tank destroyer battalion united_states_army active second world war saw service primarily attached infantry support role fighting france battalion ended war austria originally formed august oklahoma trained united_states years october deployed france equipped towed anti tank guns assigned support fighting supported pushed steadily eastwards germany january employed repel attack operation time unit recorded having destroyed enemy tank conversion self propelled tank destroyers battalion moved germany helping force battle reaching reassigned reached austria day weeks occupation duties ordered prepare service pacific reforming united_states japanese surrender announced need combat units ended battalion september early service battalion formed camp oklahoma august officers men received camp new_york mid january bringing slightly strength unit nominally organised tank destroyer battalion heavy self propelled experimentation standard organisation tank destroyer units structure battalion gun companies self propelled guns platoon gun crews additional men command security duties supported fourth reconnaissance company reconnaissance platoon pioneers headquarters support elements men assembled camp battalion departed texas carried months basic training mid april transferred fort hood texas trained fort hood new structure announced tank destroyer battalions converting self propelled guns towed anti tank guns officially reorganised new pattern july number guns companies guns reconnaissance company reduced merged headquarters company pioneers removed entirely completing unit training fort hood august transferred louisiana field maneuvers returning camp january battalion finally left united_states october sailing new_york aboard uss october landing october fighting battalion saw service november companies attached temporarily attached fighting battalion took casualties following day men company killed wounded artillery mortar fire following day gun crew company fired battalion shots anger destroying machine gun position battalion pushed eastwards 100th mid december individual gun crews providing direct fire support assaulting german defensive positions indirect artillery fire december start german offensive ordered defensive company attached covering far left flank army gun companies remained infantry anticipated enemy offensive began night new year eve heavy infantry fighting german armored units engaged january 17th division attacked supported company gun lost return tank half tracks occurrence noted battalion history battalion engaged enemy armor guns temporarily abandoned company supporting infantry retreated group men returned recover following night awarded bravery additionally gun commander awarded holding gun exposed position attack rest january february battalion remained defensive positions crews rotating neighboring order train self propelled tank destroyers prepared conversion new equipment early march delayed order support attack march advance germany week march battalion finally withdrew refit self propelled tank destroyer reverted old self propelled battalion organisation companies tank destroyers plus fourth reconnaissance company platoon pioneers new organisation smaller old fewer men needed vehicle crews creation new march finished month complement ranks following refit crossed rhine april immediately returned combat support attack attempt force fighting began april crossing river centre city april absence enemy armor provided close fire support engaged house house fighting secured moved south april reassigned moving eastwards bavaria austria finished war day outside end hostilities men awarded men awarded posthumously bringing battalion total silver stars thirty battalion carried security occupation duties handing ordered prepare united_states mid june headed west leaving vehicles depots northern france sailed aboard july arrival men given month leave august battalion notified surrender japan weeks later september battalion formally south_carolina ceased exist
824th Tank Destroyer Battalion