The 473rd Regimental Combat Team (473rd RCT) was a provisional infantry unit that served on the Italian Front during World War II. It was created on January 14, 1945 from existing anti-aircraft units that were no longer needed to defend against enemy aircraft. It was raised from the Headquarters Troop, 2nd Armored Group and the 434th, 435th, 532nd and 900th Anti-Aircraft Weapons Battalions.

Most of the elements of the 473rd RCT had been parts of Task Force 45. This was a division-sized unit built around the US 45th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Brigade with attached British, Brazilian, and Italian elements.

The 473rd RCT, a mostly white unit, was assigned to the black 92nd Infantry Division on February 24, 1945. It was used to replace the black 365th Infantry Regiment, which was reassigned to US IV Corps

IV Corps (United States)

The IV Corps replaced the VI Corps in the Fifth United States Army's order of battle in Italy after Allied forces liberated Rome in the summer of 1944 when VI Corps was withdrawn to take part in Operation Dragoon, the Allied invasion of southern France. Initially the Corps had two divisions, U.S...

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In August 1945 it was deactivated in Italy.

Components

Colonel Willis D. Cronk of Headquarters Troop, 2nd Armored Group was placed in command during the reorganization but was soon replaced by Col. William P. Yarborough

William P. Yarborough

Lieutenant General William Pelham Yarborough was a United States Army officer and a 1936 graduate of West Point. General Yarborough designed the parachutist badge, paratrooper or 'jump' boots, and the airborne jump uniform. He is known as the 'Father of the Modern Green Berets.' He is descended...

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Units:

Headquarters Company, 473rd RCT: Formed from HQ Troop, 2nd Armored Group.

• 1st Battalion / 473 RCT (CO: Lt.-Col. Peter L. Urban)
• 2nd Battalion / 473 RCT (CO: Lt.-Col Hampton H. Lisle)
• 3rd Battalion / 473 RCT (CO: Maj. Paul Woodward)