352nd Infantry Division (Germany)

The 352nd Infantry Division ("352. Infanterie-Division") was an infantry division of the German Wehrmacht during World War II. A western front unit, the 352nd became notable for its tenacious defense of Omaha Beach on D-Day, 6 June 1944.

Divisional history

The 352nd was formed in November 1943 in France, commanded by Generalleutnant Dietrich Kraiss from 6 November 1943 until it was destroyed in July 1944. Organizationally, the 352nd was better off than most German divisions in 1944. At that time, as a result of severe personnel losses, German infantry divisions were generally reduced by one infantry battalion per regiment. The 352nd, however, retained its full complement of nine battalions.

The 352nd began its coastal duty by improving the beach obstacles, emplacing mined stakes and timber structures. This involved not only cutting and hauling timber from miles inland but also driving stakes and piles deep in the sand. To fully cover the sector, they needed 10 million mines, but a scant 10,000 were available. The first band of obstacles - about 250 yards out from the waterline at high tide - consisted of "Belgian Gates", reinforced iron frames with iron supports that were built atop rollers. Next came a band of mined stakes and log ramps, meant to tear the bottoms out of landing craft or tip them over. Finally, there was a row of metal obstacles, including hedgehogs, made of iron rails. Although the Germans had attached mines to many of the obstacles, few of them were waterproofed, and corrosion had long since taken a toll on many of the explosive devices.

The soldiers of the 916th and 726th regiments occupied slit trenches, eight concrete bunkers, 35 pillboxes, six mortar pits, 35 Nebelwerfer (multi-barrel rocket launcher) sites and 85 machine-gun nests. The defenses were clustered in strongpoints.

The 916th Grenadier Regiment saw action during D-Day Operation Overlord, opposing the 1st and 29th U.S. divisions at Omaha Beach. The 352nd made a good account of itself, causing many casualties and defending the bluffs above the beach for several hours before being overwhelmed. The 916th retreated in the morning hours of June 7 after the Commander Col. Ernst Goth couldn't hold the positions retaken in the night from the 6th to 7th June any longer.

The rest of the division saw heavy fighting in the bocage (or hedgerow) country defending St. Lo against the Americans.

The 352nd was destroyed in the fighting following the invasion, and on 30 July the 352nd was declared "abgekämpft", meaning the division was no longer fit for combat. The division was reconstituted as the 352nd Volksgrenadier Division in September, and fought in the Battle of the Bulge. Thereafter, it fought defensively around Trier and the Moselle until it was destroyed once again in mid-March 1945, with only a small remnant escaping across the Rhine at Worms. It was partially reconstituted one last time as a battlegroup in mid-April, and ended its career near Darmstadt.

Major Werner Pluskat, who was featured in Cornelius Ryan's "The Longest Day" was in the 352nd Artillery (Artillerie Abteilung) and fired his guns on Omaha Beach until he ran out of ammunition.His forward observer was on WN62 - Resistance point 62 [http://www.omaha-beach.org/The%20Beach/TheBeach.html] - above the beach, east of the U.S. Cemetery nowadays and location of the 1st Infantry Division memorial.

Order of battle

The 352nd's order of battle on the eve of the Allied Invasion was as follows (NB: artillery component is also shown):

* 914. Grenadier Regiment
** 2 x 15 cm sIG 33
** 6 x 7.5 cm leIG
** 3 x 7.5 cm PaK 40

* 915. Grenadier Regiment
** 2 x 15 cm sIG 33
** 6 x 7.5 cm leIG
** 3 x 7.5 cm PaK 40

* 916. Grenadier Regiment
** 2 x 15 cm sIG 33
** 2 x 7.5 cm leIG
** 3 x 7.5 cm PaK 40

* 352. Panzerjäger Abteilung
** 14 x Marder II and Marder III variant Panzerjäger
** 10 x StuG III Ausf. G assault guns
** 9 x FlaKPanzer 38 Self-Propelled Flak

* 352. Artillerie Regiment
** 1-9.Batterie - 36 x 10.5 cm leFH 16
** 10-12.Batterie - 12 x 15 cm sFH 18

* 352. Pioniere Battalion
** 20 x Flammenwerfer
** 6 x Granatwerfer

* 352. Fusilier Battalion (1. Kompanie was bicycle mounted)

* Feld-Ersatz Battalion
** 6 x 8 cm Granatwerfer 34
** 1 x 5 cm PaK 38
** 1 x 7.5 cm PaK
** 1 x 10.5 cm Feldhaubitze
** 1 x Infanterie Geschütz
** 2 x Flammenwerfer

* Supply Train / Signals Troops

See also

* Division (military), Military unit, List of German divisions in WWII
* Wehrmacht

References

* Wendel, Marcus (2004). " [http://www.axishistory.com/index.php?id=837 352. Volksgrenadier-Division] ". Retrieved April 3, 2005.
* " [http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gliederungen/Infanteriedivisionen/352ID-R.htm 352. Infanterie-Division] ". German language article at www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de. Retrieved April 3, 2005.

External links

* [http://www.omaha-beach.org/US-Version/352/352US.html Martin-Robert Galle.] Retrieved January 9, 2006.
* [http://www.352inf.com/ 352nd Infantry Division Reenactment Unit]