The United States Airborne Division, 1943 to 1944
Divisional Headquarters
Headquarters Company
Military Police Platoon
Airborne Signal Company
Two Glider Infantry Regiments, each comprised of;
Regimental Headquarters Company
Service Company
Two Glider Infantry Battalions click on The United States Glider Infantry Battalion 1942 to 1944
link for more detail.
Parachute Infantry Regiment, comprised of;
Regimental Headquarters
Service Company
Three Parachute Infantry Battalions click on The United States Parachute Infantry Battalion 1942 to 1944
link for more detail.
Divisional Artillery
Headquarters and Headquarters Battery
Two Glider Field Artillery Battalions each with twelve
air-portable 75-mm pack howitzers, divided into two Batteries with six guns per
Battery.
Parachute Field Artillery Battalion with twelve air
portable 75-mm pack howitzers, divided into three Batteries of four guns each.
Additionally, a combined Anti-aircraft/Antitank Battery, with two
Platoons each of four .50-cal M2 heavy machine guns and two Platoons each of two
37-mm antitank guns.
Airborne Anti-aircraft Battalion with three Automatic Weapons Batteries and three Machine Gun Batteries. Each Automatic Weapons Battery with eight 37-mm antitank or eight 40-mm anti-aircraft guns, divided into two Platoons of four guns each. Each Machine Gun Battery with twelve .50-cal M2 heavy machine guns, divided into three Platoons of four guns each.
Divisional Engineers
Headquarters and Headquarters Company
Two Glider Engineer Companies
Parachute Engineer Company
Supply
Quartermaster Company
Repair
Ordnance Company
Quartermaster Parachute Maintenance Company (from August 1944)
Medical
Medical Company
Points of note
Amendments to the above described official structure were legion.
A key alteration concerned the ratio of Glider Infantry to Parachute Infantry Regiments, which was in theory two Glider to one Parachute. 82nd Airborne Division operated with two Parachute and one Glider Regiments in the Mediterranean, while in Normandy both the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions had three Parachute and one Glider Regiments under command.
A second Parachute Field Artillery Battalion could also be added. Also, the 75-mm guns of one of the Glider Field Artillery Battalions could be replaced by 105-mm weapons. Confusing, isnt it?
Return to...
United States Army Divisional Organisations