Fallschirmjagers Campaign.Operation Stosser

DATE: 19/02/2023

TIME (GMT): 19:00

ERA: WW2

MAP(S): Montherme Ardennes

TYPE: COOP

GAME: Arma 3

EVENT: Official

AUTHOR(S): Aris and Lord for Brothers in Arms

SLOTS: 86 / 94

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RATING: (12)

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The 1st Parachute Division was originally formed in 1938, when it was designated as the 7th Air Division.It carried out airborne operations in the early stages of the war, including the successful capture of Fort Eben-Emael in Belgium. It later fought in the Battle of Crete but its heavy losses there saw Hitler refuse to consider using his troops in a significant airborne role again.It became the 1st Parachute Division in 1942, when it was reformed in Russia. The division existed as a fighting unit until the German surrender in Italy of 2 May 1945, one week before the end of World War II in Europe.

The 2nd Parachute Division was formed in France under the command of Generalleutnant Hermann-Bernhard Ramcke in early 1943, based on the 2nd Parachute Brigade that had fought in North Africa. Sent to Rome as part of the occupation force when the Italian government began to reconsider its war effort, it later fought in the Ukraine and in western France. The majority of the division was cut off and surrounded in Brest during the German retreat from France, resulting in the Battle for Brest, that lasted until September 1944. A new 2nd Parachute Division was formed in November 1944 and the following year was involved in fighting in Arnhem, during the Rhine crossings and in the Ruhr Pocket with Army Group B.

The 3^rd and 4^th Parachute divisions were formed in 1943. The 4th also contained Italian paratroopers drawn from the 184th Airborne Division Nembo and 185th Paratroopers Division Folgore. The 3rd fought during the Normandy Campaign; it was largely destroyed in the Falaise Pocket in August 1944. It was then reformed and took part in the Battle of the Ardennes, and ended the war in the Ruhr Pocket where it surrendered to US troops in April 1945. The 4th fought exclusively on the Italian front including the Battle of Anzio, Rome and on the Gothic Line. It surrendered to Allied forces in April 1945.

The 5th Parachute Division was formed in France in 1943. It was involved in the fighting in Normandy after D-Day and most of its personnel were killed or captured in the Falaise Pocket. It was reformed in the Netherlands but with Luftwaffe ground crew. It fought in the Ardennes offensive and along the Rhine before its survivors surrendered at the end of the war.The Parachute divisions were formed in 1944 in France and Germany respectively and fought on the western front as regular infantry. Both divisions surrendered at the end of May.

The 8th, 9^th and 10^th were Fallschirmjager by name only, as they were hastily formed in late 1944–early 1945 from a disparate collection of Luftwaffe units, including ground crews. Furthermore, they never reached divisional strength and under-trained and mostly ill-prepared for combat. The 8th fought in the Netherlands before being destroyed in the Ruhr Pocket while the 9th and 10th fought on the rapidly collapsing Eastern Front, including within Germany. The 9th fought in the Battle of the Seelow Heights and in the Battle of Berlin before being destroyed in April 1945; the 10th surrendered to Soviet army forces in May 1945.

Operation Stosser was a Paratroop drop into the American rear in the High Fens area during the Battle of the Bulge.Its objective was to take and hold the crossroads at Belle Croix Jalhay until the arrival of the 12th SS Panzer Division. Both roads were main supply routes, the N-68 Eupen and the N-672 Verviers up to Belle-Croix leads to either Malmedy or Elsenborn.