77th Armor Regiment (United States)

77th Armor Regiment
77th Armor coat of arms
Active	25 April 1941 – present.
Country	USA
Branch	Armor Branch (United States)
Type	Armor Regiment
Part of	3rd Brigade, 1st Armored Division
Garrison/HQ	1st Battalion: Fort Bliss, Texas
Nickname(s)	Steel Tigers
Motto(s)	Insiste Firmiter
Colors	Blue, Silver and Red
Anniversaries	5 March 2008 = Became Part Of 4BCT 1AD
Engagements	World War II Korean War Vietnam War Iraq War
Commanders
Notable commanders	LTC Wesley Clark
Insignia
Distinctive Unit Insignia

The 77th Armor is an armored (tank) regiment of the United States Army. The 77th Armor Regiment is part of the U.S. Army Regimental System with only a single battalion, the 1st Battalion, 77th Armor Regiment, and is therefore classified as both a single battalion, and the remainder of the Regiment itself. 1–77 AR is currently stationed at Fort Bliss, Texas as part of the 3rd Brigade "Bulldogs", 1st Armored Division and has transformed from a tank pure battalion into a combined arms battalion (CAB).

753rd Tank Battalion activated 1 June 1941 in Fort Benning, Georgia. The unit transferred Camp Polk, Louisiana later that month. Battalion assigned General Headquarters US Army Reserve. Equipment and vehicles used to fill out units varied allowing training to begin. Later in 1941 and early in 1942, Battalion received M3 medium tanks and other current vehicles and equipment. Unit posted Camp Hood, Texas April 1942 for eight months general training in tank only operations. The Battalion was posted to Camp Pickett during January 1943 attached 45th Infantry Division. Battalion received first M4A1 medium tanks. Two months training followed focusing on gunning and small unit operations.

During April 1943, the 753rd was posted to Camp Patrick Henry, Virginia for their deployment with the 45th Infantry Division overseas. The unit made a long 33-day trip on five LSTs. On 26 May 1943, the 753rd landed at several locations east of Oran and consolidated near the port city of Arzew, Algeria. By May 1943 the fighting in North Africa was all but over. The 753rd saw no combat, and instead spent six weeks in maintenance and training. From 5 to 7 July, the 753rd loaded on LSTs. The battalion was to support landings by the 45th ID II US Corp 7th Army (Lt Gen George S Patton's command) in Operation Husky for invasion of Sicily.

During the 39-day campaign on Sicily, the 753rd Tank Battalion never fought as an entire tank battalion. Tanks were deployed as companies, platoons and sections in support of the 45th Infantry Division's 157th, 179th and 180th infantry regiments. The unit also supported the 1st Infantry Division's 16th, 18th and 26th infantry, the 3rd Infantry Division's 7th and 30th infantry, elements of the 82nd Airborne Division, and a task force formed around the 70th Tank Battalion. At times the battalion was under the operational control of II Corps (US). On 10 July 1943, Company C of the 753rd landed on Blue Beach near Santa Croce Camerina, east of Gela. Company C supported the 157th Infantry against Italian armor in heavy action seizing Comiso and the airport. On 11 July the remainder of battalion landed on Blue Beach. Company B of the 753rd supported the 82nd Airborne Division attacking the Vittoria area and repelled a heavy enemy counterattack late on the 11th. On 12 and 13 July, Company B of the 753rd supported the 180th Infantry during very heavy fighting for the airport at Biscari. From 13 to 16 July, Company A of the 753rd supported the 179th Infantry in attacks against Caltagirone. From 16 to 22 July, Company A of the 753rd attached to the 70th Tank Battalion supporting of 16th, 18th and 26th infantry of the 1st Infantry Division securing the crossroads at Enna, then went northeast to Alimena, Bompieto, and Petralia.