to the 1st Armored Division Redesignated 1 January 1942 as the 6th Armored Infantry Regiment Narrative Between World War I and World War II, the regiment returned to the United States, where they continued to train to in various exercises as the Army began to experiment with mechanized and motorized infantry formations. In 1936, they were designated a mechanized unit by the War Department, and they left the 6th Infantry Division to join the 1st Armored Division on 15 July 1940. In February 1941, the regiment was stationed at Fort Knox, Kentucky, conducting routine training and activities under the command of Col. Harry B. Crea. In April, the regiment began supplying cadre for the 51st Infantry Regiment of the 4th Armored Division, which was to be stationed at Pine Camp, New York. In May, the regiment continued to get replacements and conduct routine training. The regiment consisted of a regimental headquarters, an antitank company, the regimental band, and two battalions – each with a headquarters company and four line companies. In August, the regiment moved to Louisiana to conduct maneuvers, then returned to Fort Knox in November. The 6th Infantry was pivotal in developing mechanized infantry tactics during their training with the 1st Armored Division, and this training was soon to pay off. A few weeks later, on 7 December 1941, war was declared when the Empire of Japan attacked the US fleet at Pearl Harbor, with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy declaring war on the United States soon after. Soldiers awaiting release were returned to their barracks, knowing that they'd be heading for war. World War II The 1st Armored Division was one of the first American units to sail across the Atlantic to do battle with the Axis. Leaving from Fort Dix, New Jersey on 11 April 1942, the Old Ironsides patch set foot on European soil in Northern Ireland on 16 May 1942. Here, they trained with a new intensity as they prepared to go into battle for the first time. Algeria-French Morocco On 8 November 1942, almost a full year after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Allied American, Free French, and British armies launched Operation Torch, the seaborne invasion of French North Africa. The 6th Armored Infantry Regiment was commanded by COL Claud E. Stadtman at this time, and his force was divided into different Combat Commands and Task Forces. 3rd Battalion-6th Infantry (3-6 IN),