Allied transport attacked by, 74
number of aircraft in, 88, 163
RAF tactics against, 143–44
Lüttwitz, General der Panzertruppe Heinrich Freiherr von, 97, 150, 152
Lynch, Sergeant Clinton, 284
Lyons, Sergeant James, 202–03
Lysek, Medic Henry, 187
Macchiaverna, Master Sergeant Frank, 82
MacDonald, Charles, 340–41
MacFarlane, Lieutenant W. C., 322
Madoni, John, 337
Magill, John, 139, 140, 225–26
Manley, Corporal Melvin, 165–66
MARKET GARDEN. See Operation MARKET GARDEN
marshaling camps, 104–22, 105
camp A-40, Chartres, France, 109–12
camp A-55, Melun, France, 104, 120–22, 141–42
camp A-80, Mourmelon-le-Grand, France, 107–09, 117–18
camp B-54, Achiet, France, 112–19, 139
counterintelligence agents in, 109–10
description of, 105–06
Operation VARSITY briefings in, 107–09, 109–12, 113, 114–17, 120–22
reporter’s account of, 118–19
Ridgway’s visit with troops at, 130
segregation system for briefed personnel in, 106
soldiers’ activities in, 106–07, 110
troop transport to, 104–05
McCoid, Captain Chester, 69
McDonald, Sergeant Lendy
activities the night before jump departure of, 169–70
autobahn defense and, 323–24
drop zone defense and, 280
jumping from burning plane by, 221
Operation VARSITY planning by, 115, 116
Phase Line LONDON and, 316–17
wounding of, 334
McKirgan, Sergeant Mac, 116, 220, 234–35
Meacomes, Staff Sergeant Horace, 261, 262
medics, Allied
civilian injuries and, 225
drop zone wounded and, 277
German targeting of, 255, 278
landing zone wounded and, 141, 250, 255–56, 328, 329
responsibilities of, 166
venereal disease treatment by, 70
wounded POWs and, 329
medics, German, 266, 267, 281, 310
M18 recoilless rifle, 71–72
Meindl, General Eugen, 293
Melun, France, 105, 161
airfield A-55 at, 141–42, 158–60, 165, 180–83
marshaling camp A-55 at, 104, 120–22
Mercandante, Gaccarino, 64
Messerschmitt Me-262 aircraft, 95, 142–44, 163, 191, 326
Middleton, General Troy, 7
Miladinovich, Steve, 277
Milchak, Sergeant Elmer, 266, 286
Miley, General William “Bud,” 39–44
aircraft capacity and drop planning by, 77–79
Battle of the Bulge and, 5–6, 7
boarding and takeoff for jump by, 188–89
command post location choice of, 188
Dempsey’s Operation VARSITY plan and, 29, 50
Drop Zone W command post of, 269, 271–272, 274
jump of, 210
M18 recoilless rifle introduction and, 72
military background of, 39–40
new paratrooper equipment designs and, 40
Operation VARSITY briefings from, 82
Operation VARSITY coordination conference with, 83–85
Operation VARSITY launch date decision and, 101, 102, 109
Operation VARSITY planning and, 34–35, 43, 74, 75, 107–09, 119, 121–22
parachute battalion command of, 40–43
on parachute jumps, 40
personality of, 39
replacement troops’ arrival and, 39
Rhine crossing campaign stages proposed by, 27–29, 55
Ridgway’s meeting with, 269, 271
Ridgway’s Operation VARSITY command and, 37
Ridgway’s support for, 128
Ridgway’s XVIII Airborne Corps and, 23
17th Airborne Division formation by, 43
17th Airborne reorganization of triangular formation by, 43–44, 69, 164
soldiers’ culture in battle and, 101, 168
transport aircraft planning by, 77–79
Miller, Captain Bill, 168
Miller, Colonel Allen “Ace”
Operation VARSITY planning and, 85
personality of, 230–31
wrong landing location and, 229–31
Mincks, Private William, 337
Montanino, Nick, xviii
Montgomery, Field Marshal Bernard
American generals’ attitude toward, 171–72
divisions assigned to Operation PLUNDER and, 75–76
Eisenhower’s designation of, as Rhine crossing leader, 29, 33–34
German intelligence on plans of, 94, 98–99
German reconnaissance flights and, 142–43, 144–45
message to troops before jump departure from, 183
movement of weapons and equipment before Rhine crossing and, 102
Operation MARKET GARDEN in Holland and, 25–26
Operation VARSITY contingency planning and, 129–30
Operation VARSITY launch date decision and, 101–02, 129
Operations VERITABLE and GRENADE and, 27–29, 55
pincer movement used by, in Rhine campaign, 29, 55, 57–58
Rhine crossing observation by, 198
Rhine crossing plan of, 23, 53, 66, 89, 92, 93
Ridgway’s Operation VARSITY plan and, 74
Schlemm’s defense strategy against, 89
supply line constraints and, 25, 27
Moon, Anthony, 228
Morgan, Captain Loran, 277
Morgenthau, Henry, 147–48
Morgenthau Plan, 147–48
Morton, Sergeant Alfred, 324
Moscar, Medic Joseph, 179, 309
Mourmelon-le-Grand, France, 105, 161
airfield A-80 at, 168, 188, 190
marshaling camp A-80 at, 107–09, 117–18
Müller, Heinrich, 94, 275
Mustang (P-51) aircraft. See P-51 Mustang aircraft
Nammack, First Lieutenant James, 278
Nero Decree (Hitler), 148–49
Netherlands
German espionage network in, 80
glider recovery efforts in, 132–33
Operation MARKET GARDEN in. See also Operation MARKET GARDEN (September 1944)
Nevins, Hugh, 239
Niblo, Second Lieutenant Raye, 297
Ninth Army (United States), 29, 55, 66, 328
Office of Strategic Services (OSS)
Army’s views on help from, 127
Steltermann’s career in, 123–24
Office of Strategic Services (OSS) agents. See also Steltermann, Helmut
arrival at airfield before jump, 170–71
glider transport and landing of, 245–46
need to refocus teams in, 286–87
objective of, 287
second infiltration attempt of, 334–35
101st Airborne Division (United States), 5
Blanchard’s reassignment to, 337
Operation MARKET GARDEN in Holland and, 25–26
113th Evacuation Hospital, Germany, 329
193rd Glider Infantry Regiment (United States), 44, 81
disbanding of, and troop reassignment to the 194th, 46–47
hazardous duty pay for, 46
troop morale in, 45–46
194th Glider Infantry Regiment (Glider Riders; United States)
Dillon’s service in, 45–46
drop planning by, 104, 107, 109, 121–22
flight routes for, 160–61, 161
hazardous duty pay for, 46
landing zones for, 238, 242
marshaling camp briefings for, 120, 121–22
Miley’s formation of, 44
photo reconnaissance needed by, 53
Operation CHOKER II
>
divisions assigned to, 76
glider pilots supply and, 164–65
resource challenges for, 130, 131, 134
Ridgway’s involvement with, 128
Operation GRENADE (1945), 29, 55
Operation MARKET GARDEN (September 1944), 48
description of, 25–26
glider inventory and, 132
glider pilot behavior during, 135, 311
glider pilot shortage affecting, 134–35
Montgomery’s planning of, 25–26
policy changes following failure of, 77, 95, 98
recovery of aircraft after, 132
Rhine crossing planning with lessons learned from, 27, 33, 53, 109, 121, 164
Operation NAPLES II proposal, 79
Operation PLUNDER (March 1945)
Allied chain of command in, 30
Dempsey’s Operation VARSITY timing related to, 75
description of, 174–75, 197
divisions assigned to, 75–76
Eisenhower’s approval of, 29, 76
German defenses in, 197
Montgomery’s planning for, 129
Operation VARSITY landings and, 197
Ridgway and, 76
Operation VARSITY (March 1945), 29–38, 50–54
air and ground crew preparations before, 137–39
aircraft hit during, 198, 207, 210, 276
Allied aerial interdiction campaign supporting, 191–92
Allied Airborne’s support for, 29–31, 32
Allied chain of command in, 30, 32
arrival of aircraft armada in, 199
battalion coordination conference on, 83–85
battlefield map (March 24, 1945), 178
Brereton’s final approval for, 174
B-24 supply drops during, 195–96
Chester’s flight and drop during, xv–xix
combined military resources marshaled in, 339
contingency planning for, 128–30
cost of, 339–40
Dempsey’s plan for, 36, 50–53, 73–75, 76
divisions assigned to, 32, 33–34, 75–77
Drop Zone W in, 199, 204
Eisenhower on success of, 339
Eisenhower’s support for Montgomery in, 29, 33–34
enemy territory location of, 116–17
espionage and security concerns in, 79–80, 84
flight routes in, 160–61, 161
German anti-aircraft gun locations and, 163–64
glider pilot issues affecting, 134–36
gliders used in, 131–34
jumps in. See jumps, Operation VARSITY
landing plan in, maps, 108, 161
launch date decision for, 101–02, 109
lift capacity and, 77–78, 79
logistical challenges of transporting two divisions in, 53
logistical support for gliders and, 131
marshaling camp briefings on, 107–09, 109–12, 113, 114–17, 120–22
Miley’s drop planning for, 77–79, 107–09, 121–22
mission statement for, 75
morning activities before jumps in, 179–80
naming of, 29
objectives of, 35, 51
Operation PLUNDER assault and landings by, 197
Operation PLUNDER timing related to, 75
paratroopers’ fear and stress before, 169, 175, 189
phase lines in, 308
photographic record of jumps in, 169, 220, 223–24, 235–36
planning of, 32, 34–38, 43
proposed launch date for, 36, 37–38
Ridgway’s command of, 33, 34
Ridgway’s objections to assignment to, 34, 37
Ridgway’s plan options for, 73–74
soldiers’ anticipation of fighting in, 115, 116, 120
soldiers’ awareness of planning for, 54
soldiers’ preparations for first combat drop in, 103–04
soldiers’ rumors about, 81–82, 82–83, 100, 116–17
terrain models for, 115–16, 117–18, 122, 203
13th Airborne Division’s commitment to, 75–76
timing of later landing in, 74–75
troop briefings on, 82–83
weather conditions and, 128–29
Operation VERITABLE (1945), 29, 55
O’Rourke, Frank, 182, 304
OSS. See Office of Strategic Services
Overstake, Second Lieutenant Bob, 262
Paddock, Lieutenant Colonel John, 239, 245
Paliwoda, Private William, 257
Pandak, William, 212
Paone, Sergeant Thomas, 261
parachute jump training, 70–71, 73, 78
parachute landing falls (PLFs), 50
parachute regiments. See specific units
parachutes
air and ground crew preparations of, 138, 139–40
bad jumps into trees and, 202–03, 208, 223, 227
chuting up before takeoff with, 185–86
jump problems and malfunctions of, 211, 221, 224
new design of, 70–71
steering of, 202
paratroopers
activities the night before jump departure of, 165–66, 168, 169–70
air and ground crew preparations before Operation VARSITY and, 137–38
armband identifiers used by, 141
assigned place (“stick”) in aircraft, 166–67
boarding and takeoffs for jump by, 185–91
cabin conditions during flight and, 193–95
Capa’s photographic record of, 118–19, 169, 220, 223, 235–36
chuting up before takeoff by, 185–86
civilians caught in crossfire with, 224–25
exit drill practice by, 40–50
fear and stress before battle and, 101, 169, 175, 182, 189, 220
first-aid packs used by, 140–41
head-shaving ritual before jumps and, 169
jumpmasters’ commands and oversight of, 197, 199–200
jumpmaster inspections of, 185, 187
maps used by, 168
marshaling camp briefings for, 107–09, 109–12, 113, 114–17, 120–22
Operation VARSITY jumps. See jumps, Operation VARSITY
parachute and equipment preparation for, 139–40
parachute landing fall (PLF) practice and, 50
passwords on battlefields used by, 141–42, 278
pocket guide on Germany for, 167
refusal to jump by, 221–23, 231
reserve parachutes used by, 139
self-inflicted wound and removal of, 166, 188
weapon preparation before jumping, 167, 168–69, 181
weapons used by, 139–40, 186, 203
yellow signal panels worn by, 141
Paris
Capa in, 119
First Allied Airborne Army’s headquarters in, 32, 53
liberation of, 23
OSS office in, 125
soldiers’ activities during passes in, 19–21
soldier’s hospitalization in, 335
Parks, Floyd, 37, 52–53
Parti Populaire Français, 95
passwords on battlefields, 141–42, 278
Patterson, Bob, 294
Patton, General George, 5–6, 7, 42, 81, 121
Pena, Manuel, xvii, xviii
Perry, Al, xviii
Peters, Private George, 209
Peterson, Major Carl, 239, 246–47
P-47 Thunderbolt aircraft, 163, 198, 202, 276
P-51 Mustang aircraft, 138, 156, 163
Pierce, Colonel James R., 7, 164
pilots. See aircraft pilots; glider pilots
pincer movement. See double envelopment
Pinson, Private Harry, 175, 202, 273
Pinzel, Flight Officer Don, 135, 166
PLUNDER. See Operation PLUNDER
poison gas attacks, 116–17
Potter, Second Lieutenant Donald, 264
Powell, Hollis, 266, 285–86
prisoners of war (POWs), Allied, 266–67
prisoners of war (POWs), German
medical team work of, 256
paratroopers’ taking of, 203, 206, 208, 211, 212, 225, 234, 257
as shields for Allied soldiers, 256, 258
soldiers’ debate over taking, 117
propaganda
Axis Sally broadcasts and, 21, 156–57
Goebbels and, 147–48, 156, 173–74, 329–30
Pyle, Ernie, 118–19
quartermaster units, 7–8, 10, 166, 312, 336
Raff, Colonel Edson
battalion jumps and, 203, 205–06, 208–09
Branigan’s Bastards and, 112
close call of, 334
jump by, 201, 203
jump order and, 187
leadership style of, 69–70
marshaling camp briefings by, 110–11, 112
message to paratroopers before takeoff by, 186
military background of, 69
Operation VARSITY coordination conference with, 84–85
paratrooper equipment and, 186, 203
personality of, 69
Ridgway and, 271
Raff’s Ruffians. See 507th Parachute Infantry
reconnaissance
Allied concerns about German use of, 142
First Allied Airborne Army’s use of, 53
466th Parachute Field Artillery and, 48
German use of, 80, 94–96, 99, 142–43, 147
Issel Canal bridges on, 302
landing zone routes and, 162
Miley’s plan for Operation VARSITY and, 84
Operation VARSITY planning using daily updates of, 116, 122
OSS briefings with, 128
Ridgway’s flight for, 171
Wesel area on, 155
Reed, Darrell, 260–61
Reed, Private Paul, 83
Remagen, Germany
bridge capture at, 63–64, 81, 86, 101
German strategy for defending, 87–88
Reynolds, Jim, 265–66, 267
Rhine River crossing campaigns. See also Operation PLUNDER; Operation VARSITY
advance to the Rhine (February 8–March 13, 1945) map of, 28
airdrop planning for, 29, 32, 53, 77–79
Allied advance (Fall 1944), Northern Europe, map of, 24
Allied air attacks in, 92
Allied attempts to determine German situation after withdrawal in, 66–67
Allied awareness of German knowledge of their plans for, 99
Allied intelligence on German defense plans in, 99
Allied tank attacks in, 62–63
American ground forces in, 29, 55, 66, 328
Brereton’s planning conflicts with, 32
bridge defense and later demolition during, 59, 61–66
civilian disruptions and evacuations during, 93–94
cost of, 339–40
Dempsey’s Operation VARSITY plan for, 36, 50–53
Eisenhower on forcibly pushing back the enemy in, 55
Eisenhower’s support for Montgomery’s command of, 29, 33–34
Four Hours of Fury Page 55
