31st Tank Battalion
7th Armored Division
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UNITS OF THE 31ST TANK BATTALION:
The 31st Tank Battalion consisted of the following units
- Battalion Headquarters (Bn HQ/31)
See Battalion-Level Officers section below
- Headquarters Company (HQ Co/31)
- Commanding Officers
- 1st Lt. George W. Baird (?? - 1 Aug 44 - ??)
- Other Officers
- 1st Lt. Intfen (2 Nov 44 - ???)
- 2 Nov 44: transferred from B Company [source: B/31 MR 4 Nov 44]
- Company "A" (A/31): Medium Tanks
- Commanding Officers
- Capt. Alvin F. Davis (?? - 1 Aug 44 - 28 Aug 44, killed somewhere between Melun and Verdun, France)
- ???
- Other Officers (listed alphabetically)
- 2d Lt. Halloran (??? - 1 Sep 1944)
- 1 Sep 44: Seriously wounded in action at or near Thierville, France [source: A/31 MR 1 Sep 44]
- Company "B" (B/31): Medium Tanks
- Commanding Officers
- Capt. Claude Garland, Jr. (?? - 1 Aug 44 - 20 Sep 44, replaced Maj. Lohse as Bn S-3)
- 1st Lt. Robert Q. Olmsted (20 Sep 44 - ??)
- Capt. Claude Garland, Jr. (?? - 22 Dec 44)
- 22 Dec 44: lightly wounded at St. Vith, Belgium and sent to 56th General Hospital (MOS 1203) [source: B/31 MR 22 Dec 44]
- 1st Lt. Manuel N. Cepeda (22 Dec 44 - ??)
- 22 Dec 44: assumes command when Capt. Garland wounded and evacuated [source: B/31 MR 22 Dec 44]
- Other Officers (listed alphabetically)
- 1st Lt. Manuel N. Cepeda (??? - 22 Dec 44)
- 22 Dec 44: assumes command of Company when Capt. Garland wounded and evacuated [source: B/31 MR 22 Dec 44]
- 1st Lt. Harold H. Clark (9 Nov 44 - ??)
- 9 Nov 44: assigned and joined from 18th Replacement Depot (date of rank 1 Feb 42; MOS 1203) [source: B/31 MR 11 Nov 44]
- 2nd Lt. Gardner (?? - 16 Aug 44 - ??)
- 16 Aug 44: lightly wounded with shrapnel in right shoulder 3/4 miles NE of Bonvile, France and remained on duty [source: B/31 MR 4 Nov 44]
- 1st Lt. Intfen (?? - 2 Nov 44)
- 2 Nov 44: transferred to HQ Company [source: B/31 MR 4 Nov 44]
- 2nd Lt. Claude R. Jones (?? - 21 Dec 44 - ??)
- 21 Dec 44: lightly wounded at St. Vith, Belgium and sent to 106th clearing station and then to unknown hospital [all on 22 Dec 44] (MOS 1203) [source: B/31 MR 21 Dec 44 & 25 Dec 44]
- 2nd Lt. Harry A. Tennyson, Jr. (9 Nov 44 - ??)
- 9 Nov 44: assigned and joined from 18th Replacement Depot (date of rank 21 Aug 43; MOS 0800) [source: B/31 MR 11 Nov 44, B/31 MR 5 Dec 44 corrects MOS from 1203 to 0800]
- 2nd Lt. Melvin E. Wischmeier (9 Nov 44 - ??)
- 9 Nov 44: assigned and joined from 18th Replacement Depot (date of rank 13 Feb 43; MOS 1203) [source: B/31 MR 11 Nov 44]
- Company "C" (C/31): Medium Tanks
- Commanding Officers
- Capt. Wille W. Oliver (?? - 1 Aug 44 - 15 Aug 44, killed at Chartres, France)
- 1st Lt. Racine (c. 15 Aug 44 - 14 Sep 44, lightly wounded in action in France and sent to Division clearing station)
- 1st Lt. Carey (14-17 Sep 44, while 1st Lt. Racine was wounded)
- 1st Lt. Racine (17 Sep 44 - ??)
- ???
- Other Officers
- 2nd Lt. Flourney - assigned 17 Sep 44, in France, from 53rd Replacement Battalion
- 2nd Lt. Frey - assigned 17 Sep 44, in France, from 53rd Replacement Battalion
- 2nd Lt. Jones - assigned 17 Sep 44, in France, from 53rd Replacement Battalion
- Company "D" (D/31): Light Tanks
- Commanding Officers
- Capt. Clayton F. Kunze (?? - 1 Aug 44 - ??)
- Service Company (SV/31)
- Commanding Officers
- Capt. Ralph F. Branden (?? - 1 Aug 44 - ??)
- Medical Detachment (Med/31)
- Commanding Officers
- Capt. George A. Freyberger (?? - 1 Aug 44 - ??)
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BATTALION-LEVEL OFFICERS OF THE 31ST TANK BATTALION:
Commanding officers (CO's) of the Battalion were:
- Lt. Col. Robert C. Erlenbusch (States - 1 Aug 44 - Dec 44 at St. Vith - ??)
Executive officers of the Battalion were:
- Maj. William F. Beatty (?? - 1 Aug 44 - ??)
S-1 officers (Adjutant / Personnel) of the Battalion were:
- 1st Lt. Leon J. Minvielle, Jr. (?? - 1 Aug 44 - ??)
S-2 officers (Intelligence) of the Battalion were:
- Capt. Henry W. Quackenbush (?? - 1 Aug 44 - ??)
S-3 officers (Operations) of the Battalion were:
- S-3 Officers
- Maj. Leslie A. Lohse (?? - 20 Sep 44, evacuated with heart trouble)
- Capt Claude Garland, Jr (20 Sep 44 - ??) - had been B/31 CO
- Maj. Leslie A. Lohse (?? - 1 Aug 44 - Dec 44 at St. Vith - ??)
- Assistant S-3 Officers
- 1st Lt. James E. Kiley (?? - 1 Aug 44 - ??)
- S-3 Air Officers
- Capt. Elton G. Wright (?? - 1 Aug 44 - ??)
S-4 officers (Supply) of the Battalion were:
- Capt. John O. Woods (?? - 1 Aug 44 - ??)
S-5 officers (Civilian Affairs) of the Battalion were:
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BOOKS AND RESEARCH MATERIALS SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE 31ST TANK BATTALION:
- Combat Interviews of the 31st Tank Battalion: August 1944: Click here to find out about these interviews.
- Combat Interviews of the 31st Tank Battalion: St. Vith Salient December 17-23, 1944: Click here to find out about these interviews.
- 31st Tank Battalion Morning Report Stations (Locations) and Record of Events: I have made a spreadsheet of the Stations and Record of Events entries for each day from the copies of the Morning Reports that I have thus far obtained. These are a gold mine of information about where each part of the Battalion was on any given day. Click on the title above to go to the 7th Armored Division auxiliary web site, where you will find the Morning Reports listed under those months for which I have obtained them. (Althought they are listed separately for each month, the reports for the entire duration are in a single spreadsheet file.)
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BOOKS THAT MENTION THE 31ST TANK BATTALION:
This is a growing list. Please forgive me for any omissions and let me know, so I can add them.
- Entire War
- Official Records of the 38th Armored Infantry Battalion: After Action Reports, Journals and more (Click here for more information, ordering instructions, and samples for December 19, 1944.)
- France: August - September 1944
- 7th Armored Division: August 1944 (Click here for information about this book.)
- Blumenson, Martin. Breakout and Pursuit. Washington: Office of the Chief of Military History, United States Army, 1989.
A volume in the US Army in World War II series
- Kemp, Anthony. The Unknown Battle: Metz, 1944. New York: Stein and Day, 1981.
- Overloon and Meijel, Holland: September-November 1944
- Altes, A. Kornthals and N. K. C. A. in't Veld. The Forgotten Battle: Overloon and the Maas Salient 1944-45. Sarpedon, 1995.
- Battle of the Bulge: December 1944 - January 1945
- Defense of St. Vith Salient and Manhay Area: Belgium, December 1944
- US Army Armored School Research and Evaluation Division. The Defense of St. Vith, Belgium 17-33 December 1944: An historical example of armor in the defense. Fort Knox: Armored School. (Click here for information on this book.)
- Boyer at St. Vith: Major Donald P. Boyer's "Personal Report: Narrative Account of Action of 38th Armored Engineer Battalion,
7th Armored Division, Battle of St. Vith, 17-22 December 1944"
and "Notes - The Battle of St. Vith, 17-22 December 1944" (Click here for information about this book.)
- Combat Interviews of the 23rd Armored Infantry Battalion: The St. Vith Salient December 17-23, 1944 (Click here for information about this book.)
- Combat Interviews of the 33rd Armored Engineer Battalion: St. Vith, Belgium December 1944 (Click here for information about this book.)
- Combat Interviews of the 38th Armored Infantry Battalion: St. Vith Salient December 17-21, 1944 (Click here for information about this book.)
- Combat Interviews of the 48th Armored Infantry Battalion: St. Vith Salient December 17-21, 1944 (Click here for information about this book.)
- Combat Interviews of the 87th Cavalry Reconnaisance Squadron: St. Vith, Belgium - December 1944 (Click here for information about this book.)
- Combat Interviews of 7th Armored Division Artillery: Div Arty, 434th AFAB, 489th AFAB at St. Vith and Poteau, Belgium - December 1944 (Click here for information about this book.): only four 33rd Engineer references
- Recapture of St. Vith, Belgium: January 1945
- The 7th Armored Division Goes Back: St. Vith, Belgium 20-23 January 1945 (Click here for information about this book.)
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