Unit rosters

[sburke]

I always appreciated scenarios (Devil's Descent, Sherrif of Oosterbeek from CMBN and Ramadi from CMSF by LLF) that had edited in genuine individuals for historical scenarios and then it dawned on me I could create templates for that in the same way you can create Unit templates. So I started out with the US airborne units just because I have a fair amount of material. I am trying to find more Battalion history info as they are more likely to identify squad and platoon leaders.

I am working on a 505th roster for MG and scenario file right now and will start the 504th afterwards then likely the 506th. Will also be working on D Day files and possibly Italy.

This is what I am working from so far.

An Irresistible Force Nordyke 505th PIR

Hell's Highway George Koskimaki 101st

Battle of the Bridges Frank Van Lunteren 504th PIR

September Hope John McManus 82nd and 101st

No Victory in Valhalla Ian Gardner 3/506th PIB

Deliver us from Darkness Ian Gardner 3/506th PIB

Tonight we Die as Men Ian Gardner 3/506th PIB

Nijmegen: U. S. 82nd Airborne And Guards Armoured Division Tim Saunders 82nd

Hell's Highway: U.S. 101st Airborne -1944 Tim Saunders 101st

The Island: Nijmegen to Arnhem Tim Saunders 82nd and 101st

I also found this site, unfortunately it doesn't list rank or role, but I may still use it to create a 2/505th names file as a mod for folks playing scenarios with that unit out of respect for the men who served in it.

http://www.505rct.org/membership.asp

If anyone knows any other detailed unit listings for these or frankly any other unit, I'd be interested. I haven't yet delved into the material I have on the British 1st Airborne.

The idea here is if you are working on a scenario with any of these units, you just import the units from the roster scenario file and then edit out what you don't want. You'll now have a personalized roster for the unit.

[Pak40]

All American All the way: 82nd Div in WWII by Phil Nordyke

I've only read some of the D-Day text so far but it's very detailed with lots of names, especially officers. Very descriptive accounts of small unit action with lots of 1st person quotes. I imagine the MG chapters will be just as detailed. It's a fairly big book with over 850+ pages with the index.

[A Canadian Cat]

That sounds brilliant - looking forward to seeing this.

[mjkerner]

Another vote for Nordyke. I have all his books on the 82nd; the regimental ones repeat a lot of what's in his All American opus, but also add a lot more info.

I also highly recommend Clay Blair's "Ridgeway's Paratroopers", covering all US Airborne units in WWII (as low as $0.01 for hardcover!), and Leonard Rapport's "Rendezvous with Destiny" (re-printed in 2001, and only about $17 hardcover) for the 101st AB Div.

http://www.amazon.com/Ridgways-Paratroopers-American-Airborne-World/dp/0385278888/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=&qid=

http://www.amazon.com/Rendezvous-Destiny-History-Airborne-Division/dp/1568523726

[sburke]

This is turning out to be a bit less info than I'd hoped. Going through deliver us from darkness figuring as a battalion history it would have more info, but it is surprising how few I can nail down. I can't even identify all the platoon leaders.

[mjkerner]

Sorry, but yes, going down to platoon leader level is probably going to require Morning Reports or some such info in the US Army archives (forgot the official name). Or maybe some dedicated unit websites or sumfink. I have the official division histories for the 1, 3, 9, 27, 28, and 32 U.S. Infantry Divisions, and 4th Marine Div, and I don't recall any of them giving a roster down to that level.

[mjkerner]

Have at it!

http://www.archives.gov/st-louis/military-personnel/morning-reports-and-unit-rosters.html

[Pak40]

Have at it!

http://www.archives.gov/st-louis/military-personnel/morning-reports-and-unit-rosters.html

Now all he needs to do is hire a researcher or drive to St. Louis

[Ithikial_AU]

For the scenarios I've made and making I've always kept a record of the officers and other key personnel taking part for later incorporation into the editor. I think it's a nice little addition at the tail end of scenario design and adds a bit more to setting the feel.

For the Operation Windsor (Carpiquet) campaign I'm making I've managed to source pretty much all of the officers from Company Command up that took part on both sides. Bit of an effort but worth it. You'll find the names scattered across the research sources you use. Organising them and saving the material is the tough bit.

[mjkerner]

Now all he needs to do is hire a researcher or drive to St. Louis

I know! I checked into this last year for my dad's outfit, but the database wasn't online, but wasn't able make it there. I still hope to spend a week there next spring.

[Pak40]

This is turning out to be a bit less info than I'd hoped. Going through deliver us from darkness figuring as a battalion history it would have more info, but it is surprising how few I can nail down. I can't even identify all the platoon leaders.

Check out the Phil Nordyke books. I couldn't find a list of officers so you'll have to actually read them to find the information you want, more than likely. But as I was reading about the D-Day campaign there were many passages about specific local battles or trooper's 1st person accounts. Often the passages mentioned an officer and listed the company & regiment to which he belonged. As you read through the material you can certainly jot down the name, rank, unit, and date of death if applicable and probably end up with a fairly comprehensive list of officers by the end of the books.

[sburke]

Check out the Phil Nordyke books. I couldn't find a list of officers so you'll have to actually read them to find the information you want, more than likely. But as I was reading about the D-Day campaign there were many passages about specific local battles or trooper's 1st person accounts. Often the passages mentioned an officer and listed the company & regiment to which he belonged. As you read through the material you can certainly jot down the name, rank, unit, and date of death if applicable and probably end up with a fairly comprehensive list of officers by the end of the books.

That is pretty much what I am doing. . You'd be surprised once you start building the list how often they will list for example sergeants in a platoon, but not mention which squad. Also as the unit takes casualties they may mention so and so took over a platoon or company, but you don't know what the guy was doing before. I have seen that with the company xo taking over in MG so I at least knew where the guy came from. There are a lot of Lts floating around a battalion is one thing I have learned.