Comments on: Operation Varsity: Allied Airborne Assault Over the Rhine River http://www.historynet.com/operation-varsity-allied-airborne-assault-over-the-rhine-river.htm?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=operation-varsity-allied-airborne-assault-over-the-rhine-river From the World's Largest History Magazine Publisher Wed, 15 Feb 2012 02:15:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Susan MIller http://www.historynet.com/operation-varsity-allied-airborne-assault-over-the-rhine-river.htm#comment-784595 Susan MIller Wed, 14 Dec 2011 14:32:27 +0000 #comment-784595 I think this my sister's father Family from LIttle Rock Arkanas married Jimmie Lee Porter Orlanod Fla Never knew about Daughter Please email any information you have I think this my sister's father
Family from LIttle Rock Arkanas
married Jimmie Lee Porter Orlanod Fla
Never knew about Daughter
Please email any information you have

]]> By: EQS http://www.historynet.com/operation-varsity-allied-airborne-assault-over-the-rhine-river.htm#comment-779410 EQS Thu, 13 Oct 2011 00:10:01 +0000 #comment-779410 Sir, The man Robert Elton was not wounded on the jump. Only the first two men in that stick were wounded. Your father was not wounded on the jump. If a man is shot 17 times, the odds are almost impossible for the weapons of WWII to survive. Sorry to break the news to you. In fact he is list as LIA Lightly injured in action, remained on duty on 28 March 1945. Sometimes the stories get a bit bigger as the war goes away. 43-49026 was his plane number Sir,

The man Robert Elton was not wounded on the jump. Only the first two men in that stick were wounded. Your father was not wounded on the jump. If a man is shot 17 times, the odds are almost impossible for the weapons of WWII to survive. Sorry to break the news to you.

In fact he is list as LIA Lightly injured in action, remained on duty on 28 March 1945. Sometimes the stories get a bit bigger as the war goes away.

43-49026 was his plane number

]]> By: roodymiller http://www.historynet.com/operation-varsity-allied-airborne-assault-over-the-rhine-river.htm#comment-714790 roodymiller Fri, 26 Aug 2011 13:55:41 +0000 #comment-714790 Does anyone know any of the 513 paratroopers that landed on the 6th Airborne Divisions DZ? If so contact me as I need help researching... Does anyone know any of the 513 paratroopers that landed on the 6th Airborne Divisions DZ? If so contact me as I need help researching…

]]> By: Kathryn Henderson http://www.historynet.com/operation-varsity-allied-airborne-assault-over-the-rhine-river.htm#comment-633894 Kathryn Henderson Fri, 08 Jul 2011 18:19:34 +0000 #comment-633894 My brother, H. Harvey Langston was a pilot in the Air Force and was part of Operation Varsity. I am happy to have found some articles about the operation as he told me about the mission before he passed away in 2008. I took notes and had never forgotten the story he told me of flying a glider across the Rhine loaded down with a jeep, several paratroopers, guns, etc. He remembered seeing a paratrooper hanging in a tree once he landed. Another pilot told my father about after landing the glider, surrounding a house and shouting German for "come out with hands up" and several Germans did just that. My brother knew those few words in German. He also eventually was awarded a Bronze Star along with others late in their lives. My brother, H. Harvey Langston was a pilot in the Air Force and was part of Operation Varsity. I am happy to have found some articles about the operation as he told me about the mission before he passed away in 2008. I took notes and had never forgotten the story he told me of flying a glider across the Rhine loaded down with a jeep, several paratroopers, guns, etc. He remembered seeing a paratrooper hanging in a tree once he landed. Another pilot told my father about after landing the glider, surrounding a house and shouting German for "come out with hands up" and several Germans did just that. My brother knew those few words in German. He also eventually was awarded a Bronze Star along with others late in their lives.

]]> By: Jerry Autrey http://www.historynet.com/operation-varsity-allied-airborne-assault-over-the-rhine-river.htm#comment-572030 Jerry Autrey Wed, 25 May 2011 02:42:02 +0000 #comment-572030 I am a member of the American Legion & Past Commander at Las Vegas Post 8 (NV). We are proud to have on permanent display the Congressional Medal of Honor awarded posthumously to Pvt. George J. Peters, Co "G", 507th PIR, 17th Airborne Division, who landed March 24, 1945 (KIA same day) in an open field near Fluren, Germany. If you ever visit Las Vegas, come by Post 8 and see Pvt. Peters decorations and how Post 8 came into possesssion of his award. Post 8's phone # is (702) 382-8533. I am a member of the American Legion & Past Commander at Las Vegas Post 8 (NV). We are proud to have on permanent display the
Congressional Medal of Honor awarded posthumously to Pvt. George J. Peters, Co "G", 507th PIR, 17th Airborne Division, who landed March 24, 1945 (KIA same day) in an open field near Fluren, Germany. If you ever visit Las Vegas, come by Post 8 and see Pvt. Peters decorations and how Post 8 came into possesssion of his award. Post 8's phone # is (702) 382-8533.

]]> By: Herman http://www.historynet.com/operation-varsity-allied-airborne-assault-over-the-rhine-river.htm#comment-333745 Herman Wed, 08 Sep 2010 04:50:09 +0000 #comment-333745 My uncle Lenord Smith used to tell us stories of jumping over the rhine, I was very young and wished I could of remembered more. I can asume that the fighing was grim as he would tear up when he spoke. Thank God for these men. My uncle Lenord Smith used to tell us stories of jumping over the rhine, I was very young and wished I could of remembered more. I can asume that the fighing was grim as he would tear up when he spoke. Thank God for these men.

]]> By: S Sindelar http://www.historynet.com/operation-varsity-allied-airborne-assault-over-the-rhine-river.htm#comment-320672 S Sindelar Fri, 20 Aug 2010 03:59:17 +0000 #comment-320672 My dad also got hung up in a tree. He was the 4th in line that jumped out of the C-45 behind Col Raff. He was captured and taken prisoner. He was put on a train to go to a POW camp. He told me that he and an Australian (they had small files sewn into their jumpsuit collar) took turns sawing thru the barbed wire that was over a small opening in their boxcar. They waited for the train to go into a turn and then jumped to escape. They had planned to run across a meadow to make it to treeline. Unfortunately, the Australian was fatally injured when he jumped. My dad (with a broken collar bone) made it to the treeline under heavy fire from the guards on the train. He was declared killed in action by theArmy.... 6 months later he turned up- thanks to the french underground. He found himself in a tent with Bob Hope and Bing Crosby - they got him so drunk and he laughed so hard with them and before he knew what he was doing he reupped to jump again at the Battle of the Buldge. I am trying to find out if there is any information/site that has info/stories about the men who got smuggled thru the french underground. Thanks! rapidresearch@live.com My dad also got hung up in a tree. He was the 4th in line that jumped out of the C-45 behind Col Raff. He was captured and taken prisoner. He was put on a train to go to a POW camp. He told me that he and an Australian (they had small files sewn into their jumpsuit collar) took turns sawing thru the barbed wire that was over a small opening in their boxcar. They waited for the train to go into a turn and then jumped to escape. They had planned to run across a meadow to make it to treeline. Unfortunately, the Australian was fatally injured when he jumped. My dad (with a broken collar bone) made it to the treeline under heavy fire from the guards on the train. He was declared killed in action by theArmy…. 6 months later he turned up- thanks to the french underground. He found himself in a tent with Bob Hope and Bing Crosby – they got him so drunk and he laughed so hard with them and before he knew what he was doing he reupped to jump again at the Battle of the Buldge. I am trying to find out if there is any information/site that has info/stories about the men who got smuggled thru the french underground. Thanks! rapidresearch@live.com

]]> By: Andrew Peitsch http://www.historynet.com/operation-varsity-allied-airborne-assault-over-the-rhine-river.htm#comment-245141 Andrew Peitsch Mon, 12 Apr 2010 13:12:11 +0000 #comment-245141 If anyone is looking for info on 507th PIR troopers during wwii, contact me at andyp@ameritech.net or visit the 507thPIR website at www.507pirarchive.com. You should be able to contact Sandra Smith. We will do what we can to help you find what information we have available to us. Andy If anyone is looking for info on 507th PIR troopers during wwii, contact me at andyp@ameritech.net or visit the 507thPIR website at http://www.507pirarchive.com. You should be able to contact Sandra Smith. We will do what we can to help you find what information we have available to us.
Andy

]]> By: Ed Malouf (Dallas, Texas http://www.historynet.com/operation-varsity-allied-airborne-assault-over-the-rhine-river.htm#comment-204333 Ed Malouf (Dallas, Texas Wed, 24 Feb 2010 21:58:42 +0000 #comment-204333 Historians say that Napoleon built a bridge, and crossed the Rhine at a spot approximately 12 miles South of Remagen in 1805. The very first infantry troops to cross the Rhine at Remagen were elements of the 78th Division, 310th Regiment, which was attached to the 9th Armored Division. I was a member of "B" Company of the 311th Regiment. We arrived at the bridge at about 4 am on the 8th of March, but had to wait until the engineers removed a tank destroyer that was stuck in a hole on the bridge that was made when the Krauts tried to blow it up. Germans were bombing and strafing the bridge as we RAN across, plus small arms bullets were zinging off the girders. We crossed at 11:15 am, turned left (down river), fought our way into Erpel, then Unkel, then Heister, where we then thought that we'd bed for the night. This wasn't to be. It was PITCH BLACK, and we were to keep going. We were told that we MUST NOT MAKE ANY KIND OF NOISE, and to physically hold onto the man in front of us so as not to lose contact. THE ENTIRE BATTALION WAS TO INFILTRATE TWO MILES BEHIND THE GERMAN LINES, AND WERE TO ATTACK HONNEF ON THE MORNING OF THE 9TH. Proceeding out of Heister, between the railroad tracks and the Rhine, we ran into severe flack from 20 mm German guns,so we entered the Rhine River bank, not a foot from the water, where we would be protected. The other units of our division were acting as billygoats, going from steep hill to steep hill. On the morning of the 9th we attacked Honnef, which is five miles North of the bridge. House to house fighting took place.. About that time we were advised that the 9th Division, which had fought to three miles east of the bridge by that time, was fighting infantry, and armored counter attacks, and that if the 9th couldn't hold, we would have to withdraw. But the 9th held. By the 17th of March, the day that the bridge fell into the Rhine, we had fought into Buel, just across the river from Bonn. We were relieved by a cavalry unit, then took up positions along the Sieg River, getting ready to close in on the Ruhr valley. During all this fighting the Allied media blacked out the news. But a Nazi communique stated, "America shock troops crossed the river in assault boats, and that intense fighting was going on from house to house in Honnef." Of course, the telling of how we got there was NOT TRUE. the fighting was INTENSE. Hoiwever, the press in the U.S stated that German reinforcements were seen rushing towards Remagen, and that the convoys had their headlights on. Aside from the Officer Advance Infantry Training Course that waspresented at Ft. Benning, Georgia, I know of no article, or book, or movie, or documentary that covered the EXPANSION of the REMAGEN BRIDGEHEAD. by those "BILLYGOATS".. So, they awaited along the Sieg until about a week later, when the two egomaniacs tried to outdo each other in who would bask in the glory of being the the first to cross the Rhine by boat, or air. But they could NEVER match the heroism and toughness of those guys from the 78th, 9th, and 99th Divisions who climbed up and down very STEEP hills to overcome the enemy. It was Winston Churchill who stated that the Remagen operation shortened the way by 6 months, And Eisenhower stated that the bridge was worth it's weight in gold. If that be the case, let's just divey up that gold and give it to the guys who became BILLYGOATS BY NECESSITY. They more than earned it. Historians say that Napoleon built a bridge, and crossed the Rhine at a spot approximately 12 miles South of Remagen in 1805.
The very first infantry troops to cross the Rhine at Remagen were elements of the 78th Division, 310th Regiment, which was attached to the 9th Armored Division. I was a member of "B" Company of the 311th Regiment. We arrived at the bridge at about 4 am on the 8th of March, but had to wait until the engineers removed a tank destroyer that was stuck in a hole on the bridge that was made when the Krauts tried to blow it up. Germans were bombing and strafing the bridge as we RAN across, plus small arms bullets were zinging off the girders. We crossed at 11:15 am, turned left (down river), fought our way into Erpel, then Unkel, then Heister, where we then thought that we'd bed for the night. This wasn't to be. It was PITCH BLACK, and we were to keep going. We were told that we MUST NOT MAKE ANY KIND OF NOISE, and to physically hold onto the man in front of us so as not to lose contact. THE ENTIRE BATTALION WAS TO INFILTRATE TWO MILES BEHIND THE GERMAN LINES, AND WERE TO ATTACK HONNEF ON THE MORNING OF THE 9TH. Proceeding out of Heister, between the railroad tracks and the Rhine, we ran into severe flack from 20 mm German guns,so we entered the Rhine River bank, not a foot from the water, where we would be protected. The other units of our division were acting as billygoats, going from steep hill to steep hill. On the morning of the 9th we attacked Honnef, which is five miles North of the bridge. House to house fighting took place.. About that time we were advised that the 9th Division, which had fought to three miles east of the bridge by that time, was fighting infantry, and armored counter attacks, and that if the 9th couldn't hold, we would have to withdraw. But the 9th held. By the 17th of March, the day that the bridge fell into the Rhine, we had fought into Buel, just across the river from Bonn. We were relieved by a cavalry unit, then took up positions along the Sieg River, getting ready to close in on the Ruhr valley.
During all this fighting the Allied media blacked out the news. But a Nazi communique stated, "America shock troops crossed the river in assault boats, and that intense fighting was going on from house to house in Honnef." Of course, the telling of how we got there was NOT TRUE. the fighting was INTENSE. Hoiwever, the press in the U.S stated that German reinforcements were seen rushing towards Remagen, and that the convoys had their headlights on.

Aside from the Officer Advance Infantry Training Course that waspresented at Ft. Benning, Georgia, I know of no article, or book, or movie, or documentary that covered the EXPANSION of the REMAGEN BRIDGEHEAD. by those "BILLYGOATS"..

So, they awaited along the Sieg until about a week later, when the two egomaniacs tried to outdo each other in who would bask in the glory of being the the first to cross the Rhine by boat, or air. But they could NEVER match the heroism and toughness of those guys from the 78th, 9th, and 99th Divisions who climbed up and down very STEEP hills to overcome the enemy. It was Winston Churchill who stated that the Remagen operation shortened the way by 6 months, And Eisenhower stated that the bridge was worth it's weight in gold. If that be the case, let's just divey up that gold and give it to the guys who became BILLYGOATS BY NECESSITY. They more than earned it.

]]> By: Ernie Elton http://www.historynet.com/operation-varsity-allied-airborne-assault-over-the-rhine-river.htm#comment-188742 Ernie Elton Wed, 03 Feb 2010 05:15:17 +0000 #comment-188742 Jack, My father Robert Elton was with the 507th PRCHT INF - CO I. I, too, am looking for any information, pictures, etc. His story was a lot like Robert Vannatter of the 513th. He was hung up in a tree, shot 13 times and left for dead. A friend, whose name I don't know, cut him down. He earned a Purple Heart, and several other medals. In trying to get them replaced, I was informed the records had been destroyed in the fire and they needed more documentation. I sent his separation papers, which list everything they should need to verify, but haven't had any luck. Looking for any information at all. PLease share if you find anything? Jack,
My father Robert Elton was with the 507th PRCHT INF – CO I.
I, too, am looking for any information, pictures, etc. His story was a lot like Robert Vannatter of the 513th. He was hung up in a tree, shot 13 times and left for dead. A friend, whose name I don't know, cut him down. He earned a Purple Heart, and several other medals. In trying to get them replaced, I was informed the records had been destroyed in the fire and they needed more documentation. I sent his separation papers, which list everything they should need to verify, but haven't had any luck. Looking for any information at all. PLease share if you find anything?

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