Active 1943–45 Branch Luftwaffe Role Airborne forces | Country Nazi Germany Type Fallschirmjäger Size Division | |
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The 3rd Parachute Division was an elite military unit of Nazi Germany's Luftwaffe that was active during World War II. Its formation began in October 1943 in France near Reims. From February 1944 near Brest. In March 1944 division was reinforced by soldiers from the 3rd Battalion of the 1st Parachute Regiment.
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Operational history
The 3rd Parachute Division was an airborne division which fought during World War II. It was formed during 1943-44 around a cadre consisting of the veteran 3rd Battalion, 1st Parachute Regiment. The Division was well equipped with 930 MG42s. Each company had 20 MG 42s and 43 sub machine guns while a squad had 2 MG42s and 5 sub machine guns.
In comparison, its main opponent, the 29th Infantry Division had just 2 M1919 machine guns and 9 BARS per company and a squad had just one BAR. The 3rd Parachute Division had 3 times as many mortars and with larger calibre. So it had between six and twenty times more firepower. It arrived in Normandy on 10 June, by truck after a night drive from Brittany. It was at full strength and consisted of young German volunteers, and numbered 15,976 soldiers and officers. Its level of training and excellent weapon systems prompted the commander of 29th Infantry Division to remark, "Those Germans are the best damned soldiers I ever saw. They're smart and they don't know what 'fear' means. They come in and they keep coming until they get their job done or you kill 'em."
The division went into combat in June 1944 in Normandy and inflicted heavy losses on the Allied forces opposing them. In August it was near virtually destroyed by mass aerial bombing in the area of Falaise. Formed again in Belgium thanks to replacements from 22nd, 51st, 53rd Luftwaffe Field Regiments. During September 1944 it fought as a part of Kampfgruppe "Becker" in Arnhem area before participating in the Battle of Hürtgen Forest. It surrendered in April 1945 to American troops in Ruhr.
Commanding officers
Organization in June 1944
Commander: General Major Schimpf