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Researching
World War II
Unit Histories, Documents
Monographs, Books and Reports on CD
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This grouping of information is for the World War 2 Researcher or Family Member
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101st
"Screaming Eagle"
Airborne Division
Order of Battle
Division Headquarters
327th Glider Infantry Regiment
401st Glider Infantry Regiment
501st Parachute Infantry Regiment
502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment
506th Parachute Infantry Regiment
HHB, Division Artillery
321st Glider Field Artillery Battalion (75mm)
377th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion (75mm)
463d Parachute Field Artillery Battalion (75mm)
907th Glider Field Artillery Battalion (75mm)
81st Airborne Antiaircraft Battalion
326th Airborne Engineer Battalion
326th Airborne Medical Company
101st Parachute Maintenance Company
101st Signal Company
101st Counter Intelligence Corps Detachment
Headquarters, Special Troops
801st Airborne Ordnance Maintenance Company
426th Airborne Quartermaster Company
Headquarters Company, 101st Airborne Division
Military Police Platoon
Reconnaissance Platoon
Band
Casualties
Killed in action - 1,766
Wounded in action - 6,388
Commanders
Maj. Gen. William C. Lee
Aug 42 - Mar 44
Maj. Gen. Maxwell D. Taylor
Mar 44 - Dec 44
Brig. Gen. Anthony C. McAuliffe
Dec 44 - Dec 44
Maj. Gen. Maxwell D. Taylor
Dec 44 - Sep 45
Campaigns
Normandy
6 June - 24 Jul 44 Central Europe 22 Mar - 11 May 45 Ardennes-Alsace
16 Dec 44 - 25 Jan 45
Rhineland 15 Sep 44 - 21 Mar 45
Days of Combat
214
Top - Map - Files - History - Bottom
1942 15 Aug- 101st Airborne Division the division was activated at Camp Claiborne, Louisiana Oct- The division moved to Fort Bragg, North Carolina 1943 Spring- The 101st left to take part in the Tennessee maneuvers Aug- Division returned to Fort Bragg, continuing to train until mid-August, when it received orders for transfer overseas. 1944 May 15- Operation EAGLE, held during the second week of May. Arriving in England, the 101st was quartered in Wiltshire and Berkshire, where it continued to train participated in three formal exercises: BEAVER, TIGER, and EAGLE. 6 Jun-
The 101st Airborne Division first saw combat during the Normandy invasion 8 Jun- Elements of the 501st and 506th Parachute Infantry, along with the 1st Battalion, 401st Glider Infantry, engaged a German force in the town of St. Côme-du-Mont. The 3d Battalion, 501st PIR, took positions south of the town, along the highway to Carentan where it encountered the enemy. The 1st Battalion, 401st Glider Infantry, was called to aid the 3d Battalion, but the enemy withdrew before the glider troops arrived. Both of the 101st battalions pursued the retreating enemy, but there was no additional contact. The Germans had abandoned the town, and the SCREAMING EAGLES moved in to plan the next step in the drive on Carentan. 10 Jun- Elements of the force crossed the Douve River and occupied the town of Brevands. Company A, 401st Glider Infantry, continued southeast towards the town of Auville-sur-le-Vey to contact the V Corps. Encountering stiff German resistance outside the town, the company broke through the enemy line to make contact with elements of the 29th Infantry Division, part of the V Corps. The 327th, after crossing the Douve, had orders to seize both the railroad bridge and the highway bridge that crossed the Vire-Taute Canal, blocking the eastern escape routes from Carentan. The regiment succeeded in capturing and holding the highway bridge, but the railroad bridge was blown in the fight. The men of the 327th crossed the canal and continued their fight toward Carentan until enemy resistance halted their progress about a half mile from the town. 12 Jun- Throughout the day the battalions held their ground until they were finally relieved by the 2d Battalion. Elements of the 506th Parachute Infantry relieved the beleaguered battalions of the 502d on 12 June. 12 Jun- At General Taylor's direction, Brig. Gen. Anthony C. McAuliffe, commander of the 101st's artillery, coordinated the final drive for Carentan, which took place on 12 June. 13 Jun- The Germans launched a fierce counterattack in an attempt to retake the town. The U.S. First Army directed elements of the 2d Armored Division to support the 101st in defending Carentan. Together the Americans stopped the enemy thrust and held the town. 27 Jun- The 83d Infantry Division arrived and relieved the 101st. 29 Jun- Two days later the 101st was relieved from the VIII Corps and sent to Cherbourg to relieve the 4th Infantry Division. 15 Jul-
The 101st remained as a First Army reserve until mid-July, when it returned to England for rest and training. 17 Sep- Allied thrust in northern Europe: Operation MARKET-GARDEN. D-Day was set for 17 September 1944, and the 101st along with the 82d Airborne Division, the British 1st Airborne Division and 52d Lowland Division (Airportable), and the 1st Polish Parachute Brigade were set to jump. 16 Dec- Battle of the Bulge - The Ardennes Offensive. The Germans launched their last great offensive in Belgium Operation Market Garden MARKET-GARDEN was planned as a two phase operation. Operation MARKET was the airborne phase of the assault, with Operation GARDEN being the ground attack. The paratroopers of First Allied Airborne Army were to jump into the Netherlands and secure a corridor from Eindhoven north to Arnhem, through which the ground forces of the British 30 Corps could advance and push on to the IJesselmer (Zuider Zee). The eventual goal was to cross the Rhine River and breach the German West Wall defenses. The Dutch countryside, criss-crossed by innumerable dikes, drainage ditches, rivers, and canals, however, would prove difficult to traverse if the ground troops could not advance by road. For the plan to be a success the paratroopers had to keep the roadway open and the bridges along the route intact and secure. 16 Dec- The 101st Airborne Division, travelling by truck, reached Bastogne on 18 December, and McAuliffe met with General Middleton, who had received orders to pull the VIII Corps headquarters out of the city. 19 Dec-
The 501st Parachute Infantry moved east to contact the American forces deployed to protect approaches to the city. 22 Dec- The enemy penetrated the glider regiment's defenses, which rallied and repelled the assault. After continued skirmishes, four German soldiers approached the 327th's defenses on 22 December carrying a flag of truce. The Germans brought an ultimatum for the Allied commander of Bastogne to surrender within two hours or face annihilation from a massed German artillery bombardment. McAuliffe's now famous response "NUTS!" provided a boost to the sagging morale of the Americans. 22 Dec- The Germans launched their final effort to eliminate the American garrison on the 26th, but artillery eradicated the assault force. 1945 18 Jan- The 101st moved to the Alsace region as part of the Seventh Army line, holding defensive positions through late February. The 101st then returned to Mourmelon, where it reverted to First Allied Airborne Army control. 15 Mar- General Eisenhower visited Mourmelon and awarded the SCREAMING EAGLES the Distinguished Unit Citation for its stand at Bastogne. 1 Apr- The division went back to training, this time for a proposed air assault on Berlin. Instead, the division moved to positions near the Rhine during the first week in April. May- During the last days of the war the 101st Airborne Division was in Berchtesgaden, Adolph Hitler's vacation retreat. The airborne soldiers spent their days hunting members of the Nazi leadership that had gone into hiding. 1 Aug- The 42d Infantry Division relieved the 101st, which moved back to France to train for a possible airborne assault on Japan. These plans were canceled after the Japanese surrender. 30 Nov- The division was deactivated 30 November 1945 in France.
Top - Map - Files - History - Bottom
101st Airborne Division
in World War II
Open all files from the folders on the CDs
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5 - 6 Jun 44
101st Airborne
Operations
Ste.Mere Eglise,
France
Normandy Campaign
CD 1
29 Pages - PDF
5 - 8 Jun 44
101st Airborne
506th Parachute
Operations
Normandy Invasion
Normandy Campaign
CD 1
44 Pages - PDF
5 - 10 Jun 44
101st Airborne
Operations
Normandy Landing
Normandy Campaign
CD 1
29 Pages - PDF
6 - 8 Jun 44
101st Airborne
506th Parachute
Operations at
Carentan, France
Normandy Campaign
CD 1
57 Pages - PDF
9 Jun 44
101st Airborne
506th Parachute
Lafiere, France
CD 1
20 Pages - PDF
11 - 13 Jun 44
101st Airborne
506th Parachute
Carentan, France
Normandy Campaign
CD 1
20 Pages - PDF
14 - 19 Sep 44
101st Airborne
506th Parachute
England and Holland
Rhineland Campaign
CD 1
30 Pages - PDF
17 Sep - 9 Oct 44
101st Airborne
506th Parachute
Holland
Rhineland Campaign
CD 1
26 Pages - PDF
17 - 27 Sep 44
101st Airborne
Operations
Invasion Netherlands
Rhineland Campaign
CD 1
30 Pages - PDF
18 Sep - 15 Oct 44
101st Airborne
Operations
Holland
CD 1
35 Pages - PDF
18 - 26 Dec 44
101st Airborne
501st Parachute
Bastogne, Belgium
Ardennes Campaign
CD 1
31 Pages - PDF
20 - 26 Dec 44
101st Airborne
Bastogne, Belgium
Ardennes Campaign
CD 1
30 Pages - PDF
24 - 25 Dec 44
101st Airborne
502nd Parachute
Bastogne, Belgium
Ardennes Campaign
CD 1
32 Pages - PDF
25 Dec 44
101st Airborne
Bastogne, Belgium
Ardennes Campaign
CD 1
22 Pages - PDF
US Army
WWII
Chronology
1941-1945
CD 1
671 Pages - PDF
War Against
Germany and Italy
CD 1
477 Pages - PDF
Riviera
To The Rhine
CD 1
629 Pages - PDF
Ardennes
Battle of the Bulge
CD 1
747 Pages - PDF
Last
Offensive
CD 1
554 Pages - PDF
Siegfried Line
Campaign
CD 1
697 Pages - PDF
15 Sep 44 - 21 Mar 45
Rhineland Campaign
CD 1
36 Pages - PDF
16 Dec 44 - 25 Jan 45
Ardennes - Alsace
Campaign
CD 1
56 Pages - PDF
6 June - 24 Jul 44
Normandy Campaign
CD 1
51 Pages - PDF
Brief History
U.S. Army
in WW II
CD 1
54 Pages - PDF
D-Day
Posters
CD 1
2 Pages - PDF
D-Day Art
CD 1
362 Pages - PDF
D-Day
Photos
CD 1
314 Pages - PDF
World War 2
Situation Maps
Europe
CD 1
82 Maps - PDF
Readers Guide
US Army
in World War II
CD 1
185 Pages - PDF
Form SF180
Records Request
Request for
Personnel Records
CD 1
3 Pages - PDF
Research Guide
National Archives
Finding Information of
Personal Participation
in World War II Guide
CD 1
5 Pages - PDF
Guide to
World War II
Research Resources
CD 1
20 Pages - PDF The files below are found on CD 2
VE Day
Eisenhower Flyer
CD 2
1 Page - PDF
Rank
Insignia of Grade
CD 2
1 Page - PDF
Chart
Enlisted Men's
Uniform Insignias
CD 2
1 Page - PDF
Patch
Identification
Guide
CD 2
19 Pages - PDF
Mines - Booby Traps
Identification Guide
CD 2
80 Pages - PDF
Aircraft
Nose Art
CD 2
34 Pages - PDF
Aircraft
Recognition Guide
CD 2
17 Pages - PDF
Aircraft
Insignia Poster
CD 2
1 Page - PDF
US
World War II
Posters
CD 2
249 Pages - PDF
German
World War II
Posters
CD 2
75 Pages - PDF
Comic Book
Covers
CD 2
8 Pages - PDF
Song Lyrics
Army
HIT KIT
of Popular Songs
CD 2
6 Pages - PDF
Troopships
of World War II
CD 2
391 Pages - PDF
British
Grenadier Guards
1939 - 1945
Campaigns
BEF - 1939 - 1940
Tunisia 1942 - 1943
Italy - 1943 - 1945
Europe 1944 - 1945
CD 2
93 Pages - PDF
Film
The
BIG PICTURE
Documentary Film
"Combat Infantryman"
An Official
Television Report
to the Nation
From the
United States Army
CD 2
Film Info - PDF
Film: 27m14s - MP4
Newsreels
"Allied Vise Tightens
On Rhineland"
Universal Newsreel
7 Dec 44
Film: 7m17s
"Nazis Surrender"
Universal Newsreel
14 May 45
Film: 7m24s
"The Year 1945"
United Newsreel
Film: 8m34s
CD 2
Newsreels - Folder
1 Sep 39 - 10 May 42
Graphic History
Of The War
CD 2
76 Pages - PDF
1985
Veterans
Remerbrances
of World War II
40th Anniversary
of VE Day
CD 2
141 Pages - PDF
Brief History
of World War II
CD 2
55 Pages - PDF
APOs
Army
Postal Service
Addresses
CD 2
149 Pages - PDF
The files below are found on CD 3
Music
"Singing Soldiers"
Winners Second
All Army Soldier
Singing Contest
1954-55
19 Song LP Record
2 Album Set
CD 3
Info - PDF
Files - Folder
Music
What Do You
Do In The Infantry ?
American Military March
Semper Fidelis (Marines)
CD 3
Files - Folder
D-Day
Radio Broadcasts
13 - BBC/CBS/NBC
Normandy Invasion
Broadcasts
24 - CBS Invasion
1 Hour Broadcasts
CD 3
Files - Folder
Cartoons
11
BANNED
World War II
Cartoons
Bugs Bunny
Donald Duck
Popeye
Superman
more ...
CD 3
Info - PDF
Files - Folder
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101st
"Screaming Eagle"
Airborne Division
101st Airborne Division History
Originally organized in November 1918, the 101st was demobilized the following month, and later reconstituted in June 1921 as an Organized Reserve unit. The division was organized that September at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with reservists, most of whom were individually called into federal service after the outbreak of the war. The reserve division was disbanded 15 August 1942, and concurrently reconstituted in the Army of the United States as the 101st Airborne Division.
The airborne division was activated at Camp Claiborne, Louisiana, with recently promoted Maj. Gen. William C. Lee commanding. The airborne capability was to be provided by two glider infantry regiments (GIRs), the 327th and 401st, and one parachute infantry regiment, the 502nd, though the latter was still stationed at Fort Benning, Georgia. This mix of glider and parachute regiments was a matter of great debate, and these units were augmented in the coming months by the 506th and 501st Parachute Infantry.
With the 101st designated as an airborne division, all that remained was to train its soldiers to qualify for their new mission. In October 1942 the division moved to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and joined by the 502nd PIR, began its training under the Airborne Command. Rivalry between the division's parachute and glider elements developed rapidly. The paratroopers were considered to be elite troops and received extra money or "parachute pay" for their hazardous missions. The glider troops, however, had duties just as dangerous but were authorized no extra pay. This situation continued through 1944, with unit commanders doing their best to keep the peace within their ranks. Throughout these difficulties the 101st continued to train and to reorganize, attempting to acquire airborne qualified personnel for the necessary positions.
By the spring of 1943 the division was ready to face its first test in local maneuvers. Immediately following these maneuvers, the 101st left to take part in the Tennessee maneuvers, a larger scale operation. Preceding the exercise, on 10 June 1943, the 506th Parachute Infantry was attached to the division. The SCREAMING EAGLES' performance throughout the maneuvers was impressive as they demonstrated the capabilities of U.S. airborne forces. During these maneuvers, however, General Lee was injured in a glider. He later remarked, "Next time I'll take a parachute," which provided the overlooked glider troops with some measure of satisfaction, if not extra pay.
The division returned to Fort Bragg, continuing to train and perform various airborne demonstrations for visiting officials until mid-August, when it received orders for transfer overseas. Arriving in England, the 101st was quartered in Wiltshire and Berkshire, where it continued to train. The early months of 1944 were a time of change for the 101st Airborne Division.
In January the 101st received its third parachute regiment, the 501st Parachute Infantry. On 5 February General Lee, who had championed the airborne cause from the beginning, suffered a heart attack. Although he had brought the division from its initial organization through training for the fight in Europe, General Lee was not to be part of the 101st's baptism of fire. He was relieved of his command and returned to the United States. Brig. Gen. Maxwell D. Taylor, former commander of the 82d Airborne Division Artillery, assumed command of the 101st on 14 March. The division underwent another organizational change that month, when the 2d Battalion, 401st Glider Infantry, was permanently transferred to the 82d Airborne Division. The 1st Battalion was attached to the 327th Glider Infantry to operate under that regiment as a third battalion. The 1st Battalion, 401st GIR, was made an official element of the 327th GIR in April 1945.
Training in England, the 101st participated in three formal exercises: BEAVER, TIGER, and EAGLE. During Operation BEAVER at Slapton Sands on the Devonshire coast, elements of the division jumped from trucks instead of planes with the mission of capturing the causeway bridges that crossed the estuary behind the beach. The division performed much the same mission during the second exercise, Operation TIGER. Operation EAGLE, held during the second week of May, was the division's dress rehearsal for its role in the coming Normandy invasion. The 101st, this time jumping from actual planes, was once again assigned to capture the causeways leading away from a simulated beach. Although a misunderstanding caused most of the division to jump at the wrong coordinates, the mission was accomplished and the exercise was considered a success. The division then returned to its stations to continue preparation for the coming battles on the continent.
D-Day - Operation Neptune
The 101st Airborne Division first saw combat during the Normandy invasion - 6 June 1944. The division, as part of the VII Corps assault, jumped in the dark morning before H-Hour to seize positions west of Utah Beach. Given the mission of anchoring the corps' southern flank, the division was also to eliminate the German's secondary beach defenses, allowing the seaborne forces of the 4th Infantry Division, once ashore, to continue inland. The SCREAMING EAGLES were to capture the causeway bridges that ran behind the beach between St. Martin-de-Varreville and Pouppeville. In the division's southern sector, it was to seize the la Barquette lock and destroy a highway bridge northwest of the town of Carentan and a railroad bridge further west. At the same time elements of the division were to establish two bridgeheads on the Douve River at le Port, northeast of Carentan.
As the assault force approached the French coast, it encountered fog and antiaircraft fire, which forced some of the planes to break formation. Paratroopers from both the 82d and 101st Airborne Divisions missed their landing zones and were scattered over wide areas. For many the first struggle of combat was to find their units; 1500 soldiers from the division were killed or captured. When units or soldiers finally assembled, they had difficulty in identifying their locations relative to their objectives. The paratroopers of the 101st were promised reinforcements at dawn, when 51 of the division's gliders were scheduled to land. The gliders, however, had problems of their own. Many of the gliders crashed, and several soldiers of the division were killed, including Brig. Gen. Don F. Pratt, the assistant division commander. A second glider landing at dusk that day produced even more casualties.
The men of the division, however, persevered and proceeded with their assigned missions as best they could. By nightfall soldiers from the 101st had secured the beach exits in their zone and contacted the landing forces of the 4th Division. The SCREAMING EAGLES also controlled the la Barquette lock, but could not secure crossings on the Douve River. The following day 101st elements attempted to advance in the division's southern sector, but made little progress against heavy enemy resistance near the village of St. Côme-du-Mont. That same day General Eisenhower directed that American efforts be focused on closing the gap between the V and VII Corps. The VII Corps received orders to capture the town of Carentan, and the 101st, already in position outside St. Côme-du-Mont to the northwest, was given the task.
On 8 June elements of the 501st and 506th Parachute Infantry, along with the 1st Battalion, 401st Glider Infantry, engaged a German force in the town of St. Côme-du-Mont. The 3d Battalion, 501st PIR, took positions south of the town, along the highway to Carentan where it encountered the enemy. The 1st Battalion, 401st Glider Infantry, was called to aid the 3d Battalion, but the enemy withdrew before the glider troops arrived. Both of the 101st battalions pursued the retreating enemy, but there was no additional contact. The Germans had abandoned the town, and the SCREAMING EAGLES moved in to plan the next step in the drive on Carentan.
The attack on Carentan was to be two pronged. The right arm of the drive was to cross the causeway northwest of Carentan, bypass the town, and continue to the southwest to occupy La Billonerie, also called Hill 30, which, it was thought, covered potential escape routes available to the Germans. The left arm of the assault was to cross the Douve River near Brevands, with the main body of that force continuing on to Carentan, while a smaller portion of the force moved east to the Vire River to contact the V Corps.
The 3d Battalion, 502d PIR, led the right drive along the causeway. Progress, however, was extremely slow. The men of the 502d advanced along the causeway with no cover, facing steady fire as they moved forward. The battalion inched along until it reached the bridge on the Madeleine River and ran into a strong enemy position concentrated in an old farmhouse and the adjoining hedgerows. Lt. Col. Robert G. Cole, the battalion commander, called for artillery fire on the position, but it did no good. Pinned down, he ordered a charge with fixed bayonets. Colonel Cole leapt up to lead the charge, but not all his men had gotten the word. The executive officer prodded the men along, and Cole continued with the soldiers that had followed. The Germans withdrew from the farmhouse, and the charging soldiers cleared the hedgerow positions. Cole was awarded the Medal of Honor for his efforts that day. Unfortunately, he was killed in a later division operation before receiving his medal.
Having suffered heavy casualties in its trek along the causeway, and being in some disarray after the bayonet charge, the battalion could not pursue the withdrawing enemy. The 1st Battalion, 502d PIR, came up through the line to follow the Germans. The 1st Battalion, however, had advanced along the same causeway, under the same fire as the 3d Battalion, and was also unable to make the pursuit. The two battalions, instead, dug in to defend the newly taken position. Their defenses were put to the test the next morning when the Germans launched a strong counterattack. Throughout the day the battalions held their ground until they were finally relieved by the 2d Battalion. Elements of the 506th Parachute Infantry relieved the beleaguered battalions of the 502d on 12 June. By that evening the 506th had completed the drive past Carentan and occupied Hill 30.
While the 502d struggled along the causeway, the 327th Glider Infantry, with the battalion of the 401st, had led the left wing attack. On 10 June elements of the force crossed the Douve River and occupied the town of Brevands. Company A, 401st Glider Infantry, continued southeast towards the town of Auville-sur-le-Vey to contact the V Corps. Encountering stiff German resistance outside the town, the company broke through the enemy line to make contact with elements of the 29th Infantry Division, part of the V Corps. The 327th, after crossing the Douve, had orders to seize both the railroad bridge and the highway bridge that crossed the Vire-Taute Canal, blocking the eastern escape routes from Carentan. The regiment succeeded in capturing and holding the highway bridge, but the railroad bridge was blown in the fight. The men of the 327th crossed the canal and continued their fight toward Carentan until enemy resistance halted their progress about a half mile from the town.
At General Taylor's direction, Brig. Gen. Anthony C. McAuliffe, commander of the 101st's artillery, coordinated the final drive for Carentan, which took place on 12 June. Throughout the night of the 11th, the town was placed under heavy fire, but, unknown to the U.S. forces, the main body of Germans withdrew under cover of darkness. The following morning the 2d Battalion, 506th PIR, entered Carentan from the southwest and connected with the 1st Battalion, 401st GIR, which approached from the northeast. Once the two battalions had linked up they proceeded to clear the town of the remaining enemy stragglers. Under orders to secure the approaches to the town, the 501st and 506th moved along the roads to the southwest, while the 327th advanced to the east. Both groups, however, met enemy opposition, and their progress was limited. On 13 June the Germans launched a fierce counterattack in an attempt to retake the town. The U.S. First Army directed elements of the 2d Armored Division to support the 101st in defending Carentan. Together the Americans stopped the enemy thrust and held the town.
Two days later the VIII Corps became operational, and the 101st was reassigned to the new headquarters. With the mission of establishing defensive positions across the Cotentin Peninsula, the VIII Corps gave the SCREAMING EAGLES responsibility for securing the left flank of the VII Corps. On 27 June the 83d Infantry Division arrived and relieved the 101st. Two days later the 101st was relieved from the VIII Corps and sent to Cherbourg to relieve the 4th Infantry Division. The 101st remained as a First Army reserve until mid-July, when it returned to England for rest and training.
The division had suffered considerable personnel and equipment losses during the Normandy battles. The 101st spent the summer replacing equipment, training new soldiers, and waiting for its next mission. At about the same time General Eisenhower called for a headquarters that would oversee the Allies' airborne troops. In August 1944 he established the First Allied Airborne Army, controlling elements of the American and British (and Polish) Armies. The new army was put to the test in September 1944 during the Allied thrust in northern Europe: Operation MARKET-GARDEN.
Operation Market Garden
MARKET-GARDEN was planned as a two phase operation. Operation MARKET was the airborne phase of the assault, with Operation GARDEN being the ground attack. The paratroopers of First Allied Airborne Army were to jump into the Netherlands and secure a corridor from Eindhoven north to Arnhem, through which the ground forces of the British 30 Corps could advance and push on to the IJesselmer (Zuider Zee). The eventual goal was to cross the Rhine River and breach the German West Wall defenses. The Dutch countryside, criss-crossed by innumerable dikes, drainage ditches, rivers, and canals, however, would prove difficult to traverse if the ground troops could not advance by road. For the plan to be a success the paratroopers had to keep the roadway open and the bridges along the route intact and secure.
D-Day was set for 17 September 1944, and the 101st, along with the 82d Airborne Division, the British 1st Airborne Division and 52d Lowland Division (Airportable), and the 1st Polish Parachute Brigade were set to jump. Unlike the Normandy jumps, this operation, by order of Lt. Gen. Lewis H. Brereton, commander of the First Allied Airborne Army, was to be carried out in daylight. Shortages in transport planes, however, prevented the three divisions from dropping all their troops on D-Day, and the commanders had to decide which units would go in first. The 101st Airborne Division was to anchor the British Airborne Corps' southern-most flank and secure a 15-mile sector between Eindhoven and Veghel. Taking this into consideration, General Taylor decided that the three parachute infantry regiments would jump on the 17 September. The 327th Glider Infantry was to arrive on D+1, and the artillery units were scheduled for D+2, the 19th.
The planes carrying the 101st encountered heavy antiaircraft fire as they approached their targets, but the pilots were able to hold formation, and the paratroopers, for the most part, were delivered to the correct drop zones. These were located to the west of the main highway and in the center of the division's sector, near the villages of Zon, St. Oedenrode, and Best. The 506th Parachute Infantry dropped near Zon, with the mission of securing the highway bridge over the Wilhelmina Canal, south of the village. Once the bridge was secure the regiment was to advance further south and seize Eindhoven. The 502d's zone was north of the 506th, and its mission was to guard both regiments' drop zones for later use by the gliders. It was also to capture the road bridge over the Dommel River at St. Oedenrode. Additionally, General Taylor ordered the regiment to dispatch a company to the south of Best to capture the bridges there that crossed the Wilhelmina Canal. The 501st Parachute Infantry jumped north of the 502d, near the town of Veghel. Elements of the regiment were to gain control of the rail and road bridges over the Willems Canal and the Aa River.
The 501st accomplished its mission, capturing Veghel and the surrounding bridges against only limited enemy resistance. The 502d also completed its main assignment of securing St. Oedenrode and the bridge over the Dommel River. The company that had moved south of Best, however, had great difficulty and could not take the bridges over the Wilhelmina Canal. The 2d and 3d Battalions, 506th PIR, methodically cleared Zon, while the 1st Battalion, accompanied by General Taylor, moved around the village to the south to seize the bridge crossing the Wilhelmina Canal. The progress of the battalions in the village was slow, but enemy fire stopped the 1st Battalion completely as it approached the bridge. When the two battalions emerged from Zon and the 1st Battalion also appeared to advance, the Germans blew the bridge.
Elements of the 506th managed to cross the river, neutralizing the enemy force that had destroyed the bridge, and a footbridge was improvised to allow the remainder of the 506th to cross. The following day the regiment liberated Eindhoven, clearing the enemy from the town. The local citizens were ecstatic, and that evening when the Guards Armoured Division, the spearhead of the British 30 Corps' Operation GARDEN, passed through the town, it was like a carnival. British engineers replaced the blown bridge over the canal, and the ground forces continued north. With the exception of the bridges south of Best, the division had achieved all its D-Day objectives. The next mission was to hold what it had taken and keep Hell's Highway, as the road north became known, open despite German counterattacks.
In the days following the link between the airborne and ground forces the 101st, now in defensive positions, faced enemy counterattacks as the Germans attempted to cut the road and stop the flow of Allied forces north. General Taylor received information that the Germans were planning a large scale offensive, coming from both the east and west sides of the road in the vicinity of Veghel and Uden, to the northeast. Ordered to Uden on 22 September, elements of the 506th arrived to defend the village moments ahead of the Germans, but the main assault came at Veghel. Taylor dispatched the 327th Glider Infantry to reinforce the 2d Battalion, 501st PIR, at Veghel when he received intelligence about the attack. As luck would have it, General McAuliffe was also in Veghel on the 22d. He had been searching for a new division command post when the word came, and General Taylor gave his artillery commander responsibility for the defense of the town.
The SCREAMING EAGLES turned back the first attack on Veghel, which came from the village of Erp to the east. The Germans, however, swung to the northwest and cut the highway between Veghel and Uden, then turning south, the enemy force attacked. As the German armored column approached Veghel, McAuliffe ordered an antitank gun brought up, and although there is debate over which unit fired, the American defenders knocked out the lead tank, and the enemy column turned back. Additional battalions of the 327th arrived, as did other elements of the 506th, along with British tank squadrons. The enemy continued attacking Veghel through the afternoon, including several heavy artillery bombardments, but McAuliffe and his forces held. The next important step was to reopen the highway; men and equipment badly needed further north were backing up on the closed road.
The British 30 Corps commander Lt. Gen. Brian Horrocks, agreed to send the 32d Guards Brigade back south on 23 September to help reopen the road. At the same McAuliffe sent two battalions of the 506th north to confront the enemy position on the highway. When the American soldiers arrived they found that most of the Germans had withdrawn. The 101st soldiers cleared the remaining opposition and proceeded northeast towards Uden, where they met the British tankers. Hell's Highway was open for business once again.
The Germans continued their attack on Veghel the following day, but to no avail. They did, however, cut the road once again, this time near the village of Koevering, between Veghel and St. Oedenrode. On 25 September elements of the 506th, ordered south from Uden, the 1st Battalion, 502d PIR, and units of the British 50th Division, moving north from St. Oedenrode, enveloped the enemy position on the road. During the night, after mining the road, the Germans withdrew. The following day Allied engineers were called in to clear the road of mines, and the highway was open once again. While the enemy continued to harass the SCREAMING EAGLES along their sector of Hell's Highway, the division's positions remained intact and kept the road open. Allied operations had forced the Germans to spend precious resources on the defense of the Netherlands. Although MARKET-GARDEN did not achieve its original goals, successes in Holland provided the Allies with a foothold from which to launch future drives.
In early October the British moved their 8 and 12 Corps into position along the highway, and it was thought the 101st could be better used elsewhere. On 5 October the division moved north to take up defensive positions in the British line, in an area known as the island. This area, a narrow strip of land north of Nijmegen, situated between the lower Rhine and Waal Rivers, was subjected to numerous German attacks. The division suffered heavy casualties in defense of this "island". Shortly after the 101st assumed its positions in the line, the British Corps returned, without either of its American divisions, to England. The 82d joined the 101st on the island later in October. It was not until November that the two divisions were released to prepare for the next airborne mission. The 101st, in late November, moved back to Mourmelon, France, for a well-deserved rest. There the men of the 101st received replacement equipment and new clothes and trained for the next jump. Events in the Ardennes forest, however, interrupted their rest, and the next jump never came.
Battle of the Bulge - The Ardennes Offensive
The Germans launched their last great offensive in Belgium on 16 December, driving west through thinly held positions, and catching the Allies unprepared. Maj. Gen. Troy Middleton's VIII Corps was giving way, and he desperately needed reinforcements. The VIII Corps had its headquarters in Bastogne, a city at the center of the highway system spanning the southern portion of the Ardennes. Middleton believed the Germans would need the road network to move their armored forces rapidly further west. As an important road junction, control of Bastogne was vital to the German advance, but the VIII Corps had been hit hard, and Middleton could not hold the position. Lt. Gen. Courtney Hodges, commander of First Army, appealed to the Supreme Headquarters, Allied Expeditionary Forces (SHAEF), for reinforcements. The only units that SHAEF held in reserve were the two American airborne divisions, and Eisenhower released them both to First Army. General Taylor, however, was on leave in the U.S., and General McAuliffe received temporary command of the division.
The 101st Airborne Division, travelling by truck, reached Bastogne on 18 December, and McAuliffe met with General Middleton, who had received orders to pull the VIII Corps headquarters out of the city. When Middleton left the following morning he gave McAuliffe only one order, "Hold Bastogne." To accomplish this task, in addition to 101st Division assets, McAuliffe controlled, Combat Command B, 10th Armored Division; the remnants of the Reserve Command, 9th Armored Division, which had been ravaged by the German offensive; the 705th Tank Destroyer Battalion; the 755th and 969th Field Artillery Battalions; and miscellaneous stragglers from other units.
During the morning of 19 December the 501st Parachute Infantry moved east to contact the American forces deployed to protect approaches to the city. German resistance from the town of Neffe stopped the 501st's advance, but American forces in the area were able to consolidate their positions. The U.S. soldiers east of the city faced determined attacks and could not advance their lines against the German onslaught. By 20 December the Americans had fallen back to a defensive perimeter outside Bastogne. As the German divisions pushed west, encircling the city, McAuliffe pulled back his troops to solidify the defenses on the northern and eastern outskirts of Bastogne. The 502d lined up in the north, in the Longchamps area. The 506th took positions between Foy and the Bourcy-Bastogne Railroad. The 501st took its place in the line on the 506th's right, facing east, with its southern flank near Neffe, while the 2d Battalion, 327th GIR, held positions at Marvie.
The Germans first attempt to break the defenses at Bastogne came in the 501st's sector at Neffe. The paratroopers, however, held their line against repeated attacks, and the enemy attention eventually turned to another section of the perimeter, further south. On the 21st German soldiers probed the line at Marvie, in the 327th's sector. The enemy penetrated the glider regiment's defenses, which rallied and repelled the assault. After continued skirmishes, four German soldiers approached the 327th's defenses on 22 December carrying a flag of truce. The Germans brought an ultimatum for the Allied commander of Bastogne to surrender within two hours or face annihilation from a massed German artillery bombardment. McAuliffe's now famous response "NUTS!" provided a boost to the sagging morale of the Americans.
The following day the weather cleared and GIs in Bastogne received some needed supplies from an air drop. The weather also allowed the Allied air forces to provide support against the German forces massing around Bastogne. That same day the enemy attacked the western perimeter in the 327th's zone, and on Christmas Day a German assault force penetrated the line near Hemroulle. Once through the defenses the German force split, half pressing on towards Hemroulle (defended by elements of the 10th Armored Division and 705th Tank Destroyer Battalion) and the rest swinging left to attack the 502d at Champs. The defenders cut off both columns, killing or capturing the enemy soldiers. The Germans launched their final effort to eliminate the American garrison on the 26th, but artillery eradicated the assault force.
That afternoon elements of the 4th Armored Division advancing from the south broke through the line and reached their trapped comrades. Though the Germans attempted to close the breach, the siege was broken. The successful defense of Bastogne had slowed the German advance and absorbed enemy resources urgently needed elsewhere during the Battle of the Bulge. With the outcome of the enemy offensive no longer in doubt, elements of the 101st remained in the Bastogne area during the next few weeks, helping to clear the area of the remaining enemy forces and reduce the bulge in the Allied lines.
On 18 January the 101st moved to the Alsace region as part of the Seventh Army line, holding defensive positions through late February. The 101st then returned to Mourmelon, where it reverted to First Allied Airborne Army control.
On 1 March the new organizational structure for airborne divisions reached the 101st, and the 506th PIR became an organic element of the division. Two weeks later, General Eisenhower visited Mourmelon and awarded the SCREAMING EAGLES the Distinguished Unit Citation (now the Presidential Unit Citation) for its stand at Bastogne. The division went back to training, this time for a proposed air assault on Berlin. Instead, the division, minus the 501st PIR which remained at Mourmelon, moved to positions near the Rhine during the first week in April.
Germany
During the last days of the war the 101st Airborne Division was in Berchtesgaden, Adolph Hitler's vacation retreat. The airborne soldiers spent their days hunting members of the Nazi leadership that had gone into hiding. On 1 August the 42d Infantry Division relieved the 101st, which moved back to France to train for a possible airborne assault on Japan. These plans were canceled after the Japanese surrender, and the division was deactivated 30 November 1945 in France.
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101st
"Screaming Eagle"
Airborne Division
Campaigns of World War II
Normandy
6 June - 24 Jul 44 Central Europe 22 Mar - 11 May 45 Ardennes-Alsace
16 Dec 44 - 25 Jan 45
Rhineland 15 Sep 44 - 21 Mar 45
Normandy
6 Jun - 24 Jul 44
A great invasion force stood off the Normandy coast of France as dawn broke on 6 June 1944: 9 battleships, 23 cruisers, 104 destroyers, and 71 large landing craft of various descriptions as well as troop transports, mine sweepers, and merchantmen—in all, nearly 5,000 ships of every type, the largest armada ever assembled. The naval bombardment that began at 0550 that morning detonated large minefields along the shoreline and destroyed a number of the enemy’s defensive positions. To one correspondent, reporting from the deck of the cruiser HMS Hillary, it sounded like “the rhythmic beating of a gigantic drum” all along the coast. In the hours following the bombardment, more than 100,000 fighting men swept ashore to begin one of the epic assaults of history, a “mighty endeavor,” as President Franklin D. Roosevelt described it to the American people, “to preserve. . . our civilization and to set free a suffering humanity.”
Central Europe
22 Mar - 11 May 45
By the beginning of the Central Europe Campaign of World War II, Allied victory in Europe was inevitable. Having gambled his future ability to defend Germany on the Ardennes offensive and lost, Hitler had no real strength left to stop the powerful Allied armies. Yet Hitler forced the Allies to fight, often bitterly, for final victory. Even when the hopelessness of the German situation became obvious to his most loyal subordinates, Hitler refused to admit defeat. Only when Soviet artillery was falling around his Berlin headquarters bunker did the German Fuehrer begin to perceive the final outcome of his megalomaniacal crusade.
Ardennes-Alsace
16 Dec 44 - 25 Jan 45
In August 1944, while his armies were being destroyed in Normandy, Hitler secretly put in motion actions to build a large reserve force, forofferding its use to bolster Germany’s beleaguered defenses. To provide the needed manpower, he trimmed existing military forces and conscripted youths, the unfit, and old men previously untouched for military service during World War II.
In September Hitler named the port of Antwerp, Belgium, as the objective. Selecting the Eifel region as a staging area, Hitler intended to mass twenty-five divisions for an attack through the thinly held Ardennes Forest area of southern Belgium and Luxembourg. Once the Meuse River was reached and crossed, these forces would swing northwest some 60 miles to envelop the port of Antwerp. The maneuver was designed to sever the already stretched Allied supply lines in the north and to encircle and destroy a third of the Allies’ ground forces. If successful, Hitler believed that the offensive could smash the Allied coalition, or at least greatly cripple its ground combat capabilities, leaving him free to focus on the Russians at his back door.
Rhineland
15 Sep 44 - 21 Mar 45
The Rhineland Campaign, although costly for the Allies, had clearly been ruinous for the Germans. The Germans suffered some 300,000 casualties and lost vast amounts of irreplaceable equipment. Hitler, having demanded the defense of all of the German homeland, enabled the Allies to destroy the Wehrmacht in the West between the Siegfried Line and the Rhine River. Now, the Third Reich lay virtually prostrate before Eisenhower’s massed armies.
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