What's New

Author Updates and Archive Additions

January 28, 2020

Continuing on last month’s theme, I’ve updated my archive with four unpublished 8x10 photos of captured German paratroopers from Einheit von der Heydte. These men participated in Operation Stösser and fell into American captivity on December 17, 1944, after being dropped inside Germany by mistake.

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ETO-HQ-44-30129, Fallschirmjäger prisoner
ETO-HQ-44-30132, Fallschirmjäger prisoner
ETO-HQ-44-30133, Fallschirmjäger prisoner
ETO-HQ-44-30134, Fallschirmjäger prisoners

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February 16, 2020

Today I’ve added four more unpublished 8x10 photos to my archive. They relate to Einheit von der Heydte and Operation Stösser. Two pictures show a wrecked Junkers 52 shot down while attempting to reach the drop zone in Belgium. All the German paratroopers onboard died in the crash.

ETO-HQ-44-30053, crashed Junkers 52

ETO-HQ-44-30055, crashed Junkers 52

ETO-HQ-44-30122, Fallschirmjäger parachute

ETO-HQ-44-30131, Fallschirmjäger prisoner

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March 8, 2020
This month marks the seventy-fifth anniversary of the battle for Cologne, Germany. My online archive now includes three more 32nd Armored Regiment documents related to that battle.

Map, Town Plan of Köln, 1:11,000
Disposition Overlay, CCA, 3rd Armd Div, 8 Mar 45
Operating Instructions 26, CCA, 3rd Armd Div, 7 Mar 45

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December 17, 1944: This Fallschirmjäger, at an MP headquarters in Kornelimünster, Germany, became a prisoner of war during Operation Stösser. He showed little fight and gave up after being misdropped in Germany. (T/5 Leander P. Zwick Jr., 165th SPC)

December 17, 1944: Mangled bodies of German paratroopers and aircraft wreckage scattered about a field near Jüllich, Germany. The Junkers 52 transport was shot down by 29th Infantry Division antiaircraft fire. The paratroopers never reached their drop zone as part of Operation Stösser. (Sgt D. W.  Miller, 167th SPC)