CONCLUSION

Paratroopers in action, from Blair p. 201.

Panoramic view of Omaha Beach on D-Day, from Blair p. 204.

         The Airborne Operations of D-Day were crucial to the success of the greater allied invasion of Normandy. The US 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions encountered extremely difficult combat conditions and were not able to entirely assemble due to a highly scattered drop. These highly trained soldiers nevertheless managed to hold their positions protecting the western flank of the invasion force and aided in the establishment of a bridgehead for the seaborne invasion force. The resulting effect of the airborne landings behind Utah beach, despite all the dispersion, was to be a key element in the success of the American landings on D-Day. The British 6th Airborne Division would likewise contribute greatly to the allied invasion. The swift capture of strategic bridges near Caen and the successful destruction of several others allowed the British paratroopers to effectively protect the eastern flank of the invasion and to hinder German movements behind the lines.

The airborne assault on D-Day was the largest the allies had yet staged and by far the most significant. Using 2,435 aircraft and 867 gliders, the British and Americans delivered nearly 17,000 airborne troops to Normandy within the first twenty-four hours of the invasion. The overall outcome of the Allied Airborne Operations of D-Day was a successful and important contribution to the invasion as a whole, and the men of the Airborne Divisions would continue to play a key role in the allied victory until the conclusion of the war.

Index     Introduction     Training and Preparation       Equipment     Anti-paratrooper Defenses      US 101st     US 82nd    British 6th     Conclusion     Bibliography