Men of Armor, Part One: Beginnings, North Africa, and Italy, Part I: The History of B Company, 756th Tank Battalion in World War II

by Jeff Danby

“With its focus on tank crew members and their commanders this is a unique addition to the literature on WWII.” —A. Harding Ganz, Associate Professor Emeritus of the Ohio State University at Newark, author of Ghost Division   After the shocking fall of France in June 1940, the U.S. Army embarked on a crash program to establish a new armored force. One of the units formed was the 756th Tank Battalion (Light), activated at Fort Lewis in June 1941. Because of severe equipment shortages, the new battalion trained without tanks for several months, but by early 1942 were equipped with new M3 light tanks. While companies A and C took part in Operation Torch, B was withheld for lack of cargo space in the transport ships and rejoined the battalion two months later in North Africa. The units undertook reconnaissance missions following the landings in Salerno. In December 1943 the battalion was ordered to upgrade to a medium tank (Sherman) unit. Given less than a month to reorganize and train in M4s, the battalion was sent into the Mignano Gap and supported the 34th Infantry Division in the capture of Cervaro and Monte Trocchio. B Company also supported the troops of the 100th Battalion on bloody but ill-fated attempts to cross the Rapido river before finally establishing a secure bridgehead. The nearby town of Caira was also captured, opening an avenue for an attack on Cassino. Based on decades of research, and hours of interviews with veterans of the 756th Tank Battalion, Jeff Danby’s vivid narrative puts the reader in the turret of B Company’s Shermans as they ride into battle.   “The level of detail is impressive.” —WWII History Magazine

727 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 31, 2021

Reviews

[William Troy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the story of a tank company in a tank battalion in World War II, from its organization at Fort Lewis, Washington through its training in the United States and consequently its deployment to North Africa and finally into Italy where it ended the war. Victor Davis Hanson has a book titled The Second World Wars. He contends that every participant in the war fought their own war. This book by Jeff Danby is an example of what Hanson means. The 756th Tank Battalion certainly endured a long war but it wasn't until Italy when the unit saw its first combat. For about two years it was relegated to support roles that kept it busy but not fighting. Its wartime experience differed significantly from other tank companies. B Company initially it was organized as a light tank Company as was the Battalion. US Army Armor Doctrine was going through the throws of differing perspectives in organization and operation theory between the old horse cavalry doctrine and the new support the infantry theorists and the heavy tank but combined arms advocates. US tank development was also lacking. Tank on tank combat was not the role that US Armor doctrine prescribed for its tanks. Doctrine developed anti-tank units and equipment to fight tanks. The Army planned light and medium tank units and manufactured tanks accordingly. The light tanks developed were M1, M2, M3 Stuart and finally the M5. Few saw combat. In North Africa they were used for reconnaissance as soon as medium tanks were available. The British used them effectively against the Italians prior to the US entering the war. The 756th was eventually reorganized as a Medium Tank Company in November 1943. Prior to that conversion it seems as no one in the Army's structure knew what to do with a Light Tank Battalion. As a result the 756th was used for reconnaissance but mostly as protection of headquarters and hospitals.
The unit landed in Casablanca in January 1943, was in Tunisia in April 1943 and as one Chapter is titled, Bizerte Bystanders: May 1943 to 15 September 1943. Although well trained, equipped and qualified in gunnery, for the most part B Company and the 756th watched the war up close but not very personally. In September 1943 the unit was landed in Italy near Salerno. They continued to watch the war until their reorganization in November. The fight became much more personal as the chapter after the reorganization implies: The Gates of Hell: 11 January 1944 t0 21 January 1944. The battalion was assigned to support the 34th Infantry Division as it attacked towards Monte Cassino. They eventually got to the Rapido River and supported the 100th Battalion (Nisei - made up of Japanese American soldiers). B Company led the attack to capture a bridge crossing the Rapido heading towards Caira. They secured a bridgehead after a hard fight supporting the 168Th Infantry Regiment. The fighting was again tough especially around an old Italian barracks complex south of Caira. The battle is described in great detail. What surprised me was this is where the book ended. Beyond 1 February 1944 there is nothing about what the unit did through the end of the war in Europe, 8 May 1945. There is a chapter about Lieutenant Wilkinson's plight as a POW and appendices about organization, unit rosters for B Company and some orders, morning reports but nothing about the fighting after February 1944.
B Company lost forty-seven men Killed-in-Action including the grandfather of the author, 1LT Edgar R. Danby. The fighting by soldiers is often lost in the bigger picture of strategy and tactics. Books like this reminds us that war takes a great toll on those who endure the battles. This is a good read for those interested in WWII and especially those who want to understand what the soldiers went through.

[Art · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars
I came across this title by accident and when I saw it was by Jeff Danby, author of the excellent book, Day of the Panzer, which recounted a small action in a small village in Southern France in which his own grandfather was killed in a Sherman tank. This time Danby has taken on the job of writing a history of his grandfather's unit from formation onwards. This is a pretty engrossing book and a good look into a early to midwar US armored unit.

[Robert Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good book and I hope part two comes out soon.