View Full Version : Operation Dragroon........The Forgotten D-Day.
greenberetTFS
10-06-2009, 13:54
Ran a search first & nothing came up on this!!! :confused: Just read in my Voice of the Angels (11th Abn Div) newsletter about this invasion of Southern France in August 1944. It involved the 7th Army (3rd,36th, & 45th Inf Div)with the 1st Airborne Task Force & the First Special Service Force landing and jumping into Southern France and fighting their way up the Rhone Valley to secure the flank of that movement on the border of Italy and being able to get to Northern Virginia on August 5th. :( They claim that this is the Forgotten D-Day and isn't even memorable as the Normandy celebration..............:( I never heard about this and I wonder if anyone ever has...........
Big Teddy :munchin
bkleonards
10-06-2009, 14:06
Teddy,
Check below link out, might answer a few questions.
http://www.americainwwii.com/stories/rivieradday.html
greenberetTFS
10-06-2009, 15:00
Teddy,
Check below link out, might answer a few questions.
http://www.americainwwii.com/stories/rivieradday.html
bkleonards,
Thanks for the tip,it was pretty interesting,but confirms the fact that very few people if any remember that day and what happened.................:(
Big Teddy :munchin
TEDDY:
There were so many historically important events that happened during WW II that were overshadowed and forgotten because of larger similar events that got more attention.
Like this one:
http://www.ww2f.com/battle-europe/23157-death-march-across-germany.html
More's the pity.
Teddy,
It was known as the Champagne Campaign and was pretty much lost to the back shelves of History because of the events going on at the time in Normandy...except for the exploits of the 442nd RCT - which is considered the most decorated unit in US military history for its size and length of service - and the SOE/OSS actions in the southern part of France which drove the German forces away from the beachhead and liberated a number of French towns - original founding members of SF like Aaron Bank and Herb Bruecker took part in those operations as members of the OSS.
Have you forgotten your 1st Special Forces Regimental history? ;)
Richard
greenberetTFS
10-06-2009, 16:21
Teddy,
It was known as the Champagne Campaign and was pretty much lost to the back shelves of History because of the events going on at the time in Normandy...except for the exploits of the 442nd RCT - which is considered the most decorated unit in US military history for its size and length of service - and the SOE/OSS actions in the southern part of France which drove the German forces away from the beachhead and liberated a number of French towns - original founding members of SF like Aaron Bank and Herb Bruecker took part in those operations as members of the OSS.
Have you forgotten your 1st Special Forces Regimental history? ;)
Richard
Shame on me,Richard your absolutely right....... :eek: I just read the post by swpa19,if you haven't read it take a look it's really incredible what those WW2 prisoners had to face.......:(
Big Teddy :munchin
The small borough I live in is one of three that run into each other without notice of a change in municipalities. Each of these boroughs may have 500 people living in them.
I found out about the European Deathmarch from a widow of one of the POWs that made that march. Her husband kept a hidden diary of the event.
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~pawashin/military/wwII/parkins-frederick.html
In these small municipalities we've had during WWII, 4 airmen, 2 army and one navy interned in POW Camps. We also had one individual participate in the Los Banos Raid. The last individul was presented his Bronze Star medal in 1984 by an active duty 5TH SFG(A) O-4.
greenberetTFS
10-07-2009, 17:06
The small borough I live in is one of three that run into each other without notice of a change in municipalities. Each of these boroughs may have 500 people living in them.
I found out about the European Deathmarch from a widow of one of the POWs that made that march. Her husband kept a hidden diary of the event.
In these small municipalities we've had during WWII, 4 airmen, 2 army and one navy interned in POW Camps. We also had one individual participate in the Los Banos Raid. The last individul was presented his Bronze Star medal in 1984 by an active duty 5TH SFG(A) O-4.
swpa19,
Being a former 11th Abn guy,the Los Banos Raid is the pride of their history....:) It's been said the raid came off in perfection with NO injuries to the troopers or prisoners and all prisoners were saved and removed from the camp........;)
Big Teddy :munchin
frostfire
10-07-2009, 20:41
...except for the exploits of the 442nd RCT - which is considered the most decorated unit in US military history for its size and length of service -
I've been reading/watching as much books, articles and films about the Go for Broke unit. I've always wondered, what made them gave so much (and all) for a country that not only gave them few and took many from them? So much valor and gallantry. Can such unit be reproduced or even mass-produced now?
I'd appreciate anyone's recommendation on articles or books that answer the questions.
I apologize for the hijack.
greenberetTFS
10-08-2009, 00:04
I've been reading/watching as much books, articles and films about the Go for Broke unit. I've always wondered, what made them gave so much (and all) for a country that not only gave them few and took many from them? So much valor and gallantry. Can such unit be reproduced or even mass-produced now?
I'd appreciate anyone's recommendation on articles or books that answer the questions.
I apologize for the hijack.
frostfire,
There was a movie out in the 50's or 60's starring Van Johnson called "Go for Broke",it's an oldie but a goodie if you want to see how the unit was formed and scenes of some of their battles................:D The Senator from Hawaii was in that unit and I believe he earned an MOH...............:D
Big Teddy :munchin
The Senator from Hawaii was in that unit and I believe he earned an MOH...
Senator Daniel Inouye - one of the 21 members of the 442nd RCT which were awarded the MOH.
http://www.homeofheroes.com/moh/citations_1942_nisei/inouye.html
Richard
frostfire
10-08-2009, 09:59
frostfire,
There was a movie out in the 50's or 60's starring Van Johnson called "Go for Broke",it's an oldie but a goodie if you want to see how the unit was formed and scenes of some of their battles................:D The Senator from Hawaii was in that unit and I believe he earned an MOH...............:D
Big Teddy :munchin
That's the movie I saw 4 years ago that sparked the interest. It did not explain where those valor originated though (perhaps comradery?). It did show the resentment they had about the families placed in camps, and the change-of-heart the unit commander went after witnessing their performance in battle.
I never heard about this and I wonder if anyone ever has...........
Big Teddy :munchin
I had, but I was a member of the 1/ 509th ABCT Vicenza, it's unit history.
I searched and found this among other things.
http://www.army.mil/-news/2009/08/13/25994-ceremony-honors-forgotten-vets-of-operation-dragoon/
http://www.ww2-airborne.us/18corps/other_overview.html
The 509th PIB followed by the 1/551st Parachute Infantry linked up with the 1st FSSF near Cannes.
The 509th also has some small mention with the !st Ranger Battalion south of Anzio