This is what I have so far regarding history - does anyone have any CANON references I have missed (there is some non-canon material in there already before anyone asks where certain bits came from).
A pre-war regular army division with two active brigades stationed at Fort Polk, Louisiana and under command of the III US Corps. The division was put on alert in October of 1996 and brought up to strength by the addition of the 256th Mechanized Brigade (Louisiana National Guard).
The division was deployed to Germany by air and sea in December of 1996. Most of the troops deployed by air linking up with the POMCUS material site six in the Netherlands (plus ammunition at Coevarden). A decision was made however to deploy a number of sub units by sea (in particular elements of the 256th Mechanised Brigade). This decision appears to be due to casualties in the airlift command – predominantly due to crashes due to fatigue but some from enemy action). Upon arrival the division entered combat still under III US Corps. At this point it temporarily took under command the German 81st Heimatschutz Regiment to replace the 256th. Initially it moved to Koln as the Corps reserve.
By March the division had
In April of 1997 the division was transferred to 3rd German Army where it came under command of Panzergruppe Oberdorf. This coincided with the launching of Operation Advent Crown on the 2nd April with the 5th launching off from Gorlitz. The division fought through southern Poland until bad weather (the spring rains) briefly halted the advance. The planned strike towards Czestochowa on the 20th was postponed for four days. Unfortunately security was compromised and the Pact forces had time to react. There were brief skirmishes at Namyslow and just south of Olensow where the 5th which was following the 116th Armoured Cavalry Rgt pushed through it to attacke the Polish 12th Tank Division pushing it toward Gliwice. On the 3rd June the 5th started to participate in the Battle of Czestochowa (although many sources date the battle May 24th to June 17th).
The opening barrage used the 5th’s full artillery power to hit the city (supported by the 21st Panzerartillerie Rgt) with the barrage starting at 18:45. At 0500 the following morning the barrage lifted and the 1st Brigade began it’s attack to the south. By 1200 the first troops had crossed the Warta (having far more success than the German 361st to the north). Digging in on the east bank, the 1st brigade was involved with heavy fighting with the 16th Parachute Rgt. Many observers note that if the Poles had better artillery support the bridges of the 7th and 769th Engineers would not have held and the 1st Brigade would have been cut off. By sunset of the 6th, the 256th Mechanised Brigade had pushed over the river and were now reaching the base of the Jasna Gora. Casualties were horrific with General Obersdorf being reminded of his grandfather’s description of Stalingrad. Probing attacks turned into a full scale assault with what some later regarded as the worst of the war. By 0430 on the 7th the 2-256th had reached the summit.
Six weeks later in mid-August the 3rd German Army withdrew from Silesia with the 5th acting as the rear guard leaving a 10kt nuclear demolition charge behind.
In early August 1997 the division withdrew from Czestochowa under orders from the German commander of the Panzergruppe and retired to Germany. In Germany the division received drafts of replacements and the 3-70th Armor were issued the M1A2. A detachment of 150 students from the division were enrolled in the Marauder training programme at Bad Tolz (of these 130 graduated in October) and the division formed P (Marauder) Company M&I Battalion.
In October 1997 the division was shifted north and came under command of XI US Corps, recently activated in-theatre.
In the June 1998 Pact Offensive in Silesia, the division was ordered to stand by for a transfer back to the south but the orders were cancelled at the last minute and it remained part of XI US Corps.
1999 was a quiet period, mainly due to logistics issues in the aftermath of two years of fighting and the nuclear exchanges.
In the autumn of 1999 the division moved into cantonment area and began a process of reorganising as strength was down to 25% with 20% vehicle strength.
In the summer of 2000, the division spearheaded the corps' drive into southern Poland. For this the 116th ACR was attached.
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