"EZ 8" Sherman questions (1 Viewer)

[dragon53]

Is the winterized "EZ Eight" Sherman a real tank?... If so, what unit was it attached to?

 

[Phantom Warrior]

Is the winterized "EZ Eight" Sherman a real tank?... If so, what unit was it attached to?

The tank is Tank 7, "A" Company, 66th Armoured Regiment, 2nd Armoured Division.

Terry

 

[dragon53]

Terry,

Thanks very much for the detailed information.

My research shows during the Battle of the Bulge, the 66th Armored Regiment helped liberate the town of Houffalize. Also, the 82nd Airborne Division was involved in the liberation of Houffalize.
Do you know if the 66th Armored was DIRECTLY in support of or attached to the 82nd Airborne during the attack on Houffalize?

Again, thanks for the help.

Update---more research indicates the 2nd Armored paired up with the 84th Infantry Division in the attack on Houffalize.

 

[Phantom Warrior]

Terry,

Thanks very much for the detailed information.

My research shows during the Battle of the Bulge, the 66th Armored Regiment helped liberate the town of Houffalize. Also, the 82nd Airborne Division was involved in the liberation of Houffalize.
Do you know if the 66th Armored was DIRECTLY in support of or attached to the 82nd Airborne during the attack on Houffalize?

Again, thanks for the help.

Update---more research indicates the 2nd Armored paired up with the 84th Infantry Division in the attack on Houffalize.

No I don't know. That's pretty detailed and I don't study the US units that closely. Binder001 may know - he's an expert on US armoured units.

Terry

 

[dragon53]

Terry,

Thanks. My new research shows the 2nd Armored assisted the 84th Infantry Division in the attack on Houffalize.

In researching the 2nd Armored Division, some sources said the 2nd Armored was transferred to Fort Bragg, home of the 82nd Airborne, for several months in 1942. However, other sources said the 2nd Armored only trained at Fort Bragg.

If anyone has definitive information on the 2nd Armored's connection to Fort Bragg and/or the 82nd Airborne, I'd appreciate it as I'm considering adding the CS "EZ Eight" Sherman to my North Carolina collection (Fort Bragg and the 82nd are in North Carolina).

 

[binder001]

1) The 66th Armored Regiment was one of the two armored regiments of the 2nd Armored Division. The 2nd and 3rd Armored Divisions retained the early "regimental" or "heavy" structure throughout WW2. The other thirteen armored divisions changed over the "light" pattern adopted in Sept 1943.

2) I can look it up, but basically the 1st Armored Division was formed out of Cavalry units at Ft. Knox and the 2nd Armored was formed out of Infantry tank units and Ft. Benning and/or Bragg (I need to look it up).

Gary B.

 

[dragon53]

BINDER001:

The 2nd Armored was normally based at Fort Benning. However, it gets confusing when some sources say the 2nd Armored was transferred from Fort Benning to Fort Bragg, but other sources say the 2nd Armored was based at Fort Benning but only TRAINED at Fort Bragg.
If you have any information that would clear this up, it would be helpful.