SCARCE /Hard to find in print and WITH the original wrapper /DJ
The original, vintage book--- The 774th Tank Destroyer Battalion was an independent armored unit of the U.S. Army that fought in the European Theater of Operations during World War II. Operating under the iconic Tank Destroyer Force motto and official insignia, "Seek, Strike, and Destroy," the unit was heavily engaged in tracking and neutralizing German armored threats.
1945 Printing - edited by Lt. Wayne Diltz and Lt. Harry Shaner, engraved by Reinhard, and printed by Zimmermann in Nurnberg, Germany right after V-E Day,
Following the conclusion of the war, the unit documented its combat experiences in THIS scarce unit history book published in Nurnberg, Germany, in 1945 - Seek – Strike – Destroy, The Story of the 774th Tank Destroyer BattalionThe 774th Tank Destroyers Official Battalion book.
Code name, Convex.
Seek, Strike, Destroy
Unit History: Activated on 15 December, 1941, at Camp Blanding, Florida.
Converted to a towed battalion before arriving at Gourock, Scotland, on 12 June, 1944.
Debarked at Utah Beach on 7 August.
Joined fighting around Argentan. Ran eastward across France to Lorraine as part of a cavalry screen and the 7th Armored Division. Participated in fighting around Metz starting in September. Fought along the Saar in December and then joined rush north to the Ardennes. Converted to the M36 in late February 1945.
Drove to the Rhine in March. Held Rhine west of the Ruhr Pocket in April, then took on military government duties.
Attached to: 7th Armored Division; 5th, 80th, 90th, 94th, 95th Infantry divisions; 43d Cavalry Group.
Combat Equipment: 8/44 – Towed 3″ Gun; 3/45 – M36
Interesting information about the unit-
It is said two or three tanks were knocked out when they tried to reach the pinned down men of F company.
Four DPF’s gave a lot more information about what happened to the crews.
The IDPF’s were from T4 Arnold A. Pfaff/ 37323733, Sgt. Daniel P. Liptrap/ 6994527; Pfc. Ralph M. Hammond/ 34889389 and one IDPF of unknown remains, named “X-168”.
“The above EM (Enlisted Men) were members of Co B, 774th Tank Battalion, when they were KIA on January 10 1945, near Ottré, Belgium. Sgt. Liptrap was riding in one of Co B’s tanks while Sgt Pfaff and Pfc Hammond were crew members of another one of Co B tank. The After Action Report for 774th Tank Battalion stated that its 1st Platoon supported the 3rdBn. 331st Inf. Regt at Ottré and 2nd Platoon supported 2ndBn, 331st between Hebronval and Ottré, Belgium. Two tanks were reported lost.”
Pfaff and Hammond were reported MIA and an extensive search began to find the two men. The search lasted until 1950.
In a statement dated 19 july 1950, of Alphonse Beaudoin, the former Mayor’s assistant, we read: “I know that during the German attack two American tanks were disabled near Ottré, several American soldiers were killed and were lying near the tanks. I also know that one or two soldiers were charred in the tanks. To my knowledge, the charred remains that were left in the tanks were not evacuated, but the American Graves Registration may have evacuated them without informing the Communal Authorities. These tanks were cut and removed by a civilian scrap dealer over two years ago.”
The mayor himself stated: “…to my knowledge two or three American tanks were destroyed during the combat which took place between Ottré and Langlire (Petite) at the place called “Croix Jean Mathieu” in the territory of Bihain. These tanks were cut up and removed by “CINDA”. (comptoir industriel & agricole société)
Farmer Joseph Marechal declared: “I have seen two American tanks, burning near my farm on the 10 January 1945. Another tank was also disabled in the vicinity, a tank destroyer was set near my house on 11 January 1945. I saw human remains lying near the burned tanks several months after the war. In my opinion, these remains were not recovered.”
No confirmation on what really happened but interesting information on the unit not officially part of their history.
This is a scarce book and only printed in Nuremberg WWII era 1945. Impossible to find in print today. True history.
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