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CaP bUsTa · 11-20-2002, 10:38 PM

In the summer of 1944, the Allied Armies began to encounter supply problems. There were plenty of supplies in England, but not enough port facilities to unload them in France. The allied command decided to focus their attention on the port city of Antwerp and devised a bold plan. The British Second Army would launch a ground attack on Antwerp while the newly formed 1st Allied Airborne Army would conduct an Airborne assault on the Mass, Wahl and lower Rhine rivers. On September 17, the 101st Airborne, along with the 82nd and British 1st Airborne Divisions landed in the largest Airborne assault of the war, 20,000 soldiers in all.

The initial drops were an overwhelming success, the Pathfinders had laid out the drop zones almost perfectly and the Germans were taken completely by surprise. The assault ran into trouble when 2 German Panzer Divisions launched a counter-attack at Best. Fortunately, the glider troops of the 327th and 401st GIRs had landed with over 80% of their equipment and heavy weapons. The German tanks were quickly destroyed once reinforcements could be brought forward and Best was seized. Meanwhile, the Paratroops converged on the Maas and Wahl rivers and established bridgeheads across both. Within two days, Operation MARKET-GARDEN had driven 50 miles into German territory. The 101st was relived by a British Armored Division and was ordered south to protect the southern flank from being cut off.

THe 101st managed to liberate several Dutch towns from German control while they repulsed several German counter-attacks. On several occasions the fighting was hand-to-hand in brutal street fighting. The 101st bought valuable time for the 82nd Airborne and British forces in the assault on Antwerp. By the end of November, Antwerp was in Allied hands and the first supply ship dropped anchor on November 28, 1944. The 101st was ordered into a base camp for a much-needed rest. That rest would be cut short by the German Ardennes Offensive.

	(#4)
CaP bUsTa is Offline Senior Member Posts: 1,087 Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Canada	11-20-2002, 10:38 PM In the summer of 1944, the Allied Armies began to encounter supply problems. There were plenty of supplies in England, but not enough port facilities to unload them in France. The allied command decided to focus their attention on the port city of Antwerp and devised a bold plan. The British Second Army would launch a ground attack on Antwerp while the newly formed 1st Allied Airborne Army would conduct an Airborne assault on the Mass, Wahl and lower Rhine rivers. On September 17, the 101st Airborne, along with the 82nd and British 1st Airborne Divisions landed in the largest Airborne assault of the war, 20,000 soldiers in all. The initial drops were an overwhelming success, the Pathfinders had laid out the drop zones almost perfectly and the Germans were taken completely by surprise. The assault ran into trouble when 2 German Panzer Divisions launched a counter-attack at Best. Fortunately, the glider troops of the 327th and 401st GIRs had landed with over 80% of their equipment and heavy weapons. The German tanks were quickly destroyed once reinforcements could be brought forward and Best was seized. Meanwhile, the Paratroops converged on the Maas and Wahl rivers and established bridgeheads across both. Within two days, Operation MARKET-GARDEN had driven 50 miles into German territory. The 101st was relived by a British Armored Division and was ordered south to protect the southern flank from being cut off. THe 101st managed to liberate several Dutch towns from German control while they repulsed several German counter-attacks. On several occasions the fighting was hand-to-hand in brutal street fighting. The 101st bought valuable time for the 82nd Airborne and British forces in the assault on Antwerp. By the end of November, Antwerp was in Allied hands and the first supply ship dropped anchor on November 28, 1944. The 101st was ordered into a base camp for a much-needed rest. That rest would be cut short by the German Ardennes Offensive.