The 65th commemoration of Operation Market Garden, the Waal crossing and the liberation of Nijmegen.
Honored guests Queen Beatrix and Prince Philip.
On September 20, 1944, the 82nd ABD made the Waal Crossing near a village called Oosterhout. This action is one of the 10 most heroic actions of the US Army. They had to secure the bridge across the Waal River.
It was at 15.00 hrs in the afternoon when paratroopers of the 504e RCT (Regimental Combat Team ) 82nd ABD made the crossing in 26 canvas boats. After the landings in Sicily formed out of the 504rd Parachute Infantry Regiment, the 307th Airborne Engineer Battalion and the 376th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion) About half of the 260 men who made the first wave got WIA of KIA. They made 5 crossings in total. During the first wave 16 boats stayed on the other side of the river. During the other crossings they all went back and forward. 47 were KIA but the secured the bridge. In the evening the bridge was controlled by Allied Forces. They cleared the road for the British 30th Army Corp. As history tells you they did not made it in time to help the British 1st ABD near Arnhem.
James "Maggie" Megellas was one of the veterans who made the crossing again 65 years later. In 1944 he was part of the first wave.
Above left: US and German veterans (red beret) peaceful next to each other on the dike near Oosterhout. This was the spot were the soldiers landed on the North side of the Waal river. 400 US soldiers and their family attended the wreath laying. Also present were school children form a primary school called ` De Oversteek´ )The Crossing'. Also present General David Petraeus, US Central Command and the US Ambassador Fay Hartog Levin.
Above right: The arrival of Gen. David Petraeus and the Mayor of Nijmegen Thom de Graaf.
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