[Karsten Heidt]

Working on something neat for the unit. Keeping the lid on it until it's closer to done, but here's a taste:

Fallschirmjäger Platoon Organization, 1944

The Luftwaffe Kriegsstärkenachweisung (unit organization chart) 8121(L) dated 1.5.44 gives the following "on paper" strength of a Fallschirmjäger Zug (platoon):

1 platoon headquarters, with:

1 Leutnant as platoon commander with machine pistol, pistol
1 Senior NCO (probably Unterfeldwebel or Feldwebel) as second in command with rifle
3 Messengers with rifles (when not engaged in delivering messages these acted as security and a personal reserve for the platoon commander)
1 Armourer with pistol

3 Gruppen (Sections), each with:

Section Leader with machine pistol
Assistant section leader with machine pistol
2 Machine gunners with light machine gun, pistol
2 Assistant machine gunners with pistol, MG ammunition
4 riflemen with rifles (1 with telescopic sight and 2 with rifle grenade launchers)

There were also two drivers for the platoon's pair of 3-ton trucks, each with a machine pistol. In total the platoon consisted of 1 officer and 37 men. Total firepower was:

16 rifles (3 with telescopic sights and 6 with rifle grenade launchers)
14 pistols
9 machine pistols
3 Kampfpistole (flare guns that could also fire small grenades)
6 light machine guns

This table represents the official authorized strength, and it would be unusual for units actually in the field to have everything exactly "by the book" due to supply fluctuations and casualties. Still, it can easily be seen that the platoon so organized has a stupendous amount of automatic firepower, double the allocation of regular Heer infantry. This helped to compensate for the lack of artillery and other heavy weapons in the FJ divisions, which by this time were fighting almost exclusively in the conventional infantry role.