::..:.::.j --rM '0'·· ..,1 {ly.,j..L.:._•• 1l11t~.1l:~-,1 NN1JI: _.~~~"";:~I _____._.. (History of the SiX BUndre~ Seventh Tank Destroyer Battalion, contd) Beginning End of of Period Increase Decrease Period 1 September 1944 0 37 1 36 EM 715 13 728 1 October 1944 0 36 36 EM 728 3 731 1 November 1944 0 36 4 32 EM: 731 12 719 1 December 1944 0 32 2 34 ETiJ: 719 45 674 D.