Fallschirmjager-Hunters From The Sky
Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2007 10:00 pm
Hi:
This is intended to be a brief overview of Airborne concepts and operations, so, I beg you pardon in advance for omitting anything, becasue I hope we get a fairly decent overview of the subject.
Sadly, it has been my practice to put forth a general overview and my impressions as to a certain subject in order to establish a broad base for discussion.
Even as it stands, this post will be quite long enough.
So, be clear that I hope this is not the 'be all end all' on the matter, nor should any of my posts be considered as such, especially opening ones.
Parachutes came into use during World War I.
Crew of observation balloons and some Zeppelins had them, and heavier than air crew did not.
Robert Hughe's infamous (black.white no sound---black white with sound------and finally color and sound) "Hell's Angels" about aviators in the Great War remains a fairly good look a the war in the Air in the Great War
some sixty plus years after its inception.
In that film, Zeppelin Aviators were depicted as not having parachutes available them on long missions, and the point was driven home when several of the crew were -ah--'urged to jump to lighten ship after some damage had been sustained.
In the between war period many countries, including but not limited to the USSR and Germany; pressed forward in developing independent parachute infantry units.
By the start of the War the US, Japan, Britain, France, and Italy at the least had independant parachute infantry units.
The concept of the use of Air and Glider borne infantry first saw its major implementation by the Wermacht in the operation against the Dutch fortess of Eben-Email.
As was the case in the First War, specific Fortresses near the converging frontiers of Holland, Belgium and France had to be neutralized by the German Army in order for it to meet its goals.
In the First war a major obstacle to the implementation of the "Von Schiffen" (right hook) plan required the speedy reduction of the Belgian fortresses centering on Liege, the home of (Fabrique Nationale de Armes de Guerre Liege; Belgique")FN.
The answer to the tactical question saw the deployment of massive vertical fire capable mortars and howitzers by the German Imperial Army.
The forts were literally crushed.
An entire thread could be spent on the various fortresses which contributed greatly, such as Douamont at Verdun, to the incrediblr bloodiness whih characterized the struggle, but that is not the intial thrust of the thread.
At the onset of the Second part of the Great War, in 1939 the Polish fort at Westerplatte had to be reduced and, at the end of the "phony war' in the West, the Dutch forts at Eben Email had to be taken quickly as part of the Blitzkreig in the West.
The elderly German Battleship :Schleswig Holstien, a predreadougt Battleship was pulled into Gdansk (Danzig) to help reduce Westerplatte.
However, when that campaign was concluded, the Wermacht turned its attention to the West and sought to introduce the concept of 'air assault' as an integral part of "Lightning War".
I hope to discuss many of the various campaigns in detail.
Eben Email was captured by a daring glider borne assault which landed Fallschirjager troopers with shaped charges on the surface of the Fort istelf.
The success of the operation (1940) helped the fledgling Fallschirmjager force, developed and led by Gen. Karl Student, to a great gain in confidence as to the use of the new weapon.
There seems to have been no attempt to translate "paratrooper' into German for the Wermacht's Parachute Assault troops (Luft Strurmtruppen?") and the troopers became known as "Fallschirmjager"--falling hunters from the sky.
Recall please that this is an introductory overview as I jump to the next major airborne operation, the German Assault against Crete.
This operation was carried out by glider borne infantry and parachute infantry.
The British had good intelligence as to the time, places and strengths of units to hit the DZ's on Crete, but the Luftwaffe put heavy pressure on the Royal Navy, keeping them largely out of the fray.
As are most parachute infantry drops, the Jaegers were lightly armed and the British and Austalian defenders had good preset positions and heavy weapons.
Despite this, the Jaegers eventually overran, by force of will and elan, the defenders.
However, the Airborne units were given such a 'bloody nose' that Hitler swore he would not use them again.
To some extent, at least in the West, this carried true for most of the War.
That being said, I will go on to say that the next major operations involving parachute infantry may next be seen in North Africa, Siclily and thereafter in operations Overlord ,Market Garden and the crossing of the Rhine.
The operations, in this case by the Allies, seemed to prove out the notion that Parachute Infantry must needs be supported and relieved on time or heavy forces in and around the DZ (Delta Zed in Brit speak)s would grind the more lightly armed units up.
Of cousre this is a generalization, as some heavy weapons most certainly were employed and deployed by Glider or separate drop.
To me, I must say, that the most daring operaton of the War came when US parachustists dropped directly onto the island fortress in Manilla Harbor.
The fortess, Corregidor, was well fortified and was an exteremely hazardous drop.
Water and barbed wire hazards went by the wayside and US forces retook Corregidor, from which MacArthur had fled and which Gen, Wainright surrendered to the Japanese after a respectably lengthy siege.
Speraking in generalities again, the US 82nd Airborne remained , post war, was the sole dedicated parachute infantry division in the West.
Deployment is/was conceived to be made by direct drops from the massive stretched hull C-140 Starlifters or C-17 Globemasters stationed near Fort Bragg.
The division is undrgoing reoganization into Brigade Based Units (BCT's)to deal with present threats. 101st and Ranger Troopers remain parachute capable although the 101st is perhaps best described as an "Air Mobile" Division as opposed to a 'parachute" division.
If my recollections are correct, both the 82nd "All American" and 101st Screaming Eagles" were disbanded at the end of WWII, but reconstituted during the Cold War when it became clear that the Cold War was 'here to stay' and the retention of Airborne forces, a regular miitary establishment and the "Military Industrial Complex" (phrase coined by "Ike") were going to be required. All these concepts could easily be seen as 'against' the general antipathy of Americans towards 'standing armies' and 'conscription'.
American troopers did enjoy the extra safety of a reserve chute.
Some major delivery aircraft:C-17, C-47, C-54, C-119, C-121, C-130 Hercules, the Horsa and Waco gliders, C-140 Starlifters.
Can't wait to see how this one plays out.
(Movies: "A Bridge Too Far' and "The Longest Day" for a start and for books "Those Devils in Baggy Pants" by Ross S. Carter.)
J
This is intended to be a brief overview of Airborne concepts and operations, so, I beg you pardon in advance for omitting anything, becasue I hope we get a fairly decent overview of the subject.
Sadly, it has been my practice to put forth a general overview and my impressions as to a certain subject in order to establish a broad base for discussion.
Even as it stands, this post will be quite long enough.
So, be clear that I hope this is not the 'be all end all' on the matter, nor should any of my posts be considered as such, especially opening ones.
Parachutes came into use during World War I.
Crew of observation balloons and some Zeppelins had them, and heavier than air crew did not.
Robert Hughe's infamous (black.white no sound---black white with sound------and finally color and sound) "Hell's Angels" about aviators in the Great War remains a fairly good look a the war in the Air in the Great War
some sixty plus years after its inception.
In that film, Zeppelin Aviators were depicted as not having parachutes available them on long missions, and the point was driven home when several of the crew were -ah--'urged to jump to lighten ship after some damage had been sustained.
In the between war period many countries, including but not limited to the USSR and Germany; pressed forward in developing independent parachute infantry units.
By the start of the War the US, Japan, Britain, France, and Italy at the least had independant parachute infantry units.
The concept of the use of Air and Glider borne infantry first saw its major implementation by the Wermacht in the operation against the Dutch fortess of Eben-Email.
As was the case in the First War, specific Fortresses near the converging frontiers of Holland, Belgium and France had to be neutralized by the German Army in order for it to meet its goals.
In the First war a major obstacle to the implementation of the "Von Schiffen" (right hook) plan required the speedy reduction of the Belgian fortresses centering on Liege, the home of (Fabrique Nationale de Armes de Guerre Liege; Belgique")FN.
The answer to the tactical question saw the deployment of massive vertical fire capable mortars and howitzers by the German Imperial Army.
The forts were literally crushed.
An entire thread could be spent on the various fortresses which contributed greatly, such as Douamont at Verdun, to the incrediblr bloodiness whih characterized the struggle, but that is not the intial thrust of the thread.
At the onset of the Second part of the Great War, in 1939 the Polish fort at Westerplatte had to be reduced and, at the end of the "phony war' in the West, the Dutch forts at Eben Email had to be taken quickly as part of the Blitzkreig in the West.
The elderly German Battleship :Schleswig Holstien, a predreadougt Battleship was pulled into Gdansk (Danzig) to help reduce Westerplatte.
However, when that campaign was concluded, the Wermacht turned its attention to the West and sought to introduce the concept of 'air assault' as an integral part of "Lightning War".
I hope to discuss many of the various campaigns in detail.
Eben Email was captured by a daring glider borne assault which landed Fallschirjager troopers with shaped charges on the surface of the Fort istelf.
The success of the operation (1940) helped the fledgling Fallschirmjager force, developed and led by Gen. Karl Student, to a great gain in confidence as to the use of the new weapon.
There seems to have been no attempt to translate "paratrooper' into German for the Wermacht's Parachute Assault troops (Luft Strurmtruppen?") and the troopers became known as "Fallschirmjager"--falling hunters from the sky.
Recall please that this is an introductory overview as I jump to the next major airborne operation, the German Assault against Crete.
This operation was carried out by glider borne infantry and parachute infantry.
The British had good intelligence as to the time, places and strengths of units to hit the DZ's on Crete, but the Luftwaffe put heavy pressure on the Royal Navy, keeping them largely out of the fray.
As are most parachute infantry drops, the Jaegers were lightly armed and the British and Austalian defenders had good preset positions and heavy weapons.
Despite this, the Jaegers eventually overran, by force of will and elan, the defenders.
However, the Airborne units were given such a 'bloody nose' that Hitler swore he would not use them again.
To some extent, at least in the West, this carried true for most of the War.
That being said, I will go on to say that the next major operations involving parachute infantry may next be seen in North Africa, Siclily and thereafter in operations Overlord ,Market Garden and the crossing of the Rhine.
The operations, in this case by the Allies, seemed to prove out the notion that Parachute Infantry must needs be supported and relieved on time or heavy forces in and around the DZ (Delta Zed in Brit speak)s would grind the more lightly armed units up.
Of cousre this is a generalization, as some heavy weapons most certainly were employed and deployed by Glider or separate drop.
To me, I must say, that the most daring operaton of the War came when US parachustists dropped directly onto the island fortress in Manilla Harbor.
The fortess, Corregidor, was well fortified and was an exteremely hazardous drop.
Water and barbed wire hazards went by the wayside and US forces retook Corregidor, from which MacArthur had fled and which Gen, Wainright surrendered to the Japanese after a respectably lengthy siege.
Speraking in generalities again, the US 82nd Airborne remained , post war, was the sole dedicated parachute infantry division in the West.
Deployment is/was conceived to be made by direct drops from the massive stretched hull C-140 Starlifters or C-17 Globemasters stationed near Fort Bragg.
The division is undrgoing reoganization into Brigade Based Units (BCT's)to deal with present threats. 101st and Ranger Troopers remain parachute capable although the 101st is perhaps best described as an "Air Mobile" Division as opposed to a 'parachute" division.
If my recollections are correct, both the 82nd "All American" and 101st Screaming Eagles" were disbanded at the end of WWII, but reconstituted during the Cold War when it became clear that the Cold War was 'here to stay' and the retention of Airborne forces, a regular miitary establishment and the "Military Industrial Complex" (phrase coined by "Ike") were going to be required. All these concepts could easily be seen as 'against' the general antipathy of Americans towards 'standing armies' and 'conscription'.
American troopers did enjoy the extra safety of a reserve chute.
Some major delivery aircraft:C-17, C-47, C-54, C-119, C-121, C-130 Hercules, the Horsa and Waco gliders, C-140 Starlifters.
Can't wait to see how this one plays out.
(Movies: "A Bridge Too Far' and "The Longest Day" for a start and for books "Those Devils in Baggy Pants" by Ross S. Carter.)
J