VI Corps

[ADMIN]

 

NAME:

VI Corps / Sixth Corps / 6th Corps / VI Army Corps

 

NICKNAME:

*None*

 

BATTLE HONORS:

 

World War I

Lorraine, 1918

 

World War II

Naples-Foggia

Anzio

Rome-Arno

Southern France

Rhineland

Ardennes-Alsace

Central Europe

 

ACTIVATED:

July 1918

Aug 1, 1940

 

DEACTIVATED:

1919

Feb 29, 1968

 

HISTORY:

 

World War I

 

The VI Corps was organized during July and August 1918 in the regular Army at Neufchateau, France.

 

World War II

 

The VI Corps was activated on August 1, 1940. Its headquarters were located at Fort Sheridan, Illinois.

 

The VI Corps took part in some of the most high profile operations in World War II. Its first combat was during the Allied invasion of Italy when it landed at Salerno with the British X Corps under Fifth Army as part of Operation Avalanche. The stiffness of the German defences sorely tested VI Corps and it suffered heavy casualties before German attempts to throw the Allied force back into the sea were thwarted by a combination of naval gunfire, bombing and the approach of British Eighth Army from the south. The commander of the corps, Maj. Gen. Ernest J. Dawley, was replaced after Salerno, as he was judged to be worn out.

 

VI Corps then joined in the pursuit of German forces up the Italian peninsula. However, the Germans turned and fought at the Winter Line, and the Corps became involved in heavy fighting to try to break through. The first attempts failed, however VI Corps was taken out of the line in an attempt to find a solution to the problem. In its second amphibious assault of the war, it went ashore at Anzio in Operation Shingle in January 1944. At first German resistance was negligible. However, General John P. Lucas, the general commanding the corps felt he needed to consolidate his beachhead before breaking out. This gave the Germans critical time to concentrate forces against him. Another bloody stalemate ensued, with the Corps almost being driven back into the sea for the second time in Italy, again being rescued by naval and air power. When the statemate was finally broken in the spring of 1944, the Corps had lost another commander; Lucas was sacked for his poor performance and replaced by Major General Lucian Truscott.

 

When the Corps broke out, it was ordered to do what many considered a very questionable act. Instead of blocking the line of German retreat, it was sent pell-mell towards Rome. General Mark W. Clark, the commander of Fifth Army got the glory of capturing the Italian capital city, but was castigated by his peers and superiors for failing to trap and destroy the German forces. This, along with the poor performance at Anzio would cast a shadow over the reputation of the Corps.

 

Following the capture of Rome, VI Corps again left the line, and again prepared for an amphibious assault, its third and last of the war. Operation Dragoon was aimed at capturing the south of France, and VI Corps provided the assault troops, coming under Seventh Army. The landing was not opposed with much fervour, and VI Corps swept up the Rhône valley to join forces with Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower's troops coming from Normandy. VI Corps spent the rest of the war as part of Seventh Army, operating on the southern end of the Allied front against the Germans in the west. It ended the war in southern Germany.

 

Commanders

Maj. Gen. Ernest J. Dawley (? - September 1943)

Maj. Gen. John P. Lucas (September 1943 - February 1944)

Maj. Gen. Lucian Truscott (February 1944 - October 1944)

Maj. Gen. Edward H. Brooks (October 1944 - end of war)

 

Post-World War II

 

The VI Corps remained in Germany after the war as part of the United States Army Reserve - Europe (USAREUR).

 

In the immediate post-war occupation years, the 36th Division, 84th Division, 100th Division, 3rd Armored Division, and 12th Armored Division were part of the VI Corps.

 

The VI Corps was deactivated on February 29, 1968.

 

Divisional history from:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._VI_Corps

http://www.vetshome.com/military_corps_patches_history_1.htm

http://www.usarmygermany.com/Units/Occupat..._VI%20Corps.htm

[Jim Baker]

VI Corps.

[FRISCAN]

U.S. VI Corps w/ OD Border, Green Back(U.S. Machine Embroidered)

 

 

Kind Regards,

FRISCAN

[FriscoHare]

6th (XI) Army Corps SSI with OD Border and Black Back

 

I tried to remove as much of the paper on the back as I could...

[sgtbarnes44]

Three VIth corps patch

From left to right

Full White back, od border. (WWII era)

Green back, od border. (WWII era)

Light snowy back, blue border. (Post WW2)

 

[sgtbarnes44]

Back.

 

[36-tex]

VI Corp

[30Mauser]

Just found this thread and am hoping to get some geography help. As some of you may recall from my earlier posts, my great-grandfather (and eponym) was Edward H. Brooks, the final wartime commander of the VI Corps as noted above.

 

As his namesake, I've inherited a good amount of his memorabilia, which includes this picture.

 

My question: what is the name of the town in this photo, home to the VI Corps headquarters in May 1945? Pretty sure it's too small to be Innsbruck proper, so I figure it must be a village on the outskirts thereof. My google-fu is failing me, and I've resorted to Google Earth, flying through towns surrounding Innsbruck and looking for that Alpine profile in the distance!

 

Thanks as always for your wonderful support and camaraderie! -- Ted

 

(realizing now that this is probably in the wrong place... admin please move if/as appropriate!)

 

[vzemke]

Two bullion examples.

 

 

[vzemke]

Pre-WWII variation

[ThatOneNewGuy816]

VI corps m1 helmet liner, I do not know the exact date, please help if you can.

[manayunkman]

This is a WW2 manufactured helmet that was used after the war.

 

The decals were applied after the war possibly 1950s to 1960s.

[ThatOneNewGuy816]

5 minutes ago, manayunkman said:

This is a WW2 manufactured helmet that was used after the war.

 

The decals were applied after the war possibly 1950s to 1960s.

Thank you so much mana, the decals were covered under a thick layer over od green paint and it should be very interesting learning about the liners history, thanks for pointing me in the right direction.