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The history of the 2nd Armored Division within the CHG begins with the 41st Armored Infantry Regiment. In 1979, Major Ron Lane (USAF Ret.) was instrumental in founding California Historical Group. The CHG's homebase was at that time, at his military museum in Anaheim, CA. For the next ten years, most of the CHG's membership was a result of contact with Ron's museum. In 1981, Fred Hatcher began the 2nd Armored Division unit with the founding of the 41st AIR. Ron joined this unit in 1984 and in 1988, became unit leader. At that time, the unit was suffering from lack of a unit leader, and membership had dropped to five members. Through active recruiting, membership has been increased to around 45 members in 2003. In 2006 Ron Glaeseman was elected unit leader.
Over the twenty years in which the 2nd AD has been a CHG unit, a number of vehicles have been made available to the members. Two light tanks (an M3 and an M5) plus an M4 Sherman have been allocated to the 66th Armored Regiment. In addition the unit has access to three half-tracks and around ten 1/4 ton jeeps.
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The 2nd Armored Division's tanks and crews are in the 66th Armored Regiment. The 66th AR was formed in 2000 under Sgts. Gary Lynch and Gary Harper and presently has one M4 Sherman tank, and one Stuart Light tank available for battle. Owing to the variety of our vehicles, it's not unusual to field a Sherman, a Stuart and a couple of halftracks in the same event. 66th members can and do participate in events as members of other 2AD units, the 41st AIR or the 82nd Recon, when not involved in vehicle maintenance or where tracked vehicles can't be used.
Tank crews normally maintain, train, and participate in events with one vehicle and share the costs of these operations. Training is essential for realistic reenactment and for safety. Many of our missions are in direct support and in close proximity to the 41st AIR and other US and Allied infantry units in the field. 66th members must be prepared to invest both time and money to successfully execute this impression.
The reward is to experience the thunder and fury of W.W.II. armor in the field, attacking enemy columns, threatening hardened enemy defensive positions, or maneuvering against enemy formations with sister units of the 2nd AD. To witness formations of armor and infantry first hand as they would have been seen by our fathers and grandfathers, is to live WW II armored history.
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The 82nd Recon unit was formed in 1998 under the leadership of TSgt. Mike Gunter. As originally constituted, the unit had three members and one jeep. In 2002, another jeep and two more troopers joined the unit. The primary duty of the recon unit is to scout ahead of armored units for the presence of enemy troop or armor concentrations, and report back such sightings. Auxiliary duties include guarding road crossings, directing 2nd AD vehicles to the battle site, and providing rear and flank security. The recon unit is constantly in front of the division's vehicles, and customarily suffers high casualties through ambushes owing its close proximity to the enemy.
This unit was formed in 2003 to better represent how trucks could be used in an armored unit. Trucks and Jeeps were used by combat engineers closer to combat zones than other units would. As a rule this unit re-enacts like a armored infantry unit. The combat engineers were trained to fight while working and thus had infantry, mortar teams and machine gun teams to help them do thier job in combat situations.
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