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Battle of the Bulge order of battle

From Wikipedia - Reading time: 23 min

Map contrasting German objectives for the Battle of the Bulge with the actual furthest extent of penetration.

The Ardennes Counteroffensive, commonly known as the Battle of the Bulge, was a massive military operation undertaken by Nazi Germany in southern Belgium and northern Luxembourg which lasted from 16 December 1944 until 25 January 1945. The intent of the offensive was to split the ground forces of the Western Allies from each other and encourage them to make peace with Germany, leaving all of Germany's military might to fight off the resurgent USSR.

The operation was conceived entirely by German head of state and armed forces chief Adolf Hitler. The plan was vigorously opposed by the two ranking generals who would oversee the assault, who saw only a waste of men and material with little chance of success. The Führer dismissed all objections, convinced that the elite German forces would roll over the war-weary and/or inexperienced American formations in the Ardennes Forest and drive all the way to the English Channel port of Antwerp.

In order to mislead any Allied intelligence personnel who might discover the plan, it was given the defensive sounding name Wacht am Rhein, meaning "watch on the Rhine".

The order of battle presented here reflects a point near the end of the campaign. As with any large army organization in extended combat, forces and their assignments shifted over the course of the battle. For example, when the German attack began on 16 December, the US 7th Armored Division was assigned to XIII Corps, US Ninth Army, 12th Army Group. Later that day, its alignment became VIII Corps, US First Army, 12th Army Group. On 20 December, the alignment switched to XVIII Corps, US First Army, 12th Army Group — and later that day to XVIII Corps, US First Army, 21st Army Group. On 18 January 1945, the alignment changed one last time, to XVIII Corps, US First Army, 12th Army Group — as it is given in the following hierarchy. This OOB — specifically, at a point near the end of the battle, which lasted from 16 December 1944 until 25 January 1945.

See for Allied and German Orders of Battle: December 1944 & January 1945: (Tucker-Jones pp 263–287)

High-level orders of battle

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Axis

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Theatre and army group commanders
Gerd von Runstedt
Walter Model

Oberbefehlshaber West
Generalfeldmarschall Gerd von Rundstedt[a]

Heeresgruppe B
Generalfeldmarschall Walter Model[b]

Armies deployed North to South:

Nazi Germany Sixth Panzer Army (Northern Sector)
Oberstgruppenführer der Waffen SS Josef "Sepp" Dietrich[c]
I SS Panzer Corps (SS-Gruppenführer Hermann Priess)
II SS Panzer Corps (SS-Obergruppenführer Willi Bittrich)
LXVII Corps (Generalleutnant Otto Hitzfeld)
Nazi Germany Fifth Panzer Army (Central Sector)
General der Panzertruppen Hasso von Manteuffel[d]
XXXIX Panzer Corps (General der Panzertruppe Karl Decker)
XLVII Panzer Corps (General der Panzertruppen Heinrich Freiherr von Lüttwitz)
LVIII Panzer Corps (General der Panzertruppen Walter Krüger)
LXVI Corps (General der Artillerie Walter Lucht)
Nazi Germany Seventh Army (Southern Sector)
General der Panzertruppen Erich Brandenberger
LIII Corps (General der Kavallerie Edwin von Rothkirch)
LXXX Corps (General der Infanterie Franz Beyer)
LXXXV Corps (General der Infanterie Baptist Kniess)

Allies

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Allied theatre commander
United States Dwight D. Eisenhower
Allied army group commanders
Bernard L. Montgomery
United States Omar N. Bradley

Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Forces
General of the Army Dwight D. Eisenhower

Armies deployed North to South:

21st Army Group
Field Marshal Sir Bernard Law Montgomery
UK XXX Corps (Lt-Gen. Brian G. Horrocks)
12th Army Group
Lieutenant General Omar N. Bradley
US First Army (Lieut. Gen. Courtney H. Hodges)
V Corps (Maj. Gen. Leonard T. Gerow)
VII Corps (Maj. Gen. J. Lawton Collins)
XVIII Airborne Corps (Maj. Gen. Matthew B. Ridgway)
US Third Army (Lieut. Gen. George S. Patton Jr.)
III Corps (Maj. Gen. John Millikin)
VIII Corps (Maj. Gen. Troy H. Middleton)
XII Corps (Maj. Gen. Manton S. Eddy)
Allied air forces
US Strategic Air Forces in Europe (General Carl Spaatz)
US Eighth Air Force (Strategic) (Lt. Gen. James H. Doolittle)
US Ninth Air Force (Tactical) (Lt. Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg)
Royal Air Force
Bomber Command (Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur "Bomber" Harris)
Fighter Command (Air Marshal Sir Roderic Hill)
Second Tactical Air Force (Air Marshal Sir Arthur Coningham)

Axis forces

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Sixth Panzer Army (Northern Sector)

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Main article: Sixth Panzer Army
Josef "Sepp" Dietrich

Oberstgruppenführer der Waffen SS Josef "Sepp" Dietrich[e]

Army-level units
683rd Heavy Antitank Battalion
217th Assault Panzer Battalion
394th, 667th, and 902nd Assault Gun Battalions
741st Antitank Battalion
1098th, 1110th, and 1120th Heavy Howitzer Batteries
428th Heavy Mortar Battery
1123rd K-3 Battery
2nd Flak Division (41st and 43rd Regiments)
von der Heydte Fallschirmjager Battalion
4th Todt Brigade

LXVII Corps

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Generalleutnant Otto Hitzfeld
‡ Units involved in the initial assault 16 Dec

I SS Panzer Corps

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Main article: I SS Panzer Corps

SS-Gruppenführer Hermann Prieß
‡ Units involved in the initial assault 16 Dec

II SS Panzer Corps

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Main article: II SS Panzer Corps

SS Obergruppenführer Willi Bittrich

Fifth Panzer Army (Central Sector)

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Main article: Fifth Panzer Army

General der Panzertruppen Hasso von Manteuffel[f]

Hasso von Manteuffel
Army-level units
19th Flak Brigade
207th and 600th Engineer Battalions
653rd Heavy Panzerjäger Battalion
669th Ost (East) Battalion
638th, 1094th, and 1095th Heavy Artillery Batteries
25th/975th Fortress Artillery Battery
1099th, 1119th, and 1121st Heavy Mortar Batteries
3rd Todt Brigade (paramilitary engineers)

LXVI Corps

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General der Artillerie Walter Lucht

LVIII Panzer Corps

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Main article: LVIII Panzer Corps

General der Panzertruppen Walter Krüger

XLVII Panzer Corps

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Main article: XLVII Panzer Corps (Germany)

General der Panzertruppen Heinrich Freiherr von Lüttwitz

XXXIX Panzer Corps

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Main article: XXXIX Panzer Corps (Germany)

Generalleutnant Karl Decker

167th Volksgrenadier Division
Generalleutnant Hanskurt Höcker
331st, 339th, 387th Volksgrenadier Regiments
167th Artillery Regiment
167th Antitank Battalion
167th Engineer Battalion
167th Signals Battalion

Seventh Army (Southern Sector)

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Main article: 7th Army (Wehrmacht)

General der Panzertruppen Erich Brandenberger

Erich Brandenberger (left) with Erich von Manstein, 1941
Army-level units
657th and 668th Heavy Antitank Battalions
501st Fortress Antitank Battalion
47th Engineer Battalion
1092nd, 1093rd, 1124th, and 1125th Heavy Howitzer Batteries
660th Heavy Artillery Battery
1029th, 1039th, and 1122nd Heavy Mortar Batteries
999th Penal Battalion
44th Machine Gun Battalion
15th Flak Regiment
1st Todt Brigade

LXXXV Corps

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General der Infanterie Baptist Knieß

LXXX Corps

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General der Infanterie Franz Beyer

LIII Corps

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Main article: LIII Army Corps (Wehrmacht)

General der Kavallerie Edwin von Rothkirch

Luftwaffe

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II Fighter Corps

Generalmajor Dietrich Peltz

III Flak Corps

Generalleutnant Wolfgang Pickert

Allied Forces

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Armies deployed north to south

Allied 21st Army Group

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Main article: 21st Army Group
Lt. Gen. Brian G. Horrocks

Field Marshal Sir Bernard L. Montgomery

XXX Corps

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Main article: XXX Corps (United Kingdom)

Lt-Gen. Brian G. Horrocks

2nd Household Cavalry Regiment
11th Hussars
4th Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery
5th Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery
73rd Antitank Regiment, Royal Artillery
7th, 64th, and 84th Medium Regiments, Royal Artillery
27th Light AA Regiment, Royal Artillery

Corps Reserve

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Allied 12th Army Group

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Main article: 12th Army Group
Lt. Gen. Courtney P. Hodges

Lieutenant General Omar N. Bradley

US First Army

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Main article: First United States Army

Lieutenant General Courtney H. Hodges

5th Belgian Fusilier Battalion
143rd and 413th AA Gun Battalions
526th Armored Infantry Battalion
99th Infantry Battalion (Norwegian-Americans)
VII Corps
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Main article: VII Corps (United States)
J. Lawton Collins as a full general

Major General J. Lawton Collins
♦ Units that absorbed the initial German assault 16 Dec

Corps-level units
4th Cavalry Group, Mechanized
29th Infantry Regiment
Two French Light Infantry Battalions
509th Parachute Infantry Battalion
298th Engineer Combat Battalion
740th Tank Battalion
18th FA Group (188th, 666th, and 981st FA Battalions)
142nd FA Group (195th and 266th FA Battalions)
188th FA Group (172nd, 951st, and 980th FA Battalions)
342nd, 366th, 392nd♦, 1308th, and 1313th Engineer General Service Regiments
18th, 83rd, 87th, 183rd, 193rd, 957th, and 991st FA Battalions
XVIII Airborne Corps
[edit]
Main article: XVIII Airborne Corps (United States)
Maj. Gen. Matthew B. Ridgway as a lieutenant general

Major General Matthew B. Ridgway[i]
♦ Units that absorbed the initial German assault 16 Dec

Corps-level units
14th Cavalry Group, Mechanized♦
254th, 275th, 400th, and 460th FA Battalions
79th FA Group (153rd, 551st, and 552nd FA Battalions)
179th FA Group (259th and 965th FA Battalions)
211th FA Group (240th and 264th FA Battalions)
401st FA Group (187th and 809th FA Battalions)

US Third Army

[edit]
Main article: Third United States Army
Lt. Gen. George S. Patton

Lieutenant General George S. Patton

109th, 115th, 217th, and 777th AA Gun Battalions
456th, 465th, 550th, and 565th AAA AW Battalions
280th ECB - Engineer Combat Battalion - Non Divisional Unit (later assigned to the 9th Army)
VIII Corps
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Main article: VIII Corps (United States)
Maj. Gen. Troy H. Middleton during the Ardennes Counteroffensive

Major General Troy H. Middleton
♦ Units that absorbed the initial German assault 16 Dec

Corps-level units
687th FA Battalion
174th FA Group (965th, 969th, and 700th FA Battalions)
333rd FA Group (333rd and 771st FA Battalions)
402nd FA Group (559th, 561st, and 740th FA Battalions)
422nd FA Group (81st and 174th FA Battalions)
178th and 249th Engineer Combat Battalions
1102nd Engineer Group (341st Engineer General Service Regiment)
1107th Engineer Combat Group (159th, 168th, and 202nd Engineer Combat Battalions)
1128th Engineer Combat Group (35th, 44th, and 202nd Engineer Combat Battalions)
French Light Infantry (six Light Infantry Battalions from Metz region)
467th, 635th, 778th AAA Automatic Weapons Battalions
XII Corps
[edit]
Main article: XII Corps (United States)
Maj. Gen. Manton S. Eddy

Major General Manton S. Eddy
♦ Units that absorbed the initial German assault 16 Dec

Corps-level units
2nd Cavalry Group, Mechanized
161st, 244th, 277th, 334th, 336th, and 736th FA Battalions
177th FA group 215th, 255th, and 775th FA Battalions
182nd FA group 802nd, 945th, and 974th FA Battalions
183rd FA group 695th and 776th FA Battalions
404th FA group 273rd, 512th, and 752nd FA Battalions
1303rd Engineer Service Regiment
452nd AAA Automatic Weapons Battalion [colored]
457th AAA Automatic Weapons Battalion

Allied Air Forces

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US Strategic Air Forces in Europe

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General Carl Spaatz

US Eighth Air Force (Strategic)
Lieutenant General James H. Doolittle
US Ninth Air Force (Tactical)
Lieutenant General Hoyt S. Vandenberg
IX Bombardment Division (Maj. Gen. Samuel E. Anderson)
IX Troop Carrier Command (Maj. Gen. Paul L. Williams)
IX Tactical Air Command (Maj. Gen. Elwood R. Quesada)
Supporting First Army
XIX Tactical Air Command (Maj. Gen. Otto P. Weyland)
Supporting Third Army
XXIX Tactical Air Command (Brig. Gen. Richard E. Nugent)
Supporting Ninth Army

Royal Air Force

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Bomber Command
Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur "Bomber" Harris
Fighter Command
Air Marshal Sir Roderic M. Hill
Second Tactical Air Force
Air Marshal Sir Arthur Coningham
No. 2 Group RAF
No. 83 Group RAF
No. 84 Group RAF

Notes

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  1. ^ Both Runstedt and Model were deeply skeptical of the offensive's chances of success, but Hitler ignored all their objections. Runstedt in particular was miffed when he learned that the Allies were referring to the operation as the "Runstedt offensive." [Beevor, p. 82]
  2. ^ Both Runstedt and Model were deeply skeptical of the offensive's chances of success, but Hitler ignored all their objections. [Beevor, p. 82]
  3. ^ In contrast with Manteuffel, Dietrich opened the offensive on his front with a massive artillery bombardment. [Beevor, p. 112]
  4. ^ Manteuffel disregarded Hitler's desire for an opening artillery bombardment; he felt such an action was "a World War I concept and completely out of place in the Ardennes, in view of the thinly held lines," and would only serve to destroy the element of surprise. [Beevor, p. 112]
  5. ^ In contrast with Manteuffel, Dietrich opened the offensive on his front with a massive artillery bombardment. [Beevor, p. 112]
  6. ^ Manteuffel disregarded Hitler's desire for an opening artillery bombardment; he felt such an action was "a World War I concept and completely out of place in the Ardennes, in view of the thinly held lines," and would only serve to destroy the element of surprise. [Beevor, p. 112]
  7. ^ Later Oberst Hugo Dempwolff
  8. ^ After the war, served as commandant of the former Palace Hotel (called "Camp Ashcan") in the Luxembourg town of Mondorf-les-Bains where high-level German prisoners were kept in the months leading up the Nuremberg Trials.
  9. ^ In England when the German assault began; during the Korean War, provided vigorous leadership to the US Eighth Army, followed by a term as Chief of Staff of the Army.
  10. ^ Private Kurt Vonnegut, later a noted author, was captured while serving in this unit. [Beevor, p. 186]
  11. ^ Regular CO Maj. Gen. Maxwell D. Taylor was in the United States and his deputy, Brig. Gen. Gerald J. Higgins, was in England; McAuliffe was the divisional artillery commander. [Beevor, p. 154]
  12. ^ The 37th Tank Bttn. was commanded by Lt. Col. Creighton W. Abrams, later commander of all US forces in Vietnam. [Beevor, p. 268]

References

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  • Beevor, Antony (2015). Ardennes 1944: The Battle of the Bulge. New York: Penguin. ISBN 9780143109860.
  • Dupuy, Trevor N. (1994). Hitler's Last Gamble: The Battle of the Bulge, December 1944 – January 1945. New York: Harper Collins. ISBN 0-06-016627-4.
  • MacDonald, Charles B. (2002). A Time For Trumpets: The Untold Story of the Battle of the Bulge. New York: Perennial. ISBN 0-688-15157-4.
  • Tucker-Jones, Anthony (2022). Hitler's Winter: The German Battle of the Bulge. Oxford, UK: Osprey. ISBN 978-1-4728-4739-3.
  • "Units Entitled to Battle Credits" (PDF). General Orders. US War Department.
Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 | Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Bulge_order_of_battle
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