Jaldaen Posted February 28, 2002 Share Posted February 28, 2002 I was wondering what types of artillery were dropped with airborne units in the D-day airborne drop... specifically with the US airborne units... Thanks, Joseph PS: Beyond Bolero is coming... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IronChef4 Posted February 28, 2002 Share Posted February 28, 2002 I'd have to say 81mm and 60mm mortars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve McClaire Posted February 28, 2002 Share Posted February 28, 2002 Both the 82nd and 101st had some divisional artillery come in by glider (75mm pack howitzers) on the first night, though the night glider landings were not very successful. After D-Day both divisions were also reinforced with the rest of their divisional units (landing via Utah beach) as well as an additional Field Artillery battalion (probably 105mm) attached on D-Day or shortly thereafter (101st had one attached to them very late on D-Day, 82nd by D+2). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Croda Posted February 28, 2002 Share Posted February 28, 2002 Ya, 75mm Howitzers were the standard that the Airborne Artillery could take down on the gliders. They actually brought them down in about 9 pieces and had to assemble them on the ground and in the dark. Nice, eh? I have Rendezvous with Destiny right next to me if anyone needs me to look up anything specific. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conscript Bagger Posted February 28, 2002 Share Posted February 28, 2002 How were they fixed for AT guns in the early hours/days? I'd think they lost a lot of them in glider crashes too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaldaen Posted February 28, 2002 Author Share Posted February 28, 2002 Originally posted by Croda: Ya, 75mm Howitzers were the standard that the Airborne Artillery could take down on the gliders. They actually brought them down in about 9 pieces and had to assemble them on the ground and in the dark. Nice, eh? I have Rendezvous with Destiny right next to me if anyone needs me to look up anything specific.What about 81mm mortars?Were they dropped in Normandy as Iron Chef suggests? Also would the 75mm howitzers be available for company (or two) of US Airborne attempting to take a small village and bridge the day after the initial drop? -Joseph [ February 28, 2002, 01:53 PM: Message edited by: Jaldaen ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaldaen Posted March 1, 2002 Author Share Posted March 1, 2002 Just a bumb to see if anyone knows... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Croda Posted March 1, 2002 Share Posted March 1, 2002 I believe that 60 mortars were the only ones dropped. I'm not certain about the arty, but will check on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve McClaire Posted March 1, 2002 Share Posted March 1, 2002 US parachute battalions had an 81mm mortar battery, so it is possible a company (as the battalion main effort) would get them as fire support. I think it's unlikely a company or two of paratroops would get the 75mm howitzers in support unless they were attempting something really important. But you never know -- US artillery was pretty flexible, and if they were in a desperate situation, paratroops around Utah could probably have gotten all sorts of stuff as emergency artillery support. As for AT guns, I believe both divisions landed (or attempted to) about half their AT batteries by glider (which would be about 16 x 57mm AT guns). The rest coming in w/ the glider battalions and the other seaborne parts of the division. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Emrys Posted March 1, 2002 Share Posted March 1, 2002 As I recall, the paratroops of both divisions got 105mm arty support pretty quickly if they were close to the beach. This was due to the battalions of SP arty coming across the beach. Further inland, they mostly did without. There was some naval gunfire support, but I think it was mostly accidental, directed from aircraft spotters rather than from on the ground. Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Young Posted March 1, 2002 Share Posted March 1, 2002 The 101st had three battalions of arty attached in Normandy, the 377th (75mm pack howitzers), 321st(105mm M3's), and 907th(105mm M3's). The only battalion that came in on the first night was the 377th. It lost all it's guns and they were not replaced until June 20th. The other two battalions came in over the beach or in daylight drops and were at or near full strength. The 82nd had three battalions drop at night, the 376th and 456th(75mm Pack) and the 319th(105mm M3's). The 376th lost all its guns and they were replaced on the 20th like above. The 456th and 319th did manage to salvage about half the guns dropped and were in action after the 8th of June. The 320th Battalion(105mm M3's) came in over the beach and was at full strength. Each infantry regiment had 12 81mm mortars that were dropped or came in in gliders. A lot of them were lost in the dark. E Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve McClaire Posted March 1, 2002 Share Posted March 1, 2002 Totally off-topic, but ... Originally posted by Eric Young:...Eric Young? Is there a Mad Bunny in the house? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Young Posted March 1, 2002 Share Posted March 1, 2002 E Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaldaen Posted March 1, 2002 Author Share Posted March 1, 2002 So probably the best bet would be an 81mm art spotter then at least for the day after D-Day... further along there would be more support... -Joseph Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaldaen Posted March 1, 2002 Author Share Posted March 1, 2002 Double post... grrr... [ March 01, 2002, 11:23 AM: Message edited by: Jaldaen ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Young Posted March 2, 2002 Share Posted March 2, 2002 If I were making a June 6th scenario I would not give them any support. June 7-8th 60's and or 80's. June 9th+ support listed above plus some cruiser guns from time to time. E Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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