| 756th Tank Battalion | |
|---|---|
 TwoM26 Pershings and oneM4 Sherman of the 73rd Heavy Tank Battalion at Pusan Docks in South Korea during theKorean War. | |
| Active | 1941–49; 1949–96 |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch | United States Army |
| Type | Armored |
| Size | Battalion |
| Part of | Independent unit |
| Mottos | Honor, Fidelity, Courage |
| Equipment | M4 Sherman,M26 Pershing (in Korea) |
| Engagements | World War IIKorean War |
| Insignia | |
| Identification symbol |  |
The756th Tank Battalion was anindependent tank battalion of theUnited States Army active duringWorld War II and, as the73rd Tank Battalion, during the earlyCold War. It was later redesignated as the73rd Armor Regiment, and is perpetuated today by the73rd Cavalry Regiment.
It was formed in 1941 as a light tank battalion, originally as the76th Tank Battalion and renumbered in May.[1] It first saw combat in 1943, when it deployed to North Africa on 24 January and then into Italy following theSalerno landings on 17 September.[2]
In 1944, two companies of the battalion were re-equipped withDD tanks, specialisedM4 Shermans designed for amphibious landings. On 15 August, it landed nearSt. Tropez as part ofOperation Dragoon, attached to the3rd Infantry Division, and pushed north through France along theRhone Valley. The division went into defensive positions on the Rhine after reaching Strasbourg on 26 November, and saw heavy fighting early in 1945 during the clearing of theColmar Pocket. It crossed the Rhine on 26 March, where its DD tanks were used as part of an amphibious assault, and then pushed into southern Germany with the 3rd Infantry. The battalion ended the war nearSalzburg, in Austria.[3]
Two officers of the battalion were awarded theMedal of Honor; Second LieutenantRaymond Zussman and Second LieutenantJames L. Harris, both posthumously.
The battalion was briefly inactivated following World War II in 1946 before being reformed as a heavy tank battalion, and in 1949 was renumbered the73rd Heavy Tank Battalion, under which name it served in theKorean War, with M4 Sherman and M26 Pershing tanks. It would later be redesignated the73rd Armor Regiment and was finally disbanded in 1996.[4]