Operation Market Garden

Operation Market Garden

US 101st Airborne Division "Screaming Eagles"

De 101 on Sunday September 17, 1944, The first Day.

• 501 lands on DZ "A" near Veghel and Eerde. The two railroad bridges and two bridges across the Aa river and the Zuid Willemvaart (canal) have to be captured.

• 502 lands on DZ "B" SW of St.Oedenrode. Capture the village and two small bridges across the Dommel river.

• "H"Company has to take the traffic bridges across the Wilhelmina Canal in Best village.

• 506 lands on DZ “C” between Best and Son, south of DZ “B”. Take the bridge across the Wilhelminakanaal in Son village and advance on in the direction of Eindhoven to take 4 bridges across the river Dommel and make contact with the English Guards Armored Division

• The gliders with the Division Head Quarters, medical troops, transport etc. have to land on LZ “W” between DZ “B” and DZ “C”

Airfields:

The Para's and gliders depart on Sunday 17 September 1944 from the following airfields:

About 14:00 Hrs 56 from the 70 departed gliders land on LZ "W".

3 gliders crashed, the other 53 arrived safely.

The first day almost 7000 man, 32 jeeps and 13 trailers from the 101st Airborne Division landed.

In the next days enormous amounts of men and supplies were brought in through the air.

Monday of September 18th, 1944: 432 gliders landed in Son.

Tuesday September19th,1944: 212 gliders landed in Son

SaturdaySeptember 23rd, 1944: 79 gliders landed in Son.

A total of 723 gliders within 3 days !!!

C-47 = Dakota, a 2 motor transport aircraft

DZ = Drop Zone (landing area for Para's)

Glider= a plane towed by a transport aircraft (American Army only used the glider types WACO-CG4A.)

LZ = Landing Zone (landing area for gliders)