Tracking a TD Battalion

[dieseltaylor]

Alsation Felix [over at WeBoB] acquired the log for a TD and has plotted it across Europe.

Company B 607th TD BN

From an original copy of the company's daily log during World War II in the European Theater of Operation. Log consists of three columns: date, location and remarks. Remarks column describes movements (duration and distance), type of firing position, combat events, and attachments. Locations are approximate and do not reflect actual tactical positions.

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=105080627914645872633.0004762bac6086ffa5410&t=h&ll=51.055207,5.427246&spn=9.603365,19.665527&z=6

Have a look it is interesting from the point of view of what did not happen, or possibly did not get logged. As in the downtime or lack of action. A great idea actually carried through.

[womble]

That's a really interesting look at a unit's progress.

Can anyone explain what "...3d Plat changed to SP..." means (14 Nov 44)? Was it a towed AT company before?

[guachi]

That's my guess. They specifically mention two platoons (I think the 1st was the other) changing to SP.

After combat in Saarlautern, they specifically mention getting replacement M36 TDs to replace two that were knocked out. It also seems they did as much indirect fire support as direct fire.

[womble]

The conversion to SP would also help explain the greater tempo and pitch of operations after that. AT being towed around to defensive locations don't often get to participate in offensive operations at the pointy-end (and don't seem to have been counterattacked against much), but once the company was SP, that seemed to happen more often.

[FragerZ]

"Engaged in combat all day" is the BEST status update ever. I'm gonna go post that to Facebook.

[AlsatianFelix]

It was nice of Diesel Taylor to post the map of the 607th TD battalion that I created. It's been a while since I made it. Other cool items related to the 607th are this flickr set of photos taken by a man in a recon platoon. http://www.flickr.com/photos/scdike/sets/72157622433126355/

And also a link to the entire battalion's daily log: http://www.tankdestroyer.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=202:607th-tank-destroyer-battalion&catid=43:battalions600s&Itemid=101

[finalcut]

Is it me,or did those Guys get a lot of time off.There were some periods of a week or more where they were listed as no change in Status.

[gunnergoz]

Is it me,or did those Guys get a lot of time off.There were some periods of a week or more where they were listed as no change in Status.

Their version of "time off" would probably fill our britches...If a laconic "combat all day" was all they had to say about what they were experiencing. A computer game it wasn't.

[womble]

Is it me,or did those Guys get a lot of time off.There were some periods of a week or more where they were listed as no change in Status.

I'm pretty sure the NCOs would keep the men pretty busy, even if they were dug in (during their apparently towed days) in a sector that wasn't expecting counterattack.

[leakyD]

I'm pretty sure the NCOs would keep the men pretty busy, even if they were dug in (during their apparently towed days) in a sector that wasn't expecting counterattack.

Probably performing maintenance on the vehicle.

Sadly, there's always work to be done. Always.

Crews are slaves to their vehicles, not the other way around.

[Magpie_Oz]

That's a really interesting look at a unit's progress.

Can anyone explain what "...3d Plat changed to SP..." means (14 Nov 44)? Was it a towed AT company before?

One of the captions form the photo's :

"The 607th, originally equipped with 3" towed-guns was converted to the M-36 Gun Motor Carriage in mid-November 1944 prior to the final battle for Metz, France."

[Vergeltungswaffe]

"Engaged in combat all day" is the BEST status update ever.

That will be me when CMBN comes out.