Created in November 1944, it existed for the final seven months of the war in Europe and never reached significant combat strength before surrendering to the Western Allies in May 1945.

[1]: 207  Still on border duty and under command by Hans Schmidt, the army command (strengthened by Volkssturm and frontier battalions) was overtaken by the French invasion of southwestern Germany and had to flee across Lake Constance by boat to escape envelopment.

The surrender by Army Group G, as well as by broader German forces in southern Germany (under overall command by Albert Kesselring), had gone into effect at noon on 6 May, but De Lattre de Tassigny, insulted at the American commanders' non-concern with French opinions, did not recognize 24th Army as a subordinate of 19th Army, choosing instead to view it as a continually active force.

Intermittent fighting thus continued late on 6 May 1945, but the French demands for Hans Schmidt's surrender to France were ignored.

The issue eventually died down along with the fighting as the German forces disintegrated in the aftermath of surrender.