James M. Gavin

Gavin as Major General ( Major General )

James Maurice Gavin , "Jumpin 'Jim", real name James Nally Ryan (born March 22, 1907 in Brooklyn , New York City , † February 23, 1990 in Baltimore , Maryland ), also known as "the jumping General", was a US American Lieutenant General ( Lieutenant General ) and American Ambassador to France.

His men, who held him in high regard, also called him Slim Jim because of his athletic figure . He also earned recognition for his fight against racial segregation in the US Army .

biography

Family and youth

The exact origin of Gavin is unknown. His mother was probably Katherine Ryan, who immigrated from Ireland , and his father was James Nally, who was also from Ireland, but a Thomas Ryan is given as the father on the birth certificate - perhaps to legitimize the birth. On the birth certificate, the child's name is given as James Nally Ryan , but Nally was subsequently deleted. When he was about two years old, his parents gave him up at the Convent of Mercy orphanage in Brooklyn . From there he came into state welfare until he was adopted in February 1909.

His adoptive parents, Martin Thomas Gavin, a coal miner , and his wife Mary, took the boy to their home in Mount Carmel , Pennsylvania , where he spent his childhood and adolescence. Here he received the surname Gavin. He lived in apartment buildings with his family and, according to local records, often moved on the same block during his youth. In his last interview, he described his adoptive father as a “kind and generous, […] meek man” who “never raised his hand against me.” On the other hand, he said of his adoptive mother: “She was a heavy drinker […] with an inclination on the violence that made my life dangerous. ”Gavin also reports that she sometimes hit him with a nine-tailed cat that she bought specifically for this purpose. He also reports that she beat him while he was sleeping at night. It wasn't until he got older that the abuse subsided.

Grant Whary, a neighbor of the Gavins, often took him hunting and served as a role model. Whary also took Gavin to the movies now and then, where he saw a silent film , probably a news item, about the war in the Balkans in 1915 when he was eight years old . About his impressions he wrote: “ I was very impressed with the masses of men that were being moved about and with the fighting itself. It seemed to be more movement than actual combat. ”( German :“ I was impressed by the masses of men who were being moved and the fighting itself. It seemed more of a movement than real fighting. ”) As soon as he could read, he began to be interested in history . His independent, active and also aggressive nature made him the leader of his friends.

Gavin worked in various jobs from an early age, for example as a barber's assistant or newspaper delivery . While competing with other newspaper deliverers, he learned the advantages of surprises (or surprise attacks ), which he later used as a tactic during the war . Although he liked his adoptive father and didn't know what job he wanted to do himself, he was already aware as a teenager that he did not want to work in the coal mines of Pennsylvania - like his father.

In eighth grade, when he was taught about the American Civil War , his interest in war technology was piqued. He made war toys and reenacted battles and read books on the American Civil War. At the age of 13 he began to write down important information and experiences on small pieces of paper, which he did all his life.

Because of the poor conditions in his home and because his adoptive parents wanted him to work in the coal mines, he decided to leave home forever at midnight on his 17th birthday in 1924.

education

Entry into the army

Gavin moved to New York in 1924. At the end of March, he met a recruiting sergeant in the US Army , but was only allowed to join the army at the age of 18 and parental consent. He told the sergeant that he knew he would never get the consent of his adoptive parents, that he was an orphan boy and that he knew nothing about the time of his birth. The sergeant took him, along with several other boys in his situation, to a lawyer , who declared himself their guardian and signed the consents.

Deployment in Panama

1924 Gavin was Captain ( captain ) Buckner in Whitehall Building sworn in, and then to Panama transferred. His training did not take place in a training camp , but in his unit, the US Coast Artillery in Fort Sherman . He was assigned to the crew of a 155 mm gun .

The conditions in Panama were unfavorable, because in addition to mosquitoes , which transmitted malaria , the temperatures were high. From the point of view of the army, however, local prostitutes were much more dangerous : Nine percent of the soldiers were infected with venereal diseases . But despite these and other circumstances, Gavin found his stay a pleasure.

Gavin spent his free time reading books in the library, including Great Captains , who read the biographies of famous generals . B. also Hannibal contains.

First Sergeant Williams recognized Gavin's intellectual capacity and made him his assistant. Gavin passed the corporal test within six months. Later he noted about his promotion: “ rather young for a soldier in those days ” (German: “then quite young for a soldier”).

On the advice of his first sergeant, he applied to an army school whose top graduates had the chance to be admitted to the United States Military Academy at West Point . Gavin's first day at school was September 1, 1924, with only two weeks to prepare. He was physically fit to attend school in Corozal , Belize , with a dozen other men . After a month of classes, an exam was written that decided who was allowed to take the subsequent four-month main course.

According to Gavin, the exam was a disaster because he got a very bad grade in mathematics, which was due to the fact that he had not learned in algebra what was required for the exam. Nevertheless, he was allowed to participate in the main course. As often in his life, he found a mentor to support him: Lieutenant Percy Black.

Class with Black started at 8 a.m. and lasted four hours. Algebra, geometry , English and history were taught for one hour each . For each subject there were around 40 pages of homework to read by the following day, which initially posed a difficulty for Gavin. Old West Point entrance exams have been handled for the past two months.

At the final exam on March 1, 1925, Gavin had better luck. He struggled, this time with summing up a work by William Shakespeare , but with the help of Black he passed the exam and was admitted to West Point.

West Point

West Point Military Academy coat of arms

Gavin arrived at the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York , in the summer of 1925 . After being sworn in, Gavin had to fill out forms about his age and military career, stating his age was 21 (instead of 18) in order to hide the fact that he was not old enough when he joined the army.

Lucius D. Clay , graduated in 1918, who was Gavins' teacher at the academy, said of the learning requirements there: “ You didn't have to study to do quite well, if you had a reasonable background. ”(German:“ You didn't need to learn too much to do quite well if you had a reasonably general education. ”) Since Gavin didn't have this general education, the first semester at West Point was difficult for him. In 1925 he passed the aptitude test.

He started boxing at West Point, which made him famous at the academy. He also learned to ride. He was promoted to first sergeant in the summer of 1928 .

That summer, Gavin met Irma Baulsir, an upper- middle-class woman, at a dance event in West Point .

He graduated in June 1929 and was selected to represent his company in an equestrian competition , where he did well. In the 1929 edition of West Point's yearbook, known as the Howitzer, he was listed as a boxer and cadet who was previously a soldier. After his graduation and the associated promotion to Second Lieutenant ( lieutenant ) Gavin married Irma Baulsir in 1929. Ten years later he returned to West Point to teach tactics .

In the infantry

Gavin went to infantry after graduating from the military academy. The cavalry was at that time mainly for the sons of wealthy families, the artillery and the US Army Corps of Engineers designed for good mathematicians.

Gavin later said of his decision to join the infantry:

"I went forth to seek the challenge, to move towards the sounds of guns, to go where the danger was greatest, for there is where the issues would be resolved and the decisions were made"

"Looking for a challenge, to the sound of the guns, I went to where the danger was greatest, because that's where problems were solved and decisions made."

Two-decker in the flight school at Brooks Field, 1929

In the following years, Gavin traveled to famous battlefields of the American Civil War. When he left West Point, the use of airplanes in warfare was revolutionary. He, who wanted to try out and get to know innovations and innovations all his life, thought that one could become a pioneer of his time in a new field of work and thus become known. Gavin had also learned from his studies of previous battles that innovations were often decisive for the outcome of a battle, sometimes even decisive for the outcome of a war, which further fueled his interest in new ideas.

Gavin then applied to a flight school in Brooks Field , Texas , where he was also accepted. He described his time at the flight school as follows: “I loved to fly. […] It was a lot of fun flying the open two-deckers […] ”However, Gavin did not meet the required standards and was discharged from school, whereupon he hoped to get a job far away from Texas.

Stationed in various camps

Gavin was admitted to Camp Harry J. Jones, near Douglas , Arizona and near the Mexican border. The "all-black" 25th US Infantry Division , a division consisting mainly of colored Americans , was stationed in this camp . Gavin arrived at the camp on Christmas 1929.

At the camp he was the lowest ranking of the 18 officers. The division's morale was poor. Gavin, like the rest of the men, was frustrated because there was little activity in the camp. The members of the division had nothing to do but train. It was cheaper to organize basketball games or the like than to organize training marches with equipment and ammunition; the US Army didn't have much use for its soldiers at the time. He spent about three years at the camp and had at least one affair during that time.

Then Gavin went to the Infantry School at Fort Benning . Here he found the army he was looking for: an army that was actively looking for new innovations and opportunities. Colonel ( Colonel ) George Catlett Marshall was the head of the school's academic department at the time. He brought Joseph Stilwell to the school as head of the tactics department .

Marshall and Stilwell taught among other things - contrary to the teaching methods of other schools - to forego long written orders and rather to give a rough direction and let the commanders on the battlefield take care of the rest. This teaching method became known as the "Benning Revolution". Stilwell's motto on the battlefield was therefore: “ Move, Shoot, Communicate. ”(German:“ Move, shoot, communicate. ”) So he was also an opponent of complicated maneuvers and plans, which rubbed off on his teaching. He wasn't concerned about whether his students did a perfect essay, but rather how they acted in problematic situations, such as when they got caught in a trap. For his part, Gavin flourished in his role under these conditions.

Gavin said of Stilwell and his teaching methods:

"He was a superb officer in that position, hard and tough worker, and he demanded much, always insisting that anything you ask the troops to do, you must be able to do yourself."

“He was a great officer in the position of [head of tactics], [a] hard and steadfast worker, and he asked a lot, always insisting that what you give the troops is within your own capabilities. "

It was at Fort Benning that Gavin paid closer attention to his own style for the first time. So he paid attention to good physical performance and clothing, which later led to his nicknames "Gentleman Jim" and "Slim Jim".

He enjoyed his time in Benning, but two things bothered him: on the one hand the situation in the army, on the other hand his marriage to Irma Baulsir. Irma had gone to Fort Benning with Gavin and lived in a neighboring town. However, she did not feel particularly comfortable there and let him know. On December 23, 1932, both of them went to see Baulsir's parents in Washington, DC to celebrate Christmas. After her Christmas stay in Washington, Irma decided that she liked it better there than in Fort Benning, after which she stayed with her parents. Irma became pregnant in February 1933 .

In 1933, Gavin's time at Fort Benning was over, who was now 26 years old. He was looking for a command post because he did not want to work as an instructor for new recruits for the following decades. His application to the 28th and 29th Infantry Regiments at Fort Sill , Oklahoma , led by General Lesley J. McNair , was successful. During the same period, then Lieutenant Maxwell D. Taylor was accepted.

Fort Sill had one difference for Gavin compared to Fort Benning: he read a lot here in the fort's "excellent library", as he himself called it. While most of the soldiers spent the time shooting, playing polo, and partying, Gavin was in the library. He noted parts of the books he had read in his notebook that were of interest to him , for example the speeches of famous generals before a battle. He was particularly taken with one of the authors: John Frederick Charles Fuller . He said of him: “ [He] saw clearly the implications of machines, weapons, gasoline, oil, tanks and airplanes. I read with avidity all of his writings. "(German:" [He] saw the implications of machines, weapons, gasoline, oil, tanks and airplanes. I read all of his writings with avidity. ")

In 1936 the army approved Gavin's request to be stationed in the Philippines . Before leaving, Gavin visited his adoptive father for the last time. He did not see his adoptive mother during his stay in Mount Carmel.

Relocation to the Philippines and stationing in Washington and Fort Ord

In the Philippines he found that the 20,000 soldiers stationed there were poorly equipped. This is how the book Paratrooper: The Life of Gen. James M. Gavin for example the quote “ Our weapons and equipment were no better than those used in the First World War ” (German: “Our weapons and equipment were no better than those from the First World War”). Gavin was stunned by what he saw as poor preparation of the army. In the Philippines, Gavin received good to excellent ratings.

After a year and a half, Gavin returned to Washington to serve with the 3rd US Infantry Division in the Vancouver Barracks . There Gavin was promoted to captain ( captain ) and received his first troop command as commanding officer of the K company of the 7th Infantry Regiment. Gavin's relationship with Irma was getting worse; during his time in the 3rd Infantry Division, Gavin even had two mistresses .

At his new post in Fort Ord , California , Gavin contracted a retinal detachment in his right eye while playing handball . Gavin feared the accident could end his military career and went to see a doctor in Monterey , outside the fort. He diagnosed retinal detachment and recommended a 90-day rest period with an eye patch over the eye and no exercises, etc. Gavin, however, did not want to accept this recommendation and relied on the self-healing of the eye, which occurred after several months.

Gavin as an instructor

Gavin was summoned back to West Point as a faculty member in the tactical department. He was delighted with the assignment, as it provided him with further education through reading and teaching. When the Germans in Europe, the Blitzkrieg tactics practiced in order Poland , France and conquer other countries, the Faculty of West Point was trying to understand the German tactics and explain. Gavin taught his students about German tactics, equipment, weapons and the like, as well as about the vulnerable points of the Germans.

His superiors called him a "natural instructor" (German: "born instructor"); his cadets reported that they learned the most under him. But Gavin was concerned about one thing: the US equipment, weapons, and military equipment and methods were, at best, copies of the Germans. Gavin noted: “ It would not be enough to copy the Germans. ”(German:“ It would not be enough to copy the Germans. ”)

For the first time Gavin also spoke of the use of airborne units :

“ From what we had seen so far, it was clear the most promising area of ​​all was airborne warfare, bringing the parachute troops and the glider troops to the battlefield in masses, especially trained, armed and equiped for that kind of warfare. ”

(German: “From what we had seen, it was clear that the most promising area [of new innovations] was airborne warfare , which armed and equipped the paratroopers and gliders who were particularly well trained for this type of warfare were brought to the battlefield en masse. ")

He dealt intensively with the German airborne attack on Fort Eben-Emael in Belgium , during which the extremely heavily fortified fortress was captured from the air by well-trained and equipped German paratroopers at dawn . These events and Gavin's study of Stonewall Jackson's maneuvering tactics led him to apply for airborne troops and parachute training in April 1941. However, Gavin's application met with opposition. When his application for paratrooper training arrived in Washington on February 20, 1941, he was forbidden. Even the superintendent of West Point wrote that he did not consider Gavin suitable; So Gavin had to find an officer with equal powers. He could with the help of his friend William Ryder Colonel ( Col. ) William C. Lee attracting and so received permission for training.

Gavin and the Airborne Idea

First steps

Gavin began training at the newly formed Airborne School at Fort Benning in July 1941, from which he graduated in August 1941. After Gavin finished jumping training, he served in a force that was only experimental; the airborne warfare area was still in the early stages of development. He had his first command here as the commander of the C Company of the newly established 503rd Parachute Infantry Battalion ( 503rd Parachute Infantry Battalion ).

Gavin's friends, William Thomas Ryder , head of airborne training, and William Pelham Yarborough , chief of intelligence for the Provisional Airborne Group , recommended that William C. Lee use Gavin to develop tactics and basic rules in the group. Lee complied with this recommendation and a short time later made Gavin his S-3 (Head of Training and Doctrine). On October 16, 1941, he was promoted to major .

One of the first problems with the new idea was figuring out how best to use airborne troops. One of Gavin's first actions in his new position was the writing of FM 31-30: a manual called the Tactics and Technique of Air-Borne Troops . He used two sources. On the one hand, Gavin used information about the Russian and German paratroopers and glider troops. On the other hand, he incorporated his experience of tactics and warfare into the manual. In addition to information on tactics, his book also contained information on how the troops should be organized, what operations they could carry out and which parts (for example the surprise effect) were necessary for victory. This manual has been classified as farsighted and ascribed to him. When he was later asked why his career went the way it did, he replied: “ Because I wrote the book ” (German: “ Because I wrote the book ”).

In February 1942, Gavin completed an abbreviated course at the Command and General Staff School in Fort Leavenworth , Kansas , which qualified him for service on the staff of a division. He then returned to the Provisional Airborne Group and was tasked with setting up an airborne division . In the spring of 1942, he and Lee went to the Land Forces Headquarters in Washington to discuss the establishment of the US Airborne Division. It was decided that a division should be selected from the reserve, whose soldiers had already completed basic training. In addition, the division should be adjacent to at least one airfield. The US 82nd Infantry Division was selected, stationed at Camp Claiborne in the US state of Louisiana . After the commander Omar Bradley was transferred, Matthew Ridgway moved to his post and became the command of the unit.

Lesley McNair wanted the airborne division to consist of two glider regiments and one paratrooper regiment, which also corresponded to the German structure. Gavin and Lee, however, wanted a division consisting of one glider regiment and two paratrooper regiments. However, McNair had more influence and so the 82nd US Airborne Division was set up with two glider regiments and one paratrooper regiment.

505th Paratrooper Regiment

Badge of the 505th Paratrooper Regiment

Gavin built the 505th Paratrooper Regiment at Fort Benning, which he was given command of in August 1942. Shortly thereafter, he was promoted to colonel . The 505th Paratrooper Regiment was the first of its kind to be built from the ground up. Gavin saw the best way to achieve his goal to have his troops deal with realistic training battles and long marches. He developed the practice fights alone and led the marches at a quick pace. He wanted to show what he could with “his” regiment . It was important to him that his officers “ the first out of the airplane door and the last in the chow line ” (German: “the first outside the airplane door and the last in the food line”).

After months of training, Gavin put the regiment on the dress rehearsal:

“ As we neared our time to leave, on the way to war, I had an exercise that required them to leave our barracks area at 7:00 PM and march all night to an area near the town of Cottonwood, Alabama, a march about 23 miles. There we maneuvered all day and in effect we seized and held an airhead. We broke up the exercise about 8:00 PM and started the troupers back by another route through dense pine forrest, by way of backwoods roads. About 11:00 PM, we went into bivouac. After about one hour's sleep, the troopers were awakened to resume the march. [...] In 36 hours the regiment had marched well over 50 miles, maneuvered and seized an airhead and defended it from counterattack while carrying full combat loads and living of reserve rations. ”

(German: “When the time drew nearer that we had to leave the camp to go to war, I did an exercise that required us to leave our barracks at 7 p.m. and to an area close to the night all night long City of Cottonwood , Alabama . A march of 23 miles. There we maneuvered the entire day, with the result that we captured and held a landing head. We broke off the exercise at around 8 p.m. and started the way back with the troops by thickening pine forest , over small forest paths. at around 11 pm we hit a bivouac on. After about an hour of sleep, the troops were woken to march to continue. [...] In 36 hours the regiment had traveled more than 50 miles, maneuvered and captured a landing head and held against a counterattack while they were wearing full combat gear and living on reserves. ")

In February 1943, the 82nd US Airborne Division - consisting of two glider regiments and the 505th Parachute Regiment - was selected to take part in the Allied invasion of Sicily . The participation of the airborne division came as a surprise. Most men thought the US 101st Airborne Division would be preferred because it was led by the "father" of the idea, William Lee. A major problem was that not enough gliders were available to transport both regiments of glider. The 326th glider regiment was therefore quickly replaced by Gavin's regiment. The 505th Paratrooper Regiment was quite welcome, as it was said that the soldiers were particularly well prepared.

First American airborne operation

The preparation

Gavin arranged for the first paratrooper jump in regimental size to take place for trial purposes before shipping to North Africa . In April 1943, Ridgway put him in charge of Operation Husky , the invasion of Sicily. His regiment was to be the first to make a regimental-sized air landing, whereupon Gavin said, “ It is exciting and stimulating that the first regimental parachute operation in the history of our army is to be taken by the 505th. "(German:" It is exciting and stimulating that the first regimental-size parachute jump in US Army history will be carried out by the 505th [Parachute Regiment]. ")

He left New York Harbor with the Monterey . The 5,388 soldiers of his unit also drove in convoy to Casablanca and from there on to Oujda by land .

The British commanders were to provide most of the paratroopers, the Americans the planes. Major General Ridgway wanted his American troops to provide the paratroopers. Ridgway, as well as the British paratrooper commander Frederick Browning wanted to have the authority on their side. After Eisenhower's decision to give the Americans 250 and the British 150 aircraft, both parties felt disadvantaged.

Ridgway selected Gavin's regiment for Operation, to be supported by the third battalion of the 504th. The rest of the 504th Paratrooper Regiment was to join later. Patton suggested that the invasion be carried out at night, while Ridgway and Gavin opposed it because they had not yet practiced night jumps. After many paratroopers perished while practicing jumps, Gavin broke off the jumps because he feared losing too many men.

Soldiers of the 505th Combat Group

Tonight you will embark on a mission that our people at home and the people of the free world have been waiting for for two years. You will be the spearhead of the landing of the American forces on the island of SICILY. Every preparation has been made to eliminate the influence of chance. You have been given the means to carry out the mission and your backs are strengthened by the largest accumulation of air support in world history. The eyes of the world are on you. The hopes and prayers of every American are with you.

James M. Gavin

Gavin's written appeal to his troops about the upcoming Operation Husky, July 9, 1943. Translation of the English original (Source: Paratrooper: The Life of Gen. James M. Gavin )

Gavin wrote on May 16, “ It is clear that the effort will be a very risky and costly one. "(German:" It is clear that this operation will be very risky and costly. ") After Gavin pointed out to Ridgway that the planes were under the command of the Mediterranean Theater of Operations and therefore difficulties in coordination could arise, Ridgway made him the coordinator of the initial phase (the operation). When Gavin was unable to open his parachute during a training jump , he managed to open his reserve parachute in the last second . Ridgway then forbade him to jump further before the operation. On July 10th, Gavin flew to Sicily with some officers to inspect the area. Gavin examined the drop zones and found them to be okay.

The regiment was brought to Kairouan in Tunisia . Their task was to land north and east of Gela the night before D-Day , to conquer and hold the surrounding area, and to cut communication and supply lines for the Germans. They were supposed to team up with the US 1st Infantry Division and take the airfield at Ponte Oliveto together . Gavin was the commander of this combat group.

On the German side, the Allies opposed sixteen divisions in Sicily, of which only fourteen were operational.

Execution of the operation

Since the pilots did not yet have a lot of flying experience, a relatively simple plan was provided. They should fly straight east from Kairouan until they see a strong light signal from units in Malta . The light was the signal to change direction to the north in order to fly to Sicily. The landing, where he jumped first, succeeded, but was tough because of the high wind speeds. He realized they were miles from where they were supposed to drop off. The decimated troop rallied and intervened in the fighting. They were about five miles southeast of Vittoria .

Biazza ridge

Map of the landing in Sicily

In Vittoria and Gela other soldiers of his units gathered and they advanced towards the thirty-one meter high ridge of Biazza . Gavin ordered the pioneer train to occupy the ridge as a key position, which they succeeded.

The 3rd Battalion advanced on the ridge with several other small American formations. German tanks defended their positions. The only armor-piercing weapons that the US force carried with them were bazookas . and a little later two 75-mm howitzers of the paratrooper artillery. There was a heavy and loss-making bombardment.

Shortly before evening, a sea ​​lieutenant reached Gavin's position with a radio and called in artillery support from the ships. Two hours later the artillery shelling stopped and a large number of paratroopers relieved the distressed position. The Germans were attacked with six Sherman tanks .

Further course

Map of the Allied advance in Sicily

Many paratroopers scattered across the island broke phone lines and surprised small groups of enemies. The paratroopers had achieved their goal of making landing easier for the following troops.

Matthew Ridgway took a boat to Corps Headquarters in the 45th Infantry Division's bridgehead on July 10th. No contact could be made with Gavin. Ridgway feared that the landed 505th Paratrooper Regiment had been destroyed. A day later, Patton ordered the parts of the 504th regiment that were still in North Africa to jump. However , the majority of the regiment was shot down by self- fire. Ridgway then canceled the air landing of the 325th glider regiment. When Gavin woke up on the morning of July 12th, he found that something was wrong with his leg; he had a cut in his shin and was being treated in a nearby field hospital.

Gavin advanced with the 82nd Airborne Division and parts of the 9th US Infantry Division towards Palermo, with the soldiers of the 82nd Airborne Division having to walk 150 miles (about 150 miles) due to insufficient transport vehicles. On July 22nd, the 505th Parachute Regiment reached Trapani . Gavin wrote: “ The only haszards en route were the fruit and caramelos thrown by the Sicilians. ”(German:“ The only risks on the way were the fruit and the caramels thrown by the Sicilians. ”) On the same day , the city's commander, Admiral Alberto Manfredi , with his 5000-strong garrison surrendered to Ridgway.

aftermath

Operation Husky sparked a new wave of criticism against the airborne idea. The discussion about the formation of the 82nd Airborne Division was reopened and Ridgway and Taylor spoke out in favor of a glider-oriented division. Gavin and Tucker, in turn, advocated leaving the list as it was; Lesley McNair was on Ridgways and Taylor's side, George Marshall on Gavins and Tuckers.

Gavin envisioned innovations in aircraft to make them as practical as possible. He also suggested to form scout units to signal and prepare the way for the rest of the airborne unit.

With his mission in Sicily he had won over his men, his superiors, as well as the press .

War in Italy

Background and planning

Map of the Invasion of Italy and Operation Avalanche

In 1943, Gavin received instructions for Operation Avalanche , which was to land in Italy from Sicily . The plan envisaged an attack on mainland Italy in the Gulf of Salerno .

The tasks of the US 82nd Airborne Division were constantly changing. Ridgway feared disaster the situation, but Gavin was optimistic. During the training jumps of the division, the jumps - due to the preparations of the boy scout units - were carried out with a precision of more than ninety percent.

The division was scheduled to be released in the course of Operation Giant II near Rome - with the support of the Italians who had overthrown Mussolini. Ridgway and Taylor could not get used to the idea because they feared that the division could be destroyed by the German units. To see what the situation was like in the Italian capital, Ridgway drove to Rome, where he wanted to meet with Marshal Pietro Badoglio to discuss the situation. On the way they saw various German troops, but only less enthusiastic Italian units that were supposed to help the 82nd Airborne Division with the operation. When Ridgway discussed his fears and reports with Eisenhower, he broke off Operation Giant II. The division should then land at Capua .

The landing

The sea landing troops landed on the designated beaches and were mostly wiped out by German associations. The Allies made slow progress and General Mark W. Clark , the commander of the 5th US Army , asked parts of the 82nd Airborne Division for support.

The 504th regiment then landed successfully at Clark's bridgehead on September 13 and was ordered to the front shortly afterwards. Clark canceled the jump of the 505th regiment at Capua on September 14th and instead requested that it jump off at its sister regiment. As with the 504th, the regiment's air landing was successful. The Germans did not attack Gavin's position. Meanwhile, the 504th Regiment under Tucker had to fight fierce fighting.

Domestic fighting

The next mission for the 82nd Airborne Division, along with several other Allied units, was to advance on Naples . The 82nd had the task of breaking through the Chiunzi Pass and then on towards Naples. The strength of the division's attack forced the German units on the pass to withdraw. A little later Ridgway ordered him to advance on Naples. The division advanced without resistance. The 82nd Airborne Division was then given the task of occupying Naples, while the remaining Allied divisions should advance.

On October 4th, Gavin and his regiment were assigned to lead the advance to Volturno and secure important bridges. The bridges and the city of Arnone were captured. Gavin has now been promoted to Brigadier General ( Brigadier General ) and also to assistant division commander.

Shortly thereafter, George Marshall asked Ridgway about an officer with combat experience who could act as an airborne consultant in the planning of Operation Overlord. Ridgway suggested Gavin. Gavin wrote about it:

" He [Ridgway] has recommended me to go to UK as an advisor on airborne matters for the coming show. It is to be a job on General Marshall's staff. Upon arrival of the Division I am to return to it. [...] I'm going to work hard. [...] General Ridgway was nice enough to tell me that ultimately he wants me to get the division. I am a bit young for it. ”

(German: "He [Ridgway] recommended my transfer to Great Britain as an airborne advisor for the upcoming operation. It will be a job on General Marshall's staff. When the division arrives, I will return to it. [...] I will work hard." . [...] General Ridgway was kind enough to inform me that he really wants me to take over the division. I'm a little young for that. ")

In November 1943, Gavin reached England while the US 82nd Airborne Division was leaving Italy to be shipped to Northern Ireland to prepare for the invasion.

Operation Overlord

Preparations

Gavin met his future boss, the British Major-General ( Major General ) Ray W. Barker and Lieutenant-General Frederick Browning know. Initially, only battalion -sized jumps of the 101st US Airborne Division were planned, which should jump in the area behind Omaha Beach , which is well suited for tanks . Gavin, who wanted to see the plan changed, then went to Bradley, the commander of the landing forces for Utah Beach and who also strongly advocated airborne operations. Bradley insisted that airborne troops be assigned to secure the hinterland of his landing area. The plan was therefore expanded to include the 101st and 82nd Airborne Divisions.

In December 1943, Gavin published his Training Memorandum on the Employment of Airborne Forces . Gavin later wrote of the reaction to the memorandum: “ Everyone wanted to discuss, alter, criticize, and contribute to it. ”(German:“ Everyone wanted to discuss it, change it, criticize it and work on it. ”) In February 1944 he returned to the 82nd Airborne Division, which had been transferred to England.

D-Day

Gavin landed on D-Day with a few other paratroopers west of the Merderet on marshland, with many of the paratroopers drowning. Gavin gathered a hundred strong unit there, with whom he managed to hold the small village of La Fière , which then became the outpost of Sainte-Mère-Église .

War in France and Germany

December 1944: Gavin (right) with Matthew B. Ridgway in the Ardennes

General Gavin near Kall am Hürtgenwald, February 1945

1945: Montgomery awards Gavin the Distinguished Service Order

James M. Gavin (top row, second from right) and several others inspect the Redstone Arsenal in February 1956

General Gavin presents the Marshall Award to Gordon Gray

Gavin's tombstone with the inscription "Soldier · Statesman · humanitarian Author"

He received in August 1944, as the youngest man in this position, the command of the US 82nd Airborne Division , which he in the Netherlands at the Operation Market Garden took part. Here the division landed southeast of Nijmegen near Groesbeek to conquer the bridges over the Waal , the Maas and the Maas-Waal Canal . In grueling battles for the Groesbeek Heights with the German Feldt Corps , under General Kurt Feldt , the Americans prevailed and were able to keep the way towards Arnhem for the British units advancing from the south .

Further missions of the 82nd US Airborne Division took place in the defense of the German Ardennes offensive and then in Germany. In October 1944, Gavin was promoted to major general . He was known to carry a rifle rather than a pistol during combat.

post war period

After the Second World War , Gavin was city ​​commander of Berlin from September to October 1945 . He was then Chief of Staff of the 5th US Army and later the Allied Forces in Southern Europe. In 1955 he was promoted to Lieutenant General .

As an opponent of nuclear war , he had disagreements with the American military leadership. Since he should have stood behind the military leadership in his high position, but could not reconcile it with his conscience, he surprisingly resigned from military service in 1958.
He became Vice President of Arthur D. Little Inc. , a management consulting company, and President from 1960. In 1959 Gavin was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences . From 1961 to 1963 he was the American ambassador to France under US President John F. Kennedy . He was a critic of the Vietnam War .

Gavin was married; with his first wife Irma Baulsir he had a daughter, Barbara Gavin Fauntleroy and with his second wife four daughters.

He is buried in West Point Cemetery in New York.

honors and awards

Honors

• Rue du Général Gavin in Sainte-Mère-Église , Normandy
• Generaal Gavinstraat in Groesbeek , Netherlands
• James Gavin Brug across the Waal river near Nijmegen
• Gavin Close has been based in Braunstone , Leicestershire since 1999
• Coal power plant Gen. James M. Gavin Power Plant in southeast Ohio , near Pomeroy and Gallipolis
• Each year on June 4, members of the Gavin family, West Point members, war veterans, and others meet at the Gavin Memorial Ceremony in honor of Gavin .
• Honorary citizen of Nijmegen
• Lt. General James M. Gavin Chapter is a subsidiary of the 82nd Airborne Division Association .
• In the 1962 film The Longest Day , Gavin was played by actor Robert Ryan .
• Ryan O'Neal played him in the 1977 film The Bridge at Arnhem .

Awards

• Distinguished Service Cross with oak leaves (2 ×)
• Army Distinguished Service Medal
• Silver Star
• Purple heart
• Grand Officer of the French Legion of Honor
• Distinguished Service Order , United Kingdom
• Order of Orange-Nassau with swords, Netherlands
• Croix de guerre with palm branch, France

Quotes

• “ If you want a decision, go to the point of danger. ”( Sources: thinkexist.com , timelessquotes.com )
• “ Our generation of generals let the Army down badly. ”( Interview by Bradley Biggs, spring 1979; source: leavenworth.army.mil (PDF; 762 kB) )
• “ Organizations created to fight the last was better are not going to win the next. ”( Source: strategicstudiesinstitute.army.mil (PDF; 153 kB) - page 3 )
• “ Show me a man who will jump out of an airplane, and I'll show you a man who'll fight. "( Source: angelfire.com )

Works

• Airborne Warfare , Battery Press, Nashville (Tenn.) 1947, Reprint 1980, ISBN 0-89839-029-X .
• Cavalry… And I Don't Mean Horses! , Harper's Magazine, 1954.
• War and peace in the space age , Harper Brothers, New York 1958.
• Crisis Now , Random House, New York 1968.
• On to Berlin. Battles of an Airborne Commander 1943-1946 , Viking Press, New York 1978, ISBN 0-553-13137-0 .

literature

• US Congress (Ed.): Conflicts between United States capabilities and foreign commitments. Hearing, Ninetieth Congress, first session, with Lt. Gene. James M. Gavin (US Army retired) on February 21, 1967. US Govt. Print. Off., Washington 1967.
• Bradley Biggs: Gavin. Archon Books, Hamden (Conn.) 1980, ISBN 0-208-01748-8 .
• T. Michael Booth, Duncan Spencer: Paratrooper: The Life of Gen. James M. Gavin. Schuster & Simon, New York 1994, ISBN 0-671-73226-9 .
• Diverse: Biography - Gavin, James M (aurice) (1907–1990). (Digital)

Audio

• Dick Cavett: A conversation with General James M. Gavin; the views of the war-time commander of the 82nd Airborne Division from the Dick Cavett Show, Center for cassette Studies, 1979 ?, Sound recording

Web links

Commons : James M. Gavin  - Album with pictures, videos and audio files

• James Maurice Gavin (Dutch)
• Article Gavin's battle in Hürtgenwald (English)
• Gavin's letter to his daughter Barbara (English)
• detailed information ( english )

Notes and sources

Remarks

1. ↑ Original English text: “ Soldiers of the 505th Combat Team - Tonight you embark upon a combat mission for which our people and the free people of the world have been waiting for two years. You will spearhead the landing of an American Force upon the island of SICILY. Every preperation has been made to eliminate the element of chance. You have been given the means to do the job and you are backed by the largest assemblage of air power in the world's history. The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of every American go with you. ”( James M. Gavin ) - Paratrooper: The Life of Gen. James M. Gavin.

swell

• All quotations that do not have their own source are from the book Paratrooper: The Life of Gen. James M. Gavin by T. Michael Booth and Duncan Spencer, published by Schuster & Simon Verlag, ISBN 0-671-73226-9 .