Diorama problem

There were several instances throughout 1944 where Airborne and Army troops were involved together in battles. Anytime during D-Day or during the days immediately after it, airborne troops were scattered all over the battlefield and many temporarily joined up with army units coming inland. During operation Market Garden it would be appropriate to have U.S. Airborne mixed with British Army troops during isolated battles on the drive toward Arnhem. Anywhere in the Bastogne pocket, Airborne and Army soldiers were both isolated and fought together. I'm sure there are other examples, these are just the most obvious.

Foster

Point of order. Airborne is part of US Army. So to say

QUOTE: Airborne and Army soldiers were both isolated and fought together

is like a double negative. They are all Army soldiers. The non Airborne Infantry are Light Infantry, or Regular Infantry, or Mechanized Infantry depending on what Division they are assigned to.

Couldn't just let it ride, sorry.

Alas, I concur though, Regular Infantry and Airborne Infantry did fight together at the times mentioned.

I stand corrected.

Although my Dad (82d Airborne 1956 - 1960) never considered the Airborne to be part of the Army. Probably why he gained and lost stripes like socks and finished his tour as a lowly Private.

Foster

This is a response for the german side. www.feldgrau.com will give you info on almost all German divisions and the battles they fought. I think this will help with regards to correct uniforms, vehicles, insignia, etc..

You might want to look up the history of the 3rd Infantry division... It might help you quite a bit....

Wow... no wonder we won the war, with those kind of odds. A division (10k -15k troops) attaking a squad (9-10 troops). I think those comabt ratios would have made short work of the enemy, or an extreme tie up of manpower...... (I'm teasing you. )

With the anniversary of D-Day still fresh there are a slew of book availiable for reference right now that give all kinds of great info. Orders of Battle, etc. that are priceless bits of info and will show you who fought who and what groups were brought into play.
Here's a couple of links that should help.


http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/documents/ETO-OB/ETOOB-TOC.htm
http://www.grunts.net/army/infantry1.html

Good luck and be sure to keep us updated. Sounds like quite the diorama.

On D-Day , there were several airborne paratroop divisions dropped inland (101st, 82nd, & British 6th) as well as infantry divisions that came in on gliders to create openings for the waterborne infantry and armor that was assaulting the beaches. After linking up, often and throughout they fought together. Your desire to have them fighting together would be appropriate.