Operation Dragoon - After Action Reports *

* Explanation of "After Action Reports", by Tom Cross:

A military unit's After Action Report is the core of a unit's military history and achievements under such circumstances that warrant a specific recorded written account of what it accomplished in battle or in a training maneuver or important other military task. It is the basis for the Official Unit History. It is a military requirement that is mandated after every significant military operation. Daily and Periodic Operation Reports as well as Casualty Reports are feeder type Reports that complement and add to the After Action Report which normally always contains "Lessons Learned" and "Recommendations."

I believe that the After Action Report Wayne Cross refers to in the e-mail message[...] is one of the most important historical reports in the history of the 517th PRCT. I assume that the Report I refer to in this manner is the After Action Report that Colonel Rupert Graves, Commanding Officer of the 517th PRCT, directed to be written by each Battalion Commander and each Company and Battery Commander in the 517th PRCT that covered each units combat actions during the first 24 hours of OPERATION DRAGOON on August 15, 1944. If I am correct then this Report is unique for I do not believe that there is anything like it that I know of. Will give you some background and a recommendation in the following paragraph.

Assuming we are talking about the same Report. I managed to get the fourth carbon copy of the typed original report in February of 1946 when the 3rd Bn. of the 517th Parachute Infantry Regiment was deactivated at Fort Bragg and I assumed command of the 3rd Battalion of the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment. It was actually retrieved from a trash can. It was fairly legible and I had it retyped as a handout for the 517th PRCT Reunion that was held in Fayeteville in the 1960 's. I believe everyone got a copy but I am not certain as to the actual distribution. With the passage of time many retypes were made of this document and some of the names of the officers and men were altered but sufficient for recognition purposes. I talked to Clark Archer about this before he sent the box of historical info to Wayne and he mentioned that he had retyped or had corrected the spelling of the people mentioned in the report. I have the feeling that something is amiss and that minor changes if any were made. I will get back to Clark tomorrow and verify what he did or did not do to this Report.

Here is my recommendation. I suggest that we take this Report and develop it, through careful editing etc. for inclusion as an Appendix to the OPERATION DRAGOON Report that I am currently working on.  It can be published an an Appendix to my Report or published separately for inclusion at a later date. If Wayne will give me an idea of what kind of shape it is in then we can develop a plan for getting it ready for publication. This Report is worth spending some money on if we need any professional help in getting it ready for publication. I have a beat-up copy somewhere in my desk and I just pulled out a poor one page copy of the Headquarters Company "2nd Battalion" Report and it is very specific as to names of persons involved although the Company Commander's last name was misspelled. It is somewhat difficult reading but is of historical significance as are the other reports.

Regards, Tom Cross

February 26, 2004