Help Allies Crossing the Rhine

[ZT692]

What Corp (s) did the US 4th AD face in the latter part of March as they reached the Rhine at Andernach, and what was the name of the Corp Commander? Is there a good reference material for German Army Corps and unit make-up? Thanks-Steve

[Larry deZeng]

4th Armored Div. - Andernach
5-7 March 1945

German Armeekorps opposing:
LIII. AK
LXVI. AK
LXVII. AK

In 2½ days, the 4th AD’s CCA and CCB charged 44 miles (as the crow flies) from the Kyll to the Rhein at Andernach killing or wounding 700 enemy, capturing 5,000, destroying or taking 34 AFVs for a loss of 29 KIA, 80 WIA and 2 MIA. In other words, the Division encountered only scattered, light opposition from weak and highly demoralized German units.

MacDonald, Charles B. The Last Offensive. U.S. Army “Green” Series. WashDC: CMH, 1973. pp.196-207.

[ZT692]

Division Level Attachments

Thanks for the response. How can I find out what German Divisions where assigned to these Corps during those first 3 weeks of March 1945?

[Larry deZeng]

Thanks for the response. How can I find out what German Divisions where assigned to these Corps during those first 3 weeks of March 1945?

Go here: http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/...orps/Korps.htm

Select each A.K. I listed and scroll to the bottom of each page. They all give the divisions they subordinated on 1 March 1945.

--Larry

[ZT692]

Stumped

Now I am stumped. I know the 18th and 26th VGD's where there during this time frame, and have IPW and S-2 summary data from the US 87th ID confirming these units, but cannot find any German material that links these Volksgrenadier divisions with a German Corps.

[Larry deZeng]

You should have no trouble finding German AK and Div. details on the first half of March 1945 from the German side. All of these manuscripts (marked “MS”) were written between 1946 and 1951 by senior German officers belonging to the indicated units and run a couple up to c.25 pages in length. You can look them up using the Sturmpanzer index noted below. You can buy photocopies of them from NARA WashDC.

http://www.sturmpanzer.com/ (click “Foreign Military Studies” in left margin menu).


German Armeekorps opposing:

LIII. AK: (MS # B-797 (West of the Rhine 25 Feb – 10 Mar 45))
167. VGD ( #B-041),
KGr. 326. VGD (# B-561 and B-562),
340. VGD (none)

LXVI. AK: (MS # B-607 (Central Germany, Mar – Apr 45))
5. Fj.D (none)

LXVII. AK: (MS # B-101 (Jan – 21 Mar 45))
89. ID (none),
277. VGD (# B-273 and B-754)

I also check the OKW Lagebuch 1-10 March 1945 in:

Schramm, Percy Ernst (ed.). Kriegstagebuch des Oberkommandos der Wehrmacht (Wehrmachtführungsstab) 1940 – 1945. Band IV: 1. Januar 1944 – 22. Mai 1945.

and there was no mention of any of the AKs or Divs.

[ZT692]

Maybe Getting Closer

My records from S-2 data US 87th ID indicate the following associations based on IPW reports and combat data:

all with 18th VGD

Mar 1 with 5th Para-Ormont
Mar 2-6 with 26th VGD-Ormont, Kronenberg
Mar 7 with 5th Para-Kronenberg
Mar 8-9 with 5th Para & 26th VGD -Lissendorf & Ropsdorf
Mar 10 with 277th & 326th-Ripsdorf
Mar 14 with 5th Para-Gonsdorf

Is it possible that remnents of the 18th & 26th were attached to 5th Para?

[ZT692]

Maybe Getting Closer

My records from S-2 data US 87th ID indicate the following associations based on IPW reports and combat data:

all with 18th VGD

Mar 1 with 5th Para-Ormont
Mar 2-6 with 26th VGD-Ormont, Kronenberg
Mar 7 with 5th Para-Kronenberg
Mar 8-9 with 5th Para & 26th VGD -Lissendorf & Ropsdorf
Mar 10 with 277th & 326th-Ripsdorf
Mar 14 with 5th Para-Gonsdorf

Is it possible that remnents of the 18th & 26th were attached to 5th Para?

[Larry deZeng]

18. VGD was east of Prüm between the Prüm and Kyll rivers in the Eifel during Feb and early Mar 45 under LXVI. AK/5. Pz.Armee.
26. VGD was east of Prüm between the Prüm and Kyll rivers in the Eifel during Feb and early Mar 45 under LXVII. AK/5. Pz.Armee.

I suspect they are not shown in the German orders of battle I’ve looked at for that period because they had been badly chewed up during December and January and had probably been reduced to remnants and these attached to larger units, such as 5. Fsch.Jg.Div. One of these divisions only had 1,800 men left on 1 March, according to German sources.

If you want to know more, I strongly urge you to obtain those manuscripts I dug out for you. To right now, I’ve got a good 2½ hours into this for you, so now it’s your turn. You can do your own research and then come back and fill in all the gaps for us.

[ZT692]

Thanks

Larry,
I sincerely appreciate the help you have provided me. I am pulling from NARA the records you suggest (and some others) and will let you know what I find, thanks again!
Steve

[Larry deZeng]

I will be looking forward to it, Steve. BTW, I just checked a comprehensive source for German divisional histories and there are none for either 18. or 26. VGD. So those manuscripts may be your best shot. Good luck, and I will be interested in what you find.

--Larry