82nd Airborne Division WW2 INFO, FILES, REPORTS, BOOKS, NARRATIVE, HISTORY CD1
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82nd Airborne
Division
Order of Battle
Headquarters and Headquarters Company
325th Glider Infantry Regiment
504th Parachute Infantry Regiment
505th Parachute Infantry Regiment
307th Airborne Engineer Battalion
82nd Airborne Division Artillery
Headquarters and Headquarters Battery
319th Glider Field Artillery Battalion (75mm Pack Howitzer)
320th Glider Field Artillery Battalion (75mm Pack Howitzer)
80th Airborne Antiaircraft Battalion
307th Airborne Medical Battalion
782nd Airborne Ordnance Maintenance Company
407th Airborne Quartermaster Company
82nd Airborne Signal Company
Military Police Platoon
Attached Units
1st Ranger Battalion
3rd Ranger Battalion
4th Ranger Battalion
1st Battalion, 143rd Infantry Regiment
Detachment, 813th Tank Destroyer Battalion
A Battery, 133rd Field Artillery Battalion (105mm Howitzer)
A Battery, 155th Field Artillery Battalion (155mm Howitzer)
C Battery, 155th Field Artillery Battalion (155mm Howitzer)
F Company, 540th Engineer Shore Regiment
C Company, 83rd Chemical Battalion (Motorized)
D Company, 83rd Chemical Battalion (Motorized)
405th Medical Collecting Company
2nd Platoon, 602nd Medical Clearing Company
1st Platoon, 90th Quartermaster Company (Railhead)
H Company, 36th Engineer Combat Regiment
Detachment, 63rd Signal Battalion
C Detachment, 72nd Signal Company (Special)
Detachment, 180th Signal Repair Company
Detachment, 286th Signal Company
Casualties 1,619 - Killed in action
6,560 - Wounded in action
332 - Died of wounds
Commanders
MG Omar N. Bradley
23 Mar - 25 Jun 42
MG Matthew B. Ridgeway
26 Jun 42 - 27 Aug 44
Campaigns
Sicily 9 Jul - 17 Aug 43
Naples-Foggia
9 Sep 43 - 21 Jan 44 Normandy
6 Jun - 24 Jul 44 Rhineland 15 Sep 44 - 21 Mar 45 Ardennes-Alsace
16 Dec 44 - 25 Jan 45
Central Europe 22 Mar - 11 May 45Operations
Operation Husky
Operation Avalanche Operation Overlord Operation Market Garden Battle of the Bulge
Medals
Medal of Honor - 3
Distinguished Service Cross - 41
Legion of Merit - 24
Silver Star - 759
Soldiers Medal - 41
Bronze Star - 1,873
Air Medal - 15
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1942 Mar 25- Reorganized at Camp Claiborne, Louisiana. Aug 15- The 82nd Infantry Division became the first airborne division in the U.S. Army and was redesignated the 82nd Airborne Division. At the same time, 82nd personnel also were used in the formation of a second airborne unit - the "Screaming Eagles" of the 101st Airborne Division. Oct- The 82nd was dispatched to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, to pursue its new airborne training. Oct 14- The 82nd absorbed the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, which had formed on May 1 at Fort Benning, Georgia. By the time that they went overseas, the 82nd would consist of the 325th Glider Infantry Regiment and the 504th and 505th Parachute Infantry Regiments. 1943 Apr- Paratroopers of the 82nd Airborne Division left via troop ships from New England to North Africa to participate in the campaign to invade Italy and became the first airborne division sent overseas. May 10- Division landed in Casablanca, North Africa on May 10, 1943 they moved by rail to Oujda and then by truck to Kairouan, Tunisia. Jul 9- The 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment and the 3rd Battalion of the 504th parachuted to take the high ground near Ponte Olivo airfield northeast of Gela, Sicily on July 9, 1943. Jul 11- The remaining Battalions of the 504th PIR were dropped in the vicinity of Gela with heavy losses. Jul 12- The Division was moved up to the front by motor and reinforced by the 39th Infantry Regiment of the 9th Infantry Division on July 12, 1943. Jul 18- The crossings of Fiume delle Canno were secured on July 18, 1943. Jul 23- The Division pushed along the coastal highway, seizing the Marsala-Trapani area of Sicily's western coast by July 23rd. Sep 13- The Division's second combat operation was a night parachute drop onto the Salerno beachhead on September 13, 1943 in support of General Mark Clark's 5th Army which was in danger of being pushed back into the sea. Sep 13- The 504th PIR was parachuted south of the Sele River near Salerno on September 13, 1943. Sep 15- The 325th Glider Infantry Regiment (GIR) was brought into the beachhead amphibiously to join the rest of the Division. Sep 16- The 504th PIR & the 376th PFAB began an attack to recover Altavilla on September 16, 1943. Oct 1- The division fought towards Naples which it reached on October 1, 1943. The 504th PIR & the 376th PFAB were detached from the 82nd Airborne temporarily and fought in southern Italy as part of the 36th Infantry Division. Oct 29- Gallo captured. Nov- The 82nd was pulled out of Italy and moved to the United Kingdom to prepare for the liberation of Europe. 1944 Jan- The 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, which was temporarily detached from the Division to fight at Anzio, adopted the nickname "Devils in Baggy Pants. Early Units of the Division were moved to England as the allies were preparing for the D-Day assault on Western Europe. Two new parachute infantry regiments, the 507th and the 508th, joined the Division. However, due to its depleted state following the fighting in Italy, the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment did not take part in the invasion. Jun 5- The paratroopers of the 82nd's three parachute infantry regiments and reinforced glider infantryregiment boarded hundreds of transport planes and gliders and, began the largest airborne assault in history. They were among the first soldiers to fight in Normandy, France. Jun 6- The Division dropped behind Utah Beach, Normandy, France between Ste Mere-Eglise and Carentan on June 6th, 1944. Jun 12- The 505th PIR captured Montebourg Station and on June 12th. Jun 19- They established a bridgehead at Pont l'Abbe on June 19th. Jul 3- The Division attacked down the west coast of the Cotentin Peninsula and captured Hill 131 on July 3rd. Jul 3- The 82nd seized Hill 95 overlooking La Haye-du-Puits. Jul 13- Division was pulled back to England on July 13, 1944. Sep- The 82nd began planning for Operation Market Garden in Holland. The operation called for three-plus airborne divisions to seize and hold key bridges and roads deep behind German lines. The 504th now back at full strength rejoined the 82nd, while the 507th went to the 17th Airborne Division. Sep 11- The 82nd conducted its fourth combat assault of World War II into the Netherlands and captured the Maas Bridge at Grave, the Maas-Waal Canal Bridge at Heumen and the Nijmegen-Groesbeek Ridge. The next day attempts to take Nijmegen Highway Bridge failed. Sep 12- The 82nd was ordered back to France. Sep 20- The 504th crossed the Waal. Dec 16- The Germans launched a surprise offensive through the Ardennes Forest which caught the Allies completely by surprise. Dec 17- In reponse to the German's Ardennes Counteroffensive and blunted General Von Runstedt's northern penetration in the American lines the 82nd moved into action. Dec 20- The 82nd attacked in the Vielsalm-St. Vith region and the 504th PIR took Monceau. This fierce attac forced the German units back across the Ambleve River the next day. Dec 22- Further German assaults along the Salm hit the 505th PIR in the Trois Ponts Dec 24- The Division lost Manhay. Dec 25- The Division withdrew from the Vielsalm Salient. Dec 27- Attacked northeast of Bra. 1945 Jan 4- The division reached Salm. Jan 7- The 508th PIR Red Devil's launched an attack with the 504th in the vicinity of Thier-du-Mont where it suffered heavy casualties. Jan 21- The 508th was then withdrawn from the line and placed in reserve until January 21st when it replaced elements of the 2d Infantry Division. Feb 7- The division attacked Bergstein, a town on the Roer River. Feb 17- The 82nd crossed the Roer River on February 17th. Apr- During April, 1945 the Division performed security duty in Cologne until they attacked in the Bleckede area and pushed toward the Elbe River. May 2- As the 504th PIR drove toward Forst Carrenzien, the German 21st Army surrendered to the division on May 2, 1945.
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82nd Airborne Division
CD 1
Open all files from the folders on the CDs
Install Adobe Acrobat PDF Reader from CD 1
The files below are found on CD 1
82nd Airborne
In Sicily and Italy
CD 1
143 Pages - PDF
82nd Airborne
Maps
CD 1
15 Pages - PDF
9 Jul - 19 Aug 43
82nd Airborne
504th Parachute
Sicily
CD 1
37 Pages - PDF
Sep 43
82nd Airborne
History
CD 1
2 Pages - PDF
13-19 Sep 43
82nd Airborne
504th Parachute
Naples
CD 1
40 Pages - PDF
6 Jun 44
82nd Airborne
507th Parachute
Normandy
CD 1
26 Pages - PDF
6-8 Jun 44
82nd Airborne
Artillary
Normandy
CD 1
41 Pages - PDF
15-19 Sep 44
82nd Airborne
508th Parachute
Arnheim
CD 1
43 Pages - PDF
19-20 Sep 44
82nd Airborne
504th Parachute
Rhineland
CD 1
22 Pages - PDF
18 Dec 44 - 10 Jan 45
82nd Airborne
504th Parachute
Operations
CD 1
35 Pages - PDF
22-25 Dec 44
82nd Airborne
508th Parachute
Ardennes
CD 1
20 Pages - PDF
Dec 44 - Jan 45
82nd Airborne
Narrative
CD 1
18 Pages - PDF
2-7 Jan 45
82nd Airborne
501st Parachute
Ardennes
CD 1
41 Pages - PDF
Apr - May 45
82nd Airborne
After Action Reports
CD 1
30 Pages - PDF
Breakout and Pursuit
CD 1
771 Pages - PDF
Cross-Channel
Attack
CD 1
538 Pages - PDF
22 Jan - 24 May 44
Anzio
Campaign
CD 1
28 Pages - PDF
16 Dec 44 - 25 Jan 45
Ardennes-Alsace
Campaign
CD 1
56 Pages - PDF
9 Sep 43 - 21 Jan 44
Naples-Foggia
Campaign
CD 1
32 Pages - PDF
6 Jun - 24 Jul 44
Normandy
Campaign
CD 1
51 Pages - PDF
15 Sep 44 - 21 Mar 45
Rhineland
Campaign
CD 1
36 Pages - PDF
Siegfried Line
CD 1
697 Pages - PDF
WWII
Strategic Maps
Europe
CD 1
82 Pages - PDF
Ardennes
Battle of the Bulge
CD 1
747 Pages - PDF
Readers Guide
US Army
in World War II
CD 1
185 Pages - PDF
Form SF180
Records Request
Request for
Personnel Records
CD 1
3 Pages - PDF
Research Guide
National Archives
Finding Information of
Personal Participation
in World War II Guide
CD 1
5 Pages - PDF
Guide to
World War II
Research Resources
CD 1
20 Pages - PDF The files below are found on CD 2
VE Day
Eisenhower Flyer
CD 2
1 Page - PDF
Rank
Insignia of Grade
CD 2
1 Page - PDF
Chart
Enlisted Men's
Uniform Insignias
CD 2
1 Page - PDF
Patch
Identification
Guide
CD 2
19 Pages - PDF
Mines - Booby Traps
Identification Guide
CD 2
80 Pages - PDF
Aircraft
Nose Art
CD 2
34 Pages - PDF
Aircraft
Recognition Guide
CD 2
17 Pages - PDF
Aircraft
Insignia Poster
CD 2
1 Page - PDF
US
World War II
Posters
CD 2
249 Pages - PDF
German
World War II
Posters
CD 2
75 Pages - PDF
Comic Book
Covers
CD 2
8 Pages - PDF
Song Lyrics
Army
HIT KIT
of Popular Songs
CD 2
6 Pages - PDF
Troopships
of World War II
CD 2
391 Pages - PDF
British
Grenadier Guards
1939 - 1945
Campaigns
BEF - 1939 - 1940
Tunisia 1942 - 1943
Italy - 1943 - 1945
Europe 1944 - 1945
CD 2
93 Pages - PDF
Film
The
BIG PICTURE
Documentary Film
"Combat Infantryman"
An Official
Television Report
to the Nation
From the
United States Army
CD 2
Film Info - PDF
Film: 27m14s - MP4
Newsreels
"Allied Vise Tightens
On Rhineland"
Universal Newsreel
7 Dec 44
Film: 7m17s
"Nazis Surrender"
Universal Newsreel
14 May 45
Film: 7m24s
"The Year 1945"
United Newsreel
Film: 8m34s
CD 2
Newsreels - Folder
1 Sep 39 - 10 May 42
Graphic History
Of The War
CD 2
76 Pages - PDF
1985
Veterans
Remerbrances
of World War II
40th Anniversary
of VE Day
CD 2
141 Pages - PDF
Brief History
of World War II
CD 2
55 Pages - PDF
APOs
Army
Postal Service
Addresses
CD 2
149 Pages - PDF
The files below are found on CD 3
Music
"Singing Soldiers"
Winners Second
All Army Soldier
Singing Contest
1954-55
19 Song LP Record
2 Album Set
CD 3
Info - PDF
Files - Folder
Music
What Do You
Do In The Infantry ?
American Military March
Semper Fidelis (Marines)
CD 3
Files - Folder
D-Day
Radio Broadcasts
13 - BBC/CBS/NBC
Normandy Invasion
Broadcasts
24 - CBS Invasion
1 Hour Broadcasts
CD 3
Files - Folder
Cartoons
11
BANNED
World War II
Cartoons
Bugs Bunny
Donald Duck
Popeye
Superman
more ...
CD 3
Info - PDF
Files - Folder
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82nd Airborne
Division
82nd Airborne Division History The 82nd Division was redesignated on 13 February 1942 as Division Headquarters, 82nd Division. It was recalled to active service on 25 March 1942, and reorganized at Camp Claiborne, Louisiana, under the command of Major General Omar N. Bradley.
During this training period, the division brought together four officers who would ultimately steer the US Army during the following two decades: Matthew B. Ridgway, Matthew D. Query, James M. Gavin, and Maxwell D. Taylor who became the commander of the 101st airborne division in 1944. This was following Bill Lee's heart attack. Under General Bradley, the 82nd Division's Chief of Staff was George Van Pope. The Allied invasion of Sicily was originally to be kept a secret.
On 15 August 1942, the 82nd Infantry Division became the Army's first airborne division, and was redesignated the 82nd Airborne Division. In April 1943, its paratroopers deployed to North Africa under the command of Major General Matthew B. Ridgway to participate in the campaign to invade Italy. The division's first two combat operations were parachute assaults into Sicily on 9 July and Salerno on 13 September. The initial assault on Sicily, by the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, was the first regimental-sized combat parachute assault conducted by the United States Army. The first glider assault did not occur until Operation Neptune as part of D-Day. Glider troopers of the 319th and 320th Glider Field Artillery and the 325th Glider Infantry instead arrived in Italy by landing craft at Maiori (319th) and Salerno (320th, 325th).
In January 1944, the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, which was temporarily detached to fight at Anzio, adopted the nickname "Devils in Baggy Pants", taken from an entry in a German officer's diary. While the 504th was detached, the remainder of the 82nd moved to the United Kingdom in November 1943 to prepare for the liberation of Europe. See RAF North Witham and RAF Folkingham.
Normandy
With two combat assaults under its belt, the 82nd Airborne Division was now ready for the most ambitious airborne operation of the war so far, as part of Operation Neptune, the invasion of Normandy. The division conducted Operation Boston, part of the airborne assault phase of the Operation Overlord plan.
In preparation for the operation, the division was reorganized. To ease the integration of replacement troops, rest, and refitting following the fighting in Italy, the 504th did not rejoin the division for the invasion. Two new parachute infantry regiments (PIRs), the 507th and the 508th, provided it, along with the 505th, a three-parachute infantry regiment punch. On 5 and 6 June, these paratroopers, parachute artillery elements, and the 319th and 320th, boarded hundreds of transport planes and gliders to begin history's largest airborne assault at the time (only Operation Market Garden later that year would be larger). During the June 6th assault, a 508th platoon leader, Lt. Robert P. Mathias, would be the first American officer killed by German fire on D-Day.[citation needed] On June 7, after this first wave of attack, the 325th Glider Infantry Regiment would arrive by glider to provide a division reserve.
By the time the All-American Division was pulled back to England, it had seen 33 days of bloody combat and suffered 5,245 troopers killed, wounded, or missing. Ridgway's post-battle report stated in part, "...33 days of action without relief, without replacements. Every mission accomplished. No ground gained was ever relinquished."
Following Normandy, the 82nd became part of the newly organized XVIII Airborne Corps, which consisted of the U.S. 17th, 82nd, and 101st Airborne Divisions. Ridgway was given command, but was not promoted to lieutenant general until 1945. His recommendation for succession as commander was Brigadier General James M. Gavin. Ridgway's recommendation met with approval, and upon promotion Gavin became the youngest general since the Civil War to command a US Army division.
Market Garden
On 2 August 1944 the division became part of the First Allied Airborne Army. In September, the 82nd began planning for Operation Market Garden in the Netherlands. The operation called for three-plus airborne divisions to seize and hold key bridges and roads deep behind German lines. The 504th, now back at full strength, was reassigned to the 82nd, while the 507th was assigned to the 17th Airborne. On 17 September, the 82nd conducted its fourth World War II combat assault. Fighting off German counterattacks, the 82nd captured its objectives between Grave, and Nijmegen. Its success, however, was short-lived because the defeat of other Allied units at the Battle of Arnhem. After a period of duty on the Arnhem front, the 82nd was relieved by Canadian troops, and sent to France.
The Bulge
On 16 December, the Germans launched a surprise offensive through the Ardennes Forest which became known as the Battle of the Bulge. Two days later the 82nd joined the fighting and blunted General Gerd von Rundstedt's northern penetration of American lines. During this campaign, PFC Martin, 325th Glider Infantry Regiment, told a sergeant in a retreating tank destroyer to, "...pull your vehicle behind me—I'm the 82nd Airborne, and this is as far as the bastards are going!"
After helping to secure the Ruhr, the division ended the war at Ludwigslust past the Elbe River, accepting the surrender of over 150,000 of Lieutenant General Kurt von Tippelskirch's 21st Army. General Bradley stated in a 1975 interview with Gavin that Montgomery told him German opposition was too great to cross the Elbe. When Gavin's division crossed the river, the division moved 36 miles in one day and captured over 100,000 troops, causing great laughter in Bradley's 12th Army Group headquarters.
Following Germany's surrender, the 82nd entered Berlin for occupation duty, lasting from April until December 1945. In Berlin General George Patton was so impressed with the 82nd's honor guard he said, "In all my years in the Army and all the honor guards I have ever seen, the 82nd's honor guard is undoubtedly the best." Hence the "All-American" became also known as "America's Guard of Honor".[14] The war ended before their scheduled participation in the invasion of Japan. During the invasion of Italy in World War II, Ridgway considered Will Lang Jr. of TIME magazine an honorary member of the division.
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82nd Airborne
Division
Medal of Honor Recepients
John R. Towle
21 September 1944
Near Oosterhout, Holland
Rank and Organization: Private, Company C, 504th Parachute Infantry, 82d Airborne Division.
Place and Date: Near Oosterhout, Holland, 21 September 1944.
Entered Service at: Cleveland, Ohio.
Birth: Cleveland, Ohio.
Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty on 21 September 1944, near Oosterhout, Holland. The rifle company in which Pvt. Towle served as rocket launcher gunner was occupying a defensive position in the west sector of the recently established Nijmegen bridgehead when a strong enemy force of approximately 100 infantry supported by 2 tanks and a half-track formed for a counterattack. With full knowledge of the disastrous consequences resulting not only to his company but to the entire bridgehead by an enemy breakthrough, Pvt. Towle immediately and without orders left his foxhole and moved 200 yards in the face of Intense small-arms fire to a position on an exposed dike roadbed. From this precarious position Pvt. Towle fired his rocket launcher at and hit both tanks to his immediate front. Armored skirting on both tanks prevented penetration by the projectiles, but both vehicles withdrew slightly damaged. Still under intense fire and fully exposed to the enemy, Pvt. Towle then engaged a nearby house which 9 Germans had entered and were using as a strongpoint and with 1 round killed all 9. Hurriedly replenishing his supply of ammunition, Pvt. Towle, motivated only by his high conception of duty which called for the destruction of the enemy at any cost, then rushed approximately 125 yards through grazing enemy fire to an exposed position from which he could engage the enemy half-track with his rocket launcher. While in a kneeling position preparatory to firing on the enemy vehicle, Pvt. Towle was mortally wounded by a mortar shell. By his heroic tenacity, at the price of his life, Pvt. Towle saved the lives of many of his comrades and was directly instrumental in breaking up the enemy counterattack.
Charles N. Deglopper
9 June 1944
Merderet River at la Fiere, France
Rank and organization: Private First Class, Co. C, 325th Glider Infantry, 82d Airborne Division.
Place and date: Merderet River at la Fiere, France, 9 June 1944.
Entered service at: Grand Island, N.Y.
Birth: Grand Island, N.Y.
Citation: He was a member of Company C, 325th Glider Infantry, on 9 June 1944 advancing with the forward platoon to secure a bridgehead across the Merderet River at La Fiere, France. At dawn the platoon had penetrated an outer line of machineguns and riflemen, but in so doing had become cut off from the rest of the company. Vastly superior forces began a decimation of the stricken unit and put in motion a flanking maneuver which would have completely exposed the American platoon in a shallow roadside ditch where it had taken cover. Detecting this danger, Pfc. DeGlopper volunteered to support his comrades by fire from his automatic rifle while they attempted a withdrawal through a break in a hedgerow 40 yards to the rear. Scorning a concentration of enemy automatic weapons and rifle fire, he walked from the ditch onto the road in full view of the Germans, and sprayed the hostile positions with assault fire. He was wounded, but he continued firing. Struck again, he started to fall; and yet his grim determination and valiant fighting spirit could not be broken. Kneeling in the roadway, weakened by his grievous wounds, he leveled his heavy weapon against the enemy and fired burst after burst until killed outright. He was successful in drawing the enemy action away from his fellow soldiers, who continued the fight from a more advantageous position and established the first bridgehead over the Merderet. In the area where he made his intrepid stand his comrades later found the ground strewn with dead Germans and many machineguns and automatic weapons which he had knocked out of action. Pfc. DeGlopper's gallant sacrifice and unflinching heroism while facing unsurmountable odds were in great measure responsible for a highly important tactical victory in the Normandy Campaign.
Leonard A. Funk, Jr.
29 January 1945
Holzheim, Belgium
Rank and organization: First Sergeant, Company C, 508th Parachute Infantry, 82d Airborne Division.
Place and date: Holzheim, Belgium, 29 January 1945.
Entered service at: Wilkinsburg, Pa.
Birth: Braddock Township, Pa.
Citation: He distinguished himself by gallant, intrepid actions against the enemy. After advancing 15 miles in a driving snowstorm, the American force prepared to attack through waist-deep drifts. The company executive officer became a casualty, and 1st Sgt. Funk immediately assumed his duties, forming headquarters soldiers into a combat unit for an assault in the face of direct artillery shelling and harassing fire from the right flank. Under his skillful and courageous leadership, this miscellaneous group and the 3d Platoon attacked 15 houses, cleared them, and took 30 prisoners without suffering a casualty. The fierce drive of Company C quickly overran Holzheim, netting some 80 prisoners, who were placed under a 4-man guard, all that could be spared, while the rest of the understrength unit went about mopping up isolated points of resistance. An enemy patrol, by means of a ruse, succeeded in capturing the guards and freeing the prisoners, and had begun preparations to attack Company C from the rear when 1st Sgt. Funk walked around the building and into their midst. He was ordered to surrender by a German officer who pushed a machine pistol into his stomach. Although overwhelmingly outnumbered and facing almost certain death, 1st Sgt. Funk, pretending to comply with the order, began slowly to unsling his submachine gun from his shoulder and then, with lightning motion, brought the muzzle into line and riddled the German officer. He turned upon the other Germans, firing and shouting to the other Americans to seize the enemy's weapons. In the ensuing fight 21 Germans were killed, many wounded, and the remainder captured. 1st Sgt. Funk's bold action and heroic disregard for his own safety were directly responsible for the recapture of a vastly superior enemy force, which, if allowed to remain free, could have taken the widespread units of Company C by surprise and endangered the entire attack plan.
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82nd Airborne
Division Campaigns of World War II
Sicily 9 Jul - 17 Aug 43
Naples-Foggia
9 Sep 43 - 21 Jan 44 Normandy
6 Jun - 24 Jul 44 Rhineland 15 Sep 44 - 21 Mar 45 Ardennes-Alsace
16 Dec 44 - 25 Jan 45
Central Europe 22 Mar - 11 May 45Sicily Campaign
9 Jul - 17 Aug 43
On the night of 9–10 July 1943, an Allied armada of 2,590 vessels launched one of the largest combined operations of World War II—the invasion of Sicily. Over the next thirty-eight days, half a million Allied soldiers, sailors, and airmen grappled with their German and Italian counterparts for control of this rocky outwork of Hitler’s “Fortress Europe.” When the struggle was over, Sicily became the first piece of the Axis homeland to fall to Allied forces during World War II. More important, it served as both a base for the invasion of Italy and as a training ground for many of the officers and enlisted men who eleven months later landed on the beaches of Normandy.
Naples-Foggia Campaign
9 Sep 43 - 21 Jan 44
After Allied bombardment of communications and airfields in Italy, Montgomery crossed the Strait of Messina on 3 September 1943 and started northward. Five days later Eisenhower announced that the Italian Government had surrendered. Fifth Army, under Clark, landed at Salerno on g September and managed to stay despite furious counterattacks. By 18 September the Germans were withdrawing northward. On 27 September Eighth Army occupied the important airfields of Foggia, and on I October Fifth Army took Naples. As the Allies pushed up the peninsula, the enemy slowed the advance and brought it to a halt at the Gustav Line.
Normandy
6 Jun - 24 Jul 44
A great invasion force stood off the Normandy coast of France as dawn broke on 6 June 1944: 9 battleships, 23 cruisers, 104 destroyers, and 71 large landing craft of various descriptions as well as troop transports, mine sweepers, and merchantmen—in all, nearly 5,000 ships of every type, the largest armada ever assembled. The naval bombardment that began at 0550 that morning detonated large minefields along the shoreline and destroyed a number of the enemy’s defensive positions. To one correspondent, reporting from the deck of the cruiser HMS Hillary, it sounded like “the rhythmic beating of a gigantic drum” all along the coast. In the hours following the bombardment, more than 100,000 fighting men swept ashore to begin one of the epic assaults of history, a “mighty endeavor,” as President Franklin D. Roosevelt described it to the American people, “to preserve. . . our civilization and to set free a suffering humanity.”
Rhineland
15 Sep 44 - 21 Mar 45
The Rhineland Campaign, although costly for the Allies, had clearly been ruinous for the Germans. The Germans suffered some 300,000 casualties and lost vast amounts of irreplaceable equipment. Hitler, having demanded the defense of all of the German homeland, enabled the Allies to destroy the Wehrmacht in the West between the Siegfried Line and the Rhine River. Now, the Third Reich lay virtually prostrate before Eisenhower’s massed armies.
Ardennes-Alsace
16 Dec 44 - 25 Jan 45
In August 1944, while his armies were being destroyed in Normandy, Hitler secretly put in motion actions to build a large reserve force, forofferding its use to bolster Germany’s beleaguered defenses. To provide the needed manpower, he trimmed existing military forces and conscripted youths, the unfit, and old men previously untouched for military service during World War II.
In September Hitler named the port of Antwerp, Belgium, as the objective. Selecting the Eifel region as a staging area, Hitler intended to mass twenty-five divisions for an attack through the thinly held Ardennes Forest area of southern Belgium and Luxembourg. Once the Meuse River was reached and crossed, these forces would swing northwest some 60 miles to envelop the port of Antwerp. The maneuver was designed to sever the already stretched Allied supply lines in the north and to encircle and destroy a third of the Allies’ ground forces. If successful, Hitler believed that the offensive could smash the Allied coalition, or at least greatly cripple its ground combat capabilities, leaving him free to focus on the Russians at his back door.
Central Europe
22 Mar - 11 May 45
By the beginning of the Central Europe Campaign of World War II, Allied victory in Europe was inevitable. Having gambled his future ability to defend Germany on the Ardennes offensive and lost, Hitler had no real strength left to stop the powerful Allied armies. Yet Hitler forced the Allies to fight, often bitterly, for final victory. Even when the hopelessness of the German situation became obvious to his most loyal subordinates, Hitler refused to admit defeat. Only when Soviet artillery was falling around his Berlin headquarters bunker did the German Fuehrer begin to perceive the final outcome of his megalomaniacal crusade.
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82nd Airborne Division WW2 INFO, FILES, REPORTS, BOOKS, NARRATIVE, HISTORY CD1:
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