| 12th Armored Division | |
|---|---|
&sq=&lang=&file=File:12th_U.S._Armored_Division_CSIB.svg) 12th Armored Division shoulder sleeve insignia | |
| Active | 15 September 1942 – 3 December 1945 |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Army |
| Type | Armor |
| Role | Armored warfare |
| Size | Division |
| Nickname(s) | "Hellcat Division" "Suicide Division" "Mystery Division" |
| Motto(s) | Speed Is the Password |
| Engagements | World War II |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Roderick R. Allen |
| U.S. Armored Divisions | ||||
|
The 12th Armored Division was an armored division of the United States Army in World War II. It fought in the European Theater of Operations in France, Germany and Austria, between November 1944 and May 1945.
The German Army called the 12th Armored Division the "Suicide Division"[1] for its fierce defensive actions during Operation Nordwind in France, and they were nicknamed the "Mystery Division"[2] when they were temporarily transferred to the command of the Third Army under General George S. Patton Jr., to cross the Rhine River.
The 12th Armored Division was one of only ten U.S. divisions (and only one of two U.S. armored divisions) during World War II that had African-American combat companies integrated into the division. The group was known as Company D. One of the African American soldiers, Staff Sergeant Edward A. Carter Jr. was awarded The Distinguished Service Cross for gallantry in combat during World War II, and was later awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously.[3][4]
- ^ ""Speed is the Password: The Story of the 12th Armored Division", Stars and Stripes G.I. Series, Paris: printed by Desfosses-Neogravure". Lonesentry.com. 1945. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
- ^ "Mystery Division at Rhine: Patton's Forces Chasing Germans on Road Back". Joseph Driscoll, New York Herald-Tribune, 22 March 1945, archived at the 12th Armored Memorial Museum website, accessed 2015-04-20. Archived from the original on 4 February 2015.
- ^ "African American Platoons in World War II". History Net: Where History Comes Alive - World & US History Online. 20 October 2006.
- ^ John C. Ferguson, Hellcats: The 12th Armored Division in World War II (Military History of Texas Series). State House Press (31 August 2004)