I know you guys are well read. Can anyone answer this for me? What German force(s) opposed the 501st PIR at Carentan on June 13th 1944? What is the chance that the following vehicles were encountered in Normandy in June 1944? StuG IV StuG 40 Ausf F/8 StuG 40 ausf G StuH 42 Jagdpanzer IV
MD not sure about the heavier 105 stug or the jgd panzer IV but 2nd SS Pz and the 17th SS Pz. Grenadier were in the area fighting US elements. The jagpanzer IV may have been in service with the panzerjäger Abteilung of 2nd SS ? was the 116th in this area ? Will have to dig up some info from the date base. Anyone else ? ~E
Thanks. I'd appreciate it. You know for all that is written about the D-Day period, I can find little about this aspect. Even nailing down the 17th PzGr to a specific location on any date is difficult. As far as the stuG ausf F/8 is concerned, I believe they all were sent to the Eastern front and by 1944 I doubt if any were still fighting.
Md, I had access at a young age to some of the W-SS archiv back in the early 1960's through friends of the familie that were living and stationed in Europe. The 17th SS was one of the first units I had done some study on and that was before the three volumes completed and published by Hans Stober were around. This had to especially with the defunct Stug Abteilung and it's total destruction during June/July of 44. will post a little Normandie so called exclusive later tonight or tomorrow if I can for you and then you can go from there..... ~E
Perhaps you might be able to infer the presence of some of those vehicles at Carentan from the following recorded strength of the 17SS PzGr Div's panzer units as at 15 September 1944: SS Panzer Abt 17 - 5 StuG IIIs, 2 MK IIIs, 12 Flakpanzer 38Ts, 1 x mAPC SS Panzerjager Abt 17 - 4 Jagdpanzer IVs, 3 Marder IIIs, 1 x mAPC (Extracted from "Panzer Divisions, Panzer Grenadier Divisions and Panzer Brigades - Autumn 1944 - February 1945 - Their Detailed and Precise Strengths and Organisations" by J Dugdale) By mid September, although 17SS had received significant PzGr reinforcements by absorbing the 26SS and 27SS Divs, it appears that it had not received any tank reinforcements since its battering in Normandy. Hope this helps. Peter
a little correction of sorts. 17th SS Stug Abteilung was equipped with the Stug IV and lost all their units at Normandy. Also the 17th SS never had Jagdpanzer IV's at Normandie either. It is effectively covered in Hans Stobers 3 volume work that the 17th SS heavy units especially the Panzerjäger were almost inihilated during 1944 by US "jabo" attacks..... more later as I just returned from more than 10 days in the California mountains....and I can't think straight....time for a Bier ! ~E
According to "Renzezvous with Destiny" page 233, the German force consisted of the 37th (and 38th) SS Panzergrenadier Regiment of the 17th SS Panzergrenadier Division, reinforced by a company of the 17th SS Tank Battalion and a platoon of self-propelled guns of the 17th Anti-tank Battalion, plus remnants of the 6th Parachute Regiment. Question: what was the armour that equipped these units?
I believe elements of the 1/7 FJG opposed the 506th in their attack on Carentan. But don't quote me...
