727th Amphibian Tractor Battalion was activated on 10 January 1944 pursuant to G.O. #6, Hq. Fourth Army. Assigned to Fourth Army and attached to the 18th Armored Group at the Presidio of Monterey, California. Frank R. McLavy, Major assumed command of the Battalion.
Description
(Leyte Campaign 17 October 1944 to 1 July 1945) On 17 October 1944, after preparatory bombardment, the invasion of the Philippines got under way with the seizure of islands guarding Leyte Gulf. The landing on Leyte itself on 20 October was strongly contested by Japanese forces on land and at sea. Organized resistance on the island did not end until after Christmas, and mopping up operations continued for a long time. Meanwhile, at the end of October, the neighboring island of Samar was occupied with little difficulty.