Operation Dragoon - After Action Reports

Record of Events

Headquarters 1st Battalion, 517th Parachute Infantry Regiment

            The 1st Bn., enplaned at Campino Airfield, thirty miles Northeast of Rome, Italy, at 0030 hours, 15 August 1944.  The planes took off at 0200 hours and after circling the field for assembly purposes, headed Northwest for Southern France.  The intended drop zone was in a flat area about one mile West of La Motte, France and the mission of the Bn. less A Co., was to be in Regimental Reserve in the vicinity of Chateau St. Roseline. From the time all sticks jumped until about 1400 on “D” plus three, the activities of the Bn., must be recorded in terms of smaller units in view of the fact that assembly of the Bn was not completed until the above mentioned hour and dates. 

            At H Hour Hq. Co., 1st Bn. jumped and landed in scattered areas in the vicinity of Trans-en-Provence.  Darkness and a low lying fog obscured all land marks.  A temporary CP was established and searching parties were sent out for men and equipment.  At day light the Co., location was definitely established.  The Co., then consisted of the LMG and Rocket-Launched sections, a few 81mm Mortar men and five men from Co., Hq.  Enroute a few riflemen from “A” Co., joined the organization as did the remainder of the 31mm platoon.  A few hundred yards West of the assembly area, the Co., was fired on by automatic weapons.  The enemy were driven out and the Co., moved into the Assembly Area.  Road blocks were set up with LMG’s and Rocket-Launchers and the area was out posted by mortarmen.  At the cross road South of the assembly area, a German barracks housing about a squad of men was located.  After a short fire fight, four were captured, two killed and two wounded.  In the immediate area, a heavy water cooled German machine gun, a small field piece, a few automatic weapons, a large store of grenades and a supply of gasoline were located.  The machine gun, field piece and gasoline were destroyed, during the attack section Pvt. Lynch was severely burned.  At about 0740 hours, two platoons of Co. A under command of Lt. Reith joined the organization.  At 0750 hours, the elements of Hq. Co. 1st Bn and Co. “A” moved out toward the Bn. objective.  Along the prescribed route, a small German patrol was encountered and after an exchange of shots the unit continued its advance across Highway #7 and started to ascend to its objective.  At this time, a German truck and trailer loaded with demolitions drove out of the woods and parked near a small bridge.  Machine gun and rifle fire was placed on the truck and its occupants and they jumped in a ditch across the road.  Lt. Kruse and five men moved forward but they were pinned down by enemy fire.  Sgt. Ford who was with Lt. Kruse, was shot in the leg.  As more fire was placed on a civilian truck which had pulled up along side.  Both trucks were utilized to a road block, thus completing one phase of the Co.’s mission.  The Co. then reorganized, consolidated positions on top of the hill and prepared to defend.

            Later, two cars and motorcycle came down the road from the West.  As they slowed down on sighting.  The road block, a patrol led by Lt. Reardon knocked out one car and a motorcycle and the LMG team at the road block knocked out the other car.  D Day paused without further event with the exception of small clashes with snipers in the surrounding area.

            On “D” plus one approximately a Bn. of Germans moved up to a line Northwest of the railroad, West of the Co. position.  The 460th PFA Forward Observer called for fire and halted in advance. Hq. Co. 81mm were laid behind the enemy and when they took cover from the artillery, the mortars routed them out.  A great number of casualties were inflicted and the advance was completely halted.  Fire was placed on this position periodically throughout the day until the 3rd Bn. moved up and pushed forward thru the enemy positions.  A heavy concentration of 4.2 mortars and 75’s preceded the 3rd Bn. and this joined with the small arms fire of the 3rd Bn. cleared out all the enemy in that area.  “D” plus two uneventful and on the morning of “D” plus three the Co. moved down toward Highway #7 and moved East to join the Bn.  The Bn. was enroute to Buget-sur-Argens.

EARLE H. EHLY
Capt., 517th Prcht. Inf.
Commanding