AIRBORNE OPERATIONS IN WORLD WAR II,

USAF HISTORICAL STUDIES: NO. 97

AIRBORNE OPERATIONS IN WORLD WAR II,

EUROPEAN THEATER

By Dr. John C. Warren

USAF Historical Division

Research Studies Institute Air University September 1956

Personal views or opinions expressed or implied in this publication are not to be construed as carrying official sanction of the Department of

the Air Force or the Air University.

Published at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama

September 1956 Air University USAF Historical Division Study

(AU-97-53-RSI)

Joreworal

This monograph describes the planning and execution of airborne operations by the Army Air Forces in the European Theater during World War II. Intended to serve as a case history of large-scale airborne operations, it seeks to analyze and evaluate them as a basis for doctrine and for the information of future planners. This history was written by Dr. John C. Warren of the USAF Historical Division.

Like other Historical Division studies this history is subject to revision, and additional information or suggested corrections will be welcomed.

Contents

I THE AIRBORNE INVASION OF NORMANDY--PLANS AND PREPARATIONS . 1

Background .......

1

Early Planning-The COSSAC Phase

2

Shaping the Outline Plans ............

......

.

Detailed Planning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .

The Buildup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . ..

17

Deployment and Training .........

. . . ... ....

20

Final Preparations . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. .. .. 26

Deception and Diversion .......

.....

. . .....

. 28

II THE ASSAULT ......

......................

32

The Pathfinders .. ... ... .....

. .. . ... ...

32

ALBANY Mission and the Paratroop Operations of the

101st Division . . . . . . . . . .. . .. . . . . . . . . . 33

BOSTON Mission and the Paratroop Operations of the

82d Division ..............

.............

48

Evaluation of the Paratroop Operations .............

58

CHICAGO and DETROIT-The Initial Glider Missions . .....

61

KEOKUK and ELMIRA Glider Missions ........

.....

. 65

The Glider Missions on D plus 1-GALVESTON and

HACKENSACK .....................

69

Evaluation of the Glider Missions .................

72

Parachute Resupply Missions ..................

74 *

The British Missions and WILDOATS .............

78

III FROM NEPTUNE TO MARKET .

..................

81

Organizational Changes . . ....

.. ... .. .. .. .. . 81

Plans and Operations during the Campaign in France .

...... 83

The Planning of MARKET . .................

88

Resources and Preparations ................

.. 97

Preliminary Support Operations ...

..................

100 *.

IV MARKET-THE AIRBORNE INVASION OF HOLLAND ............

101

D-day, the Pathfinders ......

.............

101

D-day, Operations in the Eindhoven Sector ...........

102

D-day, Operations in the Nijmegen Sector ..........

. 107

D-day, Operations in the Arnhem Sector ........

.....

. 112

The Balance for D-day ......

.............

115

D plus 1, Plans and Auxiliary Air Action ........

.....

. 117

D plus 1, Eindhoven Sector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118

D plus 1, Nijmegen Sector ...................

120

D plus 1, Resupply by Bomber . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123

D plus 1, Arnhem Sector . ....

... . ....

... ...

125

The Balance for D plus 1 .. . . .. . . . . . . . . ....

127

D plus 2, Plans and Auxiliary Air Action . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127

V

D plus 2, Eindhoven Sector .............

. . . *. . 129

D plus 2, Nijmegen Sector .............

. . . . *. . 130

D plus 2, Arnhem Sector ..............

. . . *. . 131

The Balance for D plus 2 ..............

. .... , . 133

D plus 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . *. . 133

D plus 4 .....................

... .. .. 136

D plus 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . *. . 140

D plus 6 ....

.................

... .. .. 141

D plus 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... .. .. 145

D plus 8 . . . . .. . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . .....

145

D plus 9 and After ................

.....

146

Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .....

149

V VARSITY-THE AIRBORNE ASSAULT ACROSS THE RHINE . .....

156

Preliminary Planning ..............

.. .....

156

Development of the Assault Plan ...........

.....

. 157

Planning for Auxiliary Air and Artillery Action ....

.....

166

Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .....

168

Briefing and Security Measures ............

.....

170

Auxiliary Air Operations ..............

.....

171

The Final Decision and the Ground Assault ......

.....

173

The Lift and Initial Operations of the British Airborne Division .. . 174

The Lift and Initial Operations of the American Paratroops ....

. 177

The Lift and Initial Operations of the American Glider Troops . . . . 181

Resupply . .......................

. 188

The Exploitation of VARSITY ................

. 190

Special Features of VARSITY ................

. 191

Conclusions . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192

VI CONCLUSIONS REGARDING LARGE-SCALE AIRBORNE OPERATIONS . . 196

FOOTNOTES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203

APPENDIX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224

1. Statistical Tables-Operation NEPTUNE . ........

. 224

2. Statistical Tables-Operation MARKET ..........

. 226

3. Statistical Tables-Operation VARSITY ..........

. 228

GLOSSARY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ZA.n3,U\

INDEX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234

vi

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