Vest Pocket History of 778th Tank Battalion

Ephemeral route map of the 778th Tank Battalion across Europe.

This simple map of the European Theater traces the path of the 778th Tank Battalion across France, Belgium, and Germany during World War II. The unit arrived in Cherbourg in September 1944 and engaged in vicious urban fighting during the capture of Metz a few months later. This epic battle is represented with a small puff of smoke near the historic fortress city. Subsequent movement west would result in further combat against the Germans along the Saar and Rhine Rivers. While the map may lack in style or color, the accomplishments and fighting spirit of the 778th rival those of most other tank battalions during the war. A brief overview of the battalion and a chronological itinerary are printed on the verso.

Published in July 1945 by the 778th Tank Battalion Headquarters. Issued on cheap paper in a run of probably around 1,000 or fewer (there were 700 men assigned to the unit), the map is a rare survivor. Unlisted in WorldCat as of May 2024, though the 778th After Action Report is given twice. See here for an interesting blog post on a family who used the map to recreate their father’s wartime experience.