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The following is excerpted from material
received from Robert K. Williams, former Intelligence and Operations Officer of
the 307th Airborne Engineer Battalion of the 82nd Airborne Division. Most of the
307th (Companies B, C, and D) dropped from Chalk Nos. 1-27 of the
parachute serial flown by the 439th Group on 17 September 1944--D-Day on
Operation MARKET. The
Battalion HQ detachment, including Capt. Robert Williams, came in with
the 439th’s glider serial on D-plus-1, in Chalk Nos. 73-77.
Company A was scheduled to come in on D-plus-2, but was delayed because
of weather until D-plus-6. The 307th engineered the famous Waal River crossing at
Nijmegen on 20 September and subsequently worked along with a
British engineer unit to defuse the charges the Germans had attached to
the massive highway and railroad bridges across the river. This material,
written by Capt. Williams in the field, gives a meticulous record of the
307th as it performed its wide-ranging combat duties. Extensive use of
abbreviations in these field reports has been reduced to assist the
reader.
From
Headquarters, 307th Airborne Engineer Battalion
S-1
Journal
September 17, 1944
1115: Battalion parachute companies: B, C, and D
Companies left Balderton England airport enroute to Holland.
From
Headquarters, 307th Airborne Engineer Battalion
Historical Narrative:
After several alerts during which time the
Battalion distributed several tons of maps, the parachute elements, that
is, B, C, and D Companies of this Battalion took off from Balderton
Airfield, England, and landed on DZ between Groesbeek and Mook, Holland
at approximately 1400, 17 September 1944. Companies assembled after a
good landing and proceeded on their assigned missions. See
photo.
From
Headquarters, 307th Airborne Engineer Battalion
19 September 1944
Subject:
Engineer Report
To: G-2
& G-3
Strength: Companies B, C, and D arrived 17th, no losses. Battalion
HQ detachment, including CO, Ex Off, ADE, S-2 & S-3, Medics, arrived
by glider the 18th at 1430.
Company B—All of Co. landed on DZ about 1330 Sept. 17; 2 men were
hurt in jump. Co. furnished protection for the General as he moved to
present Division CP. On this move Co. ran into some enemy, killed two,
captured four. Co. set up all-around security for Div. CP,
consisting of four road blocks, mined railroad, and three outposts.
During the night of 17 & 18 some four prisoners were captured and
turned over to Div. PW enclosure. On the 18th, Lt. Robert E. Klein
[Chalk No. 16] and 3d Platoon went on a combat patrol to the north of
Div. CP, contacted the 508th Inf. at (7658) and returned. Lt. Adrian J.
Finlayson [Chalk No. 13] and one man made a reconnaissance of Bridge No.
7 across canal (7054).
Found intact and reported to G-2. Lt. Edward Whalen [Chalk No. 18]
and detail picked up supplies at the DZ all afternoon. Co. continued
security of Div. CP until 1900, at which time it was relieved by Div.
Defense Platoon. At 2030 five recon patrols were sent out on division
order: two in Nijmegen, one east of Nijmegen, 1 west of Nijmegen and one
into Reichswald (7751); all patrols in by 0600 Sept. 19th. Results
reported to G-2.
Company C—All dropped on DZ about 1330 on 17 Sept. One
man fractured leg on drop. Co. assembled and moved to railroad bridge
(7254). Here Co. was held up by enemy fire until morning of 18th. On
18th Co. moved across canal bridge (7054), removing charges from bridge.
Co. reported to CP of 504th Combat Team arriving about 1200. Regimental
HQ made the following assignments: 2d Platoon assigned to 2d Battalion
which was defending Grave; 2d Platoon dug in as part of defense line; 3d
Plat assigned to 3d Battalion which was defending a line in the vicinity
of Polder Van Nederasselt; 3d Platoon guarded Battalion CP, captured 3
enemy in hayloft; 1st Platoon removed charges from bridge at Grave
(620542).
Company D—All (less a take-off field refusal
) landed at DZ about 1330, 17th September. Lt. Richard Von Bampus [Chalk
No. 22] and two enlisted men were injured on jump. Pfc. James E. Purvis
[Chalk No. 26] was shot in ankle by enemy small arms fire. Co. assembled
and moved 300-400 yds. north of DZ and put out security for
temporary Div. CP. First and 2d Platoons were used. They contacted the
enemy, killed four and captured 10. 3d Platoon, less one squad, reported
to Lt. Whalen, Co. B; gathered supplies on DZ. About 1630 September
17th, Co. was advance guard for movement of HQ troops, Signal, Medical
and Artillery to new Div. CP. No enemy encountered on this move. About
1730, the Co. organized in bivouac and put out security. September 18th
at 0900 Co. was alerted and at 1000, Co. moved out to Northwest of
Groesbeek to take up defense position between 505th Inf. and the 508th
Inf. 1st Platoon under Lt. Ralph Hendrix reported to Co. D; 508th and
helped resist an enemy frontal attack with 2 companies. About 40 enemy
were killed. Lt. Hendrix [Chalk No. 19] received a bullet graze on his
head. Pvt. Carl O. Tole [Chalk No. 21] was killed about 1200. Pvt. James
F. Stevens [Chalk No. 18] was wounded in thigh by a sniper. Pvt. Charles
L. Quinn [Chalk No. 20] was wounded in wrist by a strafing plane. 2d
Platoon made combat patrols and saw no enemy action. The 3d Platoon
contacted Co. D, 505th Inf., and prepared for an attack across the
glider landing area. However, when the gliders came in the enemy
withdrew and the attack was not made. Co. relieved at 2000 and returned
to Battalion bivouac area about 2230, September 18.
Battalion HQ Detachment—landed by glider about 1450 Sept. 18th (see
photo). One of the gliders that left England has not yet reported in. Water supply
recon made 1800.
[Note: Chalk 27 on this mission (Chalk 77 to
82nd A/B), flown by F/O Cline Stephens of the 92d Sqdn, was flipped on
its back in midair over the Channel when a formation of Stirlings
crossed in front of the Troop Carrier formation. The glider was caught
in the propwash and power pilot Lt. Crawford Kinney, 93d Sqdn, had to
release it. F/O Cline Stephens successfully ditched in the Channel and
all aboard were quickly rescued. The HQ troopers were re-equipped, but
because of intervening weather, did not reach the Battalion CP until 24
September. See “Ditched,” in Into The Valley.]
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