716th Tank Battalion

Thank you for the information. My understanding is that there were two Co. D's. One for medium tanks and one for light. Is that correct?

 

Embennet,
iminat
James Sawicki in his Tank Battalions of the US Army explains on p.16 that ". . . The 1943 tables of organization eliminated the light and medium [tank] battalions and provided for a single type of tank battalion composed of three medium tank companies, one light tank company, and headquarters and service companies." As I understand it, companies A - C were medium tank companies, and D was a light tank company.

In addition to other references and memoirs cited in this forum you might also want to check (in addition to general background in the Sawicki book mentioned above) Rolling Thunder Against the Rising Sun by Gene Salecker. It covers armored actions throughout the Pacific war, and has a lot of good info on the 716th. Most of that info can be pieced together from a variety of other sources, but this book gathers it all in one place, so that should save some time.

I hope this helps.

 

716thresearcher,

Yes,it does help! Thank you very much. I will look into those resources for more information.

 

I scanned the documents and have the rosters for the Bronze Arrowhead for all companies as well as the Service Company and Headquarters. It is scanned into a PDF format but I cannot upload them. Maybe too large of a file? Does anyone have any suggestions for getting this information uploaded?

 

With much help from my nephew (an IT professional), the files have been uploaded to these links:

https://db.tt/EyZKtl8Q

https://db.tt/yrHXErfc

They contain eight pages of the Bronze Arrowhead roster as well as the cover sheet for the original documents. I have left notes made by my father about him and his fellow crew members of his M5A1 light tank.

I hope you can access them!

Thanks,
Embennet

 

Embennet,

This is very interesting info! I would also be interested in the other rosters with the 1944 dates. If there is any information related to my late uncle, Tec4 Edward J. Sofsak, Co. C, I would really appreciate that.

Also: Have you (and other forum members) read the unit history of the 716th? There are links to it elsewhere in this forum topic. There are several versions of it out there, but the one I would recommend is the largest one (i.e., largest file size). That version has the landing plan for the Jan. 9 1945 invasion, as well as day by day or engagement by engagement actions by each of the companies that the other versions contain. Much of that document's information was used by the Smith-authored green book Triumph in the Philippines.

Embennet, thanks again for posting the docs. Very much appreciated.

 

Hello 716thresearcher,
I have found your uncle listed in the following rosters:

Awarded Good Conduct Medal March 27, 1944

Qualification for .45 Calibre Thompson Sub-Machine Gun: Serial No. 13170456 Score: 90 Rating: Expert April 26, 1944

Qualification for .30 Calibre Carbine : (Same serial no.) Score: 155 Rating: Marksman April 26, 1944

Qualification for .30 Calibre M1 Rifle: (Same serial no.) Score: 170 Rating: Marksman April 26, 1944

Qualification for .30 Calibre Machine Gun: (Same serial no.) Score: 157 Rating: Unqualified April 26, 1944

Qualification for .50 Calibre Machine Gun: (Same serial no.) Score: 10 Rating: Unqualified April 26, 1944

Qualification for 75mm Tank Gun: (Same serial no.) Score: 110 Rating: Unqualified April 26, 1944

I think that the lists of scores during training are very interesting! My father was tank gunner, what position did your uncle hold within the battalion if you don't mind my asking? Maybe at some point, I can get you scanned copies of the documents where I found these scores. In the meantime, I will continue sifting through for more information on your uncle. It doesn't look like there are any more rosters but I may be able to find him mentioned in the day by day reports. There are over 1,000 pages so there is a lot to look through!

Thank you for the information about the unit history. I am so happy to be able to learn more.

 

Hi embennet,

Thank you so much for scanning the roster. Hopefully it will be a great help to anyone searching for a relative and their buddies.

I thought a 17-MB file would be difficult for some to download so I grabbed each page in a JPEG image (attached below). They are fine for reading on-screen but not printable.


While the combat history is fairly complete, we know little about their time before and after. Below is an excerpt from their history before combat; nothing after combat. If you come across anything that fills-in those days with locations and events that might help complete the picture.

EDIT: A few posts below I have attached lists of casualties on Luzon. The roster here may not have the names of those wounded and evacuated.

 

Earthican,

I can start with documents dated for Sept. 12th, 1945. The first is a document notated by my father saying "trip to Kure, Japan for occupational duty after Japan surrendered was cancelled due to this order:" :

FROM: CG 6TH ARMY
TO: CG X CORPS

EXPERIENCE IN TOKYO AREA CONFIRMS INFORMATION THAT TRACKED VEHICLES QUICKLY RENDER JAPANESE ROADS UNUSABLE. ALL ADDRESSEES WILL REQUIRE THAT NIL RPT NIL TRACKED VEHICLES BE TRANSPORTED OVER JAPANESE ROADS EXCEPT ON PNEUMATIC TIRED TRAILERS EXCEPT IN ACTUAL OPERATIONAL EMERGENCY.

SGD KRUEGER

...Another document dated Sept. 13, 1945 reads:

TO: CO BASE KING APO 72
FM: CO 716TH TANK BN APO 159

FOR LIEUTENANT ITEM HOW WALLER SEVEN ONE SIX TANK BATTALION AT OFFICE BASE KING ORDNANCE FROM WOOD COLON RETURN TO UNIT VIA FIRST AVAILABLE TRANSPORTATION CMA YOUR MISSION IS NO RPT NO LONGER URGENT END


....And yet another dated Sept. 15 reads:

FROM: CG EIGHT ARMY
TO: CG X CORPS
INFO: CG SIXTH ARMY

REURAD KLD 176 X CONCUR IN TURNING TANKS AND SERVICING UNIT OVER TO ORDNANCE FOR SALVAGE OR REPAIR.

EICHELBERGER

NOTE: This is reply to request for instructions on disposal of 4 flame thrower tanks w/ 716 Tk Bn.


I have quoted these documents exactly. Is this the kind of information that would be helpful in knowing what happened to the battalion after combat? If so, I will keep going with them...

Also, on a personal note, my father told me while traveling on the John C. Ainsworth, they had to stop while one man with appendicitis was taken off of the ship for medical care. Also, a Japanese plane was spotted flying overhead. The guns on the ship open fired on it but missed. ....Just some things that I remember from my dad's stories, reading the name of that ship brought it back to mind.

Thank you for posting the rosters in JPG. I appreciate it!
Embennet

 

Hi again,

The only thing I can get from the second document is the APO -- Army Post Office 159. According to the index of APO's it was located at Macajalar Bay, Mindanao in September 1945. The bay is on the north coast of Mindanao with the largest city today being Cagayan de Oro.

That makes sense as their last battle was on Mindanao. They returned to the US in December of 1945. Hard to say if they made anymore moves in the Philippines.

That's not a bad start. Documents generated by the 716th Tank Bn might be more helpful, something like monthly reports.

Thank you for sharing the stories, the little pieces add-up in context. IIRC the convoy to Lingayen Gulf was not peaceful either.

This is exciting, but feel free to take a break if you need to. Ta...



EDIT: I've attached images of the list of casualties on Luzon. In the posts above there is a roster of men who landed on Luzon but it might not have the names of men who were wounded and evacuated.

 

Hi again Embennet,

Thanks so much for the info. To answer your question, my uncle was a tank driver, i.e., left front seat in the hull, sitting abreast of the bow gunner in the right seat. If I recall correctly my father told me his brother's (i.e., my uncle's) tank was named "Crime's Coffin" -- pretty ironic in retrospect. The name would fit with the naming convention of Co. A tanks having names beginning with "A", Co. B tank names with a "B", etc. (This topic is covered in a thread elsewhere here.) Eventually I would like to narrow down which specific platoon he was in, as well as to confirm his tank's name if this is possible.

Thanks again for all of your info. Like Earthican says above, all of these pieces of information add up to fill in details of a really big picture. I am planning trip to the Philippines in the next year or two to retrace my uncle's path, which ended with his eventual interment at the US military cemetery at Fort Bonifacio in Manila. The info on this thread has really helped me to formulate my itinerary for the trip, so thanks again to all for the data in their posts.

Incidentally for any other readers of this thread, esp. for those whose relatives never made it home: The American Battle Monuments Commission, which manages all US military cemeteries overseas offers (or at least, used to offer) a service through which you could get a large format matted print of the cemetery with a high quality photo of your relative's gravesite attached. If anyone is interested in how to do this go to the ABMC website or let me know I'll post the info.

 

716thresearcher,

Thank you for the information about your uncle. It is important to understand what these brave men did. I am very sorry for your family's loss all those years ago. I think that it is wonderful that you are going to the Philippines in his honor and to visit his resting place. I hope that you get the answers about his platoon and the name of his tank. My father's tank was called "Good Buddy" which doesn't seem to fit with the practice of naming the tanks with the letter of the company though. I guess there are exceptions to everything.

Thank you for all of the info you have given me on resources. I have been delighted with finding this site and connecting about the 716th. It is a rare opportunity. I will post anything else that I think may be of value concerning your uncle.

Embennet

 

Earthican,

What date would you like to start with as far as post combat reports? I have found a document dated Aug.4,1945 ordering the 716th to be "shuttled" from Tolomo to Bugo starting on Aug. 5 along with several other named companies and battalions.


A document dated 9 August 1945 from the 716th tank battalion to CG 31st Inf Div states:

" water echelon headquarters company 716th tank battalion on LSM 151 and LSM 310 arrived and closed 080730 AUG 45 END

Handwritten note dictates no. of vehicles: 38
no of officers + men 59+ 2 off.
arrived at AGUSAN 081400
closed Del Monte 081930



On August 16th, the 716th was relieved from attachment to 24th infantry division and attached to 31st Infantry division

A document dated Aug.17th states the "716th Tank Battalion will concentrate in the Del Monte area and prepare for embarkation"

Another doc from August 17th: states "effective 0001I, 18 August 1945, the 716th tank Bn is relieved from attachment to the 31st Infantry division and reverts to Corps control"

On 31st of August, 716th was assigned from Eighth Army to Sixth Army

Sept 1, orders for employment in the occupation of certain portions of the Japanese homeland. Prepare to embark on Oct. 13th.......This letter was sent to 716th Tank Battalion, APO 159 But cancelled to due Japanese roads deemed not suitable for track vehicles.

So, it looks like the battalion was at the post you found in Mindanao by this date.

A Document dated Oct. 9, the 716th was assigned to 31st Infantry Division again, effective Sept. 15th and another document with same date states 716th as one of the units relieved from assignment to 6th Army and assigned to AFWESPAC. The 716th was listed as being further assigned "SISAC" Station: Mindanao

Effective Oct. 15th, the unit was relieved from present assignment and attached to 14th AA Command, attached SISAC and to 31st Division

A document dated Nov. 8th states "effective 1 Nov 45, 716 TANK BN RELIEVED PRESENT ASSIGNMENTS AND ARE ATTACHED UNASSIGNED 31ST INF DIV FOR MOVEMENT TO STATES AS CATEGORY FOUR."

Proceeding documents, dated Nov. 12, about guard orders, instructional orders, etc. have 716th still with APO 159


That's all I could find about after combat dates. I don't know if any of it is really helpful in piecing together the last few months. You are really good at understanding what it all means so maybe you will see something that stands out. Please let me know if you need me to search for something more specifically. I have really enjoyed having a definite purpose with looking through these records!

 

That about covers it, Embennet. A lot of command changes but they seemed to stay around the Macajalar Bay, Mindanao.
Thank you very much.


I did find an error in my transcription of the unit combat report. The transcript should read "...Company A sailed to Sansapor to join the 6th Division; Company C sailed to Aitape to join the 43rd Division;...."

 

Great! Glad I could help sort it out.

 

One more request if you are still leafing through the documents...

Do you see anything about the Medical Detachment? I'm not sure the roster would contain their names, it might. There should be two officers and about 18 enlisted men. If you find a few names identified with the Medical Detachment or any medical related subject, could you check them against the roster?

Again thank you so much.

 

Will do!

 

I checked the combat report and found a 2dLT ROGER C. WILDER, Medical Administration Corps, Medical Detachment.

I don't see a Battalion Surgeon listed, usually a Captain, Medical Corps. Enlisted men -- mostly Army Medics -- would be listed as Medical Department.

However Lt Wilder is not listed in the roster for the Bronze Arrowhead.

 

Hi Earthican,

I found a roster dated June 21, 1944 naming enlisted men entitled to wear the Good Conduct Medal. Four men were listed as Medical Detachment:

Pfc. Archie C. Kasten, 36288032
Pfc. Edward D. Young, 32584483
Pvt. George N. Bedore, 32663189
Pvt. Willard P. Savage, 39195647

I haven't found anything on Lt. Wilder yet, but will keep looking.

 

Earthican.

I did find Roger Wilder listed in an Officer and Warrant Officer roster, but no other Medical listed in this particular roster. It didn't have a date. I will keep looking...