1944 airborne on France to take out German defense

American airborne landings in Normandy were a series of military operations carried by the United States as part of Operation Overlord, the invasion of Normandy by the Allies on June 6, 1944, during World War II. In the opening maneuver of the Normandy landings, about 13,100 American paratroopers from the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions, then 3,937 glider infantrymen, were dropped in Normandy via two parachute and six glider missions.[2] ..During World War II, it gained renown for its role in Operation Overlord (the D-Day landings and airborne landings on 6 June 1944, in Normandy, France); Operation Market Garden; the liberation of the Netherlands; and its action during the Battle of the Bulge around the city of Bastogne, Belgium...Map of Operation Neptune showing final airborne routes.
Date 6 June – 13 July 1944
Location
Cotentin Peninsula, Normandy, France
Result Allied victory

Belligerents
United States
Germany
Commanders and leaders
United States Matthew Ridgway
United States Maxwell D. Taylor
United States Paul L. Williams
Nazi Germany Erich Marcks †
Nazi Germany Wilhelm Falley †
Strength
(airlifted)
13,100 paratroopers
3,900 glider troops
5,700 USAAF aircrew
36,600 (7th Army)
17,300 (OKW Reserve)[1]
Casualties and losses
(campaign)
12,003 killed
2,657 wounded
4,490 missing — Airborne losses only
(whole campaign, not just against airborne units)
21,300 killed, wounded, and missing
The divisions were part of the U.S. VII Corps, which sought to capture Cherbourg and thus establish an allied supply port. The two airborne divisions were assigned to block approaches toward the amphibious landings at Utah Beach, to capture causeway exits off the beaches, and to establish crossings over the Douve river at Carentan to help the U.S. V Corps merge the two American beachheads.

The assaulting force took three days to block the approaches to Utah, mostly because many troops landed off-target during their drops. Still, German forces were unable to exploit the chaos. Despite many units' tenacious defense of their strongpoints, all were overwhelmed within the week.

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