U.S. 6th Armored Division
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The 6th Armored Division was an armored division of the United States Army during World War II.
History
The division was activated on 15 February 1942, and moved to England in early 1944. After continuing its training there, the 6th Armored landed on Utah Beach in Normandy, 18 July, and went on the offensive in the Cotentin Peninsula, driving through Avranches, and moving on to take part in the liberation of Brest and the clearing of the Brittany Peninsula. In mid-August the Division moved down to Lorient.
The 6th then turned east and cut across France, reaching the Saar in November. It crossed the Nied River 11-12 November, against strong opposition, reaching the German border on 6 December, and established and maintained defensive positions in the vicinity of Saarbrücken.
On 23 December the Division was ordered north of Metz to take part in the Battle of the Bulge, and took over a sector along the south bank of the Sauer River. The 6th was heavily engaged in the battle for Bastogne, finally driving the enemy back across the our River into Germany by late January 1945.
After a short period of rehabilitation, the Division resumed the offensive, penetrated the Siegfried Line, crossed the Prum, reached the Rhine River at Worms on 21 March, and set up a counterreconnaissance screen along its west bank. The 6th crossed the Rhine at Oppenheim 25 March, drove on to Frankfurt, crossed the Main, captured Bad Naüheim, and continued to advance eastward, and surrounded and captured Muhlhausen 4-5 April. After repulsing a light counterattack, it moved forward 60 miles to cross the Saale River and assisted in freeing Allied prisoners of war and the notorious German concentration camp at Buchenwald. The Division raced on, took Leipzig, crossed the Mulde River at Rochlitz 15 April 1945, and stopped, pending the arrival of the Russian Army. Defensive positions along the Mulde River were held until the end of hostilities in Europe.
The division was inactivated on 18 September 1945.