American 82nd Airborne Division
On August 15th, 1942, the 82nd Infantry Division became the first airborne
division in the U.S. Army, and was re designated the 82nd Airborne Division.
In 1943 the Division participated in the airborne drops on Sicily and
Salerno. In 1944 the Division landed by both Parachute and Glider during
Operation Overlord in Normandy.
On September 17th, the 82nd conducted its fourth combat assault of World
War II, into the Netherlands. Their objectives were around Grave and Nijmegen.
Grave proved to be well defended, and German forces continued to press
on the 82nd deployed on the Groesbeek heights to the east of Nijmegen.
Map detailing the landing areas of the American 82nd Airborne Division.
The 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment defended successfully against German attacks in Horst, Grafwegen, and Riethorst. Early in the day, German counterattacks seized one of the Allied landing zones, where the Second Lift was scheduled to arrive at 13:00. The 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment attacked at 13:10 and cleared the "LZ" by 14:00, capturing 16 German flak pieces and 149 prisoners. Delayed by weather in Britain, the Second Lift did not arrive until 15:30. This lift brought in elements of the 319th and 320th Glider Field Artillery battalions, the 456th Parachute Field Artillery battalion, and medical support elements. Twenty minutes later, 135 B-24 bombers dropped supplies from low level (300 feet or 100 m), 80% of which were recovered.
On September 19th, the 82nd made contact with XXX Corps at Grave. The
plan at this stage was already in jeopardy, XXX Corps should have been
in Arnhem. A combined effort to take the Nijmegen bridge was mounted by
two companies from the Guards Armoured Division and the 2nd Battalion,
505th Parachute Infantry Regiment. The attack got within 400 yards of
the bridge before being stopped; skirmishing continued throughout the
night. A plan was developed to attack the south end of the bridge again
while the 3rd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment planned to
cross the river in boats a mile downstream and then attack the north end.
The boats, requested for late afternoon, did not arrive until the following
afternoon.
A hasty daylight assault crossing was ordered. At about 15:00, the 3rd
Battalion, 504th PIR made the crossing in 26 canvas assault boats into
well defended positions. The unit had no training on the British made
boats. A shortage of paddles required some troopers to paddle the craft
with rifle butts. About half the boats survived the crossing under heavy
fire; survivors then assaulted across 200 yards of open ground on the
far bank and seized the north end of the bridge. German forces withdrew
from both ends of the bridge, which was then rushed by Guards tanks and
the 2nd Battalion, 505th PIR, securing the bridge after four days of struggle.
The bridge at Nijmegen was finally secured.
To the east, German attacks on the heights made significant progress,
capturing the only remaining bridge suitable for tanks. A counterattack
at Mook by elements of the 505th PIR and 4th Battalion, the Coldstream
Guards forced the Germans back to their line of departure by 20:00. However,
the 508th PIR lost ground at Im Thal and Legewald when attacked by German
infantry and tanks. By now it was evident that the Germans' plan was to
cut the highway, which would split up the Airborne units and cut off the
advance elements of XXX Corps.
To the south the running battles between the 101st and various German
units continued, eventually with several Panthers cutting off the roads
but pulling back when low on ammunition.
This picture shows the extent of the battle that took place in Nijmegen during Operation Market Garden.
When General Dempsey of the 2nd Army met General Gavin, commander of the U.S. 82nd Airborne Division, he is reported to have said (in reference to the Nijmegen attack), "I am proud to meet the commander of the greatest Division in the world today."