Operation "Varsity"

[Gregory]

Hello,

 

The Germans' knowing where and when the Allied airborne was coming was not due to a failing in counter-intelligence.

It was pretty obvious, in a general sense. That is -- as with the Normandy landings -- analysts in Berlin could look at maps and weather forecasts and nominate one or two likely places and narrow down the When to a period of 10 to 15 days.

Unlike Normandy, there was no great effort at disinformation or deception,…

None the less something failed in former good system. Despite the fact that three real and five ghost US airborne divisions existed in the ETO, as well as almost nobody in 17th Abn wore divisional patch before Varsity, the Germans knew very well who is coming over the Rhine. It was unprecedented fact in both MTO and ETO.

 

Secondly, the density of LIGHT flak (20mm) was key to Allied losses. Though 37 and 88mm's were present and in use, there were many more 20s -- single mounts, double mounts and, worst of all, Vierling SPs. These were what savaged aircraft -- gliders, tugs, resupply Liberators and even fighters. The great numbers of implaced/concealed rifle-caliber MGs joined in against aircraft, then turned on the LZ/DZ targets.

Self-propelled quadruple 20mm Vierlings were horrible, that is right. Just before Varsity Allied intelligence prepared precise map of flak positions. I bought it from Allied archive. In the field of flak key dates are March 18th, 1945 and March 23rd. Up to March 18th flak density in the region of Varsity was average and the Germans did not change it. Suddenly, between March 19th and 23rd, the Germans added more than twice as much AAA positions as before March 18th. Wesel is good example what happened just before Varsity. Till March 18th in Wesel region was not a single one AAA position. At the end of March 23rd around Wesel were the following AAA positions (cardinal and intermediate directions according to compass rose):

NNE -- 27 light AA guns

SE -- 128 light AA guns

SSW -- 4 heavy and 45 light AA guns

SW -- 6 heavy and 15 light AA guns

W -- 14 light AA guns

WNW -- 9 light AA guns

NW -- 15 light AA guns

 

This Wesel example clearly shows what happened to flak concentration between March 18th and 23rd and what hell awaited for Allied airborne troops.

 

Even greater as a factor was the miasma of smoke and dust that surprised all manner of aviators and "queered the deal" for the planned very close air support. If the provided air cover had been able to SEE targets -- especially the Vierlings -- and if the forward air control teams (glider-borne) had NOT been shot down or had their equipment wrecked/lost, the flak story might have been quite different.

Yes, in the period images strange "smog" in the Varsity area is seen but it had to be Allied smog from Rhine.

 

When it comes to "flak story" it looks like the British failed because not the Americans were responsible for flak neutralization in Operation Varsity. In Allied archive under the signature of NA CAB 106/1050 in Operation Varsity documents we may read as follows:

 

Neutralisation of Enemy Flak

The neutralization of enemy flak was the joint responsibility of AOC, 83 Group RAF and Commander, Second Army. A special anti-flak committee was set up to study all flak problems, and collect all up-to-date information about the area. Artillery fire against flak positions was to be continued until the leading aircraft of the troop carrier stream crossed the Rhine. At the same time, fighter bombers and fighters were to attack all flak positions which were known to us. During the landings, a continuous patrol of anti-flak fighters was to be maintained in the area to deal with any flak position which might open up against the troop carrier aircraft.

 

Something that has always impressed me and is little discussed in accounts is how well the basically GREEN (that means inexperienced, not ecologically sensitive BTW) Airborne troops did. On the US side, only the 507th PIR had jumped in combat before -- and it had suffered great losses in Normandy, so perhaps 50% of its men were NOT OVERLORD vets. In the Troop Carriers, I suspect only about half of the personnel/crews had made combat drops against flak (ANY drops, ANY flak) before. And the training to prepare specifically for VARSITY, of aircrews and ground units, ran from sparse to none.

That is right, it is little discussed. Today there is a tendency to present battle effort through the prism of CSR factor (Combat Stress Reaction). It would be good to know how fresh units other than 507th PIR came true.

 

Years past, I socialized with many 17th and GP vets (now, alas, nearly all dead and gone) and from their tales (of their Bulge "fun" as well as VARSITY) I think a movie should be made. Somewhere between "Kelly's Heroes", "1941" and "Band of Brothers" -- lots of gallows humor, wild characters, and selfless valor.

Any banks at Diersfordt "liberated"?

 

Best regards

 

Gregory

[Gregory]

I am still inviting to discuss about this controversial operation.

 

Do all interested in Varsity know what FVCPs were? The books do not mention about it...

 

[Larry G.]

[quote name='J_Andrews' date='Jan 4 2010, 02:37 PM' post='461831'

 

 

Something that has always impressed me and is little discussed in accounts is how well the basically GREEN (that means inexperienced, not ecologically sensitive BTW) Airborne troops did. On the US side, only the 507th PIR had jumped in combat before -- and it had suffered great losses in Normandy, so perhaps 50% of its men were NOT OVERLORD vets. In the Troop Carriers, I suspect only about half of the personnel/crews had made combat drops against flak (ANY drops, ANY flak) before. And the training to prepare specifically for VARSITY, of aircrews and ground units, ran from sparse to none.

 

 

I am going to add another unit that had "jump "experience. The one my Dad belonged to, the 550th Glider Infantry Regiment. They rode the gliders into combat in Operation Dragoon, landing outside of Lemuy France. The unit was an attached unit during the later part of the Battle of the Bulge with the 193rd Glider Infantry. After The Bulge the remnants of the two units were merged into the 3rd battalion of the 194th Glider Regiment and rode into battle as part of the 17th Airborne. My Dad was wounded during in the glider landing by flak and evaced to a hospital. The family still has his shoulder flags he wore during Dragoon and Varsity plus a letter of unit commendation for the 550th actions at Lemuy France.

[J_Andrews]

Your point is well taken. However, IIRC there were only about 250 550th vets left to put into the 3/194th. The rest were new replacements in teh main.

[sactroop]

My father in law landed a CG4A in Wesel loaded with airborne. He was a member of the 97th Squadron, 440th TCG at that time. This would be the 5th of 5 operations he flew in from Neptune to Varsity. He is 94 now.

[17thairborne]

Hello sactroop,

I'm working on a master's thesis and am trying to ID by photo a glider pilot by the name of Alfred A. Boyce who was in the 96th TCS. I have a copy of the 440th TCG with all of the pilot

s photos. but Boyce is not pictured. Would your father in law perhaps have another source that might show a picture of Boyce? I am also looking for a digital photo of Roger J. Sonneborn who was a copilot on a C-47 during VARSITY. I am also interested in obtaining permission to use digital copies of original photos for the thesis and an eventual book (full credit given IAW Chicago Style manual).

 

It must be great to spend some time learning about WW2 from your father-in-law. I realize many of the vets are pretty silent about their role int he war, but some have opened up and provided valuable insight into the details of war and the various operations.

 

Check out my posts under the DISPLAY forum: Topic: Photographing your Collection by 17thairborne

 

Thanks

 

oz