352nd Infantry Division: Difference between revisions

| unit_name = 352nd Infantry Division<br>352nd Volksgrenadier Division

| imagenative_name = [[Image:352nd{{lang-de|352. Infanterie-Division logo}}<br>{{lang-de|352.jpg Volksgrenadier-Division|125px]]label=none}}

| captionimage = Unit352nd Infanterie-Division insignialogo.jpg

| datesimage_size = November 1943 – 8 May 1945125

| countrycaption = {{flag|NaziUnit Germany}}insignia

| branchdates = [[GermanNovember 1943 – 8 ArmyMay (Wehrmacht)|Army]]1945

| typecountry = [[Infantry]]{{flag|Nazi Germany}}

| sizebranch = Division 10,971–17,708 (in 1944) <ref>Handbook on= [[German MilitaryArmy Forces</ref>(Wehrmacht)|Army]]

| command_structuretype = [[Infantry]]

| garrisonsize = [[Division (military)|Division]]

| Past_commandersgarrison = <!-- Commanders -->

| notable_commandersPast_commanders = [[Dietrich Kraiss]] =

<!-- Insignia -->| identification_symbol =

| identification_symbol_2 = <!-- Culture and history -->

| nicknamepatron =

| patronmotto =

| mottocolors =

| colorsmarch =

| marchmascot =

| mascotbattles = [[Normandy landings|D-Day]]<br>[[Battle of the Bulge]]

The '''352nd Infantry Division''' (''{{Lang-de|352. Infanterie-Division''}}) was aan formationinfantry division of the [[German Army (Wehrmacht)|German Army]] during [[World War II]]. Deployed on the [[Western Front (World War II)|Western Front]], the division defended [[Omaha Beach]] on [[Normandy landings|D-Day]], 6 June 1944. In late 1944, the division was reassembled as the '''352nd Volksgrenadier Division''' ({{Lang-de|352. Volksgrenadier-Division|links=no}}).

The 352nd Infantry Division was formed in [[German-occupied France|occupied France]] in early November 1943,; this followed the [[Oberkommando der Wehrmacht|German highHigh commandCommand]] order issued in September that year to raise 10ten new infantry divisions to replace losses on the [[Eastern front,Front these(World War II)|Eastern Front]]. These new Divisionsdivisions were to be combat ready by May 1944. The 352nd was placed under the command of ''[[Generalleutnant]]'' [[Dietrich Kraiss]]. and onceOnce up to strength and trained, the 352nd was expected to transfer to the Eastern Front, however there was no clear timetable or confirmation of that deployment and by March 1944, with the threat of an Allied invasion in the West, the 352nd received orders to prepare for the defence of the so called [[Atlantic Wall]], in the [[Normandy]] area. The 352nd, when formed, was a mix of experienced soldiers drawn from worn -out or disbanded Divisionsdivisions that had servingserved on the Eastern front, Germanyoung 17 year oldGerman, conscripts and a significant number of [[Ostlegionen|Ost]] volunteers, the latter mainly employed in Divisionaldivisional support roles. Throughout the training period there were shortages of both men, equipment, and fuel and by early 1944 the Divisiondivision, though reasonably equipped, was far from properly prepared for front -line infantry combat.

With the Normandy coastal area extending 100km100&nbsp;km, Field Marshal [[Erwin Rommel|Rommel]] made the decision to split the area in half, by providing the static 716th Division with a shortened 47&nbsp;km long '[[Caen]] zone', (supported by 21the [[21st Panzer Division (Wehrmacht)|21st Panzer Division]]) and deploying the 352nd Infantry Division to defend the 53&nbsp;km long '[[Bayeux]] zone.', (bringing the 352352nd in between the 709709th Division and the 716716th Division). Even with the benefit of all the fortifications under construction, this frontage was still far beyond what was considered prudent in German tactical doctrine.<ref>McNab, Chris (2011). Hitler's Armies: A history of the German War Machine 1939–45. Osprey Publishing. p. 270. {{ISBN |978-1-84908-647-9}}.</ref> This led to a number of disagreements between Rommel, [[Dietrich Kraiss]] and the Corps Commander on how best to deploy the Grenadier Regiments of 352,the 352nd. In the end it was decided that two infantry regiments would be stationed forward, and one infantry regiment would be left in [[Military reserve,|reserve]]. howeverHowever, the Regimental commandsCommands were disrupted as some Battalionsbattalions were operating independently.

On the Divisionaldivisional right flank just south of Bayuex the PanzerBayeux, Grenadier Regiment 915, (with 2 Battalionsbattalions) were positioned as a counter attackcounterattack reserve, along with the Fusilier battalion. On the Divisionaldivisional Leftleft Flankflank the 2nd Battalion of Panzer Grenadier Regiment 916914 werewas positioned behind the gun emplacement at pont[[Pointe dedu hocHoc]]. In the Centrecentre of the Divisional area werewas the 2nd Battalion of Panzer Grenadier Regiment 916, and they would defenddefending Omaha beach. The self -propelled Anti[[Panzerjäger|anti tank]] Battalionbattalion were positioned between the left and centre Divisional areas, in reserve. The 1st Battalion of GR 916 were deployed to the 716716th DivisionDivision’s defence sector and would oppose the [[United Kingdom|British]] in the western area of [[Gold beachBeach]].

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 into the sand. The first band of obstacles -– about {{convert|250|yd|ft}} out from the waterline at high tide -– consisted of '[[Cointet-element|Belgian&nbsp;Gates]]' -– reinforced iron frames with 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 steel rails. Although the Germans had attached mines to many of the obstacles, few of them were waterproofed, and corrosion had long since taken its toll of many of the explosive devices.

By June 1944, many of the coastal strongpoints in their sector were still being manned by personnel from the 726th Infantry Regiment, of the neighboring 716th Division. As a tradeoff, one infantry battalion from the 352nd Division werewas placed under the command of the 716th Division to help shore up their defenses. In the 'Bayeux zone', 914th regiment was stationed in the west, 916th regiment was stationed in the east, while 915th regiment was in reserve to the south. The soldiers of the 916th and 726th Regiments occupied slit trenches, eight concrete bunkers, 35 pillboxes, six mortar pits, sites for 35 [[Nebelwerfer]], (multi-barrel rocket launchers) and 85 machine-gun nests. The defenses were clustered in strongpoints. In the early hours of the 6th6 June the first reports of AliiedAllied activity in the 352nd zone came from the [[Cotentin Peninsula]] and elements of the 915th Grenadier Regiment were despatcheddispatched to investigate, those units manning the defences on the coast were also reportingreported large numbers of vessels out to sea, and just before sunrise at 06:00 the allied naval bombardment beginsbegan, ending 35 minutes later as US tanks and the first wave of infantry landlanded on the beach to a hail of fire from the heavily fortified strongpoints. Throughout the morning the Americans received heavy casualties on the beach but by 13:00 groups of US soldiers were in possession of key fortifications, had reached some heights overlooking the beach, and opened several beach exits. Just after 15:00 the 916916th Grenadier Regiment counterattackcounterattacked from the [[Colleville-sur-merMer]] area but werewas forced to fall back once again, at around 17:00 the village of [[St. Laurent-sur-merMer]] fallsfell to the Americans.

The 352nd was shattered in the fighting during June and July 1944, and having taken heavy casualties by the 30 July it was considered no longer capable of Operatingoperating as a Divisiondivision, the survivors having been amalgamated into various ad hoc battle groups and other Divisionsdivisions.

It was reformed as the '''352nd ''[[Volksgrenadier]] Division''''' in September 1944 and fought in the [[Battle of the Bulge]]. Thereafter, it fought defensively around [[Trier]] and the [[Moselle]] until in mid-March 1945 it was once again considered not to be strong enough to be an active Divisiondivision, with only the remnants escaping across the [[Rhine]] at [[Worms, Germany|Worms]]. It was partially reconstituted one last time as a [[Kampfgruppe|battlegroup]] in mid-April and surrendered near [[Darmstadt]].

Major [[Werner Pluskat]], who was featured in [[Cornelius Ryan]]'s book ''[[The Longest Day (book)|The Longest Day]]'', and the later movie of the same name, was in the 352nd Artillery (''Artillerie Regiment'') and fired his guns on Omaha Beach until he ran out of ammunition. He was forward observer on 'WN60WN59 – Resistance Point 6059'<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.omaha-beach.org/The%20Beach/TheBeach.html |title=The Germans at Omaha-Beach |access-date=9 January 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120614051007/http://www.omaha-beach.org/The%20Beach/TheBeach.html |archive-date=14 June 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> above the beach on the Eastern flank.

** 2 x [[15 cm sIG 33|15&nbsp;cm sIG 33]]

** 6 x [[7.5 cm leichtes Infanteriegeschütz 18|7.5&nbsp;cm leIG]]

** 3 x [[7.5 cm Pak 40|7.5&nbsp;cm ''[[PaK]] 40'']]

** 14 x [[Marder II]] and [[Marder III]] variant ''[[Panzerjäger]]''

** 10 x ''[[StuG III]] Ausf. G'' [[assault gunsgun]]s

** 9 x ''[[Flakpanzer 38(t)|FlaKPanzer 38]]'' [[Self-propelled anti-aircraft weapon|Self-Propelled]] ''[[Flak]]''

** ''1-91–9.Batterie'' -– 36 x [[10.5&nbsp;cm leFH 16]]

** ''10-1210–12.Batterie'' -– 12 x [[15 cm sFH 18|15&nbsp;cm sFH 18]]

* '''352. [[Fusilier]] Battalion''' (''1. Kompanie'' was [[Bicycle infantry|bicycle mounted]])

** 6 x [[8 cm Granatwerfer 34|8&nbsp;cm ''Granatwerfer 34'']]

** 1 x [[5 cm Pak 38|5&nbsp;cm ''PaK 38'']]

** 1 x 7.5&nbsp;cm ''PaK-40''

** 1 x [[10.5&nbsp;cm Feldhaubitze 98/09|10.5&nbsp;cm ''Feldhaubitze'']]

** 1 x ''Infanterie [[Panzer IV|Geschütz]]''

** 2 x ''[[Flammenwerfer]]''