Although D-day gave the western Allies a beachhead in northern France, it took them almost two months of bitter fighting to break out of the Normandy hedgerows. After the breakout, Allied armies raced across France, liberated Paris, and headed toward the German frontier. The rapid pace of the advance placed a severe strain on Allied logistics, which, along with bad weather and stiffening German resistance, slowed the offensive. By mid-December, American armies had reached the Roer River inside Germany and the West Wall along the Saar River in eastern France. Between these two fronts lay the Ardenne, a hilly, densely forested area of Belgium. The Germans had attacked France through this supposedly impassable region in 1940. In early December 1944, five American divisions and a cavalry group held the 85-mile-long Ardenne front. The difficult terrain of the region and the belief that the German army was near exhaustion had convinced the Allied commanders that the Ardenne sector was relatively safe. Thus, three of the divisions were new, full of green soldiers who had only recently arrived on the continent; the other two were recuperating from heavy losses suffered in the bitter fighting in the Huertgen forest farther north. In addition, the heavy demand for American troops in some sectors had forced Allied commanders to lightly man other portions of the front .
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Sep
01
2009
Jul
30
2009
Chapter 3 – Troops and Terrain & The Order of the Battle
During the long-drawn debate over the extent of the counteroffensive, the objective, and the attack form to be employed, the order of battle for Wacht am Rhein took form. This also led to differences of opinion and interpretation.
- How should the armies be aligned ?
- What forces, missions, and zones should be assigned to each particular army ?
- How many divisions, armored and infantry, would be available for use in the attack ?
The answers to these and like questions turned on the Solution adopted and the maneuver employed but will be set forth independently in an attempt to bring some order out of the confused interplay between Hitler, Jodl, Rundstedt, and Model.
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Feb
15
2009
The 5th Armored Division was activated at Fort Knox Kentucky Oct 1 1941 and was moved on Feb 16 1942 to Camp Cooke in California. On Aug 14 1942, it participated in the Desert Training Center Armored Corps California Maneuvers and returned to Camp Cooke Nov 19 1942. On Mar 17 1942, the Division moved to the 2nd Army #1 Tennessee Maneuvers and arrived at Pine Camp New York Jun 24 1943. It moved then to Indian town Gap Mil Res Pennsylvania Dec 8 1943; staged at Camp Kilmer New Jersey during Feb 1944 until departed New York POE on Feb 11 1944 and arrived in England on Feb 24 1944. The 5th Armored Division landed in France Jul 25 1944, crossed into Luxembourg Sep 2 1944 and into Belgium Oct 5 1944. The Division, finally, entered Germany Dec 1 1944, returned to Belgium Dec 24, to Holland Feb 5 1945 and re-entered Germany Feb 25 1945. Sent back to USA, the 5th Armored landed in New York Oct 10 1945 and was inactivated at Camp Kilmer New Jersey Oct 11 1945.
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Feb
12
2009
Activated on Jun 1 1940 as the 4th Division at Fort Benning, Georgia the Division was reorganized as 4th Division (Motorized) on Aug 1 1940 then as 4th Motorized Division in Jul 11 1941. It moved then to Dry Prong Louisiana, on Aug 1 1941 for IV Corps Louisiana Maneuvers and returned to Fort Benning Aug 27 1941. It moved then to Fort Jackson South Carolina Oct 30 1941 for the First Army Carolina Maneuvers and arrived back to Fort Benning on Dec 3 1941. On Dec 29, the 4th Division arrived at Camp Gordon, Georgia and, finally, went to Carolina Maneuver Area on Jul 7 1942. The 4th Division returned to Camp Gordon on Aug 31 1942 and moved to Fort Dix, New Jersey on Apr 12 1943 where it was re-designated to 4th Infantry Division on Aug 4 1943. Sent, then, to Camp Gordon Johnston, Florida on Sept 19 1943 for the III Corps Carrabelle Maneuvers the 4th was sent to Fort Jackson South Carolina on Dec 1 1943 and staged at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey on Jan 4 1944 until departed New York POE on Jan 18 1944. The Division landed in England on Jan 26 1944 and was ready to start fighting
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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