Aside from the normal routine of G-1 activities, the G-1 Section was concerned primarily with the problems incident to the capture of many thousands of German prisoners of war, and the supervision of the evacuation of liberated Allied prisoners of war, and the evacuation of displaced Allied nationals. A minimum estimate of the number of German prisoners of war who surrendered to the 82nd Airborne Division has been set at 144000, during the period subsequent to the crossing of the Elbe River and the rapid advance to a Junction with the Russian forces between Ludwigslust and Grabon, Germany. The climatic disintegration of German formations in the area of Division responsibility presented an unparalleled situation. The surrender of enemy units was so rapid that it was impossible to concentrate the defeated foe in Division Collecting Points without seriously depleting its outnumbered strength to provide sufficient men to control and process the tons of thousands of Germans.
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Feb
20
2010
Category : 505/82nd Abn Div, Germany
Sep
21
2009
Category : Army Air Forces, XIX TAC
12.000 Fighter and Bomber Sorties, XIX Tactical Air Command’s First Month of Operations in Support of the US Third Army in France.
Content
- Frontispiece
- Introduction
- Notes on Organization, Tactics, and Technique
- Missions of the XIX Tactical Air Command
- The Background, In Brief
- Air Operations Day by Day
- Five Accompanying Maps
- Recapitulation
- Annex : Map Showing Location of Units
Sep
03
2009
On Dec 1 1944, Hqs & Hqs Co was located in Waimes, Belgium. On Dec 11, the company marched to Venwegen, Germany a distance of 39-M.
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Aug
18
2009
Category : Germany
After Action Report – 82nd Airborne Division – May 1945
1 – Narrative
By nightfall, April 30, 1945, the 82nd Airborne Division had established a small bridgehead east of the Elbe River in the vicinity of Bleckede, Germany. This bridgehead had been established by the 505th Prcht Inf Regt in a splendid example of coordination and river crossing technique by a veteran regiment.
During the night of April 30 – May 1, the plan was to build up sufficient forces from the 504th Parachute Infantry, which was arriving by train approximately five hours from the Elbe River, so as to attack out of the bridgehead with that regiment by daylight. One battalion of this regiment arrived at the bridgehead by 0430-H and with a full appreciation of the value of time it jumped off at 0500-H, the regiment being reinforced during the day by the later arrival of its other battalions. Troops completing the 4 – 6 day train trip from the Koln area were immediately en trucked and taken into the bridgehead. Then, after being briefed and issued ammunition, they were committed to the attack. It was obvious that the German was disintegrating rapidly and it was of the utmost importance that regardless of the physical condition of our troops, the momentum of our drive be maintained until the enemy was completely destroyed or overrun.
Mar
04
2009
The 1st Infantry Division also nicknamed The Fighting First, is the oldest division in the United States Army, and has seen continuous service since its organization in 1917. The 1st Division started preparing for World War II by moving to Fort Benning on November 19th 1939 and ran its personnel through the Infantry School. It then moved to the Sabine Parish, Louisiana area on May 11th 1940 to participate in the Louisiana Maneuvers, returned to Fort Hamilton on June 5th 1940 then to Fort Devens, Ma., on February 4th 1941. The Division was sent to both Carolina Maneuvres of October and November 1941, moved to Samarcand, North Carolina on October 16th 1941 and on December 6th 1941, returned to Fort Devens, Ma. It was then transfered to Camp Blanding, Florida (February 21st 1942) where it was re-designated 1st Infantry Division on May 15th 1942. The 1st Infantry Division moved then back Fort Benning, on May 22nd 1942, to Indian Town Gap Mil Reservation, on June 21st 1942 and, finally, Division departed New York Port of Embarkation on August 1st 1942. The 1st ID arrived in England on August 7th 1942 and assaulted in North Africa on November 2nd 1942 (Operation Torch).
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Mar
02
2009
The 6th Armored Division was activated on Feb 15 1942 at Fort Knox, Kentucky then moved to Camp Chaffee, Arkansas on March 15 to participate (Aug 25 1942) to the VIII Corps Louisiana Maneuvers.
It returned to Camp Chaffee Sep 21 1942 and moved then to Camp Young, California on Oct 10 for the Desert Training Center, #1 California Maneuvers.
The 6/AD arrived at Camp Cooke, California on Mar 20 1943, staged at Camp Shanks, New York form Feb 3 1944 until departed New York Port of Embarkation on Feb 11.
It arrived in England the Feb 23 1944 and landed in France on Jul 19 1944.
The 6/AD crossed into Luxembourg on Dec 29 1944, into Belgium on Dec 30 1944 and returned to France on Mar 12 1945. The division entered finally Germany on Mar 20 1945, staged in Germany and returned to New York POE on Sep 18 1945.
It was inactivated at the same date at Camp Shanks New York.
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Mar
02
2009
If the Krauts crack the defenses in the North Shoulder, they won’t surround the 101/AB Division in Bastogne, but the entire 1st Army in Belgium.
Feb
07
2009
Activated at Camp Jackson, South Carolina, Jul 1 1940, the 8th D was redesignated there as 8th Infantry Division Jul 31 1941.
It moved then to the Carolina Maneuver Area on Sept 25 1941, participated in both Oct and Nov 1941 Carolina Maneuvers; arrived Fort Jackson, South Carolina, Nov 30 where it was redesignated 8th Motorized Division on Apr 9 1942.
The 8th Motorized Division participated then in 1st Corps Tennessee Maneuvers Oct-Nov 1942 and moved to Camp Forrest Tennessee on Nov 7 1942 then was transfered to Fort Leonard Wood Missouri Nov 29 1942. It moved then to Camp Young California on Mar 20 1943 for IX Corps Desert Training Maneuvers #2 where redesignated 8th Infantry Division on May 15 1943
The 8th ID returned to Camp Forrest Tennessee on Aug 15 1943 then staged at Camp Kilmer New Jersey on Nov 22 1943 until departed New York POE on Dec 5 1943.
The 8th ID arrived in England on Dec 15 1943 and landed in France on Jul 3 1944. It crossed into Luxembourg Nov 20 1944 and into Germany on same day.
The 8th ID was sent to Hampton Roads POE on Jul 10 1945 and moved back to Fort Leonard Wood Missouri on Jul 13 1945 where it was inactivated on Nov 20 1945.
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