The American airborne landings in Normandy order of battle is a list of the units immediately available for combat on the Cotentin Peninsula between June 6, 1944, and June 15, 1944, during the American airborne landings in Normandy during World War II.
American forces Allied chain of command
Supreme Allied Commander: Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower
21st Army Group: Gen. Sir Bernard Montgomery
U.S. First Army: Lt. Gen. Omar Bradley
U.S. VII Corps: Maj. Gen. J. Lawton Collins
VII Corps
82nd Airborne Division
82nd Airborne Division: Major General Matthew Ridgway 325th Glider Infantry Regiment: Col. Harry L. Lewis 1st Battalion: Lt Col. R. Klemm Boyd 2nd Battalion: Lt Col. John H. Swenson (WIA 11 June 44), Maj. Osmund A. Leahy, Maj. Roscoe Roy (KIA 15 June 44), Maj. Charles T. Major 2nd Battalion, 401st Glider Infantry Regiment: Lt Col. Charles A. Carrell (Relieved 9 June 44), Maj. Arthur W. Gardner (KIA 14 June 44); Maj. Osmund Leahy 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment: Col. William E. Ekman 1st Battalion: Maj. Frederick C. A. Kellam (KIA 6 June 44), Lt Col. Mark J. Alexander 2nd Battalion: Lt Col. Benjamin H. Vandervoort 3rd Battalion: Lt Col. Edward C. Krause 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment: Col. George V. Millet (POW 8 June 44), Lt Col Arthur A. Maloney, Col. Edson Raff 1st Battalion: Lt Col. Edwin J. Ostberg 2nd Battalion: Lt Col. Charles J. Timmes 3rd Battalion: Lt Col. Arthur A. Maloney 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment: Col. Roy E. Lindquist 1st Battalion: Lt Col. Herbert F. Batcheller (KIA 7 June 44), Maj. Shields Warren 2nd Battalion: Lt Col. Thomas J. B. Shanley 3rd Battalion: Lt Col. Louis G. Mendez 319th Glider Field Artillery Battalion: Lt Col. James C. Todd 320th Glider Field Artillery Battalion: Lt Col. Paul E. Wright 376th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion: Lt Col. Wilbur N. Griffith 456th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion: Lt Col. Wagner J. d'Alessio 80th Airborne Anti-Aircraft Battalion: Lt Col. Raymond E. Singleton 307th Airborne Engineer Battalion: Lt Col. Robert S. Palmer (POW 6 June 44), Maj. Edwin A. Bedell Pathfinder Group: Maj. Neal L. Roberts Attached: 87th Armored Field Artillery Battalion: Lt Col. George F. Barber 746th Tank Battalion: Lt Col. Clarence G. Hupfer 899th Tank Destroyer Battalion:
101st Airborne Division
101st Airborne Division: Major General Maxwell D. Taylor 327th Glider Infantry Regiment: Col. George S. Wear (relieved 9 June 44) Col. Joseph H. Harper 1st Battalion: Lt Col. Hartford T. Salee (WIA 10 June 44) 2nd Battalion: Lt Col. Thomas J. Rouzie 1st Battalion, 401st Glider Infantry Regiment: Lt Col. Ray C. Allen 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment: Col. Howard R. Johnson 1st Battalion: Lt Col. Robert C. Carroll (KIA 6 June 44), Lt Col. Harry W. O. Kinnard 2nd Battalion: Lt Col. Robert A. Ballard 3rd Battalion: Lt Col. Julian J. Ewell 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment: Col. George Van Horn Moseley, Jr. (WIA 6 June 44), Lt Col. John H. Michaelis 1st Battalion: Lt Col. Patrick F. Cassidy 2nd Battalion: Lt Col. Steve A. Chappuis 3rd Battalion: Lt Col. Robert G. Cole 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment: Col. Robert Sink 1st Battalion: Lt Col. William L. Turner (KIA 7 June 44), Lt Col. James L. LaPrade 2nd Battalion: Lt Col. Robert L. Strayer 3rd Battalion: Lt. Col. Robert Lee Wolverton (KIA 6 June 44), Maj. Oliver M. Horton 321st Glider Field Artillery Battalion: Lt Col. Edward L. Carmichael 377th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion: Lt Col. Benjamin Weisberg 907th Glider Field Artillery Battalion: Lt Col. Clarence F. Nelson 81st Airborne Anti-Aircraft Battalion: Maj. X. B. Cox, Jr. 326th Airborne Engineer Battalion: Lt Col. John C. Pappas (KIA 13 June 44) 101st Pathfinder Company (Provisional): Capt. Frank L. Lillyman Attached: 65th Armored Field Artillery Battalion: Lt Col. Edward A. Bailey 70th Tank Battalion: Lt Col. John C. Welborn
IX Troop Carrier Command Maj. Gen. Paul L. Williams (Grantham, Lincs) Command Pathfinder School: Lt.Col. Joel E. Crouch, commandant (RAF North Witham) 1st Pathfinder Group (Provisional)
50th Troop Carrier Wing
Brig. Gen. Julian M. Chappell at RAF Exeter 439th Troop Carrier Group: Lt Col. Charles H. Young (RAF Upottery) 91st TCS: Maj. Howard U. Morton 92nd TCS: Maj. Cecil E. Petty 93rd TCS: Maj. Robert A. Barrere 94th TCS: Maj. Joseph A. Beck II 440th Troop Carrier Group: Lt Col. Frank X. Krebs (RAF Exeter) 95th TCS: Maj. Irvin G. Anderson 96th TCS: Capt. William R. Cooper 97th TCS: Maj. Jack S. Southard 98th TCS: Maj. Bascome L. Neal 441st Troop Carrier Group: Lt Col. Theodore G. Kershaw (RAF Merryfield) 99th TCS: Lt Col. Walter T. Fletcher 100th TCS: Capt. James T. Cousin 301st TCS: Capt. Lloyd G. Neblett 302nd TCS: Lt. Col. Frederick Funston, Jr.
52nd Troop Carrier Wing Brig. Gen. Harold L. Clark at RAF Cottesmore 61st Troop Carrier Group: Col. Willis W. Mitchell (RAF Barkston Heath) 14th TCS: Maj. Lewis S. Frederick, Jr. 15th TCS: Maj. Lawrence C. McMurtry 53rd TCS: Maj. Howard M. Betts 59th TCS: Maj. Marcus O. Owens, Jr. 313th Troop Carrier Group: Col. James J. Roberts, Jr. (RAF Folkingham) 29th TCS: Lt Col. Quinn M. Corley 47th TCS: Maj. Paul W. Stephens 48th TCS: Maj. Edgar F. Stovall, Jr. 49th TCS: Lt Col. Frank J. Lumsden 314th Troop Carrier Group: Col. Clayton Stiles (RAF Saltby) 32nd TCS: Maj. Halac G. Wilson 50th TCS: Maj. Joseph H. McClure 61st TCS: Maj. Campbell N. Smith 62nd TCS: Maj. Arthur E. Tappan 315th Troop Carrier Group: Col. Hamish McLelland (RAF Spanhoe) 34th TCS: Lt Col. Donald G. Dekin 43rd TCS: Lt Col. Otto H. Peterson 309th TCS: Lt Col. Smylie C. Stark 310th TCS: Lt Col. Henry G. Hamby, Jr. 316th Troop Carrier Group: Col. Harvey A. Berger (RAF Cottesmore) 36th TCS: Maj. James R. Roberts 37th TCS: Maj. Leonard C. Fletcher 44th TCS: Maj. Benjamin F. Kendig 45th TCS: Maj. Mars Lewis 442d Troop Carrier Group: Lt Col. Charles M. Smith (RAF Fulbeck, attached from 50th TCW) 303rd TCS: Maj. Robert O. Whittington 304th TCS: Maj. Kenneth L. Glassburn 305th TCS: Maj. John A. Crandell 306th TCS: Maj. Royal S. Thompson
53rd Troop Carrier Wing Brig. Gen. Maurice M. Beach at RAF Greenham Common 434th Troop Carrier Group: Col. William B. Whitacre (RAF Aldermaston) 71st TCS: Maj. Glenn E. W. Mann, Jr. 72nd TCS: Maj. Frank W. Hansley 73rd TCS: Maj. Terry G. Hutton 74th TCS: Maj. Ralph L. Strean, Jr. 435th Troop Carrier Group: Col. Frank J. McNeese (RAF Welford) 75th TCS: Maj. Lewis A. Curtis 76th TCS: Lt Col. Robert C. Lewis 77th TCS: Lt Col. Henry H. Osmer 78th TCS: Lt Col. Bertil E. Hanson 436th Troop Carrier Group: Lt Col. Adriel N. Williams (RAF Membury) 79th TCS: Maj. John D. Kreyssler 80th TCS: Maj. Clarence L. Schmid 81st TCS: Maj. David W. Brack 82nd TCS: Capt. Robert G. Johns 85th TCS: Capt. Lester L. Ferguson (temporary attachment from 437 TCG) 437th Troop Carrier Group: Col. Cedric E. Hudgens (RAF Ramsbury) 83rd TCS: Capt. John White 84th TCS: Capt. John M. Campbell 86th TCS: Maj. Ralph E. Lehr 438th Troop Carrier Group: Lt Col. John M. Donalson (RAF Greenham Common) 87th TCS: Lt Col. David E. Daniel 88th TCS: Maj. Robert W. Gates 89th TCS: Maj. Clement G. Richardson 90th TCS: Maj. Howard I. Pawlowski
German forces German chain of command
Supreme Command West: Generalfeldmarschall Gerd von Rundstedt
Army Group B: Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel
Seventh Army: Generaloberst Friedrich Dollman (died 28 June)
LXXXIV Corps: General der Artillerie Erich Marcks (KIA 12 June)
German 7th Army
ArmeeReserve 91st Air Landing Division:Strength June 1: approx. 8,000 Generalleutnant Wilhelm Falley 1057 Grenadier-Regiment: Oberst Sylvester von Saldern (La Haye-du-Puits) 1058 Grenadier-Regiment: Oberst Kurt Beigang (Saint-Cyr) 191 Artillerie-Regiment: Oberstlautnant Heinrich Kiewitt (Les Carrières) 91 Fusilier Battalion 191 Mountain Flak Battalion 191 Panzerjäger Company 6th Parachute Regiment:Strength June 1: 3,457 Oberstleutnant Friedrich von der Heydte (L'Hotellerie) 1./6: Hauptmann Emil Priekschat (Mont-Castre) 2./6: Hauptmann Rolf Mager (Lessay) 3./6: Hauptmann Horst Trebes (Rougeval)
LXXXIV Corps 243rd Infantry Division:Strength June 1: 11,529 Genlt. Heinz Hellmich (KIA 17 June) 920 Grenadier-Regiment: Oberst Bernhard Klosterkemper (Etoupeville) 921 Grenadier-Regiment: Oberstleutnant Jacob Simon (Mauger) 922 Grenadier-Regiment: Oberstleutnant Franz Müller (Haquets) 243 Artillerie-Regiment: Oberst Eduard Hellwig (Le Vrétot) 561st Ost Battalion (Russian): (Flamanville) 206 Panzer Battalion:The 206.PzAbt. reportedly had a TO&E of 28 Hotchkiss H35 (20 operational), 10 Somua S-35, 6 Char B1 bis (4 operational), and 2 R-35 tanks. Major Ernst Wenk (Audenville) 243 Panzerjäger Company: (La Commanderie) 709th Infantry Division:Strength June 1: 12,320 Genlt. Karl W. von Schlieben 729 Grenadier-Regiment: Oberst Helmuth Rohrbach (Le Vicel) 739 Grenadier-Regiment: Oberst Walter Köhn (Querqueville) 919 Grenadier-Regiment: Oberstleutnant Günther Keil (Montebourg) 1709 Artillerie-Regiment: Oberst Robert Reiter (Equeurdreville) 649 Ost Battalion (Russian): (La Brasserie) 795 Ost Battalion (Georgian): Hauptmann Stiller (Turqueville) 709 Panzerjager Company: Hauptmann Willi Hümmerich (Le Catelet) 752 Grenadier-Regiment (zbV): Oberst Kessler (Gavray) 635th Ost Battalion (Russian): (Donville-les-Bains) 797th Ost Battalion (Georgian): hauptmann Peter Massberg (Gouville) Attached independent units:From Cross Channel Attack, Chapter VII end note 83: "The Sturm Battalion was an irregular Army unit for shock employment. It contained about 1,100 men in four companies armed as infantry and had four light field howitzers. The 101st Stellungswerfer Regiment...consisted of three mobile rocket launcher battalions armed either with 210-mm. rocket launchers or 280-mm./320-mm. launchers. The 100th Panzer Replacement Battalion, equipped with a handful of French R-35 and Russian light tanks, had very slight combat value." However, the most detailed Order of Battle of this unit indicates that no Russian tanks were present. In addition to 19 R-35, 100.Pz.Ers.u.Ausb.Abt was equipped with 8 Hotchkiss H38s, 1 Somua S-35, 1 Char B1 bis, and 3 PzKpfw III, and had a personnel strength of 644 men that included 4 platoons of infantry. Like the 6th Parachute Regiment, on D-Day it was attached to the 91st Air Landing Division. Sturm Battalion AOK 7: Major Hugo Messerschmidt (Le Vicel) 100th Panzer Replacement Battalion (100.Panzer Ersatz und Ausbildungs Abteilung): Major Bardtenschlager (Francquetot) 101st Stellungswerfer Regiment: Major Rasner (Vasteville)
External links German battalion dispositions in Normandy, 5 June 1944
References
Warren, Dr. John C. USAF Historical Study 97: Airborne Operations in World War II, European Theater (1956). Air University.
Panzer Ersatz und Ausbildungs Abteilung 100 German Order of Battle well-documented site on OB, strengths, and casualties by Niklas Zetterling. U.S. Airborne in Cotentin Peninsula "The Airborne Assault" - Utah to Cherbourg , United States Army Center of Military History. Zaloga, Steven J. D-Day 1944 (2): Utah Beach & the US Airborne Landings (2004). Osprey Publishing. Laugier, Didier Les Panzer Abteilungen Indépendantes de l'AOK 7: Beutepanzer en Normandy (2004) 39-45 Magazine #213 p30-37. This French article includes the official "Gliederungen" of 206.Pz.Abt. and 100.Pz.Ers.u.Ausb.Abt.