1st Airborne Task Force (Allied)

Military unit December 2019 1st Airborne Task Force 11 July – 23 November 1944 United States 1912United KingdomCanada 1921 Allies of World War II United StatesUnited Kingdom Airborne forces Parachute infantry 9,000 Operation Dragoon Robert T. Frederick The 1st Airborne Task Force was a short-lived Allied airborne unit formed during World War II for Operation Dragoon, the invasion of Southern France. Created in July 1944 under the command of Major General Robert T. Frederick, it took part in the Dragoon landings on 15 August 1944, securing the area northwest of the landing beaches before advancing towards the French–Italian border as part of the United States Seventh Army. The unit was disbanded in November 1944. Formation In the initial plans for the invasion of France it was proposed that two forces would land simultaneously in Normandy and in southern France in June 1944, attacking the Germans from the north and south in a classic pincer movement, after which the southern forces would head east to aid Allied forces in Italy. However it was soon realized that there were not enough landing ships or men available to carry out both operations at the same time, so the southern invasion ("Operation Anvil") was postponed. The southern invasion (now "Operation Dragoon") was planned for August 1944, and all airborne forces were allocated to a new unit formed on 11 July 1944 as the Seventh Army Airborne Division (Provisional). This was redesignated the 1st Airborne Task Force on the 21st.Warren 1955 91 In order to form the 1ABTF airborne units were withdrawn from combat in Italy. These were the U.S. 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion and U.S. 517th Parachute Regimental Combat Team, and the British 2nd Independent Parachute Brigade. Added to them were the U.S. 550th Glider Infantry Battalion and U.S. 551st Parachute Infantry Battalion, both of which had previously been stationed in Panama, and neither of which had seen combat. Two Free French parachute battalions had originally been assigned in early July, but disagreements over their deployment with General de Gaulle meant that the troops were not made available,Warren 1955 94 and so the British 2nd Parachute Brigade was assigned to the operation on the proviso that they would be returned to operations in Italy once the beachhead was firmly established.Warren 1955 103 Operation Dragoon thumb|300px|Map showing landing zones for "Dragoon". 1ABTF's part in "Dragoon", was codenamed "Operation Rugby". They were to land around the village of Le Muy, midway between Draguignan, and the landing beaches at Fréjus–Saint-Raphaël.http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USA/USA-E-Riviera/USA-E-Riviera-6.html European Theater of Operations: Riviera to the Rhine United States Army in World War II Jeffrey J. Clarke Robert Ross Smith 1992 Washington, D.C. Center of Military History, United States Army 27 February 2011 There were three Drop Zone/Landing Zones: The British 2nd Parachute Brigade were assigned an area of open fields and vineyards, designated DZ/LZ "O", 400 yards north of Le Muy on the northern side of the Nartuby River.Warren 1955 83 The 550th Airborne Infantry Battalion would also land there later in the day.Warren 1955 103 The U.S. 517th PRCT were assigned an area of narrow fields about two miles west of Le Muy, designated DZ/LZ "A", south of the Nartuby River.Warren 1955 83 The 1st Battalion, 551st Parachute Infantry Regiment would follow later in the day.Warren 1955 103 The 509th PIB and the 463rd Field Artillery were assigned an area, designated DZ "C", about two miles south-east of Le Muy. This area, lying in a basin between two ridges with hills to the east and west, was steep, rocky, and wooded, with only small areas of level and open ground at either end. It was reluctantly chosen in order to put troops on the high ground dominating Le Muy from the south.Warren 1955 83 The landings thumb|300px|Troops of the 517th PRCT prepare for the landings. thumb|British gliders towed by C47 Dakota aircraft over Southern France for the Allied airborne invasion. On the night of the operation heavy fog meant that the initial landings were scattered over a wide area, and by dawn only about 60% of the task force troops had assembled in their drop zones. The gliders bringing the British artillery support at 08:00 had to abort their mission, though landings and drops later in the day were more successful. Many gliders were damaged on landing, but casualties were generally light.Warren 1955 95 In combat While the village of Le Muy itself remained in enemy hands, the British secured the high ground to the east and north, while the Americans did the same in the west and south. The 550th Battalion attempted to secure Le Muy that night, but were repulsed.http://www.rivierareporter.com/content/view/1203/126/ The Liberation of Fayence – August 1944 Robert Elphick 2009 The Riviera Reporter 27 February 2011 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20111018195801/http://www.rivierareporter.com/content/view/1203/126/ 18 October 2011 Apart from seizing the village, the 1ABTF had completed its assigned mission, establishing a strong position astride the Argens valley preventing the enemy advancing on the beach-head. On the morning of the 16th the 550th attacked Le Muy again, and by 14:45 it was taken – between 500 and 700 prisoners were captured.Warren 1955 108–109 Early on the morning of the 17th forward elements of the U.S. 36th Division arrived at Le Muy from the beach-head, and then continued their advance towards Draguignan. Following "Operation Rugby" the 1ABTF moved north-east, covering the right flank of the Seventh Army, and liberating Cannes and Nice, before being deployed to the Maritime Alps in a static role, mounting patrols and keeping a close watch on the Germans in the area of the Franco-Italian border. The 2nd (Independent) Parachute Brigade was released on 26 August 1944. Six weeks later it was deployed to Greece.Paras – British Airborne Forces 1940–1984 Ferguson Gregor 1987 Osprey 978-0-85045-573-1 14 In November 1944 1ABTF was sent to Soissons to rest and refit, and was disbanded on 23 November 1944,http://orbat.com/site/us2002/files/6/USGliderInfantryinWorldWarII.pdf U.S. Glider Infantry in World War II Richard A. Rinaldi Orders of Battle 21 February 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20100714043741/http://orbat.com/site/us2002/files/6/USGliderInfantryinWorldWarII.pdf 14 July 2010 dead with most of the units being attached to the XVIII Airborne Corps.http://www.faaa.me.uk/Airborne%20Formations.htm US Airborne Formations 1942–45 First Allied Airborne Association 2010 21 February 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20120118135927/http://www.faaa.me.uk/Airborne%20Formations.htm 18 January 2012 dead Order of battle Main force The 1ABTF was composed of the following units:http://www.517prct.org/documents/airborne_invasion/airborne_invasion_history.htm Airborne Invasion of Southern France – Operation Dragoon Thomas R. Cross 517th Parachute Regimental Combat Team 2007 27 February 2011 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20120315032425/http://www.517prct.org/documents/airborne_invasion/airborne_invasion_history.htm 15 March 2012 thumb|Robert T. Frederick (as a Brigadier General) 1ABTF HHC – Maj. Gen. Robert T. Frederick U.S. 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion – Lt. Col. William P. Yarborough 463rd Parachute Field Artillery Battalion – Lt. Col. John Cooper U.S. 517th Parachute Regimental Combat Team 517th Parachute Infantry Regiment – Col. Rupert D. Graves 460th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion – Lt. Col. Raymond L. Cato 596th Airborne Engineer Company – Capt. Robert W. Dalrymple U.S. 550th Airborne Infantry Battalion (Glider) – Lt. Col. Edward I. Sachs U.S. 551st Parachute Infantry Battalion – Lt. Col. Wood G. Joerg 602d Glider Field Artillery Battalion – Maj. George M. Hunt British 2nd (Independent) Parachute Brigade – Brig. Charles Hilary Vaughan Pritchard [detached 26 August] 4th Parachute Battalion – Lt. Col. H.B. Coxen 5th (Scottish) Parachute Battalion – Lt. Col. D.R. Hunter 6th (Royal Welch) Parachute Battalion – Lt. Col. V.W. Barlow 1st Independent Parachute Platoon (Pathfinders)http://www.paradata.org.uk/units/1st-independent-parachute-platoon 1st Independent Parachute Platoon Airborne Assault ParaData 27 February 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20110725085439/http://www.paradata.org.uk/units/1st-independent-parachute-platoon 25 July 2011 dead 1st Special Service Force (U.S./Canada) – Col. Edwin A. Walker [attached 22 August] Support units 512th Airborne Signal Company 887th Airborne Engineer Aviation Company Antitank Company, 442nd Infantry Regiment 552nd Antitank Companynote The 552nd Antitank Company was formed in July 1944, in Rome, specifically for this operation. Since the 442nd became available while the 552nd was in training and took very little time to train on the British 6lb. guns needed for gliders, it went in first. But the 552nd was always on the complement of troops slated for this operation (and the 1st ABTF) and relieved the 442nd mid-October 1944 supporting the 1st ABTF member units still in the area.From documents in the National Archives.August 2019 Company A, 2nd Chemical Mortar Battalion Company A, 83d Chemical Mortar Battalion Detachment, 3d Ordnance Company 676th Medical Collecting Company Base support units 3358th Quartermaster Truck Company 334th Quartermaster Depot Company 172d Detail Issues Depot, British Heavy Aerial Resupply Company 904th Air Base Security Battalion Airlift units Provisional Troop Carrier Air Division – Gen. Paul L. Williams 50th Troop Carrier Wing 51st Troop Carrier Wing 53d Troop Carrier Wing Glider Pilot Regiment Fighter Support 31st Fighter Group (13 August 1944 ~ 16 August 1944) See also Operation Dragoon order of battle 2nd Parachute Brigade in Southern France Notes note References Bibliography http://www.afhra.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-090601-069.pdf Airborne Missions in the Mediterranean, 1942–1945 John C. Warren 1955 USAF Historical Study No. 74 Air Force Historical Research Agency 27 February 2011 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20110722184121/http://www.afhra.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-090601-069.pdf 22 July 2011 Further reading http://517prct.org/documents/odyssey/odyssey_history.htm Archer Clark L. 1985 Paratroopers Odyssey : A History of the 517th Parachute Combat Team Hudson, Florida 517th Parachute Regimental Combat Team Association 0961601507 Astor Gerald 1993 'Battling Buzzards': The Odyssey of the 517th Parachute Regimental Combat Team 1943-1945 New York D. I. Fine 0440236932 Breuer William B. 1987 Operation Dragoon: The Allied Invasion of the South of France Novato, California Presidio Press 0891413073 registration https://archive.org/details/operationdragoon0000breu De Trez Michel 1998 First Airborne Task Force: Pictorial History of the Allied Paratroopers in the Invasion of Southern France Wezembeek-Oppem D-Day Publishing 2960017625 Gassend Jean-Loup 2014 Operation Dragoon: Autopsy of a Battle: The Allied Liberation of the French Riviera, August-September 1944 Atglen, Pennsylvania Schiffer Publishing 978-0764345807 External links First Airborne Task Force : The Forgotten Paratroopers Category:Military units and formations established in 1944 Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1944 Category:United States Army in World War II Category:Ad hoc units and formations of the United States Army Airborne Task Force, 1st Category:Multinational army units and formations Category:Operation Dragoon