13th Armored Division (United States)

13th Armored Division (United States)
13th_US_Armored_Division_SSI.png: Noclador derivative work: Snubcube (talk) · Public domain · source
Unit name	13th Armored Division
Caption	Shoulder sleeve insignia
Dates	1942–1945, 1947–1952
Country	United States
Branch	United States Army
Type	Armored
Role	Armored warfare
Nickname	"Black Cats"
Battles	World War II
Notable commanders	John B. Wogan, John Millikin

13th Armored Division (United States). The 13th Armored Division was a formation of the United States Army during World War II. Nicknamed the "Black Cats," the division was activated in 1942 and saw combat in the European Theater in the final months of the war. It was inactivated after the war, briefly reactivated during the Cold War, and remains a part of U.S. military history.

History

The division was activated on 15 October 1942 at Camp Beale, California, under the command of Major General John B. Wogan. Following extensive training across the United States, including at the Desert Training Center in California and Camp Bowie in Texas, the division deployed to the European Theater in January 1945. Its late arrival meant it entered combat during the final, rapid Allied advance into Germany. After the German surrender, the division performed occupation duties before returning to the U.S. for inactivation in November 1945. It was briefly reactivated as a training division at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, from 1947 until its final inactivation in 1952.

Organization

As a "light" armored division under the 1943 reorganization, the 13th Armored Division was built around three core combat commands: Combat Command A, Combat Command B, and a Reserve Command. Its principal maneuver units were the 24th, 45th, and 46th Tank Battalions and the 16th, 59th, and 67th Armored Infantry Battalions. Supporting units included the 93rd Armored Field Artillery Battalion, the 496th Armored Field Artillery Battalion, and the 497th Armored Field Artillery Battalion. Division support also encompassed the 131st Armored Engineer Battalion, the 213th Armored Medical Battalion, and dedicated reconnaissance, maintenance, and supply units.

Combat chronicle

Arriving in France in January 1945, the division was assigned to the Third Army under General George S. Patton. It first saw action in March 1945 during the Rhine crossings, securing bridgeheads and capturing towns like Bendorf and Mülheim-Kärlich. The division then drove eastward, crossing the Main River and participating in the encirclement of the Ruhr Pocket, a major Allied victory. In late April, elements of the division spearheaded a drive into Bavaria, capturing the city of Nuremberg after intense fighting. Its final combat actions included the liberation of Stalag VII-A at Moosburg and a rapid advance to the Alps, linking with Fifth Army units from the Italian Campaign near Brenner Pass in early May.

Casualties

The 13th Armored Division sustained combat casualties during its brief but intense period of operations. Total battle casualties amounted to approximately 700. This figure included over 150 soldiers killed in action and more than 500 wounded. Additional personnel were listed as missing in action during the rapid advance. The division's losses occurred primarily during the fighting along the Rhine, in the Ruhr Pocket, and during the capture of Nuremberg.

Commanders

* Major General John B. Wogan (October 1942 – July 1944) * Brigadier General John H. Collier (July 1944 – August 1944) * Major General John Millikin (August 1944 – July 1945) * Brigadier General B. L. Robinson (July 1945 – November 1945)

Insignia

The division's shoulder sleeve insignia was a black panther's face on an orange-yellow triangle, symbolizing speed and power and giving rise to the "Black Cats" nickname. The unit's vehicle markings and tactical signs followed standard U.S. Army armored force patterns, using the division's numerical designation within a geometric symbol for quick identification on the battlefield.

Category:Armored divisions of the United States Army Category:United States Army divisions during World War II