2. obrněná divize [1940-1996]

2. armored division was activated 15. July 1940 in the Fort Benning. The basis for its creation were a variety of infantry tank units. The division was deployed in North Africa as part of the Western task force, which is 8. November 1942 landed at Casablanca, however, the division here most of the time formed the deposit. With Patton 7. the army participated in the invasion of Sicily. I here formed the advance of the Western task force. The division landed 10. July 1943 and the support 1. infantry division in the battle of the Gel. 21. July landed the second time, this time with the saint of licata, to support operations in the region 3. infantry division. Gradually fought my way up to Palermo. In November 1943 the division moved to England and was preparing to land in France, and unlike most other armored divisions to retain the original, so-called heavy, organizational structure.

2. armored division landed in Normandy 9. June 1944, thus in D+3. 13. June in battles engage some of its components. The entire division was set to 2. July. The division first worked on the peninsula of the Cotentin, then with great success participated in operation Cobra. The division subsequently, in August participated in the rapid advance into Belgium. 8. September has reached the Albert canal. In Sittardu exceeded 18. September the German border and took up defensive position at Geilenkirchenu. The offensive activity has resumed 3. the October attack on the Siegfried line in Marienberg. After reaching the breakthrough překročial the river Wurm and took 16. November Puffendorf, followed by 28. November Barmen, which is a suburb of the German Jülich on the left bank of the river Pipes. Here again came to the defense.

During the battle of the Bulge had received orders to help in stopping the German attack. The division consisted of a division of part of the northern group, which led the counterattack against the German forces. The division ran around Christmasu and Dinantu stopped the advance of the force 5. panzer army. In the following days, successfully engaged the frontal units 2. and 9. tank division. It was one of the biggest tank battles with american participation. After the division returned to the Pipe, she took part in operation GRENADE, and subsequently crossing the Rhine in operation PLUNDER. Along with the 3. armored division formed the headboard of the northern part of the allied units using Rúrskou pocket, in which in march 1945, the trapped army Group B. 2. armored division was the first american divisions, which had reached the river Elbe. It happened 11. April in Schonebecku. In July 1945, the first american division entered Berlin.


Sources:
Zaloga, Steven J.: US Armored Divisions. The European Theater of Operations, 1944-1945, Osprey Publishing Ltd., Oxford 2004
en.wikipedia.org.