An old military adage states that an army’s achievements in war must be measured in terms of the ferocity of its enemy. By that measure, the 39th Infantry Regiment faced tough units indeed:
10th Panzer Division — North Africa in Tunisia 1943. In combat since 1939: Poland, France, Russia. Part of the famed Africa Corps under Field Marshal Erwin Rommel. Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg in the unit until severely wounded on April 7, 1943. He later detonated the bomb that almost killed Hitler at Rastenburg on July 20, 1944.
15th Panzer Grenadier Division — Sicily in 1943. Later fought in Italy and on the Western Front at Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge. Commanded by Eberhard Rodt, winner of the Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves.
Panzer Lehr Division — Normandy 1944 and Germany 1945. Quite simply, the most powerful unit in the German Army. Equipped with Panther and Tiger tanks; only German Army panzer division that could transport all its infantry in armored halftracks; all the others need some trucks. Most NCOs and Officers had extensive combat records and had taught tactics at various military schools; in many respects, the best of the best. Commanded at Normandy by Major General Hyacinth Graf Strachwitz von Gross-Zauche und Camminetz, who had a distinguished combat résumé even longer than his name. With the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds, he fought almost continuously since 1939, and been wounded twelve times. In Germany, the division was commanded by Colonel Paul Freiherr von Hauser, winner of the the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves.
3rd Fallschirmjaeger (Fallschirmjäger ) Division — Merode Castle 1944. Luftwaffe paratroop unit. Formed 1943 around a cadre consisting of the veteran 3rd Battalion, 1st Parachute Regiment that had ben in combat since 1939. Division was well equipped with 930 deadly MG42 machine guns. Each company had 20 MG 42s and 43 MP40 submachine guns, while each squad had 2 MG42s and 5 MP 40s.
91st Air Landing (Luftlande) Division — Army infantry division; air landing in name only. Normandy 1944. Commanded by Eugen König, winner of the the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves.
77th Infantry Division — Normandy 1944. Rated a first tier division, Field Marshal Erwin Rommel attempted to extricate the division from Normandy but was unsuccessful. Commanded by Rudolf Gustav Moritz , winner of the the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves.
275th Infantry Division — Hürtgen Forest 1944. Formed 1943. Commanded by Major General Hans Schmidt, winner of the the Knights Cross. Schmidt has no problems court-martialing officers who lack enthusiasm in the attack.
353rd Infantry Division — Hürtgen Forest 1944.
3rd Panzer Grenadier Division — Elsenborn Ridge, Battle of the Bulge, 1944. Formed 1934. Fought at Leningrad, Moscow and Stalingrad. Commanded by Major General Walter Denkert, winner of the Knights Cross. Part of the Sixth SS Panzer Army under SS General Josef “Sepp” Dietrich.