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JAMES M. GAVIN 25 ACORN PARK CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS 02140
November 18, 1966
Dear Connie:
Herewith is a file containing:
1. A memo from Division G4 to the Chief of Staff briefly discussing the logistics aspects of Operation Market.
2. A memo from the Assistant Chief of Staff, G3, giving the day-to-day activities of the Division Staff in preparation for Operation Market. I think that this should be very useful to you. It was written on 23 October 1945 and on page 4 you will note particularly Browning's directive to me of September 16 regarding the Nijmegen bridge. I did not realize that I had this in my papers until now and I did not give it to Captain MacDonald when he was doing the Department of the Army Official History. Several years ago I asked Browning about this point and he wrote me a letter, which I sent to Captain MacDonald, verifying my memory of Browning's instructions to me. As I said above, this is the first time I have come across this note by Jack Norton.
3. A memo from Assistant Chief of Staff, G2, on his activities prior to the take-off.
4. Finally, "Lessons of Operation Market."
Connie, these papers are obviously very valuable to me so I hope you will take good care of them and return them intact. I was most fortunate to have saved them and, in fact, to have found in my files the staff memos written in early October. Fighting in the Nijmegen area was still pretty heavy then and I am surprised that we had the foresight to have them prepared.
Best regards,
[signature]
Enclosures
Mr. Cornelius Ryan Old Branchville Road Ridgefield, Connecticut
Original in Special File
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HEADQUARTERS 82D AIRBORNE DIVISION Office of the Assistant Chief of Staff, G-4
APO 469, U. S. Army 5 October 1945
MEMORANDUM: TO : Chief of Staff, 82d Airborne Division.
1. A great deal of planning for Operation "MARKET” had been done prior to September 10, 1944. If you recall, it was the policy of the Division Commander to have in readiness completed plans which could be used immedi- ately upon receipt of a mission. All supplies required for the “MARKET” Operation had actually been received and distributed prior to the actual receipt of the mission. The following had been accomplished prior to 10 September 1944.
a. Daily checks of equipment and supplies which determined their serviceability and state of readiness had been made, and all equip- ment had been brought up to combat serviceability.
b. Frequent inspections of motor vehicles for maintenance and repair.
c. A complete basic load of ammunition and incendiaries had been issued down to and including companies.
d. Four complete reserve rations had been stocked in the Quarter-- master warehouse and were ready for immediate issue to units.
e. Medical chests and expendable stocks of medical supplies had been drawn and held in readiness for combat.
f. All units had been re-equipped with Chemical Warfare items and an ample stock of flame throwers were on hand ready for use if so desired.
g. Ample stocks of expendable items pertaining to various branches of supply had been drawn and were held in readiness for combat operations. These were subsequently issued, placed on unit heavy transportation, and brought in with the sea echelon.
h. Parachute Maintenance had packed and were maintaining sufficient parachutes, both personnel and equipment. These parachutes were broken down by units and prepared for quick delivery.
i. Air re-supply SOP had been drawn up, requisitions prepared and ready to be submitted, and on call re-supply requisitions were also prepared. A skeleton Administrative Order with its annexes had been prepared and was ready to be placed in its final form.
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2. On the 10th of September 1944, the Commanding General received the mission for the invasion of HOLLAND. Early the following morning the staff was briefed. On the 11th of September, the Administrative Order was prepared in its final form and distributed. Rations were issued from the Quartermaster warehouse and ammunition broken down to units. Plans were also made for the movement of the Division to departure airfields. Liaison was main- tained with the British for the purpose of obtaining civilian busses.
3. On the morning of September 12th an officer courier was dispatched to XVIII Airborne Corps with the air re-supply SOP and requisitions for supplies to be laid down at re-supply fields, air re-supply being the responsibility of XVIII Airborne Corps. Routes for movement of troops to airfields and road clearances were obtained. Composition of convoys was made up and movement tables to airfields were prepared and distributed to airfields. The area engineers were contacted and accomodations for troops at airfields were set up. DZs and LZs for air re-supply were decided on and forwarded to G-3, XVIII Airborne Corps.
4. On the 13th and 14th of September, the flow of supplies was checked, equipment bundles rolled and prepared for movement to airfields, road priori- ties obtained for movement of troops and briefing of Special Staff, Special Staff liaison Officers, and Transportation Officers was effected.
5 . On the 15th of September troops were moved to departure fields by the use of civilian transportation (i.e. busses), organic transportation being used for the movement of equipment bundles. After equipment bundles were moved to the departure fields, the trucks doubled back to their respective unit areas and loaded supplies and equipment which were to be brought in by sea echelon.
6. On the 15th and 16th of September personnel chutes were trucked to the various fields and issued to the troops. The last minute adjustments were made in equipment on the field.
7. I still have a file on the "MARKET" Operation which has retained copies of all requisitions submitted for air re-supply, retained copies of the Administrative Order, data put out by British Airborne Corps, minutes of a meeting on air re-supply, and other data which I don ’t believe the Commanding General would be interested in. However the file is available. Would you like to see it?
A. G. MARIN, Lt. Col., GSC, Asst C/S, G-4.
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HEADQUARTERS 82D AIRBORNE DIVISION Office of the AC of S, G-3
APO 469, U.S. 23 October 1945
The following report covers the operations of the G-3, 32d Airborne Division from 10 Sept to 17 Sept 1944, in connection with Airborne Operation "MARKET".
10 SEPTEMBER 1944
I Attended briefing at Headquarters First Allied Airborne Army at 1600 hours with Division Commander and Division Air Officer. The fol- lowing points were discussed:
1. Enemy situation and capabilities to include concentrations in the vicinity of NIJMEGEN. (It is interesting to note here that the G-2, First Allied Airborne Army estimate of flak differed widely from that given me at Second US Bombardment Division just four hours previous. This bombardment division was flying missions daily over the NIJMEGEN area.)
2. Terrain and Weather. The weatherman was called in and estimated fair weather for "D" Day which was then thought of as September 14 or 15.
3. The general plan overall operations - air, sea, and ground.
4. Mission of airborne units which placed the 101st Airborne Division on the south to seize approximately seven water crossings, extending from ZON to UDEN: 82d Airborne Division in the center to seize crossings of the MAAS River, the MAAS-WAAL Canal, and WAAL River; and the First British Airborne Division on the north to seize the ARNHEM Bridge. Probable time of link-up of 82d Airborne Division with ground troops was estimated as D/1.
5. XVIII Corps was charged with the mission of air resupply for the Division.
6. Gas masks were to be omitted.
II Left Headquarters First Allied Airborne Army with Commanding General, 82d Airborne Division and Chief of Staff, British Airborne Corps and travelled to Corps CP to obtain all papers and maps relating to Divisions mission. These papers and maps had been assembled by the First British Airborne Division to whom the mission was originally assigned.
{ Endorsed [understood?] to find Capt. Harry. }
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