16th Armored Division (United States)

The 16th Armored Division was an armored division of the United States Army in World War II.

Table of Organization
HHC
 * HHC/Combat Command A
 * HHC/Combat Command B
 * HHC/Combat Command R
 * 5th Tank Battalion
 * 16th Tank Battalion
 * 26th Tank Battalion
 * 18th Armored Infantry Battalion
 * 64th Armored Infantry Battalion
 * 69th Armored Infantry Battalion
 * HHB/16th AD Artillery
 * 393th Armored Field Artillery Battalion
 * 396th Armored Field Artillery Battalion
 * 397th Armored Field Artillery Battalion
 * 23rd Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron
 * 516th Counterintelligence Corps Detachment
 * 633rd Tank Destroyer Battalion (Attached 1 May – 14 June 1945)
 * 571st Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion Attached 20 April, – 19 May 1945
 * HHC/16th AD Trains.
 * 216th Armored Medical Battalion
 * 137th Armored Ordnance Maintenance Battalion
 * 16th Armored Military Police Battalion
 * 216th Armored Engineer Battalion
 * 156th Armored Signal Company

History
The division was activated on 15 July 1943 at Camp Chaffee in Arkansas. They performed all of their training at Camp Chaffee until they received their staging orders. They staged at Camp Shanks at Orangeburg, New York on 28 January 1945, until got their port call. They sailed from the New York Port of Embarkation on 5 February 1945.

The 16th Armored Division arrived in France in stages between 11 and 17 February 1945, and processed into the Theater. They had been assigned to the Fifteenth United States Army on 29 January 1945, but were waiting for an assignment to a unit actually involved in fighting.

The division was assigned to Third United States Army on 17 April 1945, and entered Germany on 19 April 1945 and relieved the 71st Infantry Division at Nürnberg on 28 April 1945. The 23rd Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron participated in combat from the Isar River to Wasserburg with the 86th Infantry Division. While under the control of that organization, it crossed the Isar River at Granek, 30 April 1945, advanced to Indorf, seizing several small villages, and was driving toward Wasserburg against slight resistance when ordered to return to Nürnberg. The division was given a security and training mission at Nürnberg, Germany, until 5 May. When the 23rd Cavalry Squadron arrived at Nürnberg, 4 May, it reverted to the control of the 16th Armored. The division assembled and proceeded to Waidhaus, Germany, 5 May. The division was then assigned to V Corps, and attacked through the lines of the 97th Infantry Division on 6 May 1945, with Combat Command B (CCB) making the main effort. They advanced along the Bor–Pilsen Road and launched an attack on Pilsen designed to capture the Skoda Munitions Plant, Czechoslovakia, on the same day. CCR advanced through Pilsen to assigned high ground east of the city. The 7 and 8 May were spent in mopping up activities and patrolling. The capture of the famous beer and munitions city marked the deepest point of American penetration into Czechoslovakia.

The division was located at Stříbro, Czechoslovakia on VJ Day.

The division returned to the New York Port of Embarkation on 13 October 1945, was inactivated at Camp Kilmer in New Jersey on 15 October 1945.

Campaigns

 * Central Europe

Individual Awards

 * Distinguished Service Cross 1
 * Silver Star 2
 * Soldiers Medal 1
 * Bronze Star 85
 * Air Medal 1

Commanders

 * MG Douglass T. Greene – 15 July 1943 – September 1944
 * BG John L. Pierce – September 1944 – 15 October 1945

Division artillery commander
 * COL. Barksdale Hamlett

Casualties

 * KIA: 4
 * WIA: 28
 * Died of Wounds: 1.

Association

 * 16th Armored Division Association
 * 2517 Connecticut Avenue
 * Washington, D. C.
 * (Mr. McArthur H. Manchester, secretary).
 * Publication: Pictorial Review;
 * by unit members;
 * Albert Love Enterprises,
 * Atlanta 2, Ga.;
 * 1944.