| The Das Reich Division had 80 percent of its designated manpower strength and a strong complement of armour. Its panzer regiment boasted two full battalions, with 58 Panthers, 28 Panzer IVs and 28 StuG IIIs. The division's anti-tank battalion had 20 Panzerjöger IVs. The Hohenstaufen was the weakest Waffen-SS division, with only 75 percent of its allocated manpower under arms at the end of November 1944. Its panzer regiment had 35 Panthers and 28 StuG IIIs in one battalion, and 39 Panzer IVs and 28 StuG IIIs in a second battalion. Anti-tank firepower was provided by 21 Panzerjöger IVs. Dietrich had an assortment of army artillery, assault gun, anti-tank gun and heavy tank battalions attached to his army, which, when added to the divisional equipment totals, gave him just under 400 Panzer IV, King Tiger and Panther tanks, 685 guns, 340 rocket launchers, 112 assault guns and 215 Jagdpanzers. One of the most unusual units attached to Dietrich's army was the 150th Panzer Brigade led by SS-Sturmbannführer Otto Skorzeny. It was intended to infiltrate behind Allied lines, the men dressed in US Army uniforms, in order to spread chaos and confusion. Some 500 Waffen-SS men were attached to this 2800-strong unit. prev | next |
