🇺🇲WWII uncovered: 17th Airborne Division: Operation Varsity.

🇺🇲WWII uncovered: 17th Airborne Division: Operation Varsity

Pictured below is the Robert Capa photo capturing 17th Airborne Paratroopers, their hair cut Mohawk-style for luck and esprit de corps, being briefed for the next day's jump across the Rhine. Arras, France, March 23, 1945.

According to the National Medal of Honor Museum: "Early in the morning on March 24, 1945, two airborne divisions, one American and one British, flew over the Rhine River. This was the first airborne mission ever conducted into Germany. The Rhine was the final barrier keeping Allied forces from the heart of Germany."

Over 16,000 paratroopers and several hundred aircraft were involved in Operation Varsity. The attack was launched in support of Operation Plunder, which planned to have Allied forces crossing the Rhine River in several places. The mission of the 17th Airborne was “to seize, clear and secure the division area with priority to the high ground east of Diersfordt and the bridges over the Issel River, protect the right flank of the Corps, establish contact with the British 1st Commando Brigade, and the British 6th Airborne Division.” The Germans knew the 17th was coming. Axis Sally, the German propaganda broadcaster, had been announcing over the radio “We know you are coming 17th Airborne Division, you will not need parachutes, you can walk down on the flak.”

Despite German preparations, and the promised flak, Operation Varsity was the first, and only, combat jump for the 17th Airborne Division and it was a resounding success. The Division routed the Germans from every position where they encountered enemy forces. After capturing their objectives, the paratroopers fought off fierce German counterattacks. Over 1,070 members of the 17th Airborne and the 6th British Airborne Divisions lost their lives and thousands more wounded on March 24, 1945. Operation Varsity was the single largest airdrop during the war, but also produced the worst day for casualties as well. This successful operation was the last major airborne paratroop drop of the war." (Source: National Medal of Honor Museum)

drop your comment in the comment section.

Comments

Mayuge Girl Defiled, Impregnated and Rotting From a Mysterious Infection.

Mayuge Girl Defiled, Impregnated and Rotting From a Mysterious Infection One poverty stricken family in Mayuge district is stranded with its young daughter, recently defiled, impregnated and now rotting at home after a mysterious infection attacking her breasts. The seventeen year old Jane (not her real name) residing with her parents at Mugeri village of Bukatube Sub county in Mayuge district was on August 8 visited by this publication and she tearfully narrated the pain she is experiencing at the moment. Displaying her swollen, elongated up to the waistline and near to decomposing breasts, Jane explained that it all started in December last year with some simple itching that was followed by the swelling that has with time resulted into the current situation. To make things even worse, Jane was in the recent past defiled and she is nine months pregnant hoping to be delivered a baby anytime whose father is away and on the run for fear of being arrested for the offence. “With these...

He said the family were "acutely aware" there were "extremists of all sides who are keen to hijack this incident for their own ends".

The family of a man who was kicked in the head by police at Manchester Airport has appealed for "calm in all the communities", an MP has said. Paul Waugh, Rochdale MP, said the "traumatised" family wanted to make it clear they had "no political agenda whatsoever" and did not condone political violence. Anger over the video led to protests outside Rochdale police station on Wednesday and Thursday nights, with another protest also held in Manchester city centre on Thursday. Mr Waugh said the family would not be attending any protests or giving any media interviews as they wanted their privacy protected. "The strong message they wanted to give is that they have no political agenda whatsoever," he told BBC Breakfast. "They wanted me to issue an appeal for calm among all sorts of different communities in Rochdale. "We've had a history of unfortunate division in our town and we do not want to go back to those days." He said the famil...

A grieving family has paid tribute to their “simply irreplaceable” teenager with "a heart full of gold" who died in a reservoir this week.

A grieving family has paid tribute to their “simply irreplaceable” teenager with "a heart full of gold" who died in a reservoir this week. Tyrese Johnson, 16, had finished school for the summer when the tragedy happened. The teenager got into difficulties at Lodge Farm Reservoir in Netherton, Dudley, on Tuesday evening His body was recovered from the water the next day by police divers. Emergency teams raced to the reservoir in the West Midlands, but were unable to find the youngster. A major search was launched involving police divers and a helicopter and his body was recovered the next day by an underwater team. In a statement, his devastated family said: "Tyrese, words can't describe what you meant to us as a family, your loving devoted mom, your brother, dad, your niece and nephew. "You were a kind loving young man with a heart full of gold. Your warm, gentle, kind hearted soul, simply irreplaceable." Dozens of tributes and flowers were left near the s...

WORLD OF ALL

Search This Blog