 The SUPER SIXTH: The History of the 6th Armored Division in WWII. By George F. Hofmann. Summary: Originally published in 1975, this is the official unit history of the 6th Armored Division in World War II. Appendices incl a list of all units with CO's, numbers of awards & decorations, and numbers of casualties, bibliog,. Details on the unit are as follows. Activated: 15 February 1942. Overseas: 11 February 1944. Campaigns: Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace, Central Europe. Days of combat: 272. After continuing its training in England, the 6th Armored Division landed on Utah Beach in Normandy, 18 July 1944, 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 Saarbrucken. 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. After a short period of rehabilitation, the Division resumed the offensive, penetrated the Siegfried Line, crossed the Prum, reached the Rhine River at Worms 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 BadNauheim, and continued to advance eastward, and surrounded and captured Muhlhausen 4-5 April 1945. 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. Nickname: Super Sixth. Shoulder patch: Same as the 1st Armored, but with number "6" in upper portion of triangle. 478 pages. 100 telling photographs, and 27detailed battle maps. Attractive Limited Reprint with cloth hardcover.
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