The SHOULDER PATCH has a mixture of insignia and distinctive colors of several arms incorporated in the Armored Force symbolizing integrity and esprit. It is composed of three torques: red for Artillery; blue for Infantry; and yellow for Cavalry. The symbols represent the characteristics of any Armored Division: the tank track, mobility and armor protection; the cannon, fire power; and the red bolt of lightning, shock action.
TYPE OF DIVISION is
"Regular Army"
The NICKNAME of the 9th AD is "
Phantom". Although no nickname was commonly used for the 9th Armored Division, the name Phantom was used in 1945. This name originated during the Battle of the Bulge when the division seemed to be everywhere, like a ghost, along the entire front line. After the capture of the Bridge at Remagen the 9th was also called "Remagen" Division
WORLD WAR TWO HISTORY
The 9th consisted of three Combat Commands, CCA, CCB and CCB. They spent 91 days in combat and suffered a total of 5411 casualties, 3952 of which were combat casualties.
A short WW2 Combat Chronicle
The division was activated on 15 July 1942 at Fort Riley, Kansas. It reached the United Kingdom in September 1944.
The 9th Armored Division landed in Normandy late in September 1944, and first went into line, 23 October 1944, on patrol duty in a quiet sector along the Luxembourg-German frontier. When the Germans launched their winter offensive on 16 December 1944, the 9th, with no real combat experience, suddenly found itself engaged in heavy fighting. The Division saw its severest action at St. Vith, Echternach, and Bastogne, its units fighting in widely separated areas.
Its stand at Bastogne held off the Germans long enough to enable the 101st Airborne to dig in for a defense of the city. After a rest period in January 1945, the Division made preparations for a drive across the Roer River. The offensive was launched, 28 February 1945, and the 9th smashed across the Roer to Rheinbach, sending patrols into Remagen. The Ludendorff Bridge at Remagen was found intact, and was seized by elements of the 9th Armored minutes before demolition charges were set to explode on 7 March 1945.
The Division exploited the bridgehead, moving south and east across the Lahn River toward Limburg, where thousands of Allied prisoners were liberated. The Division drove on to Frankfurt and then turned to assist in the closing of the Ruhr Pocket. In April it continued east, encircling Leipzig and securing a line along the Mulde River. The Division was shifting south to Czechoslovakia when the war in Europe ended on 9 May 1945.
SUCCESSIVE COMMANDING GENERALS
Maj. Gen. John W. Leonard from July 15, 1942 until
AWARDS
Distinguished Service Cross - 1
Silver Star - 162
Legion of Merit - 7
Soldier's Medal - 12
Bronze Star Medal - 845
Air Medal - 23
DISTINGUISHED UNIT CITATION
Combat Command Reserve (CCR) was included in the DUC awarded to the 101st Airborne Division for the defense of Bastogne.
The other two combat commands were denied the PUC because of the lack of records of their combat action caused by the secret classification. However, when the cold war ended, the German records were obtained and submitted to the Awards Branch. As a result, CCB and CCA were awarded their PUC 50 years after their Bulge combat action.
Combat Command B (CCB) for 17-23 December 44 action in Belgium
Combat Command A (CCA) for 16-22 December 44 action in Luxembourg
