16,000 Paratroopers & 10,000 Aircraft - The Largest Single Day Airborne Operation in History

It was to be the largest airborne operation in history. As the Allies pushed into Germany seeking an end to World War 2 in Europe, Operation Varsity was launched to secure crossing over the Rive Rhine. More than 16,000 paratroopers and thousands of planes made it the most massive airborne operation in a single day over one location. Their speed and sheer numbers would shatter the defenders’ morale and prepare the way for a surface crossing across the river as part of Operation Plunder…

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Dark Docs brings you cinematic short military history documentaries featuring the greatest battles and most heroic stories of modern warfare, covering World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, and special forces operations in between.

As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect and soundtracks for emotional impact. We do our best to keep it as visually accurate as possible.

All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas.

[ronaldrobertson]

My dad was with the 194th or 197th Gilder Infantry Regiment, 17th Airborne Division. This is where he earned his purple heart after his Gilder got knocked out of the sky. Him and another guy were the only two survivors out of their stick. He was briefly captured, suffering wounds in his wrists and ankles and a skull fracture, I think. All I know is, he had a steel plate in his skull when he died in August of 1999. He had been first listed as MIA, but later changed to KIA, but Grandma Grace wouldn't believe them. She was later proven right when they got a letter from dad; he was alright and in a hospital in Belgium. Dad was a scout for their outfit only because he was full-blood Santee Sioux Indian. If you ever go up to the Santee reservation in Nebraska, there is a memorial there with his name on it: Pfc Clifford Sterling Robertson. My dad.

[garymcaleer]

Superb! The soldier who withheld his grenade that saved the innocent!

[DavidFraser]

My Dad was part of this. He was originally a Lancaster bomber pilot with the RAF, but flew a glider loaded with ammunition. He told me that the glider was overloaded and hit a chimney on a farmhouse, but he managed to land ok. After that he got some home leave then was recalled and flew a Douglas Dakota with Transport Command. I've still got his camouflage para smock.

[anubis]

I thank you with all of my heart for this documentary on operation varsity. I was born in 1971 to a World War paratrooper from the 507 PIR 17th ABD.

He died when I was seven but the woman who saved him and made him live again after coming home from operation varsity died six months after my birth.

Operation varsity broke my father's heart and it killed him.
My Mother's Love & Faith brought him back.

I'm told that he never thought of those days until the day she died.

That was the day he died a second time.

For the next seven years and the first seven years of my life I saw my father go through moments of shell-shocked nightmares anger sadness depression drunkenness and crying.
I could never understand the night terrors.

Now I am 52 years old.

This is the first time in my life I think I understand him.

I thank God I found you and your documentary and some of the answers that a dead man can't answer. I'm waiting for the day when I joined him is not an option.

I need to be at peace when I die.

My father's name is Edward J Wojtal from New York City.
His parents came from Poland before and during World War I.

My father has a kill list of 24 krauts and a frau

I remember grandma and she said to her son the day he left to go to the army:
" 12:14 don't you dare let a SINGLE NAZI LIVE!

I don't care if it's a man or woman or child because children grow up to be bigger Nazis'

I'm so glad he didn't disappoint his mother

[Silhshoot]

I will forgive the small number of visual errors such as C130 aircraft; I liked the video. The narration is accurate as per the books I have read and my father's, God-rest-his-soul, stories.
Cub, flew a CG-4A glider in this operation as a member of the 442nd Troop Carrier Group. He was the single pilot of the glider and responsible for a jeep-trailer of plasma and seven medics.
He told accounts of paratroopers doing a war-dance in the early morning hours before they loaded into a C-47. That, upon arrival into Germany, around 9:00 AM, he could see the colored smoke left by the pathfinders to indicate the landing area.
He would recount the experience of when he released from the tow-cable to start the descent into combat; the cable immediately slid across the top of the glider because the tow-plane pilots released the cable too soon and did not take it to the appropriate release area.
He talked of flack concussions buffeting them from above, but that he was not worried because the Krauts were aiming for the larger planes flying above them.
He described that in training he learned how to use the spoiler to drop quickly, but that it maintained airspeed and that his landing was only off by two fields, and that it was a good landing with only the removal of two barbed-wire fences.
Then within minutes of landing, they had the front of the glider open and the trailer of plasma hooked-up to a jeep. The medics piled onto the jeep and trailer, drove off, and tended to wounded paratroopers; he was then alone in a field needing to urinate.
So he walks over to a shell crater, started to... Hears a shell whistling overhead, and... He ends up in the crater!
I miss my Dad; I miss his stores. He lived for 98 years and was definitely part of the greatest generation.

[loganholmberg]

Its easy to call something superfluous in hindsight 80 years later. Considering how much trouble the Germans were giving them at river crossings perhaps it was the best options the generals had with the info they had available and based on their exp. Historians tend to be terrible armchair generals too cause they have hindsight and don't have people breathing down their necks for results in the midddle of the war.

[andrewtaylor]

It’s impressive to see those members of the first airborne Battalion as they heroically leap from their C-130’s! In period correct black and white footage. It’s the little details that count.

[IKE]

I just want to say thank you and well done to whomever makes these videos at Dark Documentaries. Each video is interesting and informative, and I appreciate how hard you all must work to vetting them and the hours you spend on making them.
You are part of a very select group of history buffs on YouTube that do it right.
👍🏼🇺🇸

[duncandmcgrath]

Even more interesting when I listen to it in Mark Feltons voice

[frankpinmtl]

"Losses were high..."

Hold my beer
-Operation Market Garden

[mrmoelle]

Im a longtime viewer of the channel and i live in hamminkeln the Main drop zone. My grandfather often tells Me about the landing He was about 15 and lived on a farm a bit outside the village right in the Center of the dropzone. He had always good words about the American and british solider who landed There. He telled me the first ciggarett which He smoked was given to him by an GI :)

[kirkcardoso]

This is so much better than anything the history channel is producing these days. Thank you for putting this together.

[somebloke]

That corpsman, thanking his mother. It's those small details that make up the real history.

[slevinkalevera]

3rd batt 502nd here.. ...quote a few years behind operation varsity and market garden.
Served as those before me.
Funny part is I just had me 5th spine surgery on Nov 2nd. Watching this with staples in my back. All the pain and damage to my lower back and I wouldn't change a thing.

[markpaul]

Thanks for another great episode DARK DOCS.U had my 💯 percent attention.I can hardly wait for the next one.Your voice and how you use it is over the top!

[chrisbundren]

Absolutely amazing video. My grandfather was there. C Company 194th Glider infantry regiment 17th Airborne Division. I've always said the 17th is the forgotten division when it comes to history even though they were there for the Bulge and Varsity...as well as other places. So I greatly appreciate this video!

[trevorhansen]

"The Parachute Test Regiment"
You mean, the Balls of Solid Titanium Regiment.

[chrisdingle]

I have to say, as a veteran you make the most intriguing films. Very good work man keep it up.

[barrybrevik]

I like the choice of topic.

Also, I think that this narrator is great; he has a pleasant voice, and I like his delivery, which has a slight sense of urgency, which for me, adds interest.

[UnifiedAmerica]

Thanks to Dark Docs I learnt so much things that was kept secret during most of these wars, episcally Vietnam war, Vietnam War has to be favorite due to it making modern era what it is today.