This is the biography, not of an individual but of a small military unit.
This is their story..
Nothing in my long, full life could compare with the priceless opportunity that I had to command the men of the 8 th Tank Battalion.
They proved themselves on the toughest testing ground of man - the field of combat.
In my opinion, our nation has never fully understood or appreciated the fantastic role played by such boys and very young men.
It was a great honor and privilege to command these tankers and to witness what they accomplished.
I believe that there was a special bonding between my men and me.
I was in it every day the Battalion was in combat, much of it after assuming command at the age of twenty seven.
I was a major factor in training it for combat.
I feel very possessive about this Battalion.
And fight it did, splendidly, spectacularly and courageously.
It was organized primarily, fundamentally, and solely to fight the German Army in Europe.
It was created as a Combat Battalion.
Combat was the destiny of this Battalion.
It is about the 8 th Tank Battalion, 4 th Armored Division.
It began on September 10 th , 1943 and ended on May 15 th , 1946, when it ceased to exist.
The life span of this unit was extremely brief - less than three years.
This is the biography, not of an individual but of a small military unit
