Eisenhower National Historic Site

Military Patch
1942-1945
2nd U.S. Armored Division Shoulder Patch

The U.S. Army’s 2nd Armored Division was one of the outstanding units in Eisenhower’s command. The 2nd Armored Division fought in North Africa, Sicily, and France. Its tanks came ashore at Normandy on June 9, 1944, and were heavily involved in the fighting in the hedgerow country.

Sergeant Curtis Culin of the 2nd Armored Division’s 102nd Cavalry Reconnaissance Battalion came up with a way to burst through hedgerows using specially altered Sherman Tanks. Nicknamed “Rhinos,” these tanks had prows welded onto the front end so that when the vehicles hit a hedgerow at high speed, instead of up ending, they cut right through the barriers. The metal used to make these alterations came from hedgehog beach obstacles left behind by the Germans.

Soldiers of the 2nd Armored Division played a significant role in the Battle of the Bulge. Between December 23- 25, 1944, in fighting that pitted them against the German 2nd SS Panzer Division, the 2nd Armored took over 1,200 prisoners, killed or wounded 2,500 of the enemy, captured 81 artillery pieces, and destroyed many enemy tanks.

In January 1945, the 2nd Armored took part in the reduction of the bulge. They retook the Belgium town of Houffalize near the close of what had been the costliest battle on the western front. The Battle of the Bulge produced an estimated 182,400 casualties, mostly German. During the war the 2nd Armored Division’s combat losses were 4,557 wounded in action, 981 killed, and 202 mortally wounded.

Cloth. H 10.0, W 9.2 cm
Eisenhower National Historic Site, EISE 9552



*Military Patch* 1942-1945 2nd U.S. Armored Division Shoulder Patch The U.S. Army’s 2nd Armored Division was one of the outstanding units in Eisenhower’s command. The 2nd Armored Division fought in North Africa, Sicily, and France. Its tanks came ashore at Normandy on June 9, 1944, and were heavily involved in the fighting in the hedgerow country. Sergeant Curtis Culin of the 2nd Armored Division’s 102nd Cavalry Reconnaissance Battalion came up with a way to burst through hedgerows using specially altered Sherman Tanks. Nicknamed “Rhinos,” these tanks had prows welded onto the front end so that when the vehicles hit a hedgerow at high speed, instead of up ending, they cut right through the barriers. The metal used to make these alterations came from hedgehog beach obstacles left behind by the Germans. Soldiers of the 2nd Armored Division played a significant role in the Battle of the Bulge. Between December 23- 25, 1944, in fighting that pitted them against the German 2nd SS Panzer Division, the 2nd Armored took over 1,200 prisoners, killed or wounded 2,500 of the enemy, captured 81 artillery pieces, and destroyed many enemy tanks. In January 1945, the 2nd Armored took part in the reduction of the bulge. They retook the Belgium town of Houffalize near the close of what had been the costliest battle on the western front. The Battle of the Bulge produced an estimated 182,400 casualties, mostly German. During the war the 2nd Armored Division’s combat losses were 4,557 wounded in action, 981 killed, and 202 mortally wounded. Cloth. H 10.0, W 9.2 cm Eisenhower National Historic Site, EISE 9552
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