De First Allied Airborne Army Command was een geallieerde formatie die op 2 augustus 1944 werd gevormd op bevel van generaal Dwight D. Eisenhower, de opperste geallieerde bevelhebber van de geallieerde expeditie-eenheid. De formatie maakte deel uit van de geallieerde expeditie en bestuurde alle geallieerde luchtlandingstroepen in West-Europa van augustus 1944 tot mei 1945.
Deze omvatten het US IX Troop Carrier Command, het US XVIII Airborne Corps, dat de 17e, 82e en 101e Airborne Divisions bestuurde en een aantal onafhankelijke luchtlandingseenheden, alle Britse luchtlandingstroepen inclusief de 1e en 6e Airborne Divisies plus de Poolse 1st Parachute Brigade.
Vanaf de oprichting tot het einde van de Tweede Wereldoorlog droeg de formatie de geallieerde luchtlandingsstrijders op die deelnamen aan de geallieerde opmars door Noordwest-Europa, inclusief operatie Market-Garden in september 1944, en het Duitse tegenoffensief afreageerde tijdens de slag om de Ardennen tussen december 1944 en januari 1945, en operatie Varsity in maart 1945. De formatie werd vervolgens officieel gedeactiveerd op 20 mei 1945, waarbij de Britse eenheden onder zijn bevel terugkeerden naar het Verenigd Koninkrijk en de Amerikaanse eenheden werden omgedoopt tot Eerste Luchtlandingsleger en het bevel over de Amerikaanse bezettingssfeer in Berlijn overnemen.
De bestuurders of commandanten waren;
Lieutenant-General Lewis Brereton
General Sir Richard Nelson "Windy" Gale
Klik hier voor een overzicht van alle eenheden die vielen onder deze "nieuwe" organisatie.
Operation Market Garden
Operatie Market Garden was één van de grootste geallieerde lucht en land operaties uit de Tweede Wereldoorlog. Het doel was om de bruggen over Maas, Waal en Rijn in Nederland in handen te krijgen, om zo de goed verdedigde Siegfriedlinie te omzeilen en een snelle opmars naar Berlijn te forceren.
Hij vond plaats in september 1944. Het doel was om de bruggen over Maas, Waal en Rijn in Nederland in handen te krijgen. Op deze manier omzeilde men de goed verdedigde Siegfriedlinie (Westwall), die Duitsland langs de Rijn beschermde. Men hoopte met een snelle opmars naar Berlijn de oorlog voor de kerst te kunnen beëindigen.
Market Garden was een gewaagd plan van de Britse veldmaarschalk Bernard Montgomery. Het werd uitgevoerd door 41.628 man Engelse, Amerikaanse en Poolse luchtlandingstroepen en drie divisies grondtroepen.
De operatie bestond uit twee delen. Operatie Market, de grootste luchtlandingsoperatie ooit, en operatie Garden, de campagne op de grond van het Britse 30e Legerkorps, dat de luchtlandingstroepen bij de veroverde bruggen moest ontzetten.
Formation
U.S. XVIII Airborne Corps
U.S. 17th Airborne Division
Division Headquarters
- 193rd Glider Infantry Regiment
- 194th Glider Infantry Regiment [disbanded in 1 March 1945 reorganization]
- 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment [assigned in 1 March 1945 reorganization]
- 513th Parachute Infantry Regiment
- 139th Airborne Engineer Battalion
- 155th Airborne Antiaircraft Battalion
- 224th Airborne Medical Company
- 17th Parachute Maintenance Company
Division Artillery
- 464th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion [assigned in 1 March 1945 reorganization]
- 466th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion
- 680th Glider Field Artillery Battalion
- 681st Glider Field Artillery Battalion
Headquarters Special Troops
- Headquarters Company, 17th Airborne Division [activated in 1 March 1945 reorganization]
- 17th Counter Intelligence Corps Detachment
- 411th Airborne Quartermaster Company
- 517th Airborne Signal Company
- 717th Airborne Ordnance Maintenance Company
- Military Police Platoon
- Reconnaissance Platoon [assigned in 1 March 1945 reorganization]
- Band
Attachments
- Armored
- 15thTank Battalion Company C (6th Armored Division)
- 761st Tank Battalion
- British 6th Guard Armoured Brigade (Non-Divisional)
- Field Artillery
- 802nd Field Artillery Battalion
- Infantry
- 345th Combat Team (87th Division)
- 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment (Non-Divisional)
- 550th Airborne Infantry Battalion
- Tank Destroyer
- 811th Tank Destroyer Battalion
Division Headquarters
Attachments
- 325th Glider Infantry Regiment
- 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment
- 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment
- 80th Airborne Antiaircraft Battalion
- 307th Airborne Engineer Battalion
- 307th Airborne Medical Company
- 82nd Parachute Maintenance Company [assigned in 1 March 1945 reorganization]
- 319th Glider Field Artillery Battalion
- 320th Glider Field Artillery Battalion
- 376th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion
- 456th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion
Headquarters Special Troops
- Headquarters Company, 82nd Airborne Division
- 782nd Airborne Ordnance Maintenance Company
- 407th Airborne Quartermaster Company
- 82nd Airborne Signal Company
- 82nd Airborne Military Police Platoon
- Reconnaissance Platoon [assigned in 1 March 1945 reorganization]
- Band [assigned in 1 March 1945 reorganization]
Attachments
Antiaircraft Artillery
- 445th Antiaircraft Artillery - Automatic Weapons Battalion (Mobile)
- 563rd Antiaircraft Artillery - Automatic Weapons Battalion (Mobile), Battery C
- 580th Antiaircraft Artillery - Automatic Weapons Battalion (Mobile)
- 634th Antiaircraft Artillery - Automatic Weapons Battalion (Mobile)
Armored
- 14th Tank Battalion (9th Armored Division)
- 740th Tank Battalion
- 746th Tank Battalion, Company A
- 746th Tank Battalion, Company C
- 774th Tank Battalion, Company B
- Combat Command B (7th Armored Division) [sic]
- British 1st Coldstreams Guards (British Guards Armoured Division)
- British 2nd Irish Guards (British Guards Armoured Division)
- British 4th Battalion Royal Tank Regiment (British 79th Armoured Division)
- British Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry
- Canadian 27th Armoured Regiment
Cavalry
- 4th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron, Troop B
- 32nd Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron
- British Royals, 1 squad
Chemical
- 74th Chemical SC Company, 1 section
- 86th Chemical Mortar Battalion, Company B
- 87th Chemical Mortar Battalion, Company A
- 87th Chemical Mortar Battalion, Company B
- 89th Chemical Mortar Battalion
- 90th Chemical Mortar Battalion, Company C
Engineer
- 12th Engineers Combat Battalion, Company C (8th Division)
- 596th Engineers Company
- 1130th Engineers Combat Group
Field Artillery
- 36th Field Artillery Battalion (105mm Howitzer), 8th Division
- 43rd Field Artillery Battalion (105mm Howitzer), 8th Division
- 74th Field Artillery Battalion (105mm Howitzer)
- 87th Field Artillery Battalion
- 188th Field Artillery Battalion (155mm Howitzer)
- 205th Field Artillery Battalion, Headquarters & Headquarters Battalion
- 207th Field Artillery Battalion (8” Howitzer)
- 254th Field Artillery Battalion (155mm Howitzer)
- 275th Field Artillery Battalion
- 280th Field Artillery Battalion (105mm Howitzer)
- 294th Field Artillery Observation Battalion
- 400th Armored Field Artillery Battalion (105mm Howitzer)
- 417th Field Artillery Group
- 456th Field Artillery Battalion
- 460th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion
- 541st Field Artillery Battalion (155mm Howitzer)
- 546th Field Artillery Battalion (155mm Gun)
- 591st Field Artillery Battalion (105mm Howitzer), 106th Division
- 661st Field Artillery Battalion (8” Howitzer)
- 768th Field Artillery Battalion (155mm Howitzer)
- 790th Field Artillery Battalion (8” Howitzer)
- 942nd Field Artillery Battalion (155mm Howitzer)
- 987th Field Artillery Battalion, Batterys A & C (155mm Gun)
Infantry
- 13th Infantry Regiment (8th Division)
- 112th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Battalion (28th Division)
- 121st Infantry Regiment (8th Division)
- 341st Infantry Regiment (86th Division)
- 401st Glider Infantry Regiment, 2nd Battalion (101st Airborne Division)
- 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment (101st Airborne Division)
- 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment (Non-Divisional) [became organic element of 17th Airborne Division 1 March 1945]
- 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment [still attached 9 May 1945]
- 517th Parachute Infantry Regiment (Non-Divisional)
- 551st Parachute Infantry Battalion (Non-Divisional)
- Belgium 22nd Fusilliers Battalion, 3rd Company
- British 5th Coldstream Guards (British Guards Armoured Division)
Tank Destroyer
- 12th Tank Destroyer Group
- 605th Tank Destroyer Battalion (Tank)
- 628th Tank Destroyer Battalion (Tank)
- 629th Tank Destroyer Battalion (Self Propelled)
- 643rd Tank Destroyer Battalion (Self Propelled)
- 644th Tank Destroyer Battalion, A Company (Self Propelled)
- 703rd Tank Destroyer Battalion (Self Propelled)
- 893rd Tank Destroyer Battalion (Self Propelled)
- 899th Tank Destroyer Battalion, C Company (Self Propelled)
U.S. 101st Airborne Division
Division Headquarters
- 327th Glider Infantry Regiment
- 401st Glider Infantry Regiment [disbanded in 1 March 1945 reorganization]
- 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment
- 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment
- 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment [assigned in 1 March 1945 reorganization]
- 81st Airborne Antiaircraft Battalion
- 326th Airborne Engineer Battalion
- 326th Airborne Medical Company
- 101st Parachute Maintenance Company
Division Artillery
- 321st Glider Field Artillery Battalion
- 377th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion
- 463d Parachute Field Artillery Battalion [assigned in 1 March 1945 reorganization]
- 907th Glider Field Artillery Battalion
Headquarters Special Troops
- Headquarters Company, 101st Airborne Division
- 101st Signal Company
- 101st Counter Intelligence Corps Detachment
- 426th Airborne Quartermaster Company
- 801st Airborne Ordnance Maintenance Company
- Reconnaissance Platoon
- Band [assigned in 1 March 1945 reorganization]
Attachments
- Antiaircraft Artillery
- 61st Airborne Anti-Aircraft Battalion, A,B & C Battery
- 474th Antiaircraft Artillery, A Battery (Self Propelled)
- 567th Antiaircraft Artillery - Automatic Weapon Battalion (Mobile)
- 796th Antiaircraft Artillery - Automatic Weapons Battalion, B Company (Self Propelled)
- 910th Antiaircraft Artillery - Automatic Weapon Battalion, D Battery (Mobile)
- British 502nd Light Anti-Aircraft Battery
Armored
- Combat Command B (4th Armored Division)
- Combat Command R (9th Armored Division)
- Combat Command B (10th Armored Division)
- 2nd Tank Battalion (9th Armored Division)
- 47th Tank Battalion (14th Armored Division)
- 66th Armored Regiment, 1st Battalion (2nd Armored Division)
- 70th Tank Battalion
- 113th Tank Battalion
- 759th Tank Battalion
- 774th Tank Battalion
- 781st Tank Battalion
- British 13/18 Hussars (British 79th Armoured Division)
- British 4/7 Dragoon Guards (British 79th Armoured Division)
- British 44th Armoured Regiment (British 4th Armoured Brigade)
Cavalry
- 4th Cavalry Group
- 24th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squad
- 101st Cavalry Group
- 116th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squad
- British Royal Scots Greys
- British 53rd Reconnaissance Regiment (British 53rd Division)
- British 61st Reconnaissance Regiment
Chemical
- 87th Chemical Mortar Battalion
- 99th Chemical Mortar Battalion
- Engineer
- 48th Engineers Combat Battalion
Field Artillery
- 14th Armored Field Artillery Battalion
- 65th Armored Field Artillery Battalion
- 87th Armored Field Artillery Battalion
- 188th Field Artillery Battalion (155 Howitzer)
- 250th Field Artillery Group
- 333rd Field Artillery Group
- 342nd Armored Field Artillery Battalion
- 463rd Parachute Field Artillery Battalion
- 490th Field Artillery Battalion (155 Howitzer)
- 522nd Field Artillery Battalion (105 Howitzer)
- 529th Field Artillery Battalion (8” Howitzer)
- 559th Field Artillery Battalion (155 Gun)
- 687th Field Artillery Battalion (105 Howitzer)
- 770th Field Artillery Battalion (4.5” Gun)
- 755th Field Artillery Battalion (155 Howitzer)
- 775th Field Artillery Battalion (4.5” Gun)
- 790th Field Artillery Battalion (8” Howitzer)
- 791st Field Artillery Battalion (8” Howitzer)
- 805th Field Artillery Battalion (155 Howitzer)
- 942nd Field Artillery Battalion (155 Howitzer)
- 951st Field Artillery Battalion (155 Howitzer)
- 969th Field Artillery Battalion (155 Howitzer)
- British 4th Royal Horse Field Artillery Regiment (Royal Artillery) Mechanized
- British 6th Field Artillery Regiment
- British 147th Field Artillery Regiment
Infantry
- 193rd Glider Infantry Regiment (17th Airborne Division)
- 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment [still attached 9 May 1945]
- 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment [becomes organic 1 March 1945]
- 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion (Non-Divisional)
- Task Force Higgins
- British 5th Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry
- British 152nd Brigade (51st Highland Division)
- British Sherwood Rangers
Tank Destroyer
- 602nd Tank Destroyer Battalion (Self Propelled)
- 609th Tank Destroyer Battalion (Self Propelled)
- 611th Tank Destroyer Battalion
- 704th Tank Destroyer Battalion (Self Propelled)
- 705th Tank Destroyer Battalion (Self Propelled)
- 807th Tank Destroyer Battalion (Self Propelled)
- 811th Tank Destroyer Battalion (Self Propelled)
- 813th Tank Destroyer Battalion (Self Propelled)
- British 304th Antitank Battery
- British 74th Antitank Battery
Navy
- Provisional Airborne Naval Shore Fire Control Parties
U.S. 13th Airborne Division
Division Headquarters
- 88th Glider Infantry Regiment [disbanded in 1 March 1945 reorganization]
- 326th Glider Infantry Regiment
- 515th Parachute Infantry Regiment
- 517th Parachute Infantry Regiment [assigned in 1 March 1945 reorganization]
- 129th Airborne Engineer Battalion
- 153rd Airborne Antiaircraft Battalion
- 222nd Airborne Medical Company
- 13th Parachute Maintenance Company
Division Artillery
- 458th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion
- 460th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion [assigned in 1 March 1945 reorganization]
- 676th Glider Field Artillery Battalion
- 677th Glider Field Artillery Battalion
Headquarters Special Troops
- Headquarters Company, 13th Airborne Division [activated 1 March 1945]
- Military Police Platoon
- 409th Airborne Quartermaster Company
- 513th Airborne Signal Company
- 713th Airborne Ordnance Maintenance Company
- Reconnaissance Platoon
- Band
British I Airborne Corps
British 1st Airborne Division
- 1st Parachute Brigade
- 1st Airlanding Brigade
- 2nd Parachute Brigade
- 3rd Parachute Brigade
- 4th Parachute Brigade
Divisional troops
- Divisional headquarters and signal squadron
- 1st Airlanding Light Regiment, Royal Artillery
- 1st Forward (Airborne) Observation Unit, Royal Artillery
- 21st Independent Parachute Company Army Air Corps
- 1st Airborne Reconnaissance Squadron
- 9th (Airborne) Field Company, Royal Engineers
- 261st (Airborne) Field Park Company, Royal Engineers
- 250th (Airborne) Light Company, Royal Army Service Corps
- 93rd Company, Royal Army Service Corps
- Detachment Ordnance Field Park
- Detachment, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers Workshop
- 89th Field Security Section, Intelligence Corps
- 1st Airborne Division, Provost Company, Royal Military Police
British 6th Airborne Division
- 1st Parachute Brigade
- 2nd Parachute Brigade
- 3rd Parachute Brigade
- 5th Parachute Brigade
- 6th Airlanding Brigade
Divisional Troops
- 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion
- 1st Special Service Brigade
- 4th Special Service Brigade
- 1st Belgian Infantry Brigade
- Royal Netherlands Motorized Infantry Brigade
52nd Lowland Division
155th Infantry Brigade
- 7th/9th Bn. The Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment)
- 4th Bn. The King's Own Scottish Borderers
- 5th Bn. The King's Own Scottish Borderers
156th Infantry Brigade
- 4th/5th Bn. The Royal Scots Fusiliers
- 6th Bn. The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
- 7th Bn. The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
157th Infantry Brigade
- 1st Bn. The Glasgow Highlanders
- 5th Bn. The Highland Light Infantry
- 6th Bn. The Highland Light Infantry
Divisional Units
- 52 Reconnaissance Regiment
- 7th Bn. The Manchester Regiment
- 79 Field Regiment
- 80 Field Regiment
- 186 Field Regiment
- 1 Mountain Regiment
- 54 Anti-Tank Regiment
- 108 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment
- 202 Field Company
- 241 Field Company
- 554 Field Company
- 243 Field Park Company
- 17 Bridging Platoon
Special Air Service Brigade
- 1st British SAS
- 2nd British SAS
- 3rd French SAS
- 4th French SAS
- 5th Belgian SAS
- F Squadron
Polish 1st Independent Parachute Brigade
1st Parachute Battalion
- 1st Parachute Company
- 2nd Parachute Company
- 3rd Parachute Company
2nd Parachute Battalion
- 4th Parachute Company
- 5th Parachute Company
- 6th Parachute Company
3rd Parachute Battalion
- 7th Parachute Company
- 8th Parachute Company
- 9th Parachute Company
Airborne Anti-tank Battery
Airborne Engineer Company
Airborne Signals Company
Airborne Medical Company
Transport and Supply Company
Airborne Light Artillery Battery
IX Troop Carrier Command USAAF
50th Troop Carrier Wing
439th Troop Carrier Group
- 91st Troop Carrier Squadron
- 92nd Troop Carrier Squadron
- 93rd Troop Carrier Squadron
- 94th Troop Carrier Squadron
440th Troop Carrier Group
- 95th Troop Carrier Squadron
- 96th Troop Carrier Squadron
- 97th Troop Carrier Squadron
- 98th Troop Carrier Squadron
441st Troop Carrier Group
- 99th Troop Carrier Squadron
- 100th Troop Carrier Squadron
- 301st Troop Carrier Squadron
- 302nd Troop Carrier Squadron
52d Troop Carrier Wing
61st Troop Carrier Group
- 14th Troop Carrier Squadron
- 15th Troop Carrier Squadron
- 53rd Troop Carrier Squadron
- 59th Troop Carrier Squadron
313th Troop Carrier Group
- 29th Troop Carrier Squadron
- 47th Troop Carrier Squadron
- 48th Troop Carrier Squadron
- 49th Troop Carrier Squadron
314th Troop Carrier Group
- 32nd Troop Carrier Squadron
- 50th Troop Carrier Squadron
- 61st Troop Carrier Squadron
- 62nd Troop Carrier Squadron
315th Troop Carrier Group
- 34th Troop Carrier Squadron
- 43rd Troop Carrier Squadron
- 309th Troop Carrier Squadron
- 310th Troop Carrier Squadron
316th Troop Carrier Group
- 36th Troop Carrier Squadron
- 37th Troop Carrier Squadron
- 44th Troop Carrier Squadron
- 45th Troop Carrier Squadron
442d Troop Carrier Group
- 303rd Troop Carrier Squadron
- 304th Troop Carrier Squadron
- 305th Troop Carrier Squadron
- 306th Troop Carrier Squadron
53d Troop Carrier Wing
434th Troop Carrier Group
- 71st Troop Carrier Squadron
- 72nd Troop Carrier Squadron
- 73rd Troop Carrier Squadron
- 74th Troop Carrier Squadron
435th Troop Carrier Group
- 75th Troop Carrier Squadron
- 76th Troop Carrier Squadron
- 77th Troop Carrier Squadron
- 78th Troop Carrier Squadron
436th Troop Carrier Group
- 79th Troop Carrier Squadron
- 80th Troop Carrier Squadron
- 81st Troop Carrier Squadron
- 82nd Troop Carrier Squadron
- 85th Troop Carrier Squadron
437th Troop Carrier Group
- 83rd Troop Carrier Squadron
- 84th Troop Carrier Squadron
- 86th Troop Carrier Squadron
438th Troop Carrier Group
- 88th Troop Carrier Squadron
- 89th Troop Carrier Squadron
- 90th Troop Carrier Squadron
No. 38 Group RAF
- No. 190 Squadron RAF
- No. 196 Squadron RAF
- No. 295 Squadron RAF
- No. 296 Squadron RAF
- No. 297 Squadron RAF
- No. 298 Squadron RAF
- No. 299 Squadron RAF
- No. 570 Squadron RAF
- No. 620 Squadron RAF
- No. 644 Squadron RAF
No. 46 Group RAF
- No. 48 Squadron RAF
- No. 233 Squadron RAF
- No. 271 Squadron RAF
- No. 437 Squadron RAF
- No. 512 Squadron RAF
- No. 575 Squadron RAF
- No. 437 Squadron RCAF
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