4th Armored Division May 1945 Memorial
Details:
At the end of the bridge adjacent to the parking area
The memorial includes two inscribed plaques attached to the bridge abutment and one information sign.
The memorial remembers the 35th Tank Battalion, 4th Armored Division (XII Corps, 3rd US Army) arriving at its further point east on the Vltava River in May 1945 to await link-up with the Soviet Army. After link-up, the 4thArmored Division redeployed behind the agreed upon demarcation line.
Monument Text:
Two plaques are located at the site.
The text on the smaller plaque is written in English and Czech. The English reads:
4th Armored Division Symbol
HERE WE GOT TO STOP AND WAIT LONG TWO WEEKS
FOR THE RUSSIANS TO SHOW UP...
6TH MAY 1945
Military Car Club Pilsen
The text on the large plaque is written in Czech and English reads:
4th Armored Division Symbol
8.KVĚTNA 1945
AMERIČTÍ VOJÁCI 35.TANKOVÉHO PRAPORU 4.OBRNĚNÉ
DIVIZE SVÝMI TANKY UZAVŘELI MOST.
PO PŘÍCHODU RUDÉ ARMÁDY DNE 10.KVĚTNA A ODSUNU
NĚMCŮ DO RUSKÝCH ZAJATECKÝCH
TÁBORŮ BYL MOST OPĚT OTEVŘEN. AMERIČANÉ SE
VRÁTILI ZPĚT ZA DEMARKAČNÍ LINII.
On May the 8th 1945
THE US SOLDIERS OF THE 35th TANK BATTALION OF THE 4th ARMORED DIVISION CLOSED THE BRIDGEWITH THEIR TANKS. AFTER THE ARRIVAL OF THE RED ARMY ON MAY THE 10th AND THE EXPULSION OF THE GERMANS
INTO THE RUSSIAN PRISONER CAMPS THE BRIDGE WAS OPENED AGAIN.
THE AMERICANS RETURNED BEHIND THE DEMARCATION LINE AGAIN.
Military Car Club Pilsen 2000 and 2014
The large information sign details 4th Armored Division Operations in the Area in May 1945 and is written in Czech and English (See picture)