FIFTH ARMY SUMMARY

Its battles honors many  and its combat record long,  the 755th  Tank Battalion  has proven itself one of the most versatile fighting units in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations.

The battalion,  commanded by Major Herbert B. Fowler,  of Sacramento,  Cal.  has been overseas three years.  In over 500 days of combat,  it has supported American,  French and British armies in battle in both land and amphibious actions.  Men of the 755th have parked their tanks when they couldn't be used as armor,  and worked as infantry troops.  Further demonstrating the versatility of the unit,  the 755th has gone into position as artillery  when its fire power was needed to blast the enemy.

American infantry   divisions of the II, IV, and VI crops supported by this battalion in Italy are the 34th,  45th,  85th,  88th,  91st,  and 19th Mountain.
French infantry  divisions the 755th fought with are the 4th Morroccoan Mountain,  2nd Morroccoan Infantry,  and 3rd Algerian Infantry.  In amphibious operations with the 8th Army (British) ,  the 755th recently manned more than 100  landing Vehicle, track (LVT's)  to carry Coldstream Guards and British Commandos of the famous 56th (london) Division.

First combat of the battalion came in November of 1943,  north of the Volturno in support of the 45th Division.  In the hills above Venafro,  tank men turned dough boy and defended a mountain sector.

Later in the winter,  when the French Expeditionary Corps took  the field,  the 755th was attached,  and fought with the french forces until  August,  1944.  Action with French took the battalion to such battlefields at st. Ella Valley, across the Rapido to Cassion,  Castelforte,  the Gustav and Hitler Lines, Pico,  Rome,  Siena,  and to the banks of the Arno.

With American forces again,  the 755th,  once more in the mountainous fighting,  supported infantry forces up Highway 65 through the Gothic,  putting tanks through the famous Futa Pass defense.

In operations to divert the enemy from other sectors,  the battalion, in support of a regiment or the 10th mountain Division,  made an armored nuisance of itself in the IV Corps sector in the late winter.

Preparing for the final offensive in the Italian campaign,  the 755th earlier this spring was equipped with Landing Vehicles,  Track (water Buffalo)  for combined amphibious operations in the Eight Army (British) sector.  These American tankers operating thin-skinned LVT's,  carried out two daring right hooks on Lake Comacchio with the Eight Army in April,  With British infantry and commandos.  These highly successful operations jarred Jerry loose  from other sectors and sucked him into reinforcing the sector.  the spring offensive of the Allies in Italy was started rolling by this amphibious blow.

The last phase of the Italian campaign,  found the 755th in support of the 34th infantry Division in  the Po Valley,  in swift,  crushing action up Highway 9?.   Personnel of the battalion,  again operating Water Buffalos, carried several infantry regiments  across th Po river in the Fifth Army's crossing of that barrier.