As training went on rumors were rife that a major airborne operation was in the works.
The Allies especially the Americans had finally reached the Rhine in February after heavy casualties including some of the worst fighting in the Hurtegen forest. The invasion of Germany proper was next.
Montgomery was in command of what was to be the first trans-Rhine advance on German soil. He was amassing a tremendous number of heavy artillery on the west bank. The initial crossing, after the heaviest artillery bombardment and air attack of the war, was to be made by British Commando forces. Simultaneously, as the 17th seized the crossings over the Wessel River, the British Army and the American 9th would cross the Rhine on pontoon bridges to join these forces. “Varsity” was a well planned operation. Unfortunately for Monty, a few days earlier Patton’s forces were able to unexpectedly seize the bridge at Remagen and beat him into Germany proper.
For security purposes, by the third week of March, we had moved into what was in effect a concentration camp bordering on an airport outside Paris. The camp was surrounded by two rows of barbed wire with a restricted entrance gate and guarded form the outside by armed soldiers. I think the airport was Le Bourget where Lindberg had landed. There was no entry or exit except by written order. None the less, secrecy had already been breached. The Germans were broadcasting radio warnings that they would be waiting for us, even giving the general location of the Drop Zone.
One day a GI "accidentally" shot himself in the foot while cleaning his rifle”. I had to take him to a hospital in a Paris suburb. The ambulance left the camp headed for Paris. We entered the city through (the names of the 'gates" may be wrong) the Porte de St Michael. At the first intersection, we made a left turn. Upon reaching the next boulevard, we made another left turn and exited the city limits through the Port de Italia and proceeded a few miles to the hospital. That was my first visit to" gay Paree". I was later to enjoy several weeks of temporary duty at the only American Army Hospital inside the city.
Predawn,the morning of the operation, March 24, 1944, the "condemned men” were served a special (last meal) breakfast. Instead of the dried scrambled dehydrated eggs to which we were accustomed, we had all the “fresh” eggs we wanted cooked to order or a small steak. Unfortunately, there was no bacon or sausage. The majority chose the eggs, a real treat.
Holland had been the first daytime airborne operation, but “Varsity”, using the 17th and the British 6th Airborne, was the first (and last) time that gliders landed in an area not previously secured by parachutists. Obviously, we were very lucky since my group missed the severe fire fighting.
For the first time the operation called for the use of a double tow of gliders pulled by C46s instead of the customary C47 single tow. The planes started taking off just after 8 Am and by 9:30 all had been airborne for the 2½ hour flight to the drop zone. The number of aircraft was staggering; for the Americans 226 C47s plus 72 C46s carried the paratroopers, 906 CG4a gliders were towed by 610 C46s. An additional 420 Horsa and Hamiclar Gliders and 720 mixture of C47s and bombers as tows formed the British lift from England. The Allies had complete control :30 AM)of the air and there was no German aircraft intervention. (revised 7:30 AM)
My Jeep was in one glider and the medical supply trailer in the adjacent one. Four men plus a pilot and co-pilot were in each. I rode in the Jeep with my driver and two aid men. About halfway to the drop zone we ran into rough air and were forced to retie the Jeep's restraining ropes. That was difficult since there was little room and we had to lie on the jeep to reach down the sides.
This time the tows were flying at about 700 feet to make the drop time shorter. This was also the first time that the gliders were to land in areas not previously secured by the paratroopers. When flack appeared below and shrapnel flew around us, I was happy to have the Jeep's steel floor instead of just the glider's plywood floor under me.
The C46s unlike the C47 were poorly designed regarding their fuel lines and were very susceptible to catching fire when hit. This was the fate of several planes and resulting their loss. The gliders were also good targets for ground fire as well as AA prior to being cut loose and during their quick decent.
We missed our DZ and landed on the wrong far side of the Issel canal. Since the Germans were waiting with 88mm cannon, every one who landed in our designated DZ was killed. One of the two medical officers for the 2nd battalion also was a casualty.
Both of our gliders came to a stop in a plowed field after crashing through barb wire fences. Before we could move, or even breathe a sigh of relief, the glider pilot and co-pilot dashed for the cover of the woods, climbing over the Jeep and us and out the door. During “Varsity” (Wessel), the glider pilots were to rendezvous and form a temporary infantry company, instead of heading to the rear ASAP. They defended an important cross road from counter attack.
We lifted the nose and drove the Jeep out of the glider over to the other glider with the trailer. Due to the plowed ground, we had difficultly lifting the nose and pulling the trailer out of the glider. While we were occupied, a German soldier came out of the woods dangling aluminum anti-radar foil from upraised hands. I could not be sure that he wished to surrender. I told my men to scatter, and to this day, I insist that they "scattered" in a straight line behind me. However, he was a youngster who was overwhelmed by the airborne assaults and had enough of the war.
We had no idea where we were. Nothing resembled what I had studied on the aerial photo maps. I showed the German where we wanted to be. He pointed out where we were; on the wrong side of the canal. He agreed to lead us to the canal and to a crossing near the farmhouse. Being lazy, I “permitted” him to carry my heavy medical bag and field pack. With my “captive as guide we took off in file, the jeep towing the trailer, supposedly in the direction of the Issel canal.
(To be continued)
About 6 weeks later, when the division was occupying Essen/Duisberg, I was able to get back to Wessel and this is a picture of an intact glider still in one of the DZs.
This was taken in the States from the cockpit showing a C47 towing our glider. As the officer on the glider I was acting co-pilot on this training flight.
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