The men of 3rd Battalion were supposed to land in Drop Zone D, the southernmost drop zone, southwest of Utah Beach. The paratroopers ended up miles away from one another, often without their equipment. They searched for their squad mates in the dark, joining up with men from other companies and divisions as they made their way toward the bridges. Though more men from 3rd Battalion were dropped on target than from any other battalion in the 101st, they were the last of the division to jump, and by that time the Germans were expecting them.

Subscribe Today

• Did you enjoy our article?
• Read more in World War II magazine
• Subscribe online and save nearly 40%!!!
 

Shames: “I had plenty of time to look around as I was in the air for about 50 seconds, which meant I must have jumped at around 1,000 feet. I was heading toward a burning industrial area and fighting desperately to control my drift…. I knew that I’d landed in Carentan [the location of a German corps headquarters] and the words ‘avoid at all costs’ kept running through my head.”

Pvt. Ray Calandrella, Company HQ: “After cutting myself out of the risers I set about chopping a small piece of nylon from my reserve chute as a souvenir. I pulled the D-ring and the brilliant white canopy burst out announcing for all to see that I had arrived! In a panic I gathered up the billowing chute and wrapped it inside my camouflaged main canopy. I then lay quietly on the ground trying to calm down.”

Staff Sgt. Roy Burger, HQ Company, 81mm Mortar Platoon: “We were badly scattered. I joined up with Corporal Allison and we eventually made our way out of the marshes. It was dark and we were lost. However, shells fired from the battleships were constantly going overhead and this helped us work out where the coast was. At daylight, dodging German troops, we headed toward the sea. The naval bombardment was terrific and we assumed our troops must have landed on the beaches.”

DiCarlo: “While the mental side of me was dealing with the shock of seeing real enemy soldiers the physical side lifted my rifle and I fired eight rounds at them—they all hit the ground. I reloaded and approached them from behind. I checked the bodies and discovered that all three were dead.”

Calandrella: “I saw the hunched shape of a man creeping toward me through a gap in the hedge. As he got closer I began to run a couple of scenarios through my head—should I use the bayonet or squeeze the trigger? I didn’t want to do either but time was running out, so I nervously used my cricket. Click-clack—no response. I repeated the process. Click-clack—there was still no response and I raised my rifle to shoot. Suddenly I noticed a jump rope hanging from the guy’s belt—it was 1st Lt. Howard Littell, our 81mm platoon leader.

After introducing myself I whispered, ‘Why the hell didn’t you use your cricket?’ In a hushed voice Littell replied, ‘I’m sorry, I just couldn’t find it.’ ‘Couldn’t find it!’ I said in disbelief. ‘I came that close to pulling the trigger.’ Littell just shrugged his shoulders and told me he’d got separated from the rest of his stick and that I should join him.”

DiCarlo: “One nervous trooper fired at an imaginary German column during the march to the bridge, sending us all into the shelter of roadside ditches. As our group increased in number the NCOs split us into six-man units, as we were frequently coming under hostile fire. I was amazed that we hadn’t received more attention from the enemy. We were moving alongside a hedgerow and Roy [a trooper from the 82nd Airborne] decided to take a look over the top. As he peered over a German soldier did exactly the same thing. The two of them stared at each other for a few moments before slowly sinking back to the ground. As we scuttled away I threw a grenade over the hedge. If the German had left as quick as we did then I am sure it did him no harm.”

Help HistoryNet by bookmarking to