5th Parachute Division (Germany)
{{Short description|German WWII airborne division}}
{{more citations needed|date=June 2016}}
{{Infobox military unit
| unit_name = 5th Parachute Division
| native_name = {{langx|de|5. Fallschirmjäger-Division}}
| image = 5. Fallschirmjäger Division.png
| caption = Unit insignia
| dates = 1944–45
| country = {{flagcountry|Nazi Germany}}
| branch = Luftwaffe
| type = Fallschirmjäger
| role = Airborne forces
| size = Division
| battles = {{Tree list}}
- World War II
- Western Front (World War II)
- Operation Overlord
- Battle of the Bulge
- Western Allied invasion of Germany
- Ruhr Pocket
{{tree list/end}}
| notable_commanders = Gustav Wilke
Sebastian-Ludwig Heilmann
}}
The 5th Parachute Division ({{langx|de|5. Fallschirmjäger-Division}}) was a Fallschirmjäger (paratroop) division in the German air force (Luftwaffe) during the Second World War, active from 1944 to 1945.
Operational history
The 5th Parachute Division was formed in France in early 1944, commanded by Gustav Wilke and was the last division to receive near full fallschirmjäger training. It contained the 13th, 14th and 15th Fallschirmjäger Regiments, and the 5th Fallschirmjäger Artillery Regiment.
Only the 15th Regiment was ready during the Battle of Normandy and was attached to 17th SS Panzergrenadier Division in the early stages of the campaign. The rest of the division was slowly committed later in July. It took heavy losses during the campaign and was subsequently withdrawn to the Netherlands to rebuild and refit.
The division took part in the Battle of the Bulge. After withdrawing through Germany, part of the division surrendered near the Nürburgring in mid-March 1945, the rest of the division surrendered in the Ruhr Pocket in April.{{Cite web |date=2016-02-19 |title=5. Fallschirmjäger-Division - 5th German Airborne Division - 1944 |url=https://www.dday-overlord.com/en/battle-of-normandy/forces/germany/5-fallschirmjager-division |access-date=2024-04-29 |language=en-US}}
Commanding officer
- Generalleutnant Gustav Wilke, 1 April 1944 – 23 September 1944
- Generalmajor Sebastian-Ludwig Heilmann, 23 September 1944 – 12 March 1945
- Oberst Kurt Gröschke, 12 March 1945 – April 1945
Notes
{{Reflist|2}}
References
- {{cite web|url=http://www.axishistory.com/index.php?id=2629|title=5. Fallschirmjäger-Division |date=14 August 2008|work=Axis History Factbook|access-date=2009-01-08}}
{{Parachute Divisions of the Luftwaffe (Wehrmacht)}}
{{Air force infantry}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Fallschirmjäger divisions
Category:Military units and formations established in 1944
Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1945