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Land at the drop zones located in Best, Son, Sint-Oedenrode, and Veghel.
Capture the bridge over the River Aa, the Zuid-Willemsvaart Canal at Veghel, the bridge over the Dommel River at Sint-Oedenrode, and the bridge over the Wilhelmina Canal at Son.
Advance towards Eindhoven, to link up with the advancing ground forces of the 30th Corps.
Operational Area
Eindhoven Area
Allied Forces
101st Airborne Division
Axis Forces
Operation
The 101st Airborne Division of the United States, known as the “Screaming Eagles” and led by Major General Maxwell D. Taylor, is tasked with securing the area around Eindhoven. The planned drop zones for the division are strategically located in Best, Son, Sint-Oedenrode, and Veghel. Their mission is to capture key bridges: the bridge over the River Aa and the Zuid-Willemsvaart Canal at Veghel, the bridge over the Dommel River at Sint-Oedenrode, and the bridge over the Wilhelmina Canal at Son. After successfully securing these bridges, the division is to advance towards Eindhoven, where they are expected to link up with the advancing ground forces of the 30th Corps.
As with the other airborne divisions, the 101st Airborne Division’s plan for Operation Market Garden is primarily shaped by the requirements of the air forces. The air planners, concerned about the vulnerability of transport aircraft to German anti-aircraft fire near Eindhoven, particularly from flak defending the Phillips electronics factories and the city’s airfield, refuse to drop troops close to the city. This decision rules out an immediate assault on the Son Bridge, which spans the first significant waterway on the division’s route.
Major General Maxwell D. Taylor, the commander of the 101st Airborne Division, is determined to avoid the mistakes of D-Day, where poor visibility and inexperienced aircrews caused the division to be widely scattered. Since Operation Market Garden involves a daylight drop, Taylor insists on a tightly concentrated landing. The division’s historian notes that both the 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment and 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment (PIR) are scheduled to drop in close proximity on Drop Zones B and C, located northwest of Son, which will also be used for subsequent glider landings. Only the 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment is set to land separately to bring them closer to their specific objectives.
The 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment is given the task of capturing the Wilhelmina Canal Bridge at Son, before advancing south to secure Eindhoven, where they must capture four highway bridges over the winding Dommel River. The 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment is responsible for securing the landing zones and taking the road bridge at Sint Oedenrode. They are also instructed to be ready to take over the defence of Son and to support the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment’s push towards Eindhoven. Additionally, Taylor assigns the 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment the mission of sending a company to capture the road and railway bridges at Best, located on the division’s flank. Meanwhile, the 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment is ordered to secure the highway and railway bridges over the Aa River and the Willemsvaart Canal at Veghel. To ensure they are positioned closer to their targets, they are allocated separate drop zones further north.
For the first airlift on September 17th, 1944, Taylor prioritises maximising the number of infantry immediately available for action. The division’s initial lift consists of 424 C-47 Skytrain aircraft (called Dakotas by the British) and 70 CG-4A Waco gliders. Only minimal support units accompany them, with no artillery being included in the first lift. This is because British ground forces, expected to reach Eindhoven by 20:00 that evening, will be bringing artillery with them. The 101st Airborne Division is allocated the largest number of aircraft for the first lift, reflecting the importance of ensuring the operation begins successfully. The division’s fourth infantry unit, the 327th Glider Infantry Regiment (GIR), is scheduled to arrive in the second lift on D+2.
