What is your favorite division in either army and why?

The US 36th ID (Texas National Guard) since my father served in it.

 

For me, it would have be the 82nd Airborne Division. Not because I served in it, but because of the the stories told to me as a kid by a friend of my dad's who was a seasoned veteran of the division from 1942-45. He enlisted at 16 right after Pearl Harbor, saw action and was wounded in Sicily, Salerno, Normandy, Holland, Belgium and in Germany. His unit was the 504 PIR, which of course missed out on D-Day, but he got in on the action by volunteering as a pathfinder. Some of his exploits was being captured in Holland, and escaping during a US counter-attack, and then capturing his former captors. I think that he said he was in that group that paddled across the river under fire at Nijmegan, but I will have to check with my dad about that one. Some of his experiences related to me were quite graphic, and it took the glamor out of it to say the least, but at no point did he try to talk me out of enlisting. I guess he saw that it wouldn't do any good. Sadly, he died a year before I joined up.

 

The U.S. 1st I.D. is my favorite in the in the Mediterranean. They were a solid division throughout the War.

My favorite division in the war; the U.S. 2nd I.D. and their December 1944 stand at St. Vith is underestimated and largely forgotten by historians. That is where the main German thrust was intended, the 2nd caught hell,but held their ground.

 

Intresting post A-58 I have a few books on the 82ND AA, but other than general stuff the ones i have are on the 505 PIR, and H COY 504 PIR. so would be really good, if you could post any more you know especially the Pathfinders period kind regards. Jason

 

101st Airborne Division,

The Screamin Eagles.

 

Well, I too have choose the 36th! (Not because my Dad served in it, but because it came from Texas!)

 

101st inf. div. (U.S.)
7th panzer division(Ger.)

I loved to see Rommel and Wavewell shaking hands...

 

Of course i,m a big fan of the 2nd New Zealand Division which went from a bunch of civilians standing on the parade ground with broom handles because they didn,t have rifles to being considered by the Germans as one of the elite divisions in the british military our soldiers gave a good account of themselves on all the battlefields they found themsleves on and were a major force in the allied victory in the desert war and gave good service in Italy.

I also like the German Para divisions
Australian infantry Divisions were all high quality.
U.S Marines

 

Reason why I like the 1st. They had to learn under fire. Third had the benefit of learning the mistakes the first had to make.
All US units sucked at kasserine, just too early in the war. 3rd did'nt suck, but they did get their buts handed to them at anzio. Every unit there did. No surprise, they were facing a superior army.


During World War II, the 1st Infantry Division was the first to reach England, the first to fight the enemy in North Africa and Sicily, the first on the beaches of Normandy in D-Day and the first to capture a major German City – Aachen.

The D-Day landings on June 6, 1944 provided the supreme test. In five days, the division drove inland and cleared a beachhead for supplies and troops. Driving eastward across France against fanatical resistance, the soldiers of the 1st Infantry Division spent nearly six months in continuous action with the enemy.

After capturing Aachen, the 1st Infantry Division still faced months of bitter fighting at places like the Hürtgen Forest and the Battle of the Bulge. When the War ended, the Big Red One had rolled through Germany and into Czechoslovakia

They pulled the better units for the Normandy offensive and left the mediocre units in Italy.[/QUOTE]

If all the units at Anzio got there butts kicked why didn,t the Germans capture it?,if the allies at Anzio got kicked the Germans got a fair kicking to there casulties were heavy and they failed to over run the beach head.

 

I agree with the 2nd NZ, in particular the 28th Maori batallion. I can imagine nothing scarier than being charged by a company of maori soldiers.

 

51st Highland did kick some a$$. I gotta agree with Jaegar and The Historian on page 1.

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American: 1st infantry division, 1st armored, and 101st airborne division.

German: Leibstandarte, 6th Panzer, and 19th Panzer.

Soviet: 5th Tank Guards

UK: 1st infantry division and 1st armored division.

 

1st Marine Division
82nd Airborne
101st Airborne

 

In the Mediterranean Theatre of Operations?

Regards
Kruska

 

oh probably the "Big Red One"

 

4th Indian and 51st Highland Division.!!!! My Father fought with 2nd and 5th Camerons in 4th Indian, and 5th Camerons in 51st HD from Alamein to Germany. www.keep-em-moving.co.uk

 

Very cool. Thanks for sharing.

 

I have to point out the Maori have the big rep but the other battalions in the division could kick arse just as well.

The counter attack at galatas on Crete where the germans were engaged with bayonets,rifle butts and anything else going and thrown out of the town was carried out by white New Zealanders.

The most heavy fighting in Operation crusader was carried out at Sidi Rezegh by 21st,24th,25th,26th Battalions white New Zealanders.

The Minqar Qaim breakout which left the germans still screaming 50 years later was led by the 19th battalion up front with the 20th on one flank and the 28th Maori on the other flank with the bulk of the fighting done by the 20th and 19th.

The second battle for Alamein wa carried out by 21,22,23 battalions and 24,25,26 battalions and our battalions fought brillantly taking all there objectives.

The Maori were in reserve because the operation before Alamein they had problems doing what they were told and screwed up the operation.

And in Italy in the fight to Florence the hills over looking Florence were captured by 22 Battalion and our opposition in the fighting towards Florence was 4th para division and 29th Panzer grenadier.

The Maori were good but the reality is all the other Battalions could kick just as much arse history shows it.

 

1st fallshirmjager division I don't really need to explain why do I? And the 82nd and101st airborne all tho I am am more intrested in the Germans than anything else.