Tank Destroyer
Dedicate Monument at 
Fort Sill, Oklahoma
July 3, 1997

 

 

 

Members of the WWII Tank Destroyer Society visited Fort Sill July 3 to dedicate a new monument at Constitution Park to the TANK DESTROYER FORCE, a separate branch of the United States Army, during World War II. The polished granite obelisk monument, which is four sided, each bearing a plaque honoring the Tank Destroyer Force and is three feet high.

At the dedication ceremony the monument was presented to Fort Sill, and accepted by the Commanding General, Maj. Gen. Leo J. Baxter. The ceremony began with the presentation of colors and music by the 77th Army Band. As a special treat the band played "The Tank Destroyer March" heard for the first time by most of the Tank Destroyer veterans present. They were fighting in Europe and the Pacific when the march became official in 1944 at Camp Hood, Texas, the home of the WWII Tank Destroyers.

 

 

 

Plaque #1 Front 

Tank Destroyer Force - WWII
logo1.GIF - 5.4 K

European Theatre: 1st TD Brigade

TD Groups: 1st*2nd*3rd*4th*5th*6th*7th*8th*9th*12th*16th*20th*23rd

TD Battalions: 601st*602nd*603rd*605th*607th*609th*610th*612th
614th*628th*629th*630th*631st*633rd*634th*635th*636th*638th
643rd*644th*645th*648th*654th*656th*661st*679th*691st*692nd
701st*702nd*703rd*704th*705th*771st*772nd*773rd*774th*776th
801st*802nd*803rd*804th*805th*807th*808th*809th*811th*813th*
814th*817th*818th*820th*821st*822nd*823rd*824th*825th
827th*893rd*894th*899th

Pacific Theater: 13th TD Group
TD Battalions: 627th*632nd*637th*640th*670th*671st*806th*815th*819th

 Plaque #2  Left Side

Tank Destroyer Force - WWII
logo1.GIF - 5.4 K

***Medal Of Honor***

        S/Sgt Clyde L. Choate
        Bruyeres, France		 601st Tank Destroyer Bn
October 25, 1944
       1st Lt Turney W. Leonard
       Kommerscheidt, Germany		 893rd Tank Destroyer Bn
November 6, 1944
       S/Sgt Herschel F. Briles
       Scherpenseel, Germany		 899th Tank Destroyer Bn
November 20, 1944
       1st LT Charles L. Thomas
       Climbach, France		 614th Tank Destroyer Bn
December 14, 1944
       Sgt Arthur O. Beyer
      Arloncourt, Belgium		 603rd Tank Destroyer Bn
January 15, 1945

 

Plaque #3 - Back Side

Tank Destroyer Force - WWII
logo1.GIF - 5.4 K

To honor and commemorate the valiant

men who gave their lives and the many

who suffered wounds and severe hardships

in victorious battle against the

enemy in World War II 1941-1945

 

 

 

Plaque #4 Right side

Tank Destroyer Force - WWII
logo1.GIF - 5.4 K

The U.S. Army's response to destroy enemy armour

on the battlefields of each of the worldwide campaigns

Initiated 1940 by Chief of Staff General Marshall

Developed by Army Ground Forces General McNair

Implemented by General Bruce at Camp Hood, Texas

*One Hundred Six Battalions Activated*

Active Service 1941 to 1946