The FReeper Foxhole Remembers The Waal River Crossing - Sep. 20th, 1944 - Feb. 10th, 2003

http://www.pointvista.com/WW2GliderPilots/holland.htm ^

[SAMWolf]

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"The Second Omaha Beach"
Crossing the Waal

Waal River Crossing by the 3rd Battalion,
504th Parachute Infantry Regiment
U.S. 82nd Airborne Division -- Nijmegen, Holland

"I know not how to aid you, save in the assurance of one of mature age, and much severe experience, that you can not fail, if you resolutely determine, that you will not."

--Abraham Lincoln, July 22, 1860 Letter to George Latham

This scene depicts the daylight Waal River Crossing in canvas boats propelled by paddles on September 20, 1944, by the Third Battalion of the 504th Parachute Regiment of the 82nd Airborne Division, straight into the teeth of German machine guns and artillery. This is one of the most famous assaults in modern military history.

The 504th sustained over 50% casualties (approximately 25% casualties crossing the canal and another 25% casualties taking the northern end of the Waal River Bridge). To add perspective to this heroic action, it is interesting to note that the Light Brigade at Balaclava sustained 40% casualties, and General George Pickett's Division at Gettysburg sustained 60% casualties in its charge against Union forces at Cemetery Ridge. The difference between the 504th's action and those of the Light Brigade and Pickett's Division is that the 504th accomplished its mission despite taking similar horrific casualties. In his book, A Bridge Too Far, author Cornelius Ryan cites sources who describe this action as "...a second Omaha Beach landing." (A Bridge Too Far - Page 92)

The 504th undertook this mission in broad daylight because the Commanding General of the 82nd Airborne Division, General James Gavin, was operating under orders to advance as fast as possible to open the way for British 30th Armored Corps, under the command of British General Sir Brian Horrocks, to move up the road to Arnhem and relieve British and Polish airborne units that had been fighting there for several days. When General Gavin ordered this daylight crossing, minutes and hours counted. General Gavin knew this mission was going to be extremely difficult and gave the 504th's commanding officer, Colonel Reuben Tucker and the commander of the Third Battalion - designated to make the crossing - Major Julian Cook, a list of "proven combat leaders" from other 82nd units that he could augment to the 504th to help him lead his men across the canal. Lieutenant Joseph Brennan of the 505th Parachute Regiment was one of the officers who joined Cook's battalion for the crossing.

In recounting his story of the crossing, Captain Brennan said they wanted to get across the 400 yards of open water as fast as humanly possible and those without paddles used their rifle stocks as paddles. One of the troopers in his boat, all too aware of his slim chances of surviving and probably not thinking straight, began paddling furiously with his rifle barrel.



The Waal River Bridge, in the Dutch city of Nijmegen, just a few miles south of Arnhem, was the last critical bridge on the road to Arnhem where British and Polish airborne units were desperately fighting in an attempt to hold the Arnhem Bridge over the Rhine River (the ultimate objective of Operation Market Garden) against vastly numerically superior SS forces. The American 101st Airborne Division in the region of Eindoven, Holland, and the American 82nd Airborne Division in the region of Nijmegen, Holland, had both accomplished their missions of capturing critical bridges thus securing the road up which the British 30th Corps was to advance to Arnhem.

Following the successful capture of the Waal River Bridge by the 504th by what was then past sunset, commanders of the 30th Corps waiting in Nijmegen at the southern end of the bridge informed General Gavin that they planned to send the armored column across the captured bridge when infantry and more gasoline and other supplies caught up with them, most likely in the morning. One account of this decision was that they had been ordered not to advance at that time by the Allied Command with British Lieutenant General Frederich "Boy" Browning holding overall command of Operation Market Garden. An oral history account by Lieutenant Thomas Pitt, one of the survivors of the crossing, cites the 30th Corps commanders present as saying they would not move their armor at night. This version was corroborated by Captain Joseph Brennan who also made the crossing. This decision was and still is a source of controversy. There were many factors to consider including intelligence reports indicating that the Germans had massed forces on either side of the eleven-mile road between Nijmegen and Arnhem and were waiting for the armored column to proceed with the intention of pinching them off and crushing them.



This turn of events did not sit well with General Gavin and the 504th which, had they known this information in advance, could have made the crossing that night and sustained far fewer casualties. The 504th had sustained 134 killed, wounded and missing, more than half its strength. (Cornelius Ryan - A Bridge Too Far - page 476) Of the 10,000 British and Polish airborne forces parachuted into Arnhem, and left stranded by the armored ground forces that halted at Nijmegen, only 2,000 were able to escape and rejoin Allied forces.

[The Real Deal]

Victoria, did you hear that Saddam is preparing his troops for a Northern assalt. If he is successful it could extend the war by 7 seconds.

Just a little attempt a humor.

[The Real Deal]

Hey there GooberDoll, great photo.

[DoughtyOne]

Who has joined the Allies for Liberty and Freedom?
 

Here is the current list:

U.S., Britian, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania, Poland, Italy, Portugal, Turkey,  Slovakia,
Denmark, Czech, Spain, Quatar, Jordan, Albania, Kuwait, Israeli, Australia and Japan
 

These are the nations who desire to free the Iraqi men, women and children.
These are the nations who are willing to stand up to tyranny.
These are the nations who are with us.

They have announced their support for:
 

 
 

Here are their flags.

We honor them here.
 
 

The United States of Ameria
 

                    
Great Britain - Australia - Romania
 

                    
Israel - Poland - Spain
 

                    
Czech - Portugal - Kuwait
 

                    
Hungary - Qatar - Italy
 

                    
Japan - Jordan - Denmark
 

                    
Slovakia - Turkey - Estonia
 

                    
Latvia - Lithwania - Macedonia
 

                    
Slovinia - Albania - Croatia
 

Bulgaria

[PGalt]

Thanks for all of your wonderful posts. Great history lessons.

[E.G.C.]

BTTT!!!!!

[Reagan06]

remove

[Jen]

OK, done.

[BrennanAssoc]

Hello - I'm Tom Brennan, the creator of the site linked at the top of this thread on the WWII Glider Pilots, and much of the material you see in this thread comes from my site. I am flattered that you find it worthy of re-posting here, but I would appreciate it if you would contact me for permission in the future. I'll give it to you after the fact since I see that this is a "gung ho" bunch of people who appreciate what our people in uniform do for us.

I also thought you all might like a little more info on what happened after the 30th Corps informed Gavin that they would be across the Waal River in the morning. My Dad met Gavin many years later and Gavin confirmed what my Uncle Joe, augmented to the 504th for the crossing said. When the 504th learned that the Brits were sitting tight, they decided to attack the Brits, take the tanks and other armor away from them, and complete the run up to Arnhem themselves. Gavin had to order his MP's to hold the remnants of the 504th at gunpoint to stop them. I don't think there is a survivor of the 504th who could ever forgive Horrocks, Browning, and Montgomery for that decision. I also heard that the British 1st Parachute Regiment, for many years, and possibly to this day, had Browning's picture painted in their urinals back at their regimental barracks, but I do not know if it is true.

I visited Nijmegen and Arnhem in 1961 with my Mom and Dad, 1994, and again in 1995 with my own family so my kids could see where their Grandfather and Grand Uncle fought. Dad flew a glider into Market Garden on September 19th and was blown to shreds. He almost didn't survive. I can tell you that the Waal River is mighty wide, and I have nothing but profound respect for the 504th. I would never want to come up against those men in combat, whatever the odds.
Tom Brennan
Viet Nam '71