D-Day 80 – The Planning, Preparation, and Execution of an Airborne Operation
With Jeff McGovern
Part of our DDay and Battle of Normandy series
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDG3XyxGI5lD-VIZrUhFbYxwDvdobbkEs&si=alYb5gBq6fxj5zoL
Also part of our 80th Anniversary Series
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDG3XyxGI5lCyOAGNszPdUOkA43dfSldX&si=bfIRjfLj4XKUcXds
The focus of histories is often on the execution of a military operation and not on the massive effort that goes into the training and the planning that occurs before an “H-Hour.” Operation NEPTUNE’s planning started in early 1943 and an airborne assault was always a part of this plan. To ensure the success of Op NEPTUNE’s airborne assault, a Joint Team i.e., Troop Carrier air and Airborne ground forces, needed to forge a partnership in men and materiel on a scale never before attempted. This presentation will cover key aspects of this massive and ultimately successful effort.
Jeff McGovern is a PhD and a researcher and historian who foremost has had the good fortune to be employed over the last decade as a US Air Force historian and as battle staff ride historian. he has led some 65 staff rides for the US military in Europe that covered events from World War I through the Cold War. He was a US Army paratrooper with the 3/505 Parachute Infantry Regiment for four out of my eight years of soldiering with the U.S. Army.
His website: https://troopcarrier.blog/
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Fabulous presentation and discussion, gentlemen. I learned a great deal. I hope to reach out soon to Dr. McGovern for help with a veteran project.
I can not empathise how brilliant this presentation was. I thoroughly enjoyed Jeff's level of research and depth of knowledge.
Fantastic presentation by Jeff. All kinds of nerdy logistical stuff, case study for officers and senior enlisted. Lots of new information, great graphs and maps, discussion of major personalities 👍💯
fascinating explanation of the massive logistics problems of ww2. thank you.
Jeff hi great presentation we were both in Stockton 2016b and later in Tucson:)
Excellent presentation, I know so much more about the realities of planning and executing these operations than when I started. My dad was a C47 pilot, ended up in the South Pacific in summer 1944, but who knows, he could have ended up in the ETO. He never had to do airborne operations, but did do “glider training” – they tied little paper airplanes to large stingless wasps and let em loose….
Picture of 'parapack' (bundle) equipment is from the Turf and Sport Special at Dover, Delaware (kudos to Bill Lee and Eric Czerwinski for the display), and shows the silver electronic release control box, as well as black 'intervalometer' below it; that device was designed for bombers to create a time delay in bomb release, rather than a salvo release. That delay was essential for the bundles to drop separately to prevent parachutes fouling – but the Crew Chief could/would salvo the bundles in a safety of flight situation. The grey device with a red tip was a solenoid, pressed to begin the bundle release. What we could never understand is why all this kit was on the port rather than the starboard side, immediately forward of the paratroop door – directly in the line of the stick just itching to get out of the aircraft.
Today was an example of why WW2TV is the best on YouTube…Two shows of 1 hour plus each about two topics I have never heard of or read about and they were both brilliant. So good!!
another excellent presentation that shows the amount of planning need for an Airborne operation and the complex relationship between the Air and Ground Forces requirements.
Two real crackers today Paul. Thank you.
Thanks Woody and Jeff, this was such a interesting insight into the American Airborne, planning and operation. Another WW2TV excellent show and subject
Superb, quality of this channel is so high
Superb info, which you don't often find in WW2 books. Would love to hear more Jeff on any airborne topic!
This is phenomenal! There is so much that was covered, I read in my grandfather's diaries, at least from the 82POV. Every division commander in WWII would have given anything to have this so concise and available.