Nickname: Hell on Wheels. . Shoulder Patch; Conventional Armored triangular design of Infantry blue, Field Artillery red and Cavalry yellow areas bearing black Arabic numeral “2”; contains tank tread and cannon (black) superimposed by red thunderbolt. Three colors signify three branches of service forged together. . Type of Division: Regular Army. Activated June, 1940. . Training: First training of the 2d Armored was at Fort Benning, Georgia. It participated in Tennessee, Louisiana and Carolina maneuvers in 1941, in August, 1942, the division had special training off Carolina coast under Atlantic Fleet Amphibious force. First units left for North Africa in September, 1942. Overseas training in North Africa followed. . Commanding Generals: Maj. Gen. Charles L. Scott, July, 1940 to January, 1941; Maj. Gen. (now General) George S. Patton, Jr., January, 1941 – February, 1942; Maj. Gen. W. D. Crittenberger, February, 1942, to July, 1942; Maj. Gen. E. N. Harmon, July, 1942 to April, 1943; Gen. H. J. Gaffey, May, 1943, to April, 1944; Maj. Gen. E. H. Brooks, April, 1944, to September, 1944; Maj. Gen. E. N. Harmon, September, 1944, to January, 1945; Maj. Gen. Isaac D. White, January – August, 1945; Maj. Gen. John M. Devine, August, 1945, to present. . Component Units: (As of September, 1942): 41st Armored Infantry Regiment; 66th, 67th, Armored Regiments; 14th, 78th, 92nd Armored FA Battalions. Higher Commands: First, Fifth, Seventh and Ninth Armies. . Awards: Distinguished Unit Citation presented Co. H, 41st Armored Infantry Regiment for action 9-14 August, 1944, in Normandy campaign. On 12 June, 1945, division listed for mass citation for Croix de Guerre, first foreign division ever to be offered such an honor by Belgium. . Combat Highlights: In November, 1942, under Maj. Gen. (now Gen.) Patton, the division joined drive on Casablanca. In the battle for Tunisia, division participated in brilliant action. In September, 1943, 2nd Armored took part in invasion of Sicily, landing at Gela and fighting at Butera, Campobello, Saselvetrano and Palermo. The division transferred to England late in 1943, to refit and train for continental campaign. In early stages of June, 1944, Normandy invasion the division landed and fought across France, through Belgium, into Holland and finally into Germany. In January, 1945, it spearheaded the First Army’s assault in Belgium against north flank of German bulge, helping to hurl back von Rundstedt’s troops. A first was claimed for the division when it was asserted that the 2d Armored was the first American division to arrive in Berlin. Among the more than 3200 decorations won, there was a Medal of Honor for S/Sgt. Hulen B. Whittington, who maneuvered to point-blank range and wrecked the lead Mark V tank of a German column. It blocked the others which were then destroyed.