D-DAY - UNITS

82nd Airborne Division (Utah Beach)


Omar N. Bradley
Matthew B. Ridgway
James M. Gavin
William E. Ekman
Frederick C. Kellman
Arthur M. Stephanich

Benjamin H. Vandervoort
Edward C. Krause
George V. Millet
Charles Timmes
Roy E. Creek
Roy E.Linquist

Gerald A. Ruddy
Thomas J. Shanley
Louis G. Mendez
Malcom D. Brannen
Joe B. Gault
Francis A. March
 
In April 1943, after several months of tough training, its troopers deployed to the Mediterranean Theater of Operations, under the command of Major General Ridgway to take part in the campaign to invade Sicily. The division's first two combat operations were parachute assaults into Sicily on 9 July and Salerno on 13 September 1943. The initial assault on Sicily, by the 505th Parachute Regimental Combat Team, under Colonel Gavin, was the first regimental-sized combat parachute assault conducted by the United States Army. Glider troopers of the 319th and 320th Glider Field Artillery Battalions and the 325th Glider Infantry Regiment (and the 3rd Battalion of the 504th PIR) instead arrived in Italy by landing craft at Maiori (319th) and Salerno (320th, 325th).
In January 1944, the 504th, commanded by Colonel Reuben Tucker, which was temporarily detached to fight at Anzio. The 504th was replaced in the division by the inexperienced 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment, under the command of Colonel George V. Millet, Jr.. While the 504th was detached, the remainder of the 82nd Airborne Division moved to the United Kingdom in November 1943 to prepare for the liberation of Europe.
In preparation for the operation, the division was significantly reorganized. To ease the integration of replacement troops, rest, and refitting following the fighting in Italy, the 504th PIR did not rejoin the division for the invasion. Two new parachute infantry regiments, the 507th and the 508th, provided it, along with the veteran 505th, a three-parachute infantry regiment punch. The 325th was also reinforced by the addition of the 3rd Battalion of the 401st GIR, bringing it up to a strength of three battalions.
 
      
 
Commanding General: Major General Matthew B. Ridgway  [view folder]
Assistant Commanding: Brigadier General James M. Gavin  [view folder]
G-1 : Lt. Colonel Frederick M. Schellhammer  [view folder]
G-2: Lt. Colonel Jack Whitfield  [view folder]
G-3: Lt. Colonel Robert H. Wienecke  [view folder]
G-4: Lt. Colonel Bennie A. Zinn  [view folder] (WIA 7 June 44)
G-5:
Chaplain: Lt. Colonel George L. Riddle  [view folder]
Surgeon: Lt. Colonel Wolcott L. Etienne  [view folder] (WIA 6 June 44)
 
  505th Parachute Infantry Regiment: Colonel William E. Ekman  [view folder]
      Hq & HqCompany: Captain Talton Long  [view folder]
      Service Company:
    1st Battalion: Major Frederick C. Kellman  [view folder] (KIA 6 June 44)
      Hq Company: 1st Lieutenant Robert D. Keeler
      Company A: 1st Lieutenant John J. Dolan  [view folder]
      Company B: 1st Lieutenant James M. Irvin  [view folder]
      Company C: Captain Arthur M. Stephanich  [view folder]
    2nd Battalion: Lt. Colonel Benjamin H. Vandervoort  [view folder]
      Hq Company: 1st Lieutenant James Gray  [view folder]
      Company D: Captain Taylor G. Smith  [view folder]
      Company E: Captain Clyde Russell  [view folder]
      Company F: Captain Hubert Bass  [view folder] (WIA 6 June 44)
    3rd Battalion: Lt. Colonel Edward C. Krause  [view folder]
      Hq Company:
      Company G: Captain Robert Follmer  [view folder] (WIA 6 June 44)
      Company H: Captain Walter C. DeLong  [view folder]
      Company I: Captain Harold H. Swingler  [view folder]
 
  507th Parachute Infantry Regiment: Colonel George V. Millett  [view folder] (POW 8 June 44)
      Hq & Hq Company:
      Service Company: Captain Robert D. Rae  [view folder]
    1st Battalion: Lt. Colonel Edwin J. Ostberg  [view folder]
      Hq Company:
      Company A: Captain James R. Nunn  [view folder]
      Company B: Captain Chester B. McCoid  [view folder]
      Company C: Captain Frank M. Sanford  [view folder]
    2nd Battalion: Lt. Colonel Charles Timmes  [view folder]
      Hq Company:
      Company D: Captain Clarence A. Tolle  [view folder]
      Company E: Captain Roy E. Creek  [view folder]
      Company F: Captain Paul F. Smith  [view folder]
    3rd Battalion: Lt. Colonel Arthur A. Maloney  [view folder]
      Hq Company:
      Company G: Captain Floyd B. Schwartzwalder  [view folder]
      Company H: Captain Allen W. Taylor  [view folder]
      Company I: Captain Gordon S. Allyn  [view folder]
 
  508th Parachute Infantry Regiment: Colonel Roy E. Lindquist  [view folder]
      Hq & Hq Company: Captain Robert Abraham  [view folder]
      Service Company:
    1st Battalion: Lt. Colonel Herbert Batcheller  [view folder] (KIA 6 June 44)
      Hq Company: Captain Gerald A. Ruddy  [view folder] (KIA 6 June 44)
      Company A: Captain Jonathan E. Adams  [view folder]
      Company B: Captain Royal R. Taylor  [view folder]
      Company C: Captain Walter Silver  [view folder]
    2nd Battalion: Lt. Colonel Thomas J. Shanley  [view folder]
      Hq Company: Captain Chester E. Graham  [view folder]
      Company D: 1st Lieutenant Norman MacVicar  [view folder]
      Company E: Captain Eugene Hetland  [view folder]
      Company F: Captain Francis E. Flanders  [view folder]
    3rd Battalion: Lt. Colonel Louis G. Mendez  [view folder]
      Hq Company: 1st Lieutenant Malcom D. Brannen  [view folder]
      Company G: Captain Frank J. Novak  [view folder]
      Company H: Captain Hall M. Creary  [view folder]
      Company I: 1st Lieutenant John J. Daly  [view folder]
 
  325th Glider Infantry Regiment: Colonel Harry L. Lewis  [view folder]
      Hq Company:
    1st Battalion: Lt Colonel Richard K. Boyd  [view folder] (WIA 7 June 44)
      Hq Company:Captain Alex Bishop
      Company A: 1st Lieutenant James A. Gayley  [view folder] (KIA 7 June 44)
      Company B: Captain Richard M. Gibson  [view folder]
      Company C: Captain Dave E. Stokley  [view folder] (WIA 9 June 44)
    2nd Battalion: Lt. Colonel John H. Swenson  [view folder] (WIA 11 June 44)
      Hq Company: Captain Herbert Slaughter
      Company E: Captain Robert Dickerson  [view folder] (WIA 11 June 44)
      Company F: 1st Lieutenant Joe B. Gault  [view folder]
      Company G: Captain Irvin Bloom (KIA 11 June 44)  [view folder]
    3rd Battalion (2/401st GIR): Lt. Colonel Charles A. Carrell  [view folder]
      Hq Company: Captain Lewis S. Mentlik  [view folder] (KIA 14 June 44)
      Company I (E/401): Major Charles Murphy  [view folder] (WIA 9 June 44)
      Company K (G/401): Captain James M. Harney  [view folder]
      Company L (G/401): Captain John B. Sauls   [view folder](WIA 9 June 44)
 
  82nd Division Artillery: Colonel Francis A. March  [view folder]
    80th Airborne AA Bn.: Lt. Colonel Raymond E. Singleton  [view folder]
      Hq Battery:
      Battery A: Captain Norman Nelson  [view folder]
      Battery B: Captain Nick Russell  [view folder]
      Battery C: Captain William Pratt  [view folder]
      Battery D: Captain Norman Connell  [view folder]
      Battery E: Captain James Sherman  [view folder]
      Battery F: Captain Choice Rucker  [view folder]
    319th Glider Field Artillery Bn.: Lt. Colonel James C. Todd  [view folder]
      Hq Battery: Lieutenant Frank B. Pool  [view folder]
      Battery A: Lieutenant Charles L. Sartain, Jr  [view folder]
      Battery B:
      Battery C:
      Battery D:
    320th Glider Field Artillery Bn.: Lt. Colonel Paul E. Wright  [view folder]
      Hq Battery:
      Battery A:
      Battery B:
      Battery C:
      Battery D:
    456th Parachute Field Artillery Bn.: Lt. Colonel Wagner J. d'Alessio  [view folder]
      Hq Battery:
      Battery A: Captain Herman L. Alley
      Battery B:
      Battery C:
 
  307th Airborne Engineer Bn.: Lt. Colonel Robert S. Palmer  [view folder] (POW 6 June 44)
    Hq Company:
    Company A:
    Company B: Captain William H. Johnson  [view folder]
    Company C:
   
  307th Airborne Medical Company: Major William H. Houston  [view folder] (KIA 6 June 44)
  82nd Airborne Military Police Pl.: Major Frederick G. McCollum  [view folder]
  82nd Airborne Signal Company: 1st Lieutenant Robert B. Nerf  [view folder]