Hettrick's War

Lieutenant Donald Hettrick was an artillery observer in the 101st. On the “Island” he was assigned to the 327th Glider Infantry, Company “C”. There were two dikes in this area. A smaller one near the river that was held by …

1944-10-06

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Lieutenant Donald Hettrick was an artillery observer in the 101st. On the “Island” he was assigned to the 327th Glider Infantry, Company “C”. There were two dikes in this area. A smaller one near the river that was held by the Germans and the main dike farther inland that was held by the Americans. When the Germans dropped a few artillery rounds 150 yards away from the American position along the dike, Lt. Hettrick surmised that they were adjusting the range on their artillery and warned of an impending attack.

Opheusden, Holland

Operation Market Garden was a failed World War II military operation fought in the Netherlands from 17 to 25 September 1944. It was the brainchild of Field Marshal Sir Bernard Law Montgomery and strongly supported by Winston Churchill and Franklin Roosevelt. The airborne part of the operation was undertaken by the First Allied Airborne Army with the land operation by XXX Corps of the British Second Army. The objective was to create a 64 mi (103 km) salient into German territory with a bridgehead over the River Rhine, creating an Allied invasion route into northern Germany. This was to be achieved by seizing a series of nine bridges by Airborne forces with land forces swiftly following over the bridges. The operation succeeded in liberating the Dutch cities of Eindhoven and Nijmegen along with many towns, creating a 60 mi (97 km) salient into German-held territory limiting V-2 rocket launching sites. It failed, however, to secure a bridgehead over the Rhine, with the advance being halted at the river.

Wikipedia: Operation Market Garden

German

American