WWII Military History Guides

Transcription

1 WWII Military History Guides Dogfaces: The Infantry in Normandy

2 Dogfaces: The Infantry in Normandy The National WWII Museum and National History Day May be duplicated for educational purposes Dr. Cathy Gorn, Executive Director, National History Day Senior Editor: Nathan Huegen, The National WWII Museum Editor: Richard Allen With support from National History Day staff The National WWII Museum 945 Magazine Street New Orleans, LA National History Day 0119 Cecil Hall University of Maryland College Park, MD

3 Dogfaces: The Infantry in Normandy This guide covers U.S. infantry forces and Ranger infantry battalions in Normandy, and should be a helpful reference for students. All of these different units were attached to the infantry division and worked together. Although a separate unit, the Rangers are discussed in this guide since they worked in close cooperation with regular infantry units in Normandy and their experiences were similar to an infantryman s. This guide discusses the organization, tactics, and combat experiences of the men in these units: Infantry Battalion Field Artillery Battalion Ranger Infantry Battalion Infantry Techniques, : Overcoming the Trenches Technological advancements during World War I necessitated changes in infantry tactics. Dense lines of soldiers were not effective against machine guns and rapid firing artillery, but defensive systems of trenches could not be broken from a distance. To overcome these obstacles, the British developed the tank and the portable light machinegun. To take advantage of these new inventions, new tactics were developed which became known as fire and maneuver. Fire and maneuver tactics combined artillery with an infantry advance. Half of the advancing squad provided artillery fire while the other half moved in close to attack. 1 The attack would open with an artillery barrage to ensure that enemy soldiers stayed in their protective underground unable to fire at the advancing troops. After World War I, each squad was equipped with a light machinegun, allowing infantry squads to perform their own fire and maneuver attacks without a large artillery barrage. These tactics proved successful and were soon adopted by all armies and are still the standard today. In 1918, the U.S. Army issued instructions which stated that when attacking trenches: The assault on such positions must be prepared and supported by artillery directed by its own observers and agents of laiason, and by the infantry s own weapons. The close cooperation of infantry and artillery is of prime importance. On favorable ground, the artillery preparation may be completed, or even replaced, by the assault of a line of tanks. 2 Infantry fire at the enemy. Courtesy of the National Archives and Records Association. 1 Tactics and weaponry adopted as standard, Stephen Bull. World War II Infantry Tactics: Squad and Platoon. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing, 2004, Fire and maneuver, Griffith, 65-83; and the assault on such, War Department. Instructions for the Offensive Combat of Small Units, War Department Document No. 802, May, Washington: War Department, 1918, 11.

4 The Infantry Division Infantry Divisions consisted of many units but the main fighting unit was the infantry regiment. The soldiers of the regiment were supported by a field artillery battalion and, usually, by a company of tanks and a company of tank destroyers from the attached Tank Battalion and Tank Destroyer Battalion. The division could also expect support from anti-aircraft, anti-tank, and reconnaissance units, making the infantry division a combined arms organization capable of attacking and defending ground successfully. 3 An individual soldier served in one of the units below. They will be explained in detail later. Division Headquarters o Signals Company o Military Police Platoon o Quartermaster Battalion o Ordinance Light Maintenance Company o Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop o Engineer Combat Battalion o Medical Battalion o Field Artillery Battalion (Medium) o 3x Field Artillery Battalions (Light) o 3x Infantry Regiments Likely Attachments to the division: o Tank Battalion o Tank Destroyer Battalion o Anti-Aircraft Battalion (Automatic Weapons) The Infantry on the move. Courtesy of the Library of Congress. Total strength: 14,253 men and 1,440 vehicles. The main fighting strength of the division was the infantry regiments. The field artillery battalions provided artillery support. The anti-aircraft battalion protected the artillery from German bombers The engineer battalion built bridges, removed land mines from roads, and destroyed German bunkers when necessary. The reconnaissance platoon scouted for the division s regiments The medical company treated and evacuated wounded soldiers. 4 The signal company operated radios and telephone equipment to communicate with other divisions and corps headquarters. The Military Police directed traffic within the division s section of the rear. The quartermasters ensured that units received the supplies and equipment they needed to keep fighting. The cavalry reconnaissance troop performed scouting missions in fast vehicles. The Ordinance Light Maintenance Company repaired vehicles of the non combat regiments and battalions. 3 Division structure, Andrew Mollo. The Armed Forces of World War II: Uniforms, insignia and organization. New York: Crown Publishers, 1981, 151 and Gary Kennedy. The United States Infantry Division, mid 1943 to 1945, Battalion Organization during the Second World War. Accessed October 11, states_infantry_division%20mid%201943%20to% htm; and manpower and vehicle stats, Mollo, Fighting units, Kennedy, Airborne Division.

5 The Structure of the Infantry Regiment The Infantry Regiment was the primary combat unit of the division. The regiment had three battalions of infantry, supported by several heavy weapons and support companies: Infantry Regiment Headquarters Company Service Company Medical Detachment Cannon Company Anti-tank Company 3 Infantry Battalions The main fighting strength of the regiment was the 860 man Infantry Battalion. The Headquarters Company provided the staff, bodyguards, and administrative support for the regiment s commander. It also included and several soldiers who acted as radio operators, truck drivers, and messengers. The Service Company performed maintenance on the regiment s vehicles, brought supplies to the regiment s troops, and evacuated wounded soldiers to the division s medical battalion. The Medical Detachment (Surgeon, several medics, and several company aid men per rifle company) treated the casualty and attempted to stabilize the soldier and stop excessive bleeding. If the soldier was unable to walk, battalion litter teams carried him to the battalion aid station just behind the front line, where the battalion surgeon and several aid men worked to save the soldier. 5 The Cannon Company gave artillery support for the regiment at a moment s notice, using methods similar to a field artillery battalion. o Company Command (2 officers, 28 men) worked as radio operators, truck drivers, and messengers. o 3x Platoons (each: 1 officer, 1 NCO, 31 men, two 105mm howitzer cannons each towed by a truck) The Anti-tank Company (4 officers, 3 NCOs, 123 men) to protect the regiment from German tanks. 6 The anti-tank company was often broken up, with each anti-tank gun platoon being attached to one of the regiment s infantry battalions. 7 o 3x Platoons (each: 1 officer, 1 NCO, 31 men) 3x Squads: 10 men, one bazooka, one 57mm anti-tank gun towed by a truck o 1x Anti-tank Mine Platoon (1 officer, 30 men: laid anti-tank mines) 5 War Department, Infantry Battalion, 44-46, War Department. Supply and Evacuation, the Infantry Regiment; Service Company and Medical Detachment. FM 7-30, 1 June Washington: Government Printing Office, 1944 and War Department, Medical Detachment, Infantry Regiment, T/O&E February Washington: Government Printing Office, Kennedy, Infantry Division. 7 Anti-tank Company, War Department. Antitank Company, Infantry Regiment and Antitank Platoon, Infantry Battalion. FM 7-35, 15 March Washington: Government Printing Office, 1944, 1-18.

6 Infantry Battalions The 860 man Infantry battalions were the fighting part of the regiment. They were further broken down into specialized tasks: Infantry Battalion Headquarters (9 officers and 112 men) Heavy Weapons Company (8 officers and 152 men) 3 Rifle Companies (each: 6 officers and 187 men) The Headquarters (9 officers, 112 men) functioned in the same way as the regiment s headquarters company: Battalion Headquarters (Lt. Colonel, Major, Captain, 1 st Lieutenant) Company Headquarters (Captain, 1 st Lieutenant, 19 men) HQ Section (13 men) Communications Platoon (1 st Lieutenant, 22 men) Ammunition and Pioneer Platoon A&P Platoon (2 nd Lieutenant, 26 men) Carried ammunition to the battalion s companies. 8 Antitank Platoon (1 officer, 32 men with three 57-mm Antitank guns) o Platoon Headquarters (2 nd Lieutenant, Technical Sergeant, 1 man) o 3 Antitank Squads (Staff Sergeant, Corporal, 8 men) The Heavy Weapons Company (8 officers, 152 men) provided the heavy firepower which helped the battalion s infantry attack. The company had mortar and machinegun platoons: Company Headquarters (Captain, 1 st lieutenant, 26 men) Mortar Platoon (4 officers, 56 men with six 81mm mortars) Platoon Headquarters (1 st Lieutenant, 5 men) 3 Mortar Sections o Section Leader: 2 nd Lieutenant, Staff Sergeant o 2 Mortar Squads Mortar Squad (Staff Sergeant, Corporal, 6 men) 2 Machinegun Platoons (each: 1 officer, 35 men, four heavy machineguns) Platoon Headquarters (1 st Lieutenant, 5 men) 2 Machinegun Sections o Section Leader: (Staff Sergeant) o 2 Machinegun Squads Machinegun Squad (Sergeant, Corporal, 5 men) 8 Command and support units, War Department. Infantry Battalion, FM 7-20, 1 October Washington: Government Printing Office, 1944.

7 The Rifle Companies (6 officers, 187 men) each had three rifle platoons and a weapons platoon. Every other organization in the infantry division existed for the sole purpose of supporting the men in the rifle companies. 9 Company Headquarters (Captain, 1 st lieutenant, 1 st sergeant, 32 men with five bazooka rocket launchers) Weapons Platoon Platoon HQ (1 st lieutenant, technical sergeant, 4 men) Mortar section (17 men with three 60mm mortars) o Section Leader: (Staff Sergeant, 1 man) o 3 Mortar Squads Mortar Squad (Sergeant, 4 men) Machinegun section (12 men with two M1919A4 machineguns) o Section Leader: (Staff Sergeant, 1 man) o 2 Machinegun Squads Machinegun Squad (Sergeant, 4 men) 3 Rifle Platoons Platoon Headquarters (1 st or 2 nd lieutenant, technical sergeant, staff sergeant, 2 men) 3 Rifle Squads o Rifle Squad (Sergeant, corporal, 10 men) divided into 3 Teams: Able (2 man scout team) Baker (corporal, 3 men: equipped with a BAR) Charlie (sergeant, 5 men) The weapons platoon performed the same type of job that the battalion heavy weapons company performed they just had fewer, lighter weapons. Because of casualties and lack of replacements, it was not uncommon to find a 2nd lieutenant commanding a company or a corporal commanding a squad. 10 The Duties of the Soldiers To recap, the Infantry Division was the highest level, with regiments then battalions and finally companies that could have platoons and squads. The regiment s battalions were numbered (1st, 2nd, and 3rd), while the regiment s companies were lettered. 1st Battalion had A, B, C, and D Companies. 2nd Battalion had E, F, G, and H Companies. 3rd Battalion had I, K, L, and M Companies. There was no J company, for some reason no one has discovered. D, H, and M Companies were heavy weapons companies. The other nine were rifle companies. Platoons and squads were numbered (e. g. 2nd Platoon). 11 An Infantry Squad resting outside a French café. American inventor John Garand developed the M1 Garand rifle, which was the standard weapon almost all soldiers were armed with. It was a semi-automatic the soldier could fire bullets as fast as he could pull the trigger. All other armies still used the bolt action rifle, which the soldier had to pull back a metal bolt and push it back forward again to load the next bullet into the chamber before he could fire the next shot. Thus the M1 Garand gave the American rifleman more firepower than his counterpart in other armies. 9 Battalion heavy weapons company, Kennedy, Infantry Battalion. 10 Rifle company organization and jobs, Kennedy, Infantry Battalion. 11 Battalion structure and nomenclature, Gary Kennedy. The United States Infantry Battalion, mid 1943 to 1945, Battalion Organization during the Second World War. Accessed October 11,

8 An Infantry squad practices a beach assault in England before Operation Overlord. The National WWII Museum, Inc. The U.S. Army considered the M1 a battle-winning weapon and, General George S. Patton stated that the M1 was the greatest battle implement ever devised. The Army thought that infantry would be able to overwhelm an enemy with rifle fire, so the squad did not need a true light machinegun. However, while the M1 was an excellent weapon, German squads armed with the excellent MG-42 Hitler s Buzz saw, had far more firepower than American soldiers did with their M1s and Browning Automatic Rifles. To make matters worse, German troops hidden in the bocage were more likely spot the Americans and open fire first. Consequently, American soldiers tended to become pinned down by German fire and unable to move forward without help from supporting weapons. 12 The rifle squad was divided into three teams, labeled Able, Baker, and Charlie. Able team was a two man scout team which scouted as far ahead of the squad as possible while still staying in sight. Baker team was four men strong, led by the squad s corporal. The team included the squad s main firepower, a Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR). The other six men in the squad, including the squad leader, were in Charlie team. Charlie team was the squad s assault team. 13 When the squad was moving towards the enemy, Able team led the way. Once the Germans were located, the squad leader directed Baker team to a position from which it could provide covering fire. Baker and Charlie teams were supposed to fire at the Germans until the Germans became pinned down by the American fire and stopped shooting. Then Baker team would continue firing while Charlie team, led by the squad leader, moved in close to the German position and dispatched them with hand grenades and rifle fire. 14 The rifle company field manual stated that: At the first position each attacking platoon seeks to gain fire superiority over the enemy to its front by subjecting him to fire of such accuracy and intensity that the hostile fire becomes inaccurate or diminished in volume Further advances are made by successive rushes, or movement of individuals or small groups of the leading squads and platoons, or by maneuver of rear echelons. The movement of advancing elements is covered by fire of those remaining in position and by the fire of company and battalion supporting weapons and artillery This combination of fire and maneuver enables attacking rifle elements to reach positions from which they can overcome the enemy American and German weapons, Balkoski, 82-90; the greatest battle implement, George S. Patton quoted in Balkoski, 82; and Germans likely to see Americans first, Balkoski, Squad organization, Bull, Team roles, Bull, 32, At the first position, War Department. Rifle Company, Infantry Regiment. FM 7-10, 18 March Washington, Government Printing Office, 1944,

9 What was my soldier s job? This is a list of the different ranks of soldiers in the regiment, along with their most likely job. Doing further research should help determine exactly what job your soldier had in his unit. 16 Colonel: Lt. Colonel: Major: Captain: 1st Lieutenant: 2nd Lieutenant: Master Sergeant: 1st Sergeant: Tech Sergeant: Staff Sergeant: Technician 3rd Class: Sergeant: Technician 4th Class: Corporal: Technician 5th Class: PFC/Private: Commanded the regiment Commanded a battalion or was executive officer of the regiment Was a staff officer or executive officer of a battalion Commanded a company or was a staff officer Executive officer of a company Commanded a platoon Senior NCO in the regiment and a role model for the men Senior NCO in a company and served as a role model for the men More senior executive officer of a platoon, aka the platoon sergeant Executive officer of a platoon, aka the platoon sergeant Medic or radio operator Squad leader Medic, radio operator, or driver Assistant squad leader or weapon gunner, driver Medic, radio operator, or driver Rifleman or messenger 16 War Department, Infantry Battalion.

10 Field Artillery Battalion The Field Artillery Battalion provided the vital artillery support for the division s infantry, and this often meant the difference between victory and defeat on the World War II battlefield. Fortunately, the U.S. Army s artillery tactics were very sophisticated and were unsurpassed by any army in the world. 17 Each infantry division had 4 Artillery Battalions: Infantry Division 1 'Medium' Field Artillery Battalion (155mm guns: fired a 95-pound shell up to 9 miles) 3 'Light' Field Artillery Battalions (105mm guns: fired a 33-pound shell up to 7 miles) The job of the Field Artillery Battalion was to support the activities of the infantry regiments in several ways: The battalion provided artillery barrages in support of infantry attacks. During a battle, the battalion responded to requests for barrages from infantry commanders. The battalion performed counter battery fire to knock out German artillery batteries firing at American troops. The battalion also attacked German reinforcements and command posts to make it more difficult for German officers to coordinate their activities and get troops to the right place on the battlefield. 18 Regardless of equipment, the battalions were organized and functioned in the same manner. The light battalions were generally attached to an infantry regiment to provide support. The medium battalion was kept in general support of the division and assigned to fire barrages as needed. 19 The Field Artillery Battalion was further broken down into specialized tasks: Field Artillery Battalion (30 officers, 479 men, 12 guns, and 124 vehicles) Headquarters and Headquarters Battery (Lt. Colonel, 13 officers, and 132 men) Service Battery (4 officers and 62 men) Medical Detachment (1 officer and 11 men) 3 Gun Batteries (each: Captain, 3 officers, and 100 men) 17 American artillery tactics, Michael D. Doubler. Closing with the Enemy: How GIs Fought the War in Europe, Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 1994, Missions, War Department. Field Artillery Tactical Employment. FM 6-20, 5 February Washington: Government Printing Office, 1944, Division artillery, Mollo, 151; and gun characteristics, Joseph Balkoski. Beyond the Beachhead: The 29th Infantry Division in Normandy. Stackpole Books, Mechanicsburg, PA: 1999, 105.

11 Each of the 3 Gun Batteries had four guns, called A, B, and C. Each battery was commanded by a captain, with a 1st lieutenant as an assistant commander. o 4x Gun Sections (each: 10 men, with 1 gun towed by a truck) The Headquarters Company The headquarters battery provided the staff elements needed to plan fire missions, keep track of supplies, and oversee the operations of the gun batteries. The Service Company The service battery was responsible for the maintenance of the guns and the battalion s vehicles. The Medical Detachment provided treatment for sick and injured soldiers. Duties within the Field Artillery Battalion The headquarters battery provided the staff elements needed to plan fire missions, keep track of supplies, and oversee the operations of the gun batteries. The headquarters battery also had two Piper L-4 Grasshopper airplanes, a tiny airplane with no weapons, but was the airplane most feared by German soldiers because it could call on the wrath of an entire Field Artillery Battalion s bombardment. 20 Some of the battery s officers and NCOs were attached to the infantry regiment that the battalion supported, to help adjust the fire of their battery. 21 Since artillery fire could be quickly switched from target to target the division s artillery batteries were kept firing as much as possible and not kept in reserve. 22 During combat operations, a battery could be either in direct or general support of a military unit. The medium field artillery battalion was usually ally kept in general support, while the light battalions were usually used in direct support of an infantry regiment or battalion. Batteries in general support were not attached to a particular unit; instead they provided support on an as needed basis for any unit that needed artillery fire. While batteries in direct support of a unit in effect were attached to that unit, and the battery was assigned to support that particular unit with whatever artillery support they needed. Batteries providing direct support for an infantry unit An American Howitzer crew provides support fire. Courtesy of the National Archives and Records Association provided a team of forward observers (FOs) that went up to the front line with the infantry. The forward observer team consisted of several men, lead by an officer or NCO from the battery in direct support. The forward observers had a radio with which they could contact their battery to request fire missions. All men in the FO team were trained to adjust and coordinate artillery missions. In addition to ground-based FO teams, the battalion had two airplanes which they used for Forward Observation missions. Infantrymen were also trained in forward artillery observation, in case an FO team was not available or had been incapacitated. Infantrymen down to the rank of staff sergeant knew how to call for artillery missions. 23 Because guns had a range of several miles, it was very rare for the gunners to be able to see their target. Almost without exception, artillery missions were indirect; that is, the gunners received instructions by radio from an FO who could see the target. The FO radioed a description of the target ( enemy infantry, or enemy tanks, etc.) and map coordinates of the target s location to the battery s Fire Direction Center (FDC). Each battery had a fire direction center, and the battalion and division also had FDCs. The FDC decided what priority the request should receive, in relation to the other requests 20 Headquarters and Service Batteries, Balkoski, 104 and Organization, War Department. Field Artillery Battalion, Motorized, 105mm Howitzer, Truck Drawn, T/O&E September Washington: Government Printing Office, 1944 and War Department. Medical Detachment, Field Artillery Battalion, Motorized, 105mm Howitzer, Truck Drawn, T/O&E September Washington: Government Printing Office, Support options, War Department, Field Artillery, Forward observers, Balkoski and Doubler 19-20; and air observers, Balkoski,

12 being sent by other units. The FDC then performed mathematical calculations based on the target s range, elevation, and other factors. The FDC staff then took the number received from that calculation and looked up the relevant aiming instructions for that data in a binder full of artillery aiming data. The FDC could then send the aiming instructions to the guns who would perform the fire mission. If a battery FDC felt that a mission was particularly important, they could coordinate with the battalion FDC or the division FDC to get the entire battalion or even multiple battalions to fire at the target. The U.S. Army was the only army in the world to use this system, which allowed artillerymen to provide maximum support on a moment s notice to any unit in need of assistance. 24 The Fire Direction Center concept also allowed Americans to use an advanced technique called a time-on-target barrage. Most casualties from artillery fire occurred in the first few seconds of an attack, when troops might be caught outside of trenches or buildings by the unexpected barrage. American artillery batteries learned how to calculate the firing of their guns so that multiple batteries could hit an area at the same time, providing maximum damage to the target. 25 Before a planned infantry or tank attack, the FO team worked with their battery s FDC to register targets for the planned bombardment. Registering targets required preparing information on the range and elevation of the targets to be bombarded so that the FDC could calculate aiming instructions for the bombardment. At the pre-planned time, the battery or battalion bombarded the target with shells, helping the infantry attack by suppressing the German defenders (i.e. making them keep their heads down and not shoot). Once the infantry moved within yards of the barrage, the FO team ordered the battery to stop firing so that Americans were not hit by accident. Then the infantry used their firepower to keep the Germans pinned down and move in for the kill. 26 An American 240mm Howitzer just before firing at enemy forces. Courtesy of the National Archives and Records Association. The FO team could frequently request impromptu artillery missions against Germans that attacked an American unit or when an American attack stalled and needed extra help. Artillery fire needed to be adjusted to perform an impromptu fire mission, because there was not enough time to gather the precise ranging and elevation measurements needed for the FDC to calculate aiming. The Forward Observer sent map coordinates to the battery as usual. Then one gun from the battery fired a ranging shot. The Forward Observer noted where each ranging shot landed and gave the battery instructions on how to move the fire so that it hit the target ( up 200, left 50 yards, etc.). The battery would continue to fire ranging shots until one landed where the FO wanted them to, then the FO called fire for effect and the entire battery or battalion bombarded the target until the FO ordered them to cease firing Fire Direction Centers, Balkoski, Time-on-target, Doubler, 19, Bombardments, Doubler, Impromptu fire missions, Balkoski,

13 What was my soldier s job? This is a list of the different ranks of soldiers in the battalion, along with their most likely job. Doing further research should help determine exactly what job your soldier had in his unit. 28 Lt. Colonel: Major: Captain: 1st Lieutenant: 2nd Lieutenant: Master Sergeant: 1st Sergeant: Tech Sergeant: Staff Sergeant: Technician 3rd Class: Sergeant: Technician 4th Class: Corporal: Technician 5th Class: PFC/Private: Commanded the battalion Was a staff officer or executive officer of the battalion Commanded a battery or was a staff officer Executive officer of a battery Assistant executive officer of a battery Senior NCO in the battalion and a role model for the men Senior NCO in a battery and served as a role model for the men Gun section leader Gun section leader Medic or mechanic Gun section leader or maintenance team commander Gun crewman, radio operator, medic, mechanic, or truck driver Gunner, vehicle driver, or assistant maintenance team leader Gun crewman, radio operator, medic, mechanic, or truck driver Carried and loaded ammunition for a gun 28 Jobs, Balkoski, ,

14 The Ranger Infantry Battalion The Ranger battalions were specialized commando organizations used for assault or reconnaissance missions needing specialized skills. The Rangers were the best and most dependable unit in the Army, so they tended to be called upon to perform tasks which the infantry could have performed, but not necessarily as well. The Ranger battalions suffered heavy casualties in Normandy and in other campaigns later in the war. 29 The 504 man Ranger Battalion (26 officers, 478 men) was organized in the same way that a British Army commando battalion was organized: Ranger Battalion Headquarters Company (8 officers and 88 men) 6 Rifle Companies (each: 3 officers and 65 men) Each of the 6 Rifle Companies was further broken up: Company HQ (1 Captain, 1 st sergeant, 2 men) 2 Rifle Platoons: Platoon Headquarters (1 st or 2 nd lieutenant, staff sergeant, 2 men) o Mortar Section (6 men with one 60mm mortar) o 2 Assault Sections (each: Sergeant, 10 men) 2 five man teams (assault team or equipped with a BAR) 30 There were fewer officers and NCOs in the Ranger Battalion than in other similar sized units. The Rangers expected everyone to show initiative and leadership on the battlefield. The battalion did not have much in the way of support weapons and had six 81mm mortars which they could issue to rifle companies as desired, along with ten bazooka rocket launchers. This meant each platoon had access to a bazooka, which the lieutenant could assign to a soldier of choice. These were men who moved quickly and traveled light the Rangers hit fast, captured an objective, held it for a short period of time and were pulled out when reinforcements arrived, they could fight Germans day after day. 31 Army Rangers reenact an attack on a German shore emplacement. The National WWII Museum, Inc. Each squad had 2 teams that worked together to conduct the same fire and maneuver tactics used by the infantry, but with a precision forged out of months of intense training and 29 Ranger battalion usage in World War II, Robert W. Black, Rangers in World War II. New York: Ivy Books, Organization, Gary Kennedy. United States Army Ranger Battalion, Battalion Organization during the Second World War. Accessed October 11, Organization, Kennedy, Ranger Battalion.

15 selection. 32 The Rangers played a vital role on D-Day, helping the Americans secure a foothold on Omaha Beach. The Rangers were based on the British Commandos small units of highly-trained soldiers who could conduct raids on the European mainland. In 1942 an American officer, Colonel William Darby, convinced the Army that they should follow the British example. Following the success of Darby s Rangers, the Army created five more battalions. The 2nd and 5th Battalions served in Northwest Europe. 33 Rangers were handpicked volunteers and men competed to get a chance to be part of such an elite group. Their training was rigorous: long distance marches with heavy packs were frequent and if a man dropped out on even a single march, he was out of the Rangers. The training focused on long distance marches, climbing, infantry assault tactics, and hand-to-hand combat training. The 2nd and 5th Ranger Battalions trained in the United States before going to England in late Once in England, they completed their training at the Commando Depot in Achnacarry, Scotland. 34 What was my soldier s job? Army Rangers reenact the climbing of Pionte du Hoc. The National WWII Museum, Inc. This is a list of the different ranks of soldiers in the battalion, along with their most likely job. Doing further research should help determine exactly what job your soldier had in his unit. Lt. Colonel: Commanded the battalion Major: Was a staff officer or executive officer of the battalion Captain: Commanded a company or was a staff officer 1st Lieutenant: Commanded a platoon or was a staff officer 2nd Lieutenant: Commanded a platoon Master Sergeant: Senior NCO in the battalion and a role model for the men 1st Sergeant: Senior NCO in a company and served as a role model Tech Sergeant: More senior platoon sergeant Staff Sergeant: Platoon sergeant Technician 3rd Class: Medic Sergeant: Assault section or mortar section leader Technician 4th Class: Medic or radio operator Corporal Assistant: Assault section leader Technician 5th Class: Medic or radio operator PFC/Private: Rifleman Roles in the battalion, Kennedy, Ranger Battalion. 33 British Commandos, Military Intelligence Service, War Department. British Commandos. Special Series No. 1, August 9, Washington: Government Printing Office, 1942; Churchill s plan for raids on Europe, B. H. Liddell Hart, Strategy: The Classic Book on Military Strategy. New York: Meridian, 1991, 367; Darby and the 1st Battalion, William O. Darby. Darby s Rangers: We Led the Way. San Raphael, CA: Presidio Press, 1980; and other battalions, Black. 34 Ranger selection and training, Ronald L. Lane. Rudder s Rangers. Manassas, VA: Ranger Associates, 1979, Jobs, Kennedy, Ranger Battalion.

16 Tank Battalion Each infantry division could expect to receive at least one tank battalion, which tended to stay attached to a division for long periods of time. However, the battalion was independent of the division and was controlled by the General Headquarters (GHQ) of the Army Ground Forces, so they were often referred to as GHQ tank battalions. They were usually broken up, with each company or platoon being assigned to a particular infantry regiment or infantry battalion. The tank battalion s units would be attached to a unit for a particular attack and then withdrawn back to the control of the GHQ tank battalion. About half of the Army s tanks ended up assigned to one of these GHQ tank battalions. The rest were divided up amongst the Army s sixteen armored divisions. 36 Tanks were very powerful units which excelled at working with infantry to capture objectives. However they were bad at defending territory since they were such large targets, so they were placed in reserve in the rear area until they were needed for another attack. 37 Since tanks were armed with a long range cannon and machineguns that could hit a target 800 or more yards away, tanks were best suited to working in open terrain like rolling hills and fields. Even under these conditions, tanks needed to work closely with infantry to be most effective. The tanks and infantry formed a team the tanks helped eliminate German machineguns and infantry squads which slowed the American infantry advance and the infantry protected the tanks from German anti-tank teams and helped the tanks spot targets (tank crews have only a small field of view from inside the tank). In the claustrophobic bocage country of Normandy, close cooperation with infantry was absolutely vital to the survival of the tank crewmen. The tank battalion field manual noted that: Each commander must understand that his unit is only part of a team and that he must work in close cooperation with all other units. Teamwork is obtained by combined training. Tanks can take terrain but they cannot hold it. Tanks must not be expected to neutralize an objective for a long period of time. 38 In combat, the tank battalion used much the same tactics as the infantry. Each tank was assigned to a rifle platoon or rifle squad. Tanks suppressed German positions with their cannon and machineguns so that their infantry could move up or another tank/infantry team could advance. See the Armored Guide for more details on the Armored Battalion. A tank is accompanied by a squad of soldiers from the 60 th Infantry Regiment. Courtesy of the National Archives and Records Association 36 Mollo, Roles, War Department. Tank Battalion. FM 17-33, December Washington: Government Printing Office, 1944., Armament, War Department, Tank Battalion, 11, 13; favorable terrain, War Department, Tank Battalion, 3; tank-infantry cooperation, War Department. Tank-Infantry Teamwork, Combat Lessons No. 9, Accessed October 11, and the cooperation of all, 2; the cooperation, Tank Battalion, 2.

17 Summary: Infantry Combat in Normandy The infantry did most of the hard fighting and the dying during the war. Infantrymen accounted for just 14% of the Army Ground Forces manpower during World War II, yet suffered 70% of its battle casualties. Infantry were not very glamorous, but they were very important, accounting for about 2/3 of the Army s divisions during WWII. Within the infantry division, infantrymen suffered 92% of casualties. Artillerymen accounted for another 4%, with the last 4% spread among the other types of units. Once a division was sent into combat, they tended to stay in combat the 90th Infantry Division accumulated 308 days of combat experience from Normandy to Germany, more than any other American combat division in the Army. 39 The Army saw the rifleman as the key to victory in infantry combat. Infantry in a French forest. The National WWII Museum, Inc. American tanks did not have an easier time than the infantrymen. The American Sherman tank was quite vulnerable to German anti-tank weapons. Its armor simply was not thick enough to protect it from German shells and anti-tank rockets and it had a high-profile, making it easy to spot and to hit. When the Sherman did get hit it often burned, because of poorly designed ammunition storage compartments. American soldiers called the Sherman the Ronson, after a brand of cigarette lighter. Ronson s advertisements boasted that Ronson always lights the first time. German units bristled with anti-tank weapons, each one capable of destroying a Sherman. The Germans even developed a portable, disposable one shot anti-tank rocket launcher called the panzerfaust. German squads tended to have two or three of these weapons. When German tanks were encountered, the situation got even worse. Lt. General Lesley McNair, commander of the Army Ground Forces, decreed that American tanks should be designed and armed with weapons best suited to fighting infantry. American tank cannons and anti-tank guns were not as powerful as their German counterparts. German guns could easily penetrate the armor of American tanks, while American tank crews generally had to maneuver for shots against the weaker side armor of the German vehicles. Even the tank destroyer battalions did not have the firepower to tackle German tank units head on instead they tried to use cunning and surprise to ambush German tanks from the side or the rear. 40 Faced with these difficulties, soldiers learned to use teamwork to defeat their enemies. The American tank crews helped the infantry suppress and assault German infantry and the infantrymen returned the favor by protecting the tanks from German anti-tank units. The soldiers could also call on assistance from Army Air Forces fighter planes armed with bombs or rockets to destroy German tanks and from artillery batteries to bombard German infantry Infantry strength and casualties, Doubler, 240;number of infantry divisions, Lone Sentry: Photographs, Documents, and Research on World War II. Campaigns of U.S. Army Divisions in Europe, North Africa, and Middle East. Accessed October 12, casualties within the infantry division, John C. McManus. The Deadly Brotherhood: The American Combat Soldier in World War II. New York: Ballantine Books, 1998, 3; 90th Division in most combat, Doubler, American tanks versus German tanks, Cooper, Teamwork, Tank-Infantry Teamwork; and air support, Doubler,