The United States Airborne Division, 1945
Divisional Headquarters
Special Troops
Headquarters
Headquarters Company
Reconnaissance Platoon
Airborne Signals Company
Military Police Platoon
Quartermaster Company
Ordnance Company
Glider Infantry Regiment, comprised of;
Regimental Headquarters Company
Service Company
Anti-tank Company – with nine towed 57-mm antitank guns,
divided into three Platoons of three guns per Platoon.
Three Glider Infantry Battalions – click on The United States Glider Infantry Battalion 1942 to 1944
link for more detail.
Two Parachute Infantry Regiments, each comprised
of;
Regimental Headquarters
Service Company
Three Parachute Infantry Battalions – click on The United States Parachute Infantry Battalion 1945
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. One Battalion could be re-equipped with twelve 105-mm howitzers on the same basis as above.
Two Parachute Field Artillery Battalions – each with eighteen air portable 75-mm pack howitzers, divided into three Batteries of six 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 57-mm antitank guns.
Airborne Anti-aircraft Battalion – with three Automatic Weapons Batteries and three Machine Gun Batteries. Each Automatic Weapons Battery with eight 57-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
Glider Engineer Company
Two Parachute Engineer Companies
Repair
Quartermaster Parachute Maintenance Company
Medical
Medical Company
Points of note
The organisation finalised in December 1944 incorporated the numerous lessons learned in previous campaigns.
All elements of the Division were strengthened in terms of both manpower and firepower. The 57-mm antitank gun replaced the obsolete 37-mm weapon, and there were increased numbers of 75-mm pack howitzers, with 105-mm howitzers recognised as substitute equipment for at least one Battalion. The ratio of Parachute to Glider Regiments was also set at two to one.
There was little time and fewer resources to reorganise formations in theatre on this basis, with the exception of 17th Airborne Division for its role in the Rhine crossings in March 1945.
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United States Army Divisional Organisations