Go straight to Casualties of the division KIA in The Netherlands or buried at Margraten
History
The 82nd Division was activated at Camp Gordon, Georgia, on 25 August 1917. It was one of the National Army divisions of conscript soldiers. As the Division filled, it was discovered there were soldiers from every state. Through a popular contest, the nickname "All American" was chosen to reflect the unique composition of the 82nd.
After the division had participated in World War One in France, The 82nd Division was demobilized on 27 May 1919, but was reconstituted on 24 June 1921. Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941 brought the United States to war again. The 82nd Infantry Division was called to active duty on 25 March 1942 with Major General Omar Bradley as commander and Brigadier General Matthew Ridgway as assistant commander. At Camp Claiborne, Louisiana, the Division was organized as a triangular division, built around three infantry regiments.
Due to its high level of training, the 82nd Infantry Division was designated the US Army's first airborne division. The 82nd was reorganized and redesignated the 82nd Airborne Division on 15 August 1942. The original organization called for one parachute infantry regiment and two glider infantry regiments. On 1 October the 82nd moved to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where training continued and final organizational changes were made. The final structure contained the 504th and 505th Parachute Infantry Regiments, the 325th Glider Infantry Regiment, 319th and 320th Glider Field Artillery Battalions, 376th and 456th Parachute Field Artillery Battalions, 80th Airborne Anti-Aircraft Battalion, 307th Airborne Engineer Battalion, and various support units.
In April 1943, the 82nd departed Fort Bragg and eventually arrived at Casablanca, Morocco, on 10 May. Shortly, the Division moved to Oujda where intense training was conducted for the invasion of Sicily -- Operation HUSKY. The 505th, commanded by Colonel James Gavin, was chosen to spearhead the assault. On 9 July 1943, Gavin's 505th Combat Team conducted the first American regimental combat parachute assault in the vicinity of Gela, Sicily. The paratroopers were widely scattered, but were able to gather into small groups to harass the enemy. Colonel Gavin formed one group on Biazza Ridge where the Herman Goering Division was stopped before reaching the newly established American beachhead at Gela. On the evening of 11 July, the remainder of the 504th parachuted into Sicily. Passing over the American fleet, the transports were mistaken for enemy bombers and 23 were shot down. Eighty-one troopers were killed, including the assistant division commander, Brigadier General Charles Keerans. The 82nd continued its fighting in Sicily by leading Patton's westward drive to Trapani and Castellmare. In five days, the Division moved 150 miles and took 23,000 prisoners.
On 13 September 1943, Colonel Reuben Tucker led his 504th combat team (minus 3rd battalion) on a parachute assault at Paestum, south of Salerno. On the 14th, the 505th jumped. The paratroopers were rushed to the front line where they engaged the enemy in the rugged hills and drove them back. On the 15th, the 25th and 3/504th conducted an amphibious landing near Salerno. Throughout September and October the 82nd conducted operations in the Salerno/Naples area. The Division advanced north to the Volturno River, cleared the area of the enemy, and became the first unit to set sail for England, via Ireland, to prepare for the invasion of Normandy.
The 504th, meanwhile, continued fighting in the Venafro sector of Italy until being relieved on 27 December. By 22 January 1944, the 504th Combat Team was back in action as part of Fifth Army's amphibious assault at Anzio during Operation SHINGLE. While operating along the Mussolini Canal, a German officer noted in his diary, "American parachutists -- devils in baggy pants --- are less than 100 meters from my outpost line. Seems like the black-hearted devils are everywhere." The 504th was finally withdrawn from Anzio on 25 March 1944 and set sail for England to join the Division once again.
While the 82nd was in England, a decision was made to add a parachute regiment to the airborne divisions for the upcoming invasion of Normandy. With the 504th still in Italy, two regiments were needed. The 2nd Airborne Brigade, containing the 507th and 508th Parachute Infantry Regiments, was sent from Fort Bragg to join the Division. Early in the morning of 6 June 1944, the 505th, 507th, and 508th, along with artillery and engineers, parachuted into Normandy to being Operation NEPTUNE, the assault phase of OVERLORD. The mission of the Division was to seize the town of St. Mere Eglise and crossings over the Merderet River. Some of the heaviest fighting occurred on 9 June as the Division seized the causeway at La Fiere. During the action, PFC Charles DeGlopper of C Company, 325th GIR, earned the Medal of Honor. The 82nd continued fighting in Normandy for 33 days, leading the Allied advance west across the base of the Cotentin Peninsula. The Division earned the Presidential Unit Citation, two French Croix de Guerre, and the French Fourragere of the Croix de Guerre. The 82nd was relieved in Normany on 8 July and returned to England to prepare for future airborne operations.
On the afternoon of 17 September 1944, the 82nd conducted its fourth parachute assault, this time into Holland as part of Operation MARKET. The Division's objectives were to seize bridges over the Maas and Waal Rivers, and hold the high ground between Nijmegen and Groesbeek. The 504th was returned to the 82nd and the 507th left. The 508th remained with the 82nd. The majority of the drops were on target and assembly was rapid. The bridge over the Maas River at Grave was captured on the 17th. On 20 September, the 505th launched an attack through Nijmegen to capture the south end of the bridge over the Waal River. The 504th, with C Company, 307th Engineers, launched a simultaneous attack across the river to capture the north end of the bridge. The first wave suffered 50 percent casualties, but captured its objective. On the 21st, PVT John Towle of C Company, 504th, single handedly broke up an enemy counter attack consisting of 100 men and two tanks. For his actions, Towle received the Medal of Honor. After 56 days of combat in Holland, the 82nd was relieved on 11 November and sent to rest camps near Rheims, France.
On 16 December 1944, lead elements of a German offensive broke through the American line in the Ardennes Forest of Belgium. The only reserve forces available were the 82nd and 101st. The 82nd was alerted on the 17th and by the next evening was in Webermont, Belgium, on the northern shoulder of the bulge created by the enemy attack. On the morning of the 19th, the 82nd took up defensive positions along the Salm River. There, the 82nd stopped Von Runstedt's armored offensive.
The 82nd was on the offensive by January 1945. The Division moved through Belgium and the Hurtgen Forest, penetrated the Seigfried Line, and arrived at the Roer River by February. On 30 April 1945, the 82nd conducted its last combat operation of World War II with an assault crossing of the Elbe River near Bleckede, Germany, On 2 May 1945, Major General Gavin accepted the surrender of 150,000 troops of the German 21st Army. On the same day, troopers of the Division liberated survivors of the Woebbelin Concentration Camp. After six campaigns spanning 442 days in combat, the war was over for the 82nd.(Source and (c): Globalsecurity.org)
Relevant links
82nd Airborne Division Association
Official homepage of the 82nd Airborne Division Association: a fraternity of paratroopers and glidermen. The 82nd Airborne Division Association is for anyone who ever served in the 82nd Airborne Division, and anyone who has served in any of the uniformed services on either jump or glider status. The Association was organized in England, prior to the Normandy invasion (1944).82nd Airborne Division
Website of the 82nd Airborne Division.82nd Airborne during World War II
Information on the 82nd Airborne Division during World War II.Lone Sentry; All American: The Story of the 82nd Airborne Division
"All American" is a small booklet covering the history of the 82nd Airborne Division. It is one of the series ofG.I. Stories published by the Stars & Stripes in 1944-1945.Fort Bragg, "Home of the Airborne"
Official site of Fort Bragg
www.508pir.org
The site about the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment
www.504pirassociation.org
site about the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment
www.505rct.org
505th Regimental Combat Team Website
www.325glider.org
Official site of the 325th Glider Infantry Regiment Association
Casualties of the Division and supporting units buried in Margraten or KIA in the Netherlands and buried elsewhere.
325th Glider Infantry Regiment
504th Parachute Infantry Regiment
Pvt Louis P.
H Company
New Boston, TX
September 20, 1944
505th Parachute Infantry Regiment
508th Parachute Infantry Regiment
