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History of the Army Ground Forces. Study Number 25. the Airborne Command and Center

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THE AIRBORNE COMMAND AND CENTER All" i ,,1, Study No. 25 <I ELECTE HistoCal Section. Amy Grond Forea 1946 APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE DISTRIBUTION UNLIMITED DISTRIBUTION A *_-..j . - . *, -.. - -. .- ;,--. .,C . - . -C .c- • .- - - ;, - . ;: • •,-r-e..-,.- .. -.. -; .' .. ..... .'-...... .• .: . .*; . - . ; . '.' ."...-•. - , '• ,•.. : '..'. •P- .-. .' ' '- . .. -. .- * -_ .- - .-. _ . * .. ..-.-.,. .-.-.... * *. - ., *-- . -- .- -.- . .- -. ..- . .. ...- - .. - *-%---- ... P. _ --. •• .*•....... ... ,..................-. ~-.---...-.-.-. ..-..-.- The Army Ground Forces THE AIRBORNE COMMAND AND CENTER "S.' Study No. 25 jCo•%j B~y to~ IA. CoL. John T. Ellis Jr. -' .................. HistoricThSection - Arry Ground Forces 1946 7 S- - - - -- - - -- - - WASHIEGW 25, D. C. 314•.7( Sept 19Wi6)(UI 1 September 19115 SUBMET: Stud:ies In the History of Aug Ground Forces TO: All Interested Agencies 1. The history of the Amy Ground Forces as a cumand was prepared during the course of the war and cupleted imneddiate! thereafter. The studies prepared in Headquarters Amy Ground Forces, were written by professional historians, three of whcm served as camissioned officers, and one as a civilian. The histories of the subordinate co s were prepared by historical officers, who except in Seccid AnW, acted as such in addition to other duties. 2. Frcm the first, the history was designed primarily for the Army. Its object is to give an account of what was done from the point of view of the caman preparing the history, including a candid, and factual account of difficulties, mistakes recognized as 6=ch, the mans by which, In the opinion of those concerned, they mdiht have been avoided, the measures used to overco•e then, and the effectiveness of such measures. The history is not intended to be lavdatory. 3- The history of the Anv Ground Forces is ccupoeed of monographs an the subJecta selected, and of two volumee In which an overalI history is presented. A separate volume is devoted to the activities of each of the jor subordinate c•ndnW. 4. In order that the studies niy be made available to inerested agencIeL3 at the earliest possible date, they are being reproduced and distributed In mauscript form. As such they must be regarded as &rafts subject to final editing and revision. Persons fi-ding errors of fact or important amissians are encouraged to ccunmicate with the Commanding General, Amy Ground Forces, Attention: Historical Section, in order that corrections MVy be miade prior to publication in printed fore by the War Department. BBY CC14AND OF GUAL I :: JLV Colonel, AGD i ncl: 6 Acting Ground AdJ General Historical Study S .. ". -. .- - - i-- - -: " " - - - " - -"-" " " . l ,. .- -.-.- -.- -... .-. .. '• . •,..... .. .. -. ; - -. --. .- - FREFATOBY OI A history of the Airborne Colnnand and Center Vas compiled by various hands during the course off the iar. M1is was com- pletely reworked by the author, Lt. Col. John T. Ellis, Jr., during the fall of 19145, with the vigorous support of the Chief of Trainin~g, Col. M.A. Qijinto, and extended to reflect more adequately the develoimient of airborne organization and. tactics durng he aras viewed from the Center- Headquartera. drnt .~- -a aa~--... * * . ~ .* - - * * *- a - a - * * * . a -a .~.* - _- a - a - . - . a- - *.- - .- - -- - - - - - - a a a * *a a* a a * A flIB'i~Y CF MHE AIRBOFK COMMAI CHAPTR 1. BA13LY ISTOHYTO ACTIVAT~ION . * 1.I Section A. General ............................. I B. Bacigroimi ......... 1.I C. Tbot Platoon .......................... 3 D. Mkpansion ofthe Prachute Project .. ........ .......... ...... 5 Z- Air Landing Troops - 1hr1y Thwmght and Devlopmnt. .. .......... 5 F. he Poarchzzte Goup. .. ...... .......... .......... .......... 7 G. Equipmet . .. ..................... .. ........ ............. 10 It. CommA 3cbnlt For faatincte Troops .. .. .. .. .. CHAPTCR 2. -ACTIVATION ANED MSION. .... ........................ .......... 13 Section A. Requirement for Unified Card. ... .......... .......... .... B. Activation......... .... .. .. .. .. ............ C. Key Persum1itieu. .. ...... .......... ............ .......... 1.5 Picture of General Lee.. ........ .......... .............. 16 Picture of GemralChapin......... ... ........... 17 CHAPflI 3. mXAEIIOI A]WMM5V 1UT.!.;................ .. .. .. .... .... 19 Section A. General .. .. .......... .......... .......... .......... .... 19 B. Activities from 23 Mbrch 191s2 to 15 August -9142.. .. ........... 19 C. Activties from 16 August 191.2 to 15 November 1913 .. ...... .... 21 D. Activities from 16 November 19113 to 28 Yebruaxy 191111..o.........25 C~kPTR 4. ~AIRBOEM CERM .. .... ........... ..................... 27 *Section A. General.. ............ ............... ......... ........ 27 B. Training 1mtacbmnts, Sdaools, and JIkumtration ......... 28 C. Tbaters of Operatiogm Detacbment . .... ............... 29 D. War Bond Dmnetrtion Tam . ... .. .... .. .31 .. Z*o* Puliaton-ad-----lf o. 311 SCEHIPR 5. PEISO!mlK .................... .......................... 33 CHAPMR 6. cM='Iz!TION OF THE AIRBOP DIVISION. TRAINIM OF AIMBOP31 AND STANDARD GROUND UNITS .............. 46 Section A. General ........................... 46 "B. Decisions of Higher Headquarters Effecting Training Policy and Procedure. Plans for Training Standard Infantry Divisions. Parachute Training Pro.gren ........ 48 C. The Airborne Division ............... ..................... 51 "D. Training of Airborne Divisions ............. ................ 53 3. SubordInate Training Co=.d•s ............ ................. 57 F. Joint TrainL-g of Airborne and Troop Carrier Units ........ .. 57 CH1FIX 7. TST AND IEVEWOMME•T OF EAND1IIT A - TZ REIEL. 59 Section A. General. .. ............ ...................... .............. B. Accomplishments of Test Platoon and Provisional Parachute Group .............. ........................... "C. Test and Development Section, Airborne Co~mnd ...... ........ 62 "D. Eouipment and Materiel Section, Airborne Center ............ 65 "E. The Airborne Board. ........ ....................... 68 Page Appendit: No. 1 . ......................... 81 Appendix No. 2 .......................... Appendix No. 3 .......................... 85 AppendixINo. 4 .......................... 88 Appendix No. 5 ............ .......................... 90 Appendix No. 6 ............ .......................... 92 Appendix No. 7 ................... .......................... 95 Appendix No. 8 ................... .......................... 98 Appendix No. 9 ............ .......................... 100 Appendix No. 10 ................ ......................... .. 102 Appendix No. 11 ................ ......................... .. 104 Appendix No. 12 .............. ......................... I..107 Appendix NO,. 13 .............. ......................... .... 110 Appendix No. 1.4 .................... ......................... 113 Appendix No. 15.... ......... ......................... ._.15 Appendix No. 16 .................. ......................... 116 Ajpendix Na. 17 .............. ......................... ... 117 Appendli No. 18.... .. ......................... 119 Appendix--. ', .9.................................... 121 Appendix V%. 2i ............ ......................... ... 124 Appendim N!o. 21,............... ............................... 126 Appendix No. 22 .................................. 130 Appendix No. 23 .............. ......................... ... 131 Appendix •o. 24 .................. ......................... 135 Appendix No. 25 .............. ......................... ... 137 : - - - .---- •.-. -. , . .....-....... .-.--... ... .-.-... .... _-... - . .. ._. - - . ...... -- - 77 77_77777 =7777 7" 7-- 7-- EARLY BIM4EY TO ACTIVATION A. General. -The early history of the "Airborne Effort" is, in effect, a compilation of facts and data relating the concepts, efforts, accocplisbments and problems of a few indi- viduals who envisioned {ofth-t Wnn-xmar rpo-er);the unlimited possibilities presented for the utilization of air transportation, to project into com- bat an offensive striking force which might well be copable of determining the outcome of battles. It is extremely doubtful if these "Airborne Thinkers" initially realized the full significance of this newly conceived striking force, and certainly not even the most optimistic thought anticipated that ultimately five airborne divisions, six separate regiments, and four separate battalions would be activated., trained, and ccm- mitted to combat; nor was it possible to visualize the mess employment of airborne troops eventually accompliabed in Normandy, Southern France, Hollan, or the crossing of the R1hie. It is therefore of primary interest to know just how the "Airborne Effort" developed frm the original concept of a limited number of "Airborne Thinkers" to the sizable airborne forces employed in World War 32, both in the European and Pacific Theaters of Operations (Appendix No. 1), to visualize and understana the multitudinous problems confrontirg those individuals initially charged with the responsibility of experimenting with and developing the project; to know how they solved the problems of perstmol, equipment, supply, air transportation, and training; to see how the doctrine of employment gradually developed from the initial thought of mll combat groups landed within enem territory under cover of darkness , for the purpose of sabotage and. "espionage, to mss landi in dayllght of two or more reinforced divisions in the face of determined enem Xesistance. B. Bckground. For over a decade there
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