Pathfinder teams, special groups of Paratroopers who marked drop and landing zones, were developed because of the problems of the airborne assault in Sicily in July 1943. Major General Matthew B. Ridgway, 82d Commander, wanted drop zones marked with lights and radio-transmitter beacons. In late August 1943, pathfinders conducted tests, jumping in advance of the main assault force areas. Four devices were used: Krypton lights, a special radio-transmitter known as 5G, a portable radar beacon known as Eureka which transmitted range and bearing to the drop zone, and Rebecca, a receiver in the aircraft that picked up the Eureka signal. Of these devices, Eureka-Rebecca was used to guide the 82d Airborne Division to the Salerno drop zone in mid-September 1943. It was successfully used in subsequent operations in Normandy, Southern France, Holland and Germany.
The pathfinders parachuted into Normandy a full hour ahead of the main airborne assault and six hours before the amphibious troops hit the beaches. Once on the ground, their mission was to seize the drop zones and use the devices mentioned above and signal lanterns to bring Allied aircraft onto the target areas. Pathfinders typically jumped in small sections or “sticks” of about 18 paratroopers: one dozen would assemble the beacons and lights and another six to provide security. Each pathfinder group was assigned its own landing zone to capture and mark. The American drop sites were located a few miles inland from Utah Beach in the west, while the British made their jumps east of Sword Beach.
Directing airborne forces to the correct landing areas, of course, was not an exact science. The “fog of war” and the hazards of night operations made pathfinding difficult in the best of circumstances. In Normandy, hedgerows, darkness and alert German units prevented many pathfinders from accomplishing their missions. In Southern France, however, the drop zones were clearly marked and most Paratroopers landed right on target. Subsequent operations were carried out in daylight, enabling pathfinders to quickly mark landing areas for Paratroopers and gliders.
The 82nd Division was first constituted on 5 August 1917 during World War I in the National Army. It was organized and formally activated on 25 August 1917 at Camp Gordon, Georgia. The division consisted entirely of newly conscripted soldiers. The citizens of Atlanta held a contest to give a nickname to the new division. Major General Eben Swift, the commanding general, chose "All American" to reflect the unique composition of the 82nd—it had soldiers from all 48 states.
On 15 August 1942, the 82nd Infantry Division, now commanded by Major General Ridgway, became the first airborne division in the history of the U.S. Army, and was re-designated as the 82nd Airborne Division. In April 1943, after several months of tough training, its troopers deployed to the Mediterranean Theater of Operations, under the command of Major General Ridgway to take part in the Allied invasion of Sicily. The division's first two combat operations were parachute assaults into Sicily on 9 July and Salerno on 13 September 1943.
The initial assault on Sicily, by the 505th Parachute Regimental Combat Team, under Colonel Gavin, was the first regimental-sized combat parachute assault conducted by the United States Army. On 2 August 1944, the 82nd Airborne Division became part of the First Allied Airborne Army. In September, the 82nd began planning for Operation Market Garden in the Netherlands. The operation called for three-plus airborne divisions to seize and hold key bridges and roads deep behind German lines. The 504th, now back at full strength, was reassigned to the 82nd, while the 507th was assigned to the 17th Airborne Division. On 17 September, the 82nd conducted its fourth combat assault of World War II, into the Netherlands. Fighting off German counterattacks, the 82nd captured its objectives between Grave, and Nijmegen. Its success, however, was short-lived because of the defeat of the other Allied units at Arnhem. After a period of combat on the Arnhem front lasting approximately 56 days, the 82nd was relieved by Canadian troops, and sent to Rheims, France, where it was placed in reserve.
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Note: Although we last traveled to several historical sites in Germany during our trip in 2019, we have previously used a similar self-guided, GPS supported itinerary to visit All Five of the Landing Beaches along the Cotentin Peninsula and many of the historical locations, and museums in an around Normandy, including the Dead Man's Corner Museum. This outstanding museum (which was the site of a German command post and the site of medical treatment for wounded FJ troops) near Saint-Côme-du-Mont, has an excellent display of Fallschirmjager troops in a full scale diorama scene during the actions in Normandy. This same museum has an equally outstanding array of displays highlighting the various U.S. Airborne Regiments and Divisions... including the 506th PIR, 101st Airborne Division involved in the D-day Operation. We have, on several occasions, also used the same travel format to visit the Bastogne area, including the Baugnez '44 Museum, the site of the Malmedy Massacre, the still existing foxholes of the 502nd and 506th P.I.R. and the pastoral surrounding area in Belgium. We have found both the French and the Belgian people, especially in the towns in Normandy and the area near Bastogne, to be very friendly and still grateful to the Allies, especially the American forces, for their liberation, despite the huge loss of life and property damage suffered by the French and Belgian civilians. In addition, should you plan to visit the area in and around Normandy or Bastogne, we would be willing to share our experiences or trip itinerary with you, which may help to make your travel through the area easier and perhaps make the historical experience more valuable.
Please contact us for information concerning other 1/6 Scale 21st Century and Hasbro - GI Joe WWII Jeeps, and Dragon & 21st Century Customized Figures and Weapons. In addition we welcome Your Contact for other Retired and New King & Country WWII (1/30 scale) sets that are Not Listed in Our eBay Store. We have been a successful retailer with King & Country since 1999, marketing their line of connoisseur quality military miniatures. We are listed on their website as an authorized dealer and welcome your Direct Contact contact for any New or Retired King & Country miniatures that are Not Listed in our eBay Store.
We also offer a wide range of WWII Militaria items; Original and Reproduction WWII U.S. & German Uniforms and Gear, including an Excellent Example of a Reproduction (German) Fallschirmjager Normandy Pattern Helmet and Museum Quality Restored Original U.S. M-1 Helmets and Converted U.S. M-2 & M-1C Paratrooper Helmets
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