17th US Airborne Division "Thunder from Heaven"
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Divisional information
Divisional troops
Attachments
Assignments
Detachments
Command Posts


Divisional information Top

History
Activated 15.04.1943
Arrived ETO 25.08.1944
Arrived Continent (D+201) 24.12.1944
Entered Combat 25.12.1944

Statistic
Days in Combat 45
Prisoners of War Taken 17,344

Casualties (Tentative)
Killed 564
Wounded 1,473
Missing 129
Captured 0
Battle Casualties 2,166
Non-Battle Casualties 854
Total Casualties 3,020
Percent of T/O Strength 23.2%

Individual Awards
Distinguished Service Cross4
Legion of Merit8
Silver Star177
Soldiers Medal5
Bronze Star695
Air Medal16

Campaigns
Rhinelandin WWII
Ardennes-Alsacein WWII
Central Europein WWII

Commanding General (CG)
15.04.1943 Maj.-Gen. William M. Miley

Assistant Division Commander
25.08.1944 Brig.-Gen. John L. Whitelaw

Artillery Commander
25.08.1944 Brig.-Gen. Joseph V. Phelps

Chief of Staff
25.08.1944 Col. Willard K. Liebel

Assistant Chief of Staff G-1
25.08.1944 Lt.-Col. Lewis R. Good

Assistant Chief of Staff G-2
25.08.1944 Lt.-Col. Lyle N. McAlister

Assistant Chief of Staff G-3
25.08.1944 Lt.-Col. Edwin J. Messinger

Assistant Chief of Staff G-4
25.08.1944 Lt.-Col. Charles W. Koester

Assistant Chief of Staff G-5
29.09.1944 Lt.-Col. Richard A. Norton

Adjutant General
25.08.1944 Lt.-Col. Gabe W. Lewis (Jr.)


Divisional troops Top

Infantry

507th Parachute Infantry Regiment 01.03.1945-00.00.0000
513th Parachute Infantry Regiment 00.00.0000-00.00.0000
193rd Glider Infantry Regiment 00.00.0000-00.00.0000
194th Glider Infantry Regiment 00.00.0000-01.03.1945

Field Artillery (FA)

680th Glider FA Battalion 00.00.0000-00.00.0000
681st Glider FA Battalion 00.00.0000-00.00.0000
464th Parachute FA Battalion 01.03.1945-00.00.0000
466th Parachute FA Battalion 00.00.0000-00.00.0000

Other troops

17th Parachute Maintenance Company 00.00.0000-00.00.0000
139th Airborne Engineer Battalion 00.00.0000-00.00.0000
224th Airborne Medical Battalion 00.00.0000-00.00.0000
155th Airborne AAA Battalion 00.00.0000-00.00.0000
717th Airborne Ordnance Company 00.00.0000-00.00.0000
411th Airborne Quartermaster Company 00.00.0000-00.00.0000
517th Airborne Signal Company 00.00.0000-00.00.0000
Military Police Platoon 00.00.0000-00.00.0000
Headquarters Company 00.00.0000-00.00.0000
Reconnaissance Platoon 01.03.1945-00.00.0000
Band 00.00.0000-00.00.0000


Attachments Top

Armored

761st Tank Battalion 15.01.1945-27.01.1945
C Company, 15th Tank Battalion, 6th Armored Division 31.01.1945-07.02.1945
6th Guards Armored Brigade (British) 27.03.1945-03.04.1945

Field Artillery (FA)

802nd FA Battalion (105mm Howitzer) 03.01.1945-05.01.1945

Infantry

507th Parachute Infantry Regiment 27.08.1944-01.03.1945
345th CT, 87th Infantry Division 15.01.1945-16.01.1945

Tank Destroyer (TD)

811th TD Battalion (SP) 17.01.1945-27.01.1945


Assignments Top

Date Assigned to Corps Assigned to Army Attached to Army Assigned to Army Group Attached to Army Group
30.07.1944     Ninth Army ETOUSA  
12.08.1944 XVIII Airborne Corps        
25.12.1944 XVIII Airborne Corps     12th Army Group  
01.01.1945 VIII Corps   Third Army 12th Army Group  
26.01.1945 III Corps   Third Army 12th Army Group  
06.02.1945 III Corps First Allied Airborne Army Third Army    
10.02.1945   First Allied Airborne Army      
15.02.1945 XVIII Airborne Corps First Allied Airborne Army      
24.03.1945 XVIII Airborne Corps First Allied Airborne Army     12th Army Group
30.03.1945 XVIII Airborne Corps First Allied Airborne Army Ninth Army   12th Army Group
31.03.1945 XIII Corps First Allied Airborne Army Ninth Army   12th Army Group
04.04.1945 XIII Corps First Allied Airborne Army Ninth Army 12th Army Group  
06.04.1945 XVI Corps First Allied Airborne Army Ninth Army 12th Army Group  
07.04.1945 XVI Corps Ninth Army   12th Army Group  
25.04.1945   Ninth Army Fifteenth Army 12th Army Group  
27.04.1945 XXII Corps Ninth Army Fifteenth Army 12th Army Group  


Detachments Top

Unit Attached to  
193rd Glider Infantry Regiment 101st Airborne Division 03.01.1945-07.01.1945 & 14.01.1945-18.01.1945
507th Parachute Infantry Regiment XIX Corps 31.03.1945-02.04.1945
194th Glider Infantry Regiment 95th Infantry Division 05.04.1945-13.04.1945
681st Glider FA Battalion 95th Infantry Division 05.04.1945-13.04.1945


Command Posts Top

Date Town Region Country
30.08.1944 Camp Chiseldon Wiltshire England
24.12.1944 Camp Mourmellon Marne France
28.12.1944 Charleville Ardennes France
03.01.1945 Morhet Luxembourg Belgium
15.01.1945 Celli Luxembourg Belgium
17.01.1945 Bertogne Luxembourg Belgium
19.01.1945 Compogne Luxembourg Belgium
22.01.1945 Tavigny Luxembourg Belgium
24.01.1945 Steinbach Luxembourg Belgium
27.01.1945 Eschweiler   Luxembourg
29.01.1945 Enscherange   Luxembourg
11.02.1945 Chalon-sur-Marne Marne France
24.03.1945 Wesel (2 kilometers north) Rhineland Germany
28.03.1945 Peddenburg Rhineland Germany
29.03.1945 Vulffen Rhineland Germany
30.03.1945 Haltern Rhineland Germany
01.04.1945 Dulmen Westphalia Germany
03.04.1945 Appelhulsen Westphalia Germany
04.04.1945 Munster Westphalia Germany
06.04.1945 Marxloh Rhineland Germany
08.04.1945 Bottrop Rhineland Germany
10.04.1945 Essen Rhineland Germany
21.04.1945 Marxloh Rhineland Germany
Sources & links: US Army Center of Military History
  US Army in WWII
  The 82nd Airborne during World War II
  Thunder-From-Heaven
Site design & initiative: Hans Houterman
Site created by: Jeroen Koppes
Thanks to: Leo van Bussel (from Holland)
Last update: 21.02.2004
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