The Screaming Eagles: The 101st Airborne Division in World War II

196 Pages·1976·22.93 MB·English

by  Milton J. Shapiro

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THE WISTAIRBORNE
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WORLD WAR
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MILTON SHAPIRO
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THE SCREAMING EAGLES
The 101st Airborne Division in World War II
A thrilling, fast-paced story of the 101st Airborne Division.
The author recounts all the blood and sweat, successes and
failures of these brave men. The three most significant op-
erations the 101st took part in are described. There is the
invasion of Normandy, where the 101st had to pave the way
for the landing on Utah Beach. The exciting events are re-
enacted as the division attempts to secure the area for the
Allied invasion. Then there is Operation Market-Garden in
Holland. Holland's geography posed a major threat to any
rapid advance by the British. The many canals and rivers
crossing the country made it easy to implement delaying
tactics by the retreating Germans. The division's job was
to seize a sixteen-mile stretch of road that began behind
the German front line. This roadway was to be called "Hell's
Highway" by the troopers of the 101st. The final section of
the book recalls the momentous, history-making Battle of
the Bulge, Hitler's last mad gamble to win the war. The
Screaming Eagles would help write that history and play
a vital part in it, with an exhibition of superb, unflinching
courage in a Belgian city they would make forever famous:
Bastogne.
The Division's last daily bulletin, written by their colonel,,
stated in part, ". be proud that you are of the 'old guard'
. .
of the greatest divisions ever to fight for our country. Carry
with you the memory of its greatness wherever you go, being
always assured of respect when you say, 'I served with the
101st.' " This book is a fine tribute to those courageous,
dedicated men.
BOOKS BY MILTON SHAPIRO
J.
All Stars Of The Outfield
Baseball's Greatest Pitchers
Champions Of The Bat: Baseball's Greatest Sluggers
Heroes Behind The Mask: America's Greatest Catchers
Jackie Robinson Of The Brooklyn Dodgers
The Pro Quarterbacks
The Screaming Eagles: The 101st Airborne Division in
World War II
A Treasury Of Sports Huivtor
THE
SCREAMING
EAGLES
The 101st Airborne Division
World War
in II
Milton Shapiro
J*
MOSCOW
JUNIOR HIGH LIBRARY
JULIAN MESSNER
NEW YORK
n~ i7i-
Published by Julian Messner, a Division of Simon &
Schuster, Inc. A Gulf & Western Company. 1 West
39 Street, New York, N. Y. 10018. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 1976 by Milton Shapiro
J.
Second Printing, 1977
To my grandson Joshua. May all his wars be only history.
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Shapiro, Milton
J.
The screaming eagles.
Bibliography: p. 186
Includes index.
1. World War, 1939-1945—Regimental histories—United
States—101st Division. 2. United States. Army.
101st Division. I. Title.
D769.3.101st.S48 940.54'12'73 76-15568
ISBN 0-671-32808-5 lib. bdg.
Printed in the United States of America
Acknowledgments
The material for this book came from the Historical Records
Section, Office of the Chief of Military History of the War
Department. At the National Archives in Maryland and at
the museum and library of the 101st at Ft. Campbell, Ken-
tucky, the author was granted complete access to all records,
combat and after-combat reports, maps, General Orders, and
morning reports—anything and everything needed to com-
pile this combat history of the Screaming Eagles Division.
To the dozens of men and women, uniformed and civilian,
who helped in this research, the author gives his heartfelt
thanks. He is especially grateful to Lt. Col. Hugh G. Waite
and Ms. Lynn Gunn-Smith, of the Office of the Chief of In-
formation at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.; to Mrs. Mar-
garet Chamberlain, Public Information Officer at Ft. Camp-
bell; and, also at Ft. Campbell, Maj. F. C. McGourty, Lt.
William Phillips, and Master Sergeant Thomas Feeney.
J. J.
And to my wife, Jill, who helped pen the voluminous notes
needed for this research, and who drew the maps included
in this book.
Other published sources were used as background informa-
tion in writing this history. For a list of these sources, a se-
lected bibliography is included.
Milton Shapiro
J.
5

Organization of the
101st Airborne Division
The 101st Airborne Division, as with all infantry divisions
of the U.S. Army at the time of World War II, was organized
on the basis of the "triangle concept." That is, each unit of
the division was subdivided into three smaller units, down
to the smallest unit, the squad, consisting of twelve men.
Thus, three squads made a platoon, three platoons a com-
pany, three companies a battalion, three battalions a regi-
ment, and three regiments made a division.
In addition, auxiliary units went into the makeup of a
division, such as artillery, engineers, military police, medics,
signals, quartermaster, (supply) ordnance, graves registration,
and so forth. Being an airborne division, the 101st also had
its unit of glider infantry, the 327th Regiment. The para-
chute regiments were the 501st, the 502nd, and the 506th.
A division would be commanded by a general, either
brigadier or major general. A regiment would have a Lt.
Colonel or full colonel in command; a major would lead a
battalion, a captain a company, a lieutenant a platoon. Of
course, in combat situations, casualties might spring a junior
officer into command of a larger unit temporarily, adjust-
ment being made when the unit came out of the line for a
rest.
Regiments were given numbers (501st, 327th, etc.). Batta-
lions were simply designated 1st, 2nd, and 3rd; companies
7
THE SCREAMING EAGLES
8
were given letters of the alphabet. In combat, to avoid con-
fusion, especially during radio communications, the letters
were given standard meanings. They were as follows: Able,
Baker, and Charley Companies were in 1st Battalion; Dog,
Easy, and Fox Companies were in 2nd Battalion; George,
How, and Item were in 3rd Battalion.