The 68th Armor Regiment is an armored regiment of the United States Army. It was first activated in 1933 in the Regular Army as the 68th Infantry Regiment (Light Tanks).

Lineage

World War I

The regiment was originally constituted on 9 July 1918 in the Regular Army as the 68th Infantry Regiment, and assigned to the 9th Division. It was organized in July 1918 at Camp Sheridan, Alabama, from personnel of the 46th Infantry Regiment. It did not go overseas before the end of the war, and was relieved from the 9th Division and demobilized 15 February 1919 at Camp Sheridan. During World War I in France as part of the

American Expeditionary Forces The American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) was a formation of the United States Armed Forces on the Western Front (World War I), Western Front during World War I, composed mostly of units from the United States Army, U.S. Army. The AEF was establis ...

(AEF), the 326th, 327th, and 328th Battalions, Tank Corps and the 1st Tank Center were established between April and June 1918. In September 1918, the 326th and 327th Battalions were redesignated the 344th and 345th Battalions respectively, and they fought in the St. Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne campaigns. The 345th was the predecessor lineage to the 1st, 2nd, and 7th Tank Companies, and Company B of the 344th became the 5th Tank Company. The 328th Battalion, formed in the U.S., became the 3rd, 4th, and 6th Tank Companies.

Interwar period

The 68th Infantry was reconstituted on 1 October 1933 in the Regular Army as the 68th Infantry (Light Tanks) and absorbed the lineage of the Tank Companies. The 68th Infantry (Light Tanks) was allotted to the 6th Corps Area, and activated as a "Regular Army Inactive" (RAI) unit at

Peoria, Illinois Peoria ( ) is a city in Peoria County, Illinois, United States, and its county seat. Located on the Illinois River, the city had a population of 113,150 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of municipalities in Ill ...

, manned with

Organized Reserve The United States Army Reserve (USAR) is a reserve force of the United States Army. Together, the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard constitute the Army element of the reserve components of the United States Armed Forces. History Origi ...

personnel. On 7 April 1937, the headquarters location was changed to

Chicago, Illinois Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

. The 1st and 2nd Battalions were activated on 1 January 1940 at

Fort Benning, Georgia Fort Benning (named Fort Moore from 2023–2025) is a United States Army post in the Columbus, Georgia area. Located on Georgia's border with Alabama, Fort Benning supports more than 120,000 active-duty military, family members, reserve compone ...

, less Reserve personnel, by redesignation of the 1st through 7th Tank Companies (organized in 1918) of the 1st through 7th Divisions. The inactive elements of the regiment were withdrawn from the Sixth Corps Area and allotted to the Fourth Corps Area. On 30 May 1940, the 2nd Battalion was transferred to

Fort Lewis Fort Lewis may refer to: * Fort Lewis (Colorado), a former United States Army post (1878–1891) in the U.S. State of Colorado ** Fort Lewis College, a college in the Durango, Colorado, United States ** Fort Lewis Skyhawks, athletic teams of Fort L ...

Washington Washington most commonly refers to: * George Washington (1732–1799), the first president of the United States * Washington (state), a state in the Pacific Northwest of the United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A ...

. On 30 June 1940, the 1st Battalion was inactivated at Fort Benning. On 15 July 1940, the remaining active elements of the regiment were redesignated as the 68th Armored Regiment and assigned to the 2nd Armored Brigade of the 2nd Armored Division. The regiment (less the 2nd Battalion which was already active) was activated 1 August 1940 at Fort Benning, Georgia. When the structure of U.S. armored divisions was reorganized marly in 1942, the regiment was inactivated on 8 January 1942 at Fort Benning and relieved from assignment to the 2nd Armored Division. The 68th Armored Regiment was assigned on 15 February 1942 to the new

6th Armored Division The 6th Armored Division ("Super Sixth") was an armored division of the United States Army during World War II. It was formed with a cadre from the 2nd Armored Division. History Training The 6th Armored Division was activated on 15 Feb ...

and reactivated at Fort Knox, Kentucky.

1st Tank Company

* Organized 7 June 1918 in the National Army in France as Company A, 327th Battalion, Tank Corps, American Expeditionary Force.Part of the World War One Light Tank Brigade established in the American Expeditionary Force Commanded by COL. George S. Patton, Junior. * Redesignated 12 September 1918 as Company A, 345th Battalion, Tank Corps. * Reorganized and redesignated 8 January 1921 as the 1st Tank Company and allotted to the

Regular Army A regular army is the official army of a state or country (the official armed forces), contrasting with irregular forces, such as volunteer irregular militias, private armies, mercenaries, etc. A regular army usually has the following: * a ...

* Assigned 1 April 1921 to the 1st Division * Relieved 16 October 1939 from assignment to the 1st Division * Consolidated 1 January 1940 with Company A, 68th Infantry and consolidated unit designated as Company A, 68th Infantry. * Inactivated 5 June 1940 at Fort Benning. * Redesignated 15 July 1940 as Company A, 68th Armored Regiment, and assigned to the 2nd Armored Division. * Activated 1 August 1940 at Fort Benning. * See "Regiment" for further history

2nd Tank Company

* Organized 7 June 1918 in the National Army in France as Company C, 327th Battalion, Tank Corps, AEF. * Redesignated 12 September 1918 as Company C, 345th Battalion, Tank Corps. * Reorganized and redesignated 8 January 1921 as the 2nd Tank Company, allotted to the

, and assigned to the 2nd Division. * Redesignated 1 January 1940 as Company D, 68th Infantry Regiment (Light Tanks). * Redesignated 15 July 1940 as Company D, 68th Armored Regiment, and assigned to the 2nd Armored Division.

3rd Tank Company

* Organized April 1918 in the National Army at

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Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...

as Company A, 328th Battalion, Tank Corps * Reorganized and redesignated 8 January 1921 as the 3rd Tank Company, allotted to the

, and assigned to the 3rd Division. * Redesignated 1 January 1940 as Company E, 68th Infantry (Light Tanks). * Redesignated 15 July 1940 as Company E, 68th Armored Regiment, and assigned to the 2nd Armored Division.

4th Tank Company

* Organized April 1918 in the National Army at

as Company C, 328th Battalion, Tank Corps * Reorganized and redesignated 8 January 1921 as the 4th Tank Company, allotted to the

, and assigned to the 4th Division) * Inactivated 27 September 1921 at

. * Activated 15 September 1931 at

Fort McClellan Fort McClellan, originally Camp McClellan, is a United States Army post located adjacent to the city of Anniston, Alabama. During World War II, it was one of the largest U.S. Army installations, training an estimated half-million troops. After t ...

Alabama Alabama ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South, Deep Southern regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gu ...

. * Redesignated 1 January 1940 as Company B, 68th Infantry (Light Tanks), and relieved from assignment to the

4th Division In military terms, 4th Division may refer to: Infantry divisions *4th (Quetta) Division, British Indian Army * 4th Alpine Division Cuneense, Italy * 4th Blackshirt Division (3 January), Italy *4th Canadian Division *4th Division (Australia) * 4th ...

. * Inactivated 5 June 1940 at

Fort Benning Fort Benning (named Fort Moore from 2023–2025) is a United States Army post in the Columbus, Georgia area. Located on Georgia's border with Alabama, Fort Benning supports more than 120,000 active-duty military, family members, reserve compone ...

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...

* Redesignated 15 July 1940 as Company B, 68th Armored Regiment, and assigned to the 2nd Armored Division. * Activated 1 August 1940 at Fort Benning.

5th and 6th Tank Companies

* Organized 17 February 1918 as Company B (Provisional), Tank Service, American Expeditionary Force. * Redesignated 16 April 1918 in the National Army at

Borg The Borg are an alien group that appear as recurring antagonists in the ''Star Trek'' fictional universe. They are Cyborg, cybernetic organisms (cyborgs) linked in a Group mind (science fiction), hive mind called "The Collective". The Borg co- ...

, France as Company B, 1st Tank Center,

American Expeditionary Force The American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) was a formation of the United States Armed Forces on the Western Front (World War I), Western Front during World War I, composed mostly of units from the United States Army, U.S. Army. The AEF was establis ...

. * Redesignated on 6 June 1918 as Company B, 326th Battalion, Tank Corps. * Redesignated 1 September 1918 as Company B, 344th Battalion, Tank Corps. * Reorganized and redesignated 8 January 1921 as the 5th Tank Company, allotted to the

, and assigned to the

5th Division In military terms, 5th Division may refer to: Infantry divisions *5th Division (Australia) * 5th Division (People's Republic of China) * 5th Division (Colombia) * Finnish 5th Division (Continuation War) * 5th Light Cavalry Division (France) * 5th ...

. * Consolidated 1 January 1940 with the 6th Tank Company, 6th Division, and reorganized and redesignated as Company C, 68th Infantry Regiment * Inactivated 5 June 1940 at

. * Redesignated 15 July 1940 as Company C, 68th Armored Regiment, and assigned to the 2nd Armored Division. * Activated 1 August 1940 at Fort Benning.

7th Tank Company

* Organized 7 June 1918 as Company B, 327th Battalion, Tank Corps,

. * Redesignated 12 September 1918 as Company B, 345th Battalion, Tank Corps. * Reorganized and redesignated 8 January 1921 as the 7th Tank Company, allotted to the

, and assigned to the 7th Division. * Inactivated 6 September 1921 at

Camp Meade Camp George G. Meade near Middletown, Pennsylvania, was a camp established and subsequently abandoned by the U.S. Volunteers during the Spanish–American War. History Camp Meade was established August 24, 1898, and soon thereafter was occupi ...

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It borders the states of Virginia to its south, West Virginia to its west, Pennsylvania to its north, and Delaware to its east ...

. * Redesignated 1 January 1940 as Company F, 68th Infantry Regiment (Light Tanks), and activated at

, Georgia. * Redesignated 15 July 1940 as Company F, 68th Armored Regiment, and assigned to the 2nd Armored Division.

Company G, 68th Infantry Regiment (Light Tanks)

* Constituted 1 October 1933 in the Regular Army as Company G, 68th Infantry Regiment (Light Tanks). * Redesignated 15 July 1940 as Company G, 68th Armored Regiment, and assigned to the 2nd Armored Division. * Activated 13 August 1940 at Fort Benning.

Company H, 68th Infantry Regiment (Light Tanks)

Armored regiment

* (1st and 2nd Battalions activated 1 January 1940 at

, as Infantry Tank Battalions (See Above); * 1st Battalion inactivated 30 June 1940 at Fort Benning, Georgia, (See Above). * Converted and redesignated 15 July 1940 as the 68th Armored Regiment and assigned to the 2nd Armored Division. * Regiment (less the already-active 2nd Battalion) activated 1 August 1940 at Fort Benning, Georgia. * Inactivated 8 January 1942 at Fort Benning, Georgia, and relieved from assignment to the 2nd Armored Division * Assigned 15 February 1942 to the

and activated at

Fort Knox Fort Knox is a United States Army installation in Kentucky, south of Louisville and north of Elizabethtown, Kentucky, Elizabethtown. It is adjacent to the United States Bullion Depository (also known as Fort Knox), which is used to house a larg ...

Kentucky Kentucky (, ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north, West Virginia to the ...

* Moved to

Camp Chaffee Fort Chaffee Joint Maneuver Training Center, also known as Fort Chaffee, is an Arkansas Army National Guard installation located in western Arkansas, adjacent to the city of Fort Smith. Established as Camp Chaffee in 1941, renamed to Fort Ch ...

, Arkansas on 20 March 1942 for divisional training and maneuvers. * Moved to

Camp Young The General George S. Patton Memorial Museum, in Chiriaco Summit, California, is a museum erected in tribute to General George S. Patton on the site of the entrance of Camp Young, part of the Desert Training Center of World War II. Exhibits in ...

, California on 12 October 1942 to train at the Desert Training Center.

Triangulation

* Regiment broken up 20 September 1943 and its elements reorganized and redesignated as follows: # Regimental Headquarters and Headquarters Company and 2d Battalion as the 68th Tank Battalion and remained assigned to the

# 1st Battalion as the 773d Tank Battalion and relieved from assignment to the

# 3d Battalion as the 15th Tank Battalion and remained assigned to the

# Reconnaissance Company as Troop D, 86th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron, Mechanized, and remained an element of the

# Maintenance and Service Companies, and Band disbanded.

World War II

Troop D, 86th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron

* Deployed from the

New York Port of Embarkation The New York Port of Embarkation (NYPOE) was a United States Army command responsible for the movement of troops and supplies from the United States to overseas commands. The command had facilities in New York and New Jersey, roughly covering th ...

on 11 February 1944. * Arrived in England on 23 February 1944. * Deployed further to France on 19 July 1944. * Was located at

Kahla Kahla () is a town in the Saale-Holzland district, in Thuringia, Germany. It is situated on the river Saale, 14 km south of Jena. Mayors *1990–2012: Bernd Leube *2012–2018: Claudia Nissen *2018–incumbent: Jan Schönfeld People wh ...

, Germany on 14 August 1945VJ Day * Return to

Boston Port of Embarkation The Boston Port of Embarkation (BPOE) was a United States Army command responsible for the movement of troops and supplies from the United States to overseas commands. In World War I it was a sub-port of the New York Port of Embarkation. During ...

on 18 September 1945

15th Tank Battalion

* Deployed from the New York Port of Embarkation on 11 February 1944. * Arrived in England on 24 February 1944. * Further deployed to France on 22 July 1944 * Located at

Jena Jena (; ) is a List of cities and towns in Germany, city in Germany and the second largest city in Thuringia. Together with the nearby cities of Erfurt and Weimar, it forms the central metropolitan area of Thuringia with approximately 500,000 in ...

, Germany on 14 August 1945 * Returned to the New York Port of Embarkation on 20 February 1946

68th Tank Battalion

* Deployed from the New York Port of Embarkation on 11 February 1944. * Arrived in England on 24 February 1944. * Further deployed to France on 22 July 1944 * Located at

Buttstädt Buttstädt is a municipality in the Sömmerda (district), district of Sömmerda, in Thuringia, Germany. It is situated 16 km northeast of Weimar. The former municipalities Ellersleben, Eßleben-Teutleben, Großbrembach, Guthmannshausen, Hard ...

, Germany on 14 August 1945 * Returned to the

Hampton Roads Port of Embarkation Hampton Roads Port of Embarkation was the Army command structure and distributed port infrastructure in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia supporting the movement of personnel and cargo overseas. It had been activated as the Newport News Port of ...

on 29 December 1945

773rd Tank Battalion

* Deployed from the San Francisco Port of Embarkation on 8 February 1944. * Arrived in Hawaii on 15 February 1944. * Further deployed to

Saipan Saipan () is the largest island and capital of the Northern Mariana Islands, an unincorporated Territories of the United States, territory of the United States in the western Pacific Ocean. According to 2020 estimates by the United States Cens ...

on 15 July 1944 * Further deployed to

Tinian Tinian () is one of the three principal islands of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). Together with uninhabited neighboring Aguiguan, it forms Tinian Municipality, one of the four constituent municipalities of the Northern ...

on 24 July 1944 * Returned to Hawaii on 17 August 1944 * Further deployed to Hojaki Shima on 26 March 1945 * Further deployed to Tokashiki Shima 27 March 1945 * Further deployed to Keise Shima 31 March 1945 * Further deployed to

Ie Shima , previously romanized in English as Ie Shima, is an island in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, lying a few kilometers off the Motobu Peninsula on Okinawa Island. The island measures in circumference and covers . As of December 2012 the island had ...

27 March 1945 * Inactivated 15 April 1946 in Japan

Reconsolidation

* After 20 September 1943 the above units underwent changes that resulted in reconsolidation as follows: # 68th Tank Battalion relieved 19 July 1945 from assignment to the

Inactivated 29 December 1945 at

Camp Patrick Henry Camp Patrick Henry is a decommissioned United States Army base which was located in Warwick County, Virginia. After World War II, the site was redeveloped as a commercial airport, and became part of City of Newport News in 1958 when the former C ...

, Virginia
Redesignated 21 August 1950 as the 68th Medium Tank Battalion and assigned to the

Activated 5 September 1950 at

Fort Leonard Wood Fort Leonard Wood is a United States Army, U.S. Army training installation located in the Missouri The Ozarks, Ozarks. The main gate is located on the southern boundary of the city of St. Robert, Missouri, St. Robert. The post was created in De ...

, Missouri
Inactivated 16 March 1956 at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri
Relieved 1 July 1957 from assignment to the 6th Armored Division. # 773d Tank Battalion reorganized and redesignated 27 October 1943 as the 773d Amphibian Tank Battalion
Reorganized and redesignated 10 January 1944 as the 773d Amphibian Tractor Battalion
Inactivated 15 April 1946 in Japan
Redesignated 24 December 1946 as the 56th Amphibian Tractor Battalion
Redesignated 18 April 1949 as the 56th Amphibious Tank and Tractor Battalion
Activated 10 May 1949 at

Fort Worden Fort Worden Historical State Park is located in Port Townsend, Washington, on originally known as Fort Worden, a United States Army Coast Artillery Corps base constructed to protect Puget Sound from invasion by sea. Fort Worden was named afte ...

, Washington
Inactivated 15 December 1954 at Fort Worden, Washington # 15th Tank Battalion relieved 9 July 1945 from assignment to the 6th Armored Division
Inactivated 22 February 1946 – 25 February 1946 at

Camp Kilmer Camp Kilmer is a former United States Army camp in Central New Jersey that was activated in June 1942 as a staging area and part of an installation of the New York Port of Embarkation. The camp was organized as part of the Army Service Forces Tra ...

, New Jersey. # Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 15th Tank Battalion, redesignated 1 August 1946 as 15th Tank Company, and activated at

Fort Riley Fort Riley is a United States Army installation located in North Central Kansas, on the Kansas River, also known as the Kaw, between Junction City and Manhattan. The Fort Riley Military Reservation covers 101,733 acres (41,170 ha) in Ge ...

, Kansas
Inactivated 6 November 1946 at Fort Riley, Kansas
Activated 1 June 1947 in Italy
Inactivated 1 December 1949 in Italy
Redesignated 21 August 1950 as Headquarters, Headquarters and Service Company, 15th Medium Tank Battalion (organic elements of the 15th Tank Battalion redesignated as elements of the 15th Medium Tank Battalion), and assigned to the 6th Armored Division
Battalion activated 5 September 1950 at

, Missouri
Inactivated 16 March 1956 at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri
Relieved 1 July 1957 from assignment to the 6th Armored Division. # Troop D, 86th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron, Mechanized, inactivated 19 September 1945 at

Camp Myles Standish Camp Myles Standish was a U.S. Army camp located in Taunton, Massachusetts, during World War II. It was the main staging area for the Boston Port of Embarkation, with about a million U.S. and Allied soldiers passing through the camp on their ...

, *Massachusetts
Redesignated 21 August 1950 as Company D, 86th Reconnaissance Battalion, and remained an element of the 6th Armored Division
Activated 5 September 1950 at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri
Inactivated 16 March 1956 at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri
Relieved 1 July 1957 from assignment to the 6th Armored Division. # Maintenance and Service Companies, 68th Armored Regiment, reconstituted 1 July 1957 in the Regular Army * 68th and 15th Medium Tank Battalions; 56th Amphibious Tank and Tractor Battalion; Company D, 86th Reconnaissance Battalion; and Maintenance and Service Companies, 68th Armored Regiment, consolidated, reorganized, and redesignated 1 July 1957 as the 68th Armor Regiment, a parent regiment under the

Combat Arms Regimental System The Combat Arms Regimental System (CARS), was the method of assigning unit designations to units of some of the combat arms branches of the United States Army, including Infantry, Special Forces, Field Artillery, and Armor, from 1957 to 1981. A ...

Post Combat Arms Regimental System (1957) Consolidation

* 68th Armor Regiment withdrawn 1 April 1984 from the Combat Arms Regimental System and reorganized under the United States Army Regimental System (USARS). 1st and 2nd Battalions remained assigned to 8th Infantry Division. * 1st Battalion redesignated on 1 July 1957 as 1st Medium Tank Battalion (Patton), 68th Armor, assigned to 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Benning, GA. Relieved 1 April 1963 from assignment to the 3d Infantry Division; concurrently redesignated as the 1st Battalion, 68th Armor, and assigned to the 8th Infantry Division in Germany. 1st Battalion was inactivated 15 March 1991 in Wildflecken, Germany and relieved from assignment to the 8th Infantry Division. Assigned 16 January 1996 to the 4th Infantry Division and activated at

Fort Carson Fort Carson is a United States Army post located directly south of Colorado Springs in El Paso County, Colorado, El Paso, Pueblo County, Colorado, Pueblo, Fremont County, Colorado, Fremont, and Huerfano County, Colorado, Huerfano counties, Color ...

, Colorado by reflagging 2-77th Armor. * 2nd Battalion assigned to the 8th Infantry Division 1 April 1963 at Baumholder, Germany as the first armored battalion of the regiment assigned to 8th Infantry Division. Reflagged 1-35th Armor as part of 1st Armored Division on 15 February 1997. * 3rd Battalion designated on 1 July 1957 as 3d Medium Tank Battalion (Patton), 68th Armor. Assigned 1 December 1957 to 9th Infantry Division at Fort Carson, Co. Inactivated 31 January 1962, redesignated, assigned to the 8th Infantry Division at Sullivan Barracks, Mannheim, and activated 1 April 1963 in Germany. Remained in Germany until late 1980s, when reflagged to 5th Bn, 77th Armor. Unit designation moved to 4th Infantry Division at Fort Carson, CO by reflagging 6-32 Armor on 1 April 84. * 4th Battalion was activated 5 September 1950 as part of

at Fort Leonard Wood, MO and deactivated 16 March 1956. Activated 13 June 1958 at Fort Bragg, NC. Unit transferred 1 July 1965 to Fort Stewart, GA. Transferred back to Fort Bragg and assigned to the

82nd Airborne Division The 82nd Airborne Division is an Airborne forces, airborne infantry division (military), division of the United States Army specializing in Paratrooper, parachute assault operations into hostile areasSof, Eric"82nd Airborne Division" ''Spec Ops ...

from 22 March 1968 until 7 February 1984. 4th Bn was then reflagged as the 3rd Battalion, 73rd Armor on 1 April 84. Both units employed the

M551 Sheridan The M551 "Sheridan" AR/AAV (Reconnaissance vehicle, Armored Reconnaissance/Airborne Assault Vehicle) was a light tank developed by the United States and named after General (United States), General Philip Sheridan, of American Civil War fame. It ...

. On 1 April 84, assigned to 4th Infantry Division and activated at

, Colorado by reflagging 3-10th Cavalry. * 5th Battalion withdrawn from Regular Army and reallocated to Army Reserve 7 April 1959. Assigned to the 77th Division, activated 1 May 1959 in Bronx, NY. Inactivated 26 March 1963, withdrawn from the Army Reserve. Assigned to 8th Infantry Division and reactivated in Germany (Sullivan Barracks) on 1 April 1966. Reflagged in 1989 to 3rd Bn, 77th Armor. * 6th Battalion was activated on 20 April 1959, assigned to the 79th Division. When 79th Division was deactivated, the battalion was assigned on 7 January 1963 to the 157th Infantry Brigade - designated at that time as the 157th Separate Infantry Brigade (Mechanized)(USAR) at Horsham, PA. The battalion was deactivated on 1 September 1995 as one of the last two armor battalions (6-68th Armor and 8-40th Armor) in the U.S. Army Reserve. * 7th Battalion was activated on 1 July 1957 and relieved from assignment to

. Withdrawn from Regular Army and reallocated to the Army Reserve. Activated 20 March 1959 and assigned to the 83rd Division, battalion headquartered in Salem, OH. Reorganized and redesignated on 15 April 1963. Inactivated 31 December 1965. * 8th Battalion was activated on 1 July 1957 and relieved from assignment to

. Withdrawn from Regular Army and reallocated to the Army Reserve. Constituted on 27 March 1963, then activated on 15 April 1963. Assigned to the 83rd Division, battalion headquartered in Columbus, OH. Inactivated 31 December 1965. * Company A, 4th Battalion was reactivated on 26 October 2018 as part of the

's 1st

Brigade Combat Team The brigade combat team (BCT) is the basic Military deployment, deployable Military unit, unit of maneuver in the United States Army, U.S. Army. A brigade combat team consists of one combat arms branch maneuver Brigade (United States Army), b ...

, equipped with LAV-25A2s acquired from the

U.S. Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines or simply the Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for conducting expeditionary ...

and was inactivated on 25 September 2020.A/4-68 AR Deactivation; FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2020 AT 11 AM EDT – 11:30 AM EDT; Ft. Bragg, N.C.
Company A, 4th Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division official

Facebook Facebook is a social media and social networking service owned by the American technology conglomerate Meta Platforms, Meta. Created in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with four other Harvard College students and roommates, Eduardo Saverin, Andre ...

page, dated 8 September 2020, retrieved 27 November 2020 The company was a locally-raised provisional unit and its designation was not authorized by the Department of the Army.

Honors

Campaign participation credit

* World War I: #

Saint-Mihiel Saint-Mihiel () is a commune in the Meuse department in the Grand Est region in Northeastern France. Geography Saint-Mihiel lies on the banks of the river Meuse. History A Benedictine abbey was established here in 708 or 709 by Count Wulfoalde ...

; # Meuse-Argonne * World War II: #

Normandy Normandy (; or ) is a geographical and cultural region in northwestern Europe, roughly coextensive with the historical Duchy of Normandy. Normandy comprises Normandy (administrative region), mainland Normandy (a part of France) and insular N ...

; # Northern

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

; #

Rhineland The Rhineland ( ; ; ; ) is a loosely defined area of Western Germany along the Rhine, chiefly Middle Rhine, its middle section. It is the main industrial heartland of Germany because of its many factories, and it has historic ties to the Holy ...

; #

Ardennes-Alsace The Battle of the Bulge, also known as the Ardennes Offensive or Unternehmen Wacht am Rhein, was the last major German offensive campaign on the Western Front during the Second World War, taking place from 16 December 1944 to 25 January 19 ...

; #

Central Europe Central Europe is a geographical region of Europe between Eastern Europe, Eastern, Southern Europe, Southern, Western Europe, Western and Northern Europe, Northern Europe. Central Europe is known for its cultural diversity; however, countries in ...

; # Western Pacific (with arrowhead); #

Ryukyu Islands The , also known as the or the , are a chain of Japanese islands that stretch southwest from Kyushu to Geography of Taiwan, Taiwan: the Ryukyu Islands are divided into the Satsunan Islands (Ōsumi Islands, Ōsumi, Tokara Islands, Tokara and A ...

(with arrowhead) * Korean War: # UN Defensive (with arrowhead

(A/1st BN as 56th Amphib Tank and Tractor Bn) # UN Offensive (A/1st BN as 56th Amphib Tank and Tractor Bn) # CCF Intervention (A/1st BN as 56th Amphib Tank and Tractor Bn) # Summer 1953 (1st Bn as 56th Amphib Tank and Tractor Bn) * Operation Iraqi Freedom: # Liberation of Iraq 19 March 2003 - 1 May 2003 # Transition of Iraq 2 May 2003 - 28 June 2004 # Iraqi Governance 29 June 2004 - 15 December 2005 # National Resolution 16 December 2005 – 9 January 2007 # Iraqi Surge 10 January 2007 -31 December 2008 #

Iraqi Sovereignty Iraqi or Iraqis (in plural) means from Iraq, a country in the Middle East, and may refer to: * Iraqi people or Iraqis, people from Iraq or of Iraqi descent * A citizen of Iraq, see demographics of Iraq * Iraqi or Araghi (), someone or something of, ...

1 January 2009 – 31 August 2010

Decorations

# Presidential Unit Citation (Navy) for SAIPAN AND TINIAN (Regiment and all Bns) (DA GO 73, 1948) # Presidential Unit Citation (Navy) for INCHON (Company A, 56th Amphibious Tank and Tractor Bn), 1952 (A/1st Bn) (DA GO 63, 1952) # Presidential Unit Citation (Army) for LANDROFF, FRANCE (Saar Campaign, 14–15 November 1944) (Company A, 68th Tank Battalion), 1946 (A/4th Bn) # Presidential Unit Citation (Army) for HAN-SUR-NIED, FRANCE (Saar Campaign, 8 November - 24 December 1944)(Company B, 68th Tank Bn), 1952 (B/5th Bn) #

Valorous Unit Award The Valorous Unit Award (VUA) is the second highest United States Army unit decoration which may be bestowed upon an Army unit after the Presidential Unit Citation (PUC). The VUA is awarded by the United States Army to units of the United State ...

(Army) for IRAQ 2012-2013 (1st Bn) #

(Army) for IRAQ 2007-2009 (1st Bn) #

(Army) for IRAQ 2005-2006 (1st Bn) #

(Army) for IRAQ 2003-2004 (1st Bn) #

Meritorious Unit Commendation The Meritorious Unit Commendation (MUC; pronounced ''muck'') is a mid-level unit award of the United States Armed Forces. The U.S. Army awards units the Army MUC for exceptionally meritorious conduct in performance of outstanding achievement or ...

(Army) for IRAQ 2010-2011 (1st Bn) #

Superior Unit Award The Superior Unit Award is a decoration of the United States Army which is awarded in peacetime to any unit of the Army which displays outstanding meritorious performance of a difficult and challenging mission carried out under extraordinary circu ...

(Army) for Operation ATLANTIC RESOLVE in Poland and the Baltic States 2017 (1st Bn) #

Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation The Presidential Unit Citation () is a military unit award of the government of Republic of Korea that may be presented to South Korean and foreign military units for outstanding performance in defense of the Republic of Korea. In recognition of a ...

for INCHON to HUNGNAM (Company A, 56th Amphibious Tank and Tractor Bn), 1952 (A/1st Bn)(DA GO 8, 1952) #

for KOREA (56th Amphibious Tank and Tractor Bn), 1952 (1st, 2nd, 3rd Bn) (DA GO 23, 1954) # French Croix de Guerre with Silver Gilt Star for Han-sur-Nied, France (Company B, 68th Tank Bn cited).

History of the Silver Lions

The 'Silver Lions" of 1st Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, were the only armor battalion located on Fort Carson, with 48

M1A1 Abrams The M1 Abrams () is a third-generation American main battle tank designed by Chrysler Defense (now General Dynamics Land Systems) and named for General Creighton Abrams. Conceived for modern armored ground warfare, it is one of the heavies ...

Main Battle Tanks, 32 Armored Personnel Carriers, Over 50 Tactical Wheeled vehicles, 5 Tracked Maintenance/Recovery vehicles and over 600 personnel. 1–68 Armor had 4 Companies (HHC, A, B, and C), with 14 M1A1 Main Battle Tanks in each Line Company (A, B, and C). To Support the 3 line Companies there was Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC), the largest of the four Companies with over 300 personnel. Located in HHC were platoons of Cavalry Reconnaissance, Mortar, Maintenance, Headquarters, Signal, Supply, Intelligence, Cooks, Chemical, Administration and Medics for the Battalion. Before the Force XXI Concept, 1st Battalion, 68th Armor had 5 companies (HHC, A, B, C and D). On 13 April 2000, A Company was deactivated, turning all 14 tanks to the Mississippi National Guard. D Company was deactivated on 14 April 2000 and re-flagged as A Company, leaving the battalion with the standard four companies, rather than five.

Current organization of 1–68

Upon return from deployment to OIF 1, the 4th Infantry Division immediately began reorganization into the "modular brigade" structure of the new U.S. Army. 4th Infantry Division was again deployed to OIF in late 2005, replacing 3rd ID in Baghdad. The 3rd Brigade was attached to the 101st and the 1–68 was sent to

Baqubah Baqubah (; BGN: Ba‘qūbah; also spelled Baquba and Baqouba) is the capital of Iraq's Diyala Governorate. The city is located some to the northeast of Baghdad, on the Diyala River. In 2003 it had an estimated population of some 280,000 people. ...

, Iraq. After being reorganized under the modular concept, the 1st Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment became known as the 1st Combined Arms Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment. HHC, known as Hatchet, with scouts, snipers, mortars, medics and staff positions. Alpha, known as Attack, and Bravo, known as Blackhawk, were designated as infantry companies with

M2A3 Bradley The M2 Bradley, or Bradley IFV, is an American infantry fighting vehicle that is a member of the Bradley Fighting Vehicle family. It is manufactured by BAE Systems Land & Armaments (formerly United Defense) and entered service in 1981, with fiel ...

fighting vehicles. Charlie company known as Cold Steel, and Delta, known as Destroyer, were set up as tank companies with 14

M1A2 Abrams The M1 Abrams () is a third-generation American main battle tank designed by Chrysler Defense (now General Dynamics Land Systems) and named for General Creighton Abrams. Conceived for modern armored ground warfare, it is one of the heaviest ...

main battle tanks each. Echo Company, known as Exile company, as an engineering company. Fox company, known as Forerunner, was attached from 64th Brigade Support Battalion to provide mess support, maintenance/recovery, and a supply distribution platoon. The final company is Golf Company, which is the rear-detachment company for the battalion when it is deployed. The battalion's last Iraq deployment was to Basra, as a part of OIF 10–11.

Notable Members

Jeffrey Dahmer Jeffrey Lionel Dahmer (; May 21, 1960 – November 28, 1994), also known as the Milwaukee Cannibal or the Milwaukee Monster, was an American serial killer and sex offender who killed and dismemberment, dismembered seventeen men and boys b ...

- 1978 - 1981 - 2nd Battalion as a medic *

William Gainey William Joseph Gainey (born May 27, 1956) is a retired United States Army soldier who served as the first senior enlisted advisor to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Early life Gainey was born in Jacksonville, Florida, on May 27, 1956 ...

- 1996 - Command Sergeant Major of the 2nd Battalion, 68th Armored Regiment. Went on to be appointed the first Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Sources

* Armor-Cavalry Part I: Regular Army and Army Reserve (Army Lineage Series CMH Pub 60-1), by Mary Lee Stubbs and Stanley Russell Connor. Center for Military History, Washington, DC, originally printed in 1969, 1984. * * Super Sixth: The story of Patton's 6th Armored Division in WW I

* United States Army in World War II; The War in the Pacific; Campaign In the Marianas; Philip A. Crowl, 1959

* Army Amphibian Tractor and Tank Battalions in the Battle of SAIPA

* Tactical Units of Northern Troops and Landing Force on Saipa

* After action report, 773rd Amphibious Tractor Battalion: 25 May 44 thru 4 Aug 44 - TINIA

* 56th Amphibious Tank and Tractor Battalion Histor

* USA Airborne - 50th Anniversary, Turner, 1990 * Fort Bragg ceremony marks return of 68th Armor Regiment. 2018

* Army General Orders Unit Award Inde

* Organizational Actions Of Units To Form The 68th Armor Regiment Under The US Army Regimental System (GO 35, 20 July 1983

* The Combat Arms Regimental System: Questions and Answers, 197

* US Army Regimental System, 2017

References

{{reflist Armored regiments of the United States Army, 068 068 Military units and formations established in 1933