Reenact-SA

Here is a kit list for a US Airborne impression.

Springfield Rifle
Springfield Bayonet
M-1 Paratrooper Helmet
Helmet Camo net
HBT US Shirt
Paratrooper M1942 Jump Jacket
Paratrooper Rigger Modified Jump Trousers
Jump Boots
Webbing (Haversack, suspenders, first aid pouch)
M1910 Canteen & Cover
Kidney Cup
T-Piece Shovel & Cover
US Trouser belt
Unit Patch
Meat can mess kit with KFS
Paratrooper combat knife
Garrison Cap
Great Coat
Dog tags
Military ID

As noted elsewhere the Springfield Bayonet is expensive. The Springfield can also be hard to locate. I have also yet to get a Paratrooper combat knife.

Did some quick research. US Airborne were deployed in North Africa as well as Italy. Just can't find the exact units yet. Still doing my homework on this.

Admin

According to a Spearhead book that I have on the 82nd, the 509th took part in Operation Torch and apparrently had 3 combat drops. The rest of the 82nd was then moved to North Africa to continue intensive training.

Following this they were dropped, along with British Paras in Sicily, where they wound up in combat with German Fallschirmjagers (amongst other Axis troops including the Herman Goering Division).

This operation seems to have been a bit of a disaster. On the first drop many of the gliders came down in the sea, and both US & British Paras were widely dispersed over Sicily. This resulted in bands of miscellaneous paras forming scratch units & assaulting targets & communications all over. It also confused Axis commanders & troops as Paras seemed to be everywhere and made determining their objectives difficult.

Secrecy had also prevented alot of important information (such as the presence of the Herman Goering Division) from being imparted to the troops.

The second drop of the 82nd lost over 300 paras & aircrew when allied antiaircraft gunners panicked and shot up the second wave, downing 23 C-47s of 144 and damaging most of the rest.

For the rest of the Sicily Campaign the 82nd served as infantry with Patton's 7th Army.