FIRST WITH FLAME
 
Constituted 25 July 1942 in the Army of the United States as the 3d Battalion, 42d Armored Regiment and assigned to the 11th Armored Division.
Activated 15 August 1942 at Camp Polk, Louisiana. Moved to Camp Barkley, Texas on 4 September 1943. Relieved from the 11th Armored Division, reorganized and redesignated on 20 September 1943 as the 713th Tank Battalion.
 
Departed the Seattle Port of Embarkation on 14 August 1944 and arrived in the Territory of Hawaii on 21 August 1944. Reorganized and redesignated on
11 January 1945 at Schofield Barracks, Oahu, T.H. as the 713th Tank Battalion, Armored Flame Thrower, Provisional. The Battalion consisted of Headquarters and Service Company, Medical Detachment and Companies A, B, and C.
 
Landed in the Philippine Islands on 16 March 1945. Committed to combat in the Pacific Theater of Operations. Landed on Okinawa, 2 April 1945. In the next 70 days of continuous operations on Okinawa 41 tanks were put out of 
commission by enemy actions. All but two were repaired and returned to Service 7,788 Japanese were killed and 49 captured. The world’s only flame throwing tank battalion had 724 Officers and enlisted men. Eight men were killed
in action and 210 wounded, missing and injured in combat.
 
The battalion was on Okinawa at the end of World War-II (15 August 1945 location). Transferred to Japan as part of the Army of Occupation on 15 September 1945 until transferred to Korea on 20 January 1946. 
Inactivated in Korean 14 February 1946.
 
CAMPAIGN PARTICIPATION CREDITS World War II:
 
Ryukyus (with Arrowhead) DECORATIONS Presidential Unit Citation (Army), Streamer embroidered OKINAWA (713th Tank Bn [less 1st Plat, Co B] cited for period 9-22 June 1945 per WD GO 47, 1946).
 
Presidential Unit Citation (Navy), Streamer embroidered OKINAWA (713th tank Bn [less lst Plat, Co B] cited for period 1 April-21 June 1945 per DA GO 73, 1948).
 
COAT OF ARMS: SHIELD: Per bend rompu enhanced argent and vert issuing from base a demi-elephant salient or incensed proper.
 
CREST: On a wreath of the color argent and vert over a bayonet and foul anchor in saltire or a spearhead gules.
 
MOTTO: First with Flame
 
SYMBOLISM: The colors white and green are those of the Armored Forces of World War II. The yellow leaping half-elephant adopted from the coat of arms of the 42d Armored Regiment and shows descent 
of the unit from the 3d Battalion of that regiment. The flame sprouting from the trunk of the elephant indicate that this unit was designated a flame-throwing tank battalion. The broken partition suggests the escarpment the unit 
assaulted during the battle of Okinawa in World War II with its flame-throwing guns. The spearhead in the crest is for the assault landing which was part of the Ryukyus chain of islands and for which the unit also received 
its campaign participation credit. It is placed over the crossed foul anchor and bayonet to show that the battalion, in its support of the 
Army and two Marine Divisions preceded the infantry and advanced under heavy enemy fire and in the face of violent suicidal counterattacks.
 
The bayonet also symbolizes that award of the Presidential Unit Citation (Army) t the unit for this action and the foul anchor alludes to the award of the
Presidential Unit Citation (Navy) to elements of the battalion for earlier action. The motto: "First with Flame," recognizes the fact that the attack up the
escarpment was the first battle in which a tank battalion equipped with flame throwing guns was used.
 
DISTINCTIVE INSIGNIA: The insignias the shield and motto of the coat of arms. This is a unit adopted design suggested by Ray S. Buch, President of the
11th Armored Division Association (to which the 713th Tank Battalion is a part).
 
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