Let me explain why I needed that info. When I was still running VLS, I had collected all the kits I needed for my last "Superdiorama" called "Logistics". I am back on it and nearing at least the base coats on all 48 vehicles. I am also building the tank crews and will start soon on the marching soldiers and all the vehicle crews. I will shortly start a fifth thread, (There are already four threads in my forum for this one diorama), for this diorama called Logistics, the Figures. I went through my inventory and found I had a lot of marching airborne figures, about 50. I began thinking why I chose those. I began looking on the web for the 82nd and 101st to determine if either were with Patton AFTER the Bulge. I searched and used the links MP and James had given me, I needed to know ALL the units with Patton around April of '45. However, I still could not pin down if either unit had been assigned to Third Army at that period of time. The 101st history is kinda glazed over after they were sent to the Ruhr valley shortly after the Battle of the Bulge.
There will be a huge number of civilian refugees, more than a hundred. Altogether, around 250 figures, give or take.
Finally, it struck me that I seemed to remember that the 101st Airborne liberated the Eagles Nest. It actually turned out to be the 3rd Infantry Division that arrived first, but easy company, (Band of Brothers), of the 506th Infantry regiment came shortly after. The 506th was a PIR, parachute Infantry Regiment and part of the 101st Airborne Division. So... I can use those figures walking on either side of the streets with those tank and truck columns. Just a side note, Steven Ambrose, who wrote the book, Band of Brothers stated that easy company was the first unit at the Obersalzberg. It wasn't true.
All the information however, will be of use. There will be truck units from the XYZ Express, (Much larger operation than the prior Red Ball Express that was more famous). The 37th Tank bn, an engineer company, maintenance units and a field hospital unit, and I need to have examples of those units shoulder patches as well as the vehicle designations and any logos, etc. So, now I am ready to roll on the figures. I have about 18 tank crewmen assembled, detailed and posed for 5 of the Sherman variants, but still need 3 more crews. Then crews for another 30 vehicles, 10 vehicles will not have crews. (Four will be destroyed and the other six parked).
Now you can understand the title, "Logistics". As mentioned before, this will be my last and final superdiorama, It has the space set aside in the museum and after that, I will build much smaller ones as there is no more room for another of these huge dios!
BTW, MP, Army Group is composed of two or more armies. Army is the largest of units. In WW II, Bradley was in charge of an army group which included Patton's Third, Montgomery's First, and the Seventh and the Fifth armies to the south.
Yes, 82nd was assigned to seventh army, I knew I couldn't use that, but, now, all my research problems for the moment have been solved.
Thanks again you two!
Bob
