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

Historical Division Study

USAF

Air University

(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

II

III

IV

THE AIRBORNE INVASION OF NORMANDY--PLANS AND PREPARATIONS .

1

Background .......

Early Planning-The COSSAC Phase

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

......

.

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

.

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

. . ... . . . ..

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

. . . ...

....

Final Preparations . . . . . . ..

. . . . . . .

.. .. ..

Deception and Diversion .......

.....

. . .....

.

1

2

THE ASSAULT ......

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

The Pathfinders ..

...

...

.....

. ..

. ...

...

ALBANY Mission and the Paratroop Operations of the

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

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

BOSTON Mission and the Paratroop Operations of the

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

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

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

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

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

.....

.

The Glider Missions on D plus 1-GALVESTON and

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

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

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

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

FROM NEPTUNE TO MARKET .

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

Organizational Changes . . ....

..

...

..

..

Plans and Operations during the Campaign in France .

The Planning of MARKET .

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

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

Preliminary Support Operations ...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

.....

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

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

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

.....

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

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

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

D plus 1, Arnhem Sector . ....

...

. ....

...

The Balance for D plus 1 ..

. . ..

. . . . . . .

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

V

..

17

20

26

28

32

32

33

48

58

61

65

69

72

74 *

78

81

..

. 81

......

83

88

..

97

100

.

.

.

. . . . .

. . . . .

...

. ....

. . . . .

101

101

102

107

112

115

117

118

120

123

125

127

127

*.

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