Tank Corps, National Army
Encyclopedia
The Tank Corps, National Army, was the stateside tank
unit of the United States
during and after World War I
. Preceded by the Tank Service of the National Army of 15 February 1918 in the 65th Engineers at Camp Meade
, the service was removed from the Engineer Corps
and organized as the Tank Corps, National Army, with command transfering from Col H. H. Ferguson to Col Ira Clinton Welborn
on 9 March.
was established on the Gettysburg Battlefield
at the former "Camp, United States Troops, Gettysburg, PA
." On 15 July 1918, Col William H Clopton, Jr, arrived in the US and subsequently formed the 2nd stateside tank training center at Tobyhanna, Pennsylvania
. Approximately 2000 Camp Colt men transferred to Tobyhanna, e.g., the 302ndhttp://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ECkmAAAAIBAJ&sjid=E_4FAAAAIBAJ&pg=890,1442534&dq=camp-colt+gettysburg&hl=en & 326thhttp://files.usgwarchives.net/wi/pierce/military/wwi4.txt Battalions), and Tobyhanna had 2 tanks and ~2200 men.http://books.google.com/books?id=5-wsAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA1455
Another tank training center was opened at Camp Polk
in September 1918 (a heavy battalion from Camp Colt transferred to "form the nucleus"). At Camp Colt in October the 310th Tank Center was established as were the 338th, 339th, & 346th Tank Battalions (John Montgomery Mahon was the commander of Camp Colt's 310 Brigade Headquarters.)
On November 11, 1918, the Tank Corps had 483 officers and 7700 enlisted men, and the consolidation of tank training had begun at Camp Benning
when Dwight D. Eisenhower
arrived from Camp Colt on December 24, 1918http://www.presidentialtimeline.org/html/timeline.php?id=34 (he remained until March 15, 1919,http://www.ibiblio.org/lia/president/EisenhowerLibrary/_General_Materials/DDE's_Military_Career.html and about 250 Camp Colt soldiers were transferred to Camp Benning after the armistice.) On December 26, 1918, a portion of the Camp Polk tank school was transferred to Camp Benning
"to work in conjunction with the Infantry school". Camp Benning tank troops were moved to Camp Meade from February 19-21, 1919; and Clopton was ordered to Camp Meade on February 24, 1919).
The "Office of Director of the Tank Corps" was absorbed by the command of Brigadier General Samuel D. Rockenbach on 15 August 1919 after Rockenbach returned from Europe on 19 July 1919 (he had arrived in Europe in June 1917).
, "appearing before a joint session of the Senate
and House
Committee on Military Affairs, suggested that the A.E.F. Tank Corps become an adjunct to the Infantry." The 1920 National Defense Act disbanded the National Army and the remaining two heavy and four light tank battalions became part of the infantry.
Tank
A tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...
unit of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
during and after World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Preceded by the Tank Service of the National Army of 15 February 1918 in the 65th Engineers at Camp Meade
Fort George G. Meade
Fort George G. Meade is a United States Army installation that includes the Defense Information School, the United States Army Field Band, and the headquarters of United States Cyber Command, the National Security Agency, and the Defense Courier Service...
, the service was removed from the Engineer Corps
United States Army Corps of Engineers
The United States Army Corps of Engineers is a federal agency and a major Army command made up of some 38,000 civilian and military personnel, making it the world's largest public engineering, design and construction management agency...
and organized as the Tank Corps, National Army, with command transfering from Col H. H. Ferguson to Col Ira Clinton Welborn
Ira Clinton Welborn
Ira Clinton Welborn was a United States Army Colonel who was a recipient of the Medal of Honor for valor in action on July 2, 1898 at Santiago, Cuba.-Early life and Spanish-American War:...
on 9 March.
Training facilities
On March 6, 1918, a tank recruit training campCamp Colt, Pennsylvania
Camp Colt was a military installation near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania used for Tank Corps recruit training prior to deployment in World War I. The camp used the Gettysburg Battlefield site of the previous Great Reunion of 1913 and the preceding 1917 WWI recruit training camp for U. S. troops along...
was established on the Gettysburg Battlefield
Gettysburg Battlefield
The Gettysburg Battlefield is the area of the July 1–3, 1863, military engagements of the Battle of Gettysburg within and around the borough of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Locations of military engagements extend from the 4 acre site of the first shot & at on the west of the borough, to East...
at the former "Camp, United States Troops, Gettysburg, PA
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Gettysburg is a borough that is the county seat, part of the Gettysburg Battlefield, and the eponym for the 1863 Battle of Gettysburg. The town hosts visitors to the Gettysburg National Military Park and has 3 institutions of higher learning: Lutheran Theological Seminary, Gettysburg College, and...
." On 15 July 1918, Col William H Clopton, Jr, arrived in the US and subsequently formed the 2nd stateside tank training center at Tobyhanna, Pennsylvania
Tobyhanna Army Depot
Tobyhanna Army Depot, is a logistics center for the United States Defense Department , specializing in electronic systems and located in Coolbaugh Township, Monroe County, near Tobyhanna, Pennsylvania. Established Feb...
. Approximately 2000 Camp Colt men transferred to Tobyhanna, e.g., the 302ndhttp://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ECkmAAAAIBAJ&sjid=E_4FAAAAIBAJ&pg=890,1442534&dq=camp-colt+gettysburg&hl=en & 326thhttp://files.usgwarchives.net/wi/pierce/military/wwi4.txt Battalions), and Tobyhanna had 2 tanks and ~2200 men.http://books.google.com/books?id=5-wsAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA1455
Another tank training center was opened at Camp Polk
Camp Polk
Camp Polk may refer to*Camp Polk , a former military installation in the U.S. state of Oregon*Fort Polk, a United States Army post located near Leesville, Louisiana...
in September 1918 (a heavy battalion from Camp Colt transferred to "form the nucleus"). At Camp Colt in October the 310th Tank Center was established as were the 338th, 339th, & 346th Tank Battalions (John Montgomery Mahon was the commander of Camp Colt's 310 Brigade Headquarters.)
On November 11, 1918, the Tank Corps had 483 officers and 7700 enlisted men, and the consolidation of tank training had begun at Camp Benning
Fort Benning
Fort Benning is a United States Army post located southeast of the city of Columbus in Muscogee and Chattahoochee counties in Georgia and Russell County, Alabama...
when Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
arrived from Camp Colt on December 24, 1918http://www.presidentialtimeline.org/html/timeline.php?id=34 (he remained until March 15, 1919,http://www.ibiblio.org/lia/president/EisenhowerLibrary/_General_Materials/DDE's_Military_Career.html and about 250 Camp Colt soldiers were transferred to Camp Benning after the armistice.) On December 26, 1918, a portion of the Camp Polk tank school was transferred to Camp Benning
Fort Benning
Fort Benning is a United States Army post located southeast of the city of Columbus in Muscogee and Chattahoochee counties in Georgia and Russell County, Alabama...
"to work in conjunction with the Infantry school". Camp Benning tank troops were moved to Camp Meade from February 19-21, 1919; and Clopton was ordered to Camp Meade on February 24, 1919).
The "Office of Director of the Tank Corps" was absorbed by the command of Brigadier General Samuel D. Rockenbach on 15 August 1919 after Rockenbach returned from Europe on 19 July 1919 (he had arrived in Europe in June 1917).
Post-war disbandment
In 1919, General John J. PershingJohn J. Pershing
John Joseph "Black Jack" Pershing, GCB , was a general officer in the United States Army who led the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I...
, "appearing before a joint session of the Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
and House
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
Committee on Military Affairs, suggested that the A.E.F. Tank Corps become an adjunct to the Infantry." The 1920 National Defense Act disbanded the National Army and the remaining two heavy and four light tank battalions became part of the infantry.