"Pathfinders on D+1 & after" Topic
5 Posts
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| Korvessa | 28 Sep 2016 7:40 a.m. PST |
After their pathfinder job was done, or for that matter on non-jump operations, what did the pathfinders do? Did they remain separate?
Or were they incorporated into the line units? |
 Saber6  | 28 Sep 2016 9:56 a.m. PST |
IIRC incorporated into nearby units until they could be shipped back to England. I believe they were a Divisional Asset |
| Just Jack | 28 Sep 2016 12:40 p.m. PST |
I agree with Saber 6 in terms of I believe they were a Division asset, but having said that, I don't think they were a 'normal' (part of the TO&E) unit. I think I read in one of Koskimaki's books that Pathfinders were simply guys taken/volunteered from various rifle and H&S companies from all the regiments. I believe he said (or, more appropriately, guys he interviewed said) they were sent for mission specific training related to that particular drop, performed their pathfinder duty, then simply returned to their companies. I have no idea on when they were released from their pathfinder duty; given the chaotic nature of the drops I suspect they stuck together for a few days while units formed up and got organized. But then again, this is all based on my foggy memory of reading a book a long time ago ;) V/R,
Jack |
 ColCampbell | 29 Sep 2016 8:12 a.m. PST |
Don't know how much credence to place on this quote:
Once the main body jumped, the pathfinders then joined their original units and fought as standard airborne infantry. from the Wiki article on Pathfinder (military) link . The footnote on the sentence just prior to this one refers one to a 1988 book Out of the Blue by James A. Huston. But at least it gives one a start for further research. Jim |
| john lacour | 29 Sep 2016 12:32 p.m. PST |
From what I've read, they were returned to the line companies. |
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