D-Day: Eisenhower and His Paratroopers

General Dwight D. Eisenhower arrived in London to command Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF) for the last five months of planning for D-Day. During that time he achieved much more than the oft repeated portrayal of someone managing a political/military alliance. Though he never led troops in combat, his leadership sustained many unprecedented initiatives for the successful Normandy landings. The air assault exemplifies the frightful uncertainties plaguing this “Day of Days”.

The night before D-Day, 20,400 American and British paratroopers dropped behind the Normandy beaches from 1,250 C-47 aircraft plus gliders. This massive assault was attempted just 17 years after Charles Lindberg flew the Atlantic solo for the first time.

To the last moment Ike's air commander, British Air Chief Marshall Leigh-Mallory, saw only tragic forebodings reinforced by memories of American losses in North Africa and Sicily, and the German catastrophe on Crete. The German losses there were so severe that Hitler forbid any further massive air assaults. Leigh-Mallory anticipated over half the planes and gliders would be destroyed before reaching the drop zones with surviving paratroopers fighting isolated until they were killed or captured.

The transports would arrive over Normandy the night of June 5 in three streams from 160 to 300 miles long; thereby allowing the Germans up to two hours to reposition anti-aircraft artillery for maximum slaughter of the transports. Most pilots were flying their first combat mission and many would make multiple trips that night. Leigh-Mallory had received specific intelligence the German 91st Air Landing Division, specialists in fighting paratroopers, and the 6th Parachute Regiment inexplicably moved into the area around St. Mere-Eglise, where the American divisions were to land. Many questioned whether these movements meant the deception plan for D-Day directing attention to Pas de Calais was breaking down.

Ike remained strategically committed to the airborne assault. In the American sector it would enable the early capture of Cherbourg. Without port facilities, the limited logistic support across the beaches could doom the entire invasion. In the British sector the paratroopers would secure the left flank of the entire invasion.

At the same time he was devoted to the men. The evening before D-Day, Eisenhower left SHAEF headquarters at 6 PM and traveled to Newbury where the 101st Airborne was boarding for its first combat mission. Ike arrived at 8 PM and did not leave until the last C-47 was airborne over three hours later.

In My Three Years with Eisenhower Captain Harry C. Butcher says, "We saw hundreds of paratroopers with blackened and grotesque faces, packing up for the big hop and jump. Ike wandered through them, stepping over, packs, guns, and a variety of equipment such as only paratroop people can devise, chinning with this and that one. All were put at ease. He was promised a job after the war by a Texan who said he roped, not dallied, his cows, and at least there was enough to eat in the work. Ike has developed or disclosed an informality and friendliness with troopers that almost amazed me". The famous picture of Eisenhower supposedly forcefully delivering last minute instructions to the troopers actually involved talking about his experience working in a store when he was a kid.

In Crusade in Europe General Eisenhower says, "I found the men in fine fettle, many of them joshingly admonishing me that I had no cause for worry, since the 101st was on the job, and everything would be taken care of in fine shape. I stayed with them until the last of them were in the air, somewhere about midnight. After a two hour trip back to my own camp, I had only a short time to wait until the first news should come in”.

One of the first D-Day reports was from Leigh-Mallory with news only 29 of 1,250 C-47's were missing and only four gliders were unaccounted for. That morning Leigh-Mallory sent Ike a message frankly saying it is sometimes difficult to admit that one is wrong, but he had never had a greater pleasure than in doing so on this occasion. He congratulated Ike on the wisdom and courage of his command decision.

We rest in the comfort of historical certainty and will never understand the courage required to live this history forward. The above represents only one of many crushing anxieties Eisenhower persevered through. Most planning discussions aroused the specter of Gallipoli, the Somme and Passchendaele, where the British incurred murderous losses for gains of only yards. And this time the allies were intending to undertake an amphibious and air assault more daunting than any campaign of WW I.

Partial bibliography: Crusade in Europe by General Dwight Eisenhower My Three Years with Eisenhower by Captain Harry C. Butcher

The Secret Life of Stewart Menzies Spymaster to Winston Churchill by Anthony Cave Brown

D-Day by Steven E. Ambrose Top 10 Deadliest Battles of World War I http://www.toptenz.net/top-10-bloodiest-battles-of-world-war-i.php

D-Day Pictures http://blogs.denverpost.com/captured/2009/06/05/the-65th-anniversary-of-d-day-on-the-normandy-beaches/# D-Day: Presidential radio address to the nation http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jeI3vwz3p4

Ronald Reagan’s D-Day Address http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/ronaldreaganddayaddress.html

I wrote this essay to be my contribution to remembering D-Day. I had much more contact with such men growing up than my peers, because about age nine my dad began taking me out golfing on the weekends. Parts of conversations about the WW II would occur as asides to a main subject. There were no war production plants in McMinnville Oregon, so it seemed everyone had served. Without exception I remember they regarded that time as no more exceptional than attending high school. Of course though I was not privy to the more private discussions they had with other veterans.

I can’t remember any paratroopers, but I often ended up as a dishwasher at Michelbook Country Club. I noticed the chef always limped as he moved around the kitchen. When he saw my puzzled look, he said he got the limp from a wound received when he was with the Rangers at Pointe De Hoc. He said it might not have been so serious if they hadn’t been able to get any medical help for two days.

This is just one story among so many I remember and so many more I have forgotten. As a result when the time came I volunteered for the Navy officer program and ended up in Vietnam. It was simply my turn.

As a prelude to the essay here is Eisenhower’s speech.

Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen of the Allied Expeditionary Force! You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you. In company with our brave Allies and brothers-in-arms on other Fronts, you will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security to yourselves in a free world. Your task will not be an easy one. Your enemy is well trained, well equipped and battle-hardened. He will fight savagely. But this is the year 1944! Much has happened since the Nazi triumphs of 1940-41. The United Nations have in¬flicted upon the Germans great defeats, in open battle, man-to-man. Our air offensive has seriously reduced their strength in the air and their capacity to wage war on the ground. Our Home Fronts have given us an overwhelming superiority in weapons and munitions of war, and placed at our disposal great reserves of trained fighting men. The tide has turned! The free men of the world are marching together to Victory! I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty and skill in battle. We will accept nothing less than full Victory! Good Luck! And let us all beseech the blessing of Al¬mighty God upon this great and noble undertaking.

Thank you sir.

We bought the home we live in from the widow of a close family friend who was in the 101st Airborne. He was dropped behind enemy lines during the Normandy Invasion (I think by glider), he parachuted into Holland and was trucked into the Bulge. He was a fine man and a good friend, as was his widow. She is gone now too.

I still have my father, he served under Patton and Gen. Patch. Was in Germany, Belgium and CZ. He saw Dachau not long after liberation and spent that winter overseeing German POW’s cutting timber from around Dachau to be used as firewood for those who lived in Munich.

Dad and I went grocery shopping together this morning. He is still very sharp, will be 90 in a few months. He saw Fascist up close and personal, we talk almost daily about the same thing existing here now. Headshake.

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