824th Tank Destroyer Battalion

824th Tank Destroyer Battalion
An M18 near Wiesloch, Germany, on 1 April 1945. This is probably a vehicle of 3rd Platoon, C Company.[1]
Active	1942–1945
Disbanded	1945
Country	United States
Allegiance	Army
Part of	Independent unit
Equipment	3" anti-tank guns M18 Hellcat
Decorations	6 Silver Stars 31 Bronze Stars (individual awards)

The 824th Tank Destroyer Battalion was a tank destroyer battalion of the United States Army active during the Second World War. It saw service during 1944–45 in the European Theater of Operations, primarily attached to the 100th Infantry Division in an infantry support role. After fighting through France and southern Germany, the battalion ended the war in Austria.

The 824th was originally formed in August 1942 in Oklahoma, and trained in the United States for two years. In October 1944, it deployed to France equipped with towed 3" anti-tank guns, and was assigned to support the Seventh Army, then fighting in Alsace. Here it supported the 100th Division as it pushed steadily eastwards towards Germany, and on 8–9 January 1945 was employed to repel a SS panzergrenadier attack during Operation Nordwind, the only time the unit is recorded as having destroyed an enemy tank.

After conversion to M18 Hellcat self-propelled tank destroyers, the battalion moved into Germany, helping force a bridgehead over the Neckar River at the Battle of Heilbronn. After reaching Stuttgart it was reassigned to the 103rd Infantry Division, and with them reached Innsbruck in Austria by VE Day. After two weeks of occupation duties it was ordered to prepare for service in the Pacific; however, while it was reforming in the United States, the Japanese surrender was announced, and the need for more combat units ended. The battalion was demobilized in September 1945.