The 773rd Tank Destroyer Battalion was born in July of 1941 at Camp Shelby, Mississippi. Prior
to departure for the Third Army maneuvers in Lousiana, two Anti-Tank batteries from the 1st Field
Artillery and the 166th Field Artillery Regiments, together with selected personnel from the 190th Field
Artillery Regiment, all from the 73rd Field Artillery Brigade, were formed into the 73rd Provisional
Anti-Tank Battalion. The 141st FA from Lousiana, was a National Guard outfit, with the 166th and the
190th FA Regiments coming from the Pennsylvania National Guard. These regiments had been inducted
into the army on the 13th of January 1941, and began training immediately.
The 73rd Prov. AT Bn., a part of the 2nd Prov. AT Group, was commanded by Captain Frank G.
Spiess. Today Major Robert L. Moore is in command of this battalion. Captain Spiess, later Lt. Col.
Spiess, guided the unit through its training days and through all its combat, leaving the organization on
the 27th of July 1945.
At the completion of the La. maneuvers, Army Ground Forces decided to hold the battalion
intact and season them further on the coming First Army maneuvers in North Carolina. October of that
year was spent in Camp Claiborne, La., re-equipping for the Fall maneuvers. After the N. Carolina
sessions, the battalion returned to Camp Shelby just two days prior to Pearl Harbor and War. On
December 15th the organization officially became the 773rd Tank Destroyer Battalion, (HV) (SP).
Four months training at Camp Shelby followed and then the move to Indio, Cal., and the Desert
Training Center. It was the first TD Battalion to join the commander, with whom it served so ably in
Europe, General George S. Patton, Jr.
After an eight month training period, including the Desert Maneuvers of September and October
of 1942, a toughened 773rd departed for Camp Hood. Texas, the home of the Tank Destroyers. This
course extended from December 1942 to April of 1943. Again on the move, this time to Camp
Atterbury, Indiana, where we enjoyed the hospitality of the Hoosier state and the now poignant
memories of Indianapolis.
The unit was ordered to Tennessee in June for it’s fourth large scale Army Maneuvers, this time
with the Second Army, and the final seasoning of an already well trained and maneuver-wise
organization. The Battalion’s excellent record during July and August stamped it as a good outfit with
prospect for overseas duty.
We returned to Camp Atterbury, Indiana and impatiently awaited an alert notice. On the 15th of
January 1944, it became, “Good-Bye Indiana” and “Hello, New York”. A short but busy stay at the
P.O.E., Camp Shanks, N.Y. There - inspections, drills, shots, physicals, insurance and embarkation on
the British liner “Acquitania”.
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