Operation Varsity
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Valor By John L. Frisbee, Contributing Editor Operation Varsity A small contingent of Air the glider pilots of that platoon, where the attack was concentrated, opened Force officers played a fire. Small-arms fire took a heavy unique role in the final toll on enemy infantry during the defeat of Nazi Germany. hour-long battle. Flight Officers Chester Deshurley N THE morning of March 24, and make contact with British forces and Albert Hurley held their posi- 1945, an enormous air armada northeast of the town. For the first tions, firing their machine guns until crossed the Rhein River near Wesel time, each of the 435th's C-47s the tank came within fifteen yards of in western Germany. The column, would be towing two gliders; and, them, as did Flight Officer Robert two-and-a-half hours long, consisted for the first time, their landing zones Campbell, armed with a tonnnny gun. of more than 1,500 IX Troop Carrier would not have been secured by At that point, Flight Officer Elbert Command airplanes and gliders. To paratroopers. Jella severely damaged the tank with their left were about 1,200 RAF air- When the 435th's 144 gliders, his bazooka. The retreating tank ran planes and gliders. The entire as- loaded with airborne infantry and over one of its flak guns; the other semblage was supported by 880 US equipment, cut loose over the land- was captured by the glider pilots. and RAF fighters. This was Opera- ing area, they came under heavy At daybreak, the glider pilots de- tion Varsity, the airborne support for ground fire with substantial casual- feated several smaller attacks and the US Ninth and British Second ties among the infantry and glider joined up with British forces coming Armies' crossing of the Rhein. crews. Once on the ground, they out of Wesel. Their job was done Varsity was unique not only in mag- continued to be hit by sniper and with the professionalism of veteran nitude. Three weeks before D-Day, mortar fire that had to be subdued infantry troops. They soon were re- Maj. Gen. William M. Miley, com- before they could move to their as- lieved from further duty as ground mander of the Army's 17th Airborne signed area of two crossroads—one soldiers. Overall, they suffered thirty- Division, briefed the glider operations that would earn the name "Burp Gun one casualties in the operation, officers of the 53d Troop Carrier Corner." There they cleared several killed a large number of enemy Wing's five groups on the impending houses, taking a large number of troops, and captured several hun- operation. His 194th Glider Infantry prisoners before digging in for the dred prisoners. Regiment needed one more infantry night. "The Battle of Burp Gun Corner," company to carry out its assignment. Several times, small groups of a unique event in Air Force history, He asked for one of the troop carrier German soldiers attempted to infil- was covered by Stars and Stripes groups to provide that company, to trate their defensive positions but but then slipped into obscurity. In be made up of glider pilots after they were driven off in a series of fire- March 1995, Air Force Chief of Staff had landed in their designated zones. fights. The defenders knew that Ger- Gen. Ronald R. Fogleman learned It would be an all-officer company, man troops, retreating ahead of Brit- from retired Maj. Charles Gordon of maybe the first in the history of mod- ish forces, would attempt to overrun the heroic actions of these glider pi- ern warfare. Capt. Charles 0. Gor- their position, probably supported by lots turned infantry and directed that don, glider operations officer of the armor and mobile guns. The ground appropriate awards be made to those 435th Troop Carrier Group, accepted held by the glider pilots was at the who took part in the fighting. At the this unusual assignment. He was to top of a ridge, the country sloping 435th Troop Carrier Reunion in Oc- become commander of the provisional away toward Wesel, the direction tober 1995, Flight Officers Jella, company. Personnel of the 194th from which an enemy attack would Deshurley, Campbell, and Hurley Regiment trained his glider pilots for come. The reverse slope would al- each were awarded the Silver Star. two weeks in infantry tactics and low enemy forces to advance almost All others who fought in the battle weapons. to the 435th's area before coming were awarded the Bronze Star, but The vast majority of the glider pi- under fire. many of those more than 280 men lots were second lieutenants or flight About midnight, the first attack by had died before their heroism was officers. None had ever expected to a German tank, supported by a large recognized. • serve as infantry, but they accepted number of infantry, hit the crossroad that duty enthusiastically. These defended by the 75th Platoon. They Thanks to Maj. Charles Gordon, men were organized into four pla- came under heavy fire and retreated. USAF (Ret.), author of "Crossing the toons, one for each of the group's Thirty minutes later, a German tank Rhine With the 17th Airborne," a de- squadrons. Most squad leaders were and approximately 200 German in- tailed report on this 435th Troop Car- second lieutenants. They were to fantry, supported by two 20-mm flak rier Group operation, and to retired assist the 17th Airborne Division in guns, attacked the position defended Col. Phillip Rawlins, who, as a ma- securing a designated area north- by the 77th Platoon. As soon as the jor, had commanded the 77th Troop east of Wesel, establish roadblocks, enemy troops were in close range, Carrier Squadron. 32 AIR FORCE Magazine / March 1996 .