Boche Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 Ive recently been looking into the airborne (PIR) OOB in CMBN I remembered then playing brothers in arms, all 3 games, and the main character been squad leader of 3rd Squad, 3rd Platoon. But ofcourse in CMBN airborne companies only have 2 squads per platoon (plus 60mm and HQ) ofcourse first you would think why trust a video game? (even BIA been such a historically backed game) so I searched it a bit deeper and found a couple of sources showing airborne (PIR) OOB to be 3 squads per platoon, some 40 men per Plt (3x12 men rifle squads + 4 man 60mm squad). in CMBN plts are 35 men. ofcourse im not trying to critizise BF, I just wanted to let it show and to ask if there was some reason to this, or maybe its me missing something. Cheers and thank you 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonS Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 The US para rifle companys had three platoons each with two sections, while the glider companys had two platoons each with three sections. In addition to a whole bunch of stuff held at Bn level (mortars, MGs, etc) PIBs had the following orgn in mid-1944: 3 Para Rifle Companies each . Company Headquarters . . Captain company commander ((P,C), first lieutenant second in command (P,C), first sergeant (P,SMG), sergeant communications (P,R), sergeant operations (P,R), 3 messenger (P,R), 3 operator radio (P,R), 5 riflemen (P,R) 3 Para Rifle Platoons each (37 men) . Platoon Headquarters (7 men) . . First lieutenant platoon leader (P,C), second lieutenant (P,C), sergeant platoon (P,SMG), corporal signal chief & code (P,R), 2 messenger (P,R), 1 operator radio (P,R) . 2 Rifle Squads each (12 men ea) . . Sergeant squad leader (P,R), corporal squad leader assistant (P,SMG), ammunition bearer (P,R), gunner light machine gun (P,LMG), gunner light machine gun assistant (P,R), 7 riflemen (P,R) . 60 mm Mortar Squad (6 men) . . Sergeant squad leader (P,SMG), 3 ammunition bearers (P,R), gunner mortar (P,R, 60mm mortar), gunner mortar assistant (P,R) [P = Pistol, C = Carbine, R = Garand, SMG = Thompson, etc] I think CMBN omits the two messengers from Pn HQ. Later in 1944 (I don't recall if it was in time for Op M-G) the org for the para companys changed to 3 platoons each of 3 sections. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akd Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 The official TO&E change to 3 squads was in December '44. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Battlefront.com Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 Yeah, there were a number of unofficial changes made for Market Garden that were then formalized in December. But they weren't around for Normandy. Well, excluding a couple we did put in because we saw evidence they were in place by then. The use of the 57mm AT Gun instead of the 37mm AT Gun, for example, was one such deviation from official TO&E. Steve 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boche Posted July 14, 2011 Author Share Posted July 14, 2011 ok thank you very much, again I was just curious. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Statisoris Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 What was the highest level of command that jumped in with the airborne infantry platoons during the invasion? Did battalion commanders jump in along with their battalion or arrive some other way later on? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boche Posted July 14, 2011 Author Share Posted July 14, 2011 What was the highest level of command that jumped in with the airborne infantry platoons during the invasion? Did battalion commanders jump in along with their battalion or arrive some other way later on? as far as I am aware of Batallion commanders did jump with there troops in the first waves. an example im currently studying, the 502 PIR, the 3 batallion commanders (Cassidy, *cant remember the name, and Cole) where on the ground early on. I dont know when the 101st CO (Taylor?) landed but he was there too, dont know if he landed via glider later on. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonS Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 Didn't Gavin - GOC of 82nd A/B - damage his back during the jump for Op M-G? Also Browning, commander of the airborne corps for M-G, flew in to Nijmegan on the first day in a glider. Ok, that was flying rather than jumping, but still. Similarly, the GOCs of 6th A/B (Normandy) and 1st A/B (Arnhem) arrived very early by either glider or 'chute (glider in both cases, I think). You can't really get much higher than those guys. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Emrys Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 I dont know when the 101st CO (Taylor?) landed but he was there too, dont know if he landed via glider later on. I'm pretty sure Taylor glidered in. I don't think he was jump qualified. Gavin jumped though. I think his first combat jump was Sicily. I don't know if he jumped at Salerno, but he jumped into Normandy and M-G. Michael 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Statisoris Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 Good info thanks, wasn't sure if high ranking guys were placed in the same chaotic/lost situation as regular paratroopers. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boche Posted July 15, 2011 Author Share Posted July 15, 2011 Well I suppose if you want to lead an airborne invasion, in ww2 especially you had no choice but to fly in the COs, since the forces are basically cut off. No use trying to radio command everything from England jeje 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LemuelG Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 What was the highest level of command that jumped in with the airborne infantry platoons during the invasion? Did battalion commanders jump in along with their battalion or arrive some other way later on? Generals Ridgeway and Gavin jumped into Normandy. And yes, battalion commanders jumped with their units. You will find colonels leading recon patrols, majors running ammo on the front line, and generals repairing vehicles under mortar fire. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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