Yeah they had to be tough and skilled to fight on the Eastern front. Otherwise, certain death awaited them

Any American Ranger unit. They have proved them selfs time and time again since the 1600s. They are one of the finest light infantry units in the world. Its impossible to just chose 1 of them. Even the most fircest battle hardened troops are gona have some doubts and fears going against them.

308th Infantry Battalion from WWI, some historians say they were responsible for ending the War, they were the ones that broke through the German lines in the Ardonnes.

Not to well versed on WWI, but is that the legendary "Lost Battalion"?

Originally Posted by GuyontheRight

Not to well versed on WWI, but is that the legendary "Lost Battalion"?

Yep, I think the British Blockade of Germany had more to do with the end of the war, but still, 600 men versus the entire German Army in Northern France, only 200 survived, that is amazing.

I am late to this , but my favorite is 22 regiment SAS...there exploits have been legend , but there are many other good choices


JHR

I surprised no one had listed F-Troop yet. Lol.

No those guys aren't my favorite. Altough I must say Easy company and the 300 Spartans are some of the best and bravest in history.

I have to say my favorite would have to be:

The Knights of the Order of St. John ( Knights Hospitaliers ).

Three times this band of Knights numbering no more than about 600 stood alone against the full might of the most powerful empire at that time in history, the Ottoman Empire. Twice at Rhodes at once again at Malta they turned the tide of history.

All three battles mentioned above are no less than epic. In one battle at Rhodes the Knights along with about 1500 militia stood against 70,000 Muslim Turks. Again at Malta they were outnumbered left to fend for themselves by Europe they held in what is probably the most decisive siege in history, had Malta fallen the Medditeranian would have gone in the control Islamic Turks opening Southern Europe for invasion.

If anyone get a chance to read, Great Siege: Malta 1565 by E. Bradford one of the best book I have ever read, it's a great read even if you don't like reading military history.

My father's outfit. The Texas 36th Division. FIRST to Invade Europe long before D-Day. In World War II, in nineteen months of combat, in five major campaigns, and in two amphibious assaults, the 36th Infantry Division had expended the maximum in heroism and hardship. The 36th is proud of its 175,806 enemy soldiers captured, its 15 Congressional Medals of Honor, its 10 Presidential Unit Citations, and numerous other battle awards. At the same time its casualty list, third highest of any American division, numbered 27,343, of whom 3,974 were killed, 19,052 wounded, and 4,317 missing in action.

http://www.kwanah.com/txmilmus/36div...tro/tpatch.htm


My Father:
http://www.kwanah.com/txmilmus/36div...ial/cahoon.htm

Barkman's Das Reich, 2nd SS Panzer Division is prolly one of the more impressive units of all-time.

Having grown up around real men who fought against the Nazi's, I still go to the reunions and listen to their real life experiences, I have a hard time seeing how 2nd SS Panzer Division "Das Reich" could ever be considered a "Great" or "Impresive" Military Division. The atrocities they committed on Eastern Front were so extreme to innocent civilians that it is hard to read.

However one of the most famous atrocties they committed, is much closer to home. There is no herosim or glory in what these most evil of evil men did almost on a daily basis. When my father received the Silver Star it was against a SS machine gun position. The day before they had gunned down several American prisoners. Part of my Dad's citiation read that he killed 6 Germans and captured 21. All of these Texas Soldiers had great respect for General Rommel, because he had fought with honor and treated captured POW humanely. The Africa Corp brought honor to German Vermacht.

I could go on for hours with the disgust that all of these men who were actually there felt against these animals. Below is a historical clip of what they did as common practice. These people killed were someone mom, Dad, brother, sister, son, cousin, Aunt, granfather who were loved and cherished. There is no defense against their record.

Historical Fact

On June 10, 1944, the SS occupied the town. The entire population of the town was rounded up. Men were separated from women and children. The women and children were herded into a church. The men were locked in 5 garages and barns, where they were shot. The buildings were then
torched. The church with 400 women and children locked inside was also razed to the ground. The SS reported 548 "enemy" killed, with one SS dead and one "wounded". Post-war investigators estimated 393 residents of the town, 167 people from the surrounding countryside, 33 people from Limoges and 55 from other areas were killed during this rampage.

There were no official German sanctions for these or other SS atrocities. Rather, they were viewed only as an "excess of zeal", with no repricussions for any of the participants. The chivalric values of the SS were reserved only for the "deserving". The actions of the SS set new standards for brutality in warfare, whatever the military accomplishments of these units might otherwise have been.

Text by Dan reinbold
http://users.pandora.be/dave.depicke...dourtoday.html