Autopsy of a Battle.The Liberation of the French Riviera in August and September 1944.
By Jean-Loup Gassend (jean-loup@gassend.com)
By Jean-Loup Gassend (jean-loup@gassend.com)
English edition availlable. Disponible en français.
On the night of August 14-15,
1944, the First Airborne Task Force, which included the U.S. 509th, 517th and
551st Parachute Infantry Regiments, jumped into enemy held territory
spearheading Operation Dragoon, the Allied invasion of southern France. Based on
interviews from all combatant units, battlefield archaeology, period photos,
letters and reports, this book provides an outstandingly detailed hour-by-hour
account of the advance through the French Riviera, as seen by
those who lived through it, bringing to light the tragic and gruesome realities
of what was later to become known as the "Champagne Campaign."
The project continues, and the author is always looking for more veterans (for oral history interviews), documents, photos and information regarding Operation Dragoon and the southern France landings of August 15th 1944.
The project continues, and the author is always looking for more veterans (for oral history interviews), documents, photos and information regarding Operation Dragoon and the southern France landings of August 15th 1944.
Availlable on amazon.com and other online sources
Jean-Loup Gassend is a medical doctor specializing in forensics. Over the past ten years he has extensively explored the battlefields of the French Riviera, recovering many lost artifacts as well as the bodies of missing soldiers. Jean-Loup Gassend has French and Canadian citizenships, is fluent in both English and French, and has working knowledge of German, which enabled him to discover many previously unexplored sources for the writing of this book.
Jean-Loup Gassend is always seeking for veterans, manuscripts, photos, information and documents about the war on the French Rivivera, the First Airborne Task Force and Reserve Division 148. If you are the relative of a soldier involved in the invasion of southern France, please contact the author at: jean-loup@gassend.com
Jean-Loup Gassend is always seeking for veterans, manuscripts, photos, information and documents about the war on the French Rivivera, the First Airborne Task Force and Reserve Division 148. If you are the relative of a soldier involved in the invasion of southern France, please contact the author at: jean-loup@gassend.com
- ISBN-13: 9780764345807
- Publisher: Schiffer Publishing, Ltd.
- Publication date: May 2013
- Pages: 560
La Libération de la Côte d'Azur. Août-septembre 1944. Opération Dragoon.
Alors que la Bataille de Normandie prend fin et que la Libération de Paris n'est plus qu'une question de jours, les Alliés ouvrent, le 15 août 1944, un second front dans le sud de la France. Tandis que des commandos français débarquent sur la côte provençal et escaladent les falaises de la calanque des Deux Frères, que la Devil's Brigade de la First Special Service Force s'empare des Iles de Port Cros et du Levant, cinq mille parachutistes de la First Airborne Task Force sautent à l'intérieur des terres près de Draguignan. L'Opération Dragoon vient de commencer...
Face aux forces alliés une seule division allemande: la 148.Reserve-Division. Hétéroclite, composée de jeunes soldats souvent peu expérimentés, d'éléments polonais, slovènes, ou tchèques souvent peu motivés, elle résistera parfois avec acharnement et conduira une retraite ordonnée sous les ordres du Generalleutnant Otto Fretter-Pico.
Cette opération est pour la première fois étudiée en profondeur et sur toute sa durée. Sous la plume de Jean-Loup Gassend nous suivons jour par jour, heure par heure, et village par village, la progression des troupes alliées à travers les paysages de Provence jusqu'à la frontière Italienne.
Avec une grande rigueur et un souci du détail frappant, l'auteur pose le décor des combats puis, et c'est la richesse de cet ouvrage, donne la parole aux acteurs. Ces témoignages d'anciens combattants de tous bords ou d'habitants de la région apportent à cet ouvrage une humanité, une émotion rare. Parachutistes Américains, marins français, résistants, soldats allemands ou simples civils, chacun livre ici ses souvenirs, sa vérité. La guerre et le combat y sont décrits avec une précision cruelle, mais aussi avec pudeur et sensibilité.
Médecin légiste et archéologue amateur, l'auteur fait également parler la terre de Provence. Investiguant sur le terrain, il exhume des terres rouges de l'Estérel les témoignages émouvants de ceux qui ont donné leur vie. Il a ainsi souvent permis l'identification de combattants depuis longtemps portés disparus.
Doté d'une iconographie originale particulièrement riche cet ouvrage est un document exceptionnel sur cet épisode capital de la Seconde Guerre Mondiale, souvent méconnu du grand public.
L'auteur de ce livre est toujours à la recherche de nouvelles informations et photos concernant les Alpes-Maritimes et le Var durant la seconde guerre mondiale, et peut être contacté à l’adresse suivante: jean-loup@gassend.com
Face aux forces alliés une seule division allemande: la 148.Reserve-Division. Hétéroclite, composée de jeunes soldats souvent peu expérimentés, d'éléments polonais, slovènes, ou tchèques souvent peu motivés, elle résistera parfois avec acharnement et conduira une retraite ordonnée sous les ordres du Generalleutnant Otto Fretter-Pico.
Cette opération est pour la première fois étudiée en profondeur et sur toute sa durée. Sous la plume de Jean-Loup Gassend nous suivons jour par jour, heure par heure, et village par village, la progression des troupes alliées à travers les paysages de Provence jusqu'à la frontière Italienne.
Avec une grande rigueur et un souci du détail frappant, l'auteur pose le décor des combats puis, et c'est la richesse de cet ouvrage, donne la parole aux acteurs. Ces témoignages d'anciens combattants de tous bords ou d'habitants de la région apportent à cet ouvrage une humanité, une émotion rare. Parachutistes Américains, marins français, résistants, soldats allemands ou simples civils, chacun livre ici ses souvenirs, sa vérité. La guerre et le combat y sont décrits avec une précision cruelle, mais aussi avec pudeur et sensibilité.
Médecin légiste et archéologue amateur, l'auteur fait également parler la terre de Provence. Investiguant sur le terrain, il exhume des terres rouges de l'Estérel les témoignages émouvants de ceux qui ont donné leur vie. Il a ainsi souvent permis l'identification de combattants depuis longtemps portés disparus.
Doté d'une iconographie originale particulièrement riche cet ouvrage est un document exceptionnel sur cet épisode capital de la Seconde Guerre Mondiale, souvent méconnu du grand public.
L'auteur de ce livre est toujours à la recherche de nouvelles informations et photos concernant les Alpes-Maritimes et le Var durant la seconde guerre mondiale, et peut être contacté à l’adresse suivante: jean-loup@gassend.com
Disponible sur internet (Heimdal, Amazon), ainsi que:
-A Nice, à la Librairie du Paillon.
-A Vence, au Centre Culturel Leclerc.
-A Fayence, à la Librairie du Château.
-A Montauroux, au Centre Culturel Leclerc.
-A Nice, à la Librairie du Paillon.
-A Vence, au Centre Culturel Leclerc.
-A Fayence, à la Librairie du Château.
-A Montauroux, au Centre Culturel Leclerc.
Pubication: juillet 2014
Editions Heimdal
ISBN: 9782840483533
Book features - Contenu du livre
-Detailed day by day reconstruction of the advance of the First Airborne Task Force through southern France between August 15th and September 7th 1944, using oral history, period letters and documents from Allied, French and German sources, veteran's memoirs and battlefield archaeology.
-Witness accounts from soldiers of the 141st Infantry Regiment, 442nd Antitank Company, 887th Airborne Engineer Company, 676th Medical Collecting Company, 602nd Pack Field Artillery Battalion, 65th Infantry Regiment (Porto Rican), 46th and 48th Quartermaster Graves Registration Companies and the Groupe Naval d'Assaut de Corse (French).
-Accounts from OSS operatives in southern France, Lt Walter Willard Taylor and Captain Geoffrey Jones.
-Des dizaines de témoignages de parachutistes de la First Airborne Task Force, dont la plupart sont inédits.
-Reconstitution jour par jour de l'avancée de la First Airborne Task Force à travers l'est du Var et les Alpes Maritimes entre le 15 août et le 7 septembre 1944, basé sur des récits de témoins, des documents d'époque alliés, français et allemands, et des fouilles sur les lieux des combats.
-Overview of the German Occupation period on the French Riviera.
-Overview of the Allied 1st Airborne Task Force parachute and glider operations (Operation Dove) of August 15th 1944 in the le Muy and Draguignan area.
-In
depth descriptions of the battles and events that occurred between
August 15th and September 7th 1944 in Anthéor, Antibes, Beausoleil, Biot, Cannes, Callian,
Col de Braus, la Colle sur Loup, Fayence, Grasse, Levens, Nice, Mandelieu la Napoule,
Menton, Montauroux, Peille, Peymeinade, la Roquette sur Siagne, la Roquette sur Var, Seillans, St
Cézaire sur Siagne, St Laurent du Var, St Martin du Var, St Tropez, St Vallier de Thiey, Tanneron, Théoule sur Mer, Touët de
l'Escarène, Toudon, Tourette du Château, Tourrettes, la Turbie, Valbonne, Vence, Villefranche sur Mer, and
Villeneuve-Loubet.
-Résumé de l'histoire de l'Occupation de la Côte d'Azur.
-Résumé des opérations aéroportés du 15 août 1944 dans la région du Muy et de Draguignan.
-Description détaillée de la libération des lieux suivants: Anthéor, Antibes, Beausoleil, Biot, Cannes, Callian, Col de Braus, la Colle sur Loup, Fayence, Grasse, Levens, Nice, Mandelieu la Napoule, Menton, Montauroux, Peille, Peymeinade, la Roquette sur Siagne, la Roquette sur Var, Seillans, St Cézaire sur Siagne, St Laurent du Var, St Martin du Var, St Tropez, St Vallier de Thiey, Tanneron, Théoule sur Mer, Touët de l'Escarène, Toudon, Tourette du Château, Tourrettes, la Turbie, Valbonne, Vence, Villefranche sur Mer, and Villeneuve-Loubet.
-Detailed description of the landing of the Groupe Naval d'Assaut de Corse and of the 141st Infantry Regiment in Anthéor (Blue Beach) and Théoule sur Mer on August 15th 1944.
-The sinking of LST-282.
-Description détaillée des opérations de débarquement du Groupe Naval d'Assaut de Corse et du 141st Infantry Regiment à Anthéor et à Théoule sur Mer le 15 août 1944.
-Résumé de l'histoire de l'Occupation de la Côte d'Azur.
-Résumé des opérations aéroportés du 15 août 1944 dans la région du Muy et de Draguignan.
-Description détaillée de la libération des lieux suivants: Anthéor, Antibes, Beausoleil, Biot, Cannes, Callian, Col de Braus, la Colle sur Loup, Fayence, Grasse, Levens, Nice, Mandelieu la Napoule, Menton, Montauroux, Peille, Peymeinade, la Roquette sur Siagne, la Roquette sur Var, Seillans, St Cézaire sur Siagne, St Laurent du Var, St Martin du Var, St Tropez, St Vallier de Thiey, Tanneron, Théoule sur Mer, Touët de l'Escarène, Toudon, Tourette du Château, Tourrettes, la Turbie, Valbonne, Vence, Villefranche sur Mer, and Villeneuve-Loubet.
-Detailed description of the landing of the Groupe Naval d'Assaut de Corse and of the 141st Infantry Regiment in Anthéor (Blue Beach) and Théoule sur Mer on August 15th 1944.
-The sinking of LST-282.
-Description détaillée des opérations de débarquement du Groupe Naval d'Assaut de Corse et du 141st Infantry Regiment à Anthéor et à Théoule sur Mer le 15 août 1944.
-Dozens of unpublished photos of German soldiers on the French Riviera.
-Before and after photos taken in the same locations in 1944 and nowadays.
-Citations and background information on how two Knight's Crosses were earned during the fighting on the French Riviera.
-Description détaillée de la Reserve Division 148, et témoignages de plusieurs soldats allemands de cette division.
-Des dizaines de photos inédites de soldats allemands sur la Côte d'Azur.
-In depth information about the French Resistance and the maquis in the Nice area.
-Dozens of firsthand accounts of resistance members (8ième and 27ème Compagnies FTPF, Groupe Morgan, Groupe Hochcorn, Combat, Organisation de Résistance de l'Armée, etc).
-Description détaillée de la vie dans le maquis dans l'arrière pays niçois.
-Des dizaines de témoignages de résistants et maquisards (8ième and 27ème Compagnies FTPF, Groupe Morgan, Groupe Hochcorn, Combat, Organisation de Résistance de l'Armée, etc).
-Numerous photos of military relics recovered from the battlefield.
-De nombreuses photos de reliques retrouvée sur les lieux des combats.
-Personal stories and photos of dozens of American, Canadian and German (including many Silesian and Czech) soldiers who were killed during the Allied advance through the French Riviera.
-Des photos de dizaines de soldats Américains, Canadiens et Allemands ayant été tués durant les combats sur la Côte d'Azur.
-Des rapports de fouilles réalisés sur les lieux des combats décrits dans le livre.
-Detailed Allied, German and French casualty lists at the end of each chapter.
-Complete casualty list of all First Airborne Task Force soldiers killed in southern France.
-Complete casualty list of all the German soldiers (Reserve Division 148 and Infanterie Division 34) killed in the Nice area during World War II.
-Critical comparison of numbers of killed mentioned in period documents, military reports and medal citations, to actual numbers of bodies recovered from the battlefields.
-A la fin de chaque chapitre, une liste nominative des pertes alliées, allemandes et françaises.
-Une liste complète de tous les soldats de la First Airborne Task Force ayant été tués dans le sud de la France.
-ATTENTION/ la liste complète de tous les soldats allemands ayant été tués dans les Alpes Maritimes et l'est du Var pendant la guerre n'est incluse que dans l'édition anglaise du livre.
-Detailed description of the little known work of the Graves Registration Companies on the French Riviera.
-Information about the funerary practices of the German and US armies, and about how local civilians disposed of bodies of killed soldiers.
-Des informations et photos sur le travail peu connu des compagnies funéraires américaines.
Reader reactions
Review by the Armor Modeling and Preservation Society: http://www.amps-armor.org/SiteReviews/ShowReview.aspx?id=4146&tf=4&sf=0&mf=-1&rf=-1&nf=&df=&p=1&s=-4"This book is massive and I can't believe all the photos and detailed info the author has amassed in less than a decade of research. The published results of his inquest could easily have been the result of a lifetime of research. Few other author/researchers could have compiled this amount of information, if they gathered photos and info for a lifetime. The author is a doctor and his approach to WWII history is literally like that of an autopsy. He has found not only death reports and death photos of members of the German military and French Maquis, he has even recovered the remains of many forgotten victims of 1944 fighting, via battlefield archaeology. As such, this book is a grim and graphic reminder of the tragedy and human cost of war and perhaps such details are not for everyone. His approach however, is conducted from an angle close to my heart. The fact that he lives in the area where the events took place allow him to immerse himself in the people, villages and battlefields where the Dragoon invasion took place. Up until the last decade, this aspect of the ETO war had been largely overlooked and forgotten by history buffs. Since little was written about it, the events of Dragoon remained obscure, misunderstood and poorly documented. Now, with just the publication of two landmark books, Mike deTrez's 'First Airborne Task Force', a gigantic pictorial, loaded with vintage photos and color pics of artifacts, and now 'Autopsy of a Battle' by Jean Loup, readers interested in learning about this different world of combat can inform themselves with just the contents of these 2 definitive works. I personally love this book and am taking a long time, to work my way through it. I would recommend it, with the caveat that you need to know what you are getting-in to if you buy this book. This is real, gritty in your face history and it might prove to be more than you can handle or want to know. Is it a happy book? Heck no, don't open it expecting anything other than a detailed and honest accounting of the many tragic events that transpired as the Germans were forcibly driven from that region of France.
The word awesome is routinely over-used, to describe things in the 21st century, but this massive compendium does deserve that appellation. Taken as a whole, the research and presentation are impressive and overwhelming. It's 8 pounds of unadulterated history."
Mark Bando, 101st Airborne historian and author.
"The amount of detail & trivia is amazing, as well as mind numbing."
Keith Bickel.
"The amount of detail & trivia is amazing, as well as mind numbing."
Keith Bickel.
"I
finally received my copy of your book last Friday and I'm impressed by the
finished product. It's the first book I've ever read that combines battlefield
archeology, personal interviews, and historical documents and photographs to
the extent you do. It's clearly written from the viewpoint of the soldiers who
fought the war rather than the generals who commanded the armies. I also find
the interactions between the soldiers and the local civilians interesting. Hope
others enjoy it as much as I do."
Arland Schneider, relative of a 517th PIR casualty
"I just received my copy of Jean-Loup Gassend’s book, Operation Dragoon. I have only had time to skim through it, but all I can say is “Wow!” This is not a light collection of stories – this is the definitive book about Operation Dragoon. It is a huge book, with 500+ pages of incredible research by Jean-Loup. I have followed a couple of stories of Jean-Loup’s research over the years, and I know how detailed and careful he is in his research to uncover the true facts and to verify them. That is evident in this book. For every event, he has managed to locate first-hand accounts from multiple eyewitnesses with various viewpoints. He tells the story from the German, French, Canadian, British, and American soldiers and citizen sources, with collaboration from his own archeological investigations into documents and physical evidence. It will take me some time to make it through this book, but so far, I have enjoyed every page."
Ben Barrett, 517prct.org webmaster
"I just finished reading chapter 4 of your forthcoming book. I found it
absolutely fascinating in many regards. The sheer chaos of war as evidenced by
the unintentional parachute drops into these areas in the first place. The
'friendly fire,' the misinformation, the wretched brutality of human conflict-
unfortunately these things never seem to change and are never truly
counterbalanced by individual acts of heroism or plain decency."
Arthur Lee
"Thanks
again for the honor you've given those who fought and returned home and those
who lost their live there. I actually
had tears in my eyes when I first looked at the size and quality of the book
and opened it and began to read"
"(...) The
book is written by a non-historian, Jean-Loup Gassend. He is actually a
forensic physician from the French Riviera who grew up with stories of the
fighting that occurred in his home region and became fascinated by them. He
participated in attempts to locate and identify war dead from the region and
eventually decided to write a book on what transpired there in August-September
1944.
Gassend
created what can only be called a labor of love--and something really only
possible by someone willing to spend years devoted to a project. The book is
coffee table book sized, but not coffee table book thick. Rather, it is a
massive tome, about 560 pages long (and weighting nearly 8 pounds).
Gassend
did research in French, English, and German, laboriously writing veterans or
their surviving relatives, or conducting interviews. He also did the same for
French civilians. He also did extensive research in secondary sources and
primary documents. Moreover, as a forensic physician, he also engaged in
forensic battle research, analyzing casualties and the physical items found on
them (in some cases, looking at casualties was the only way to establish that
which German unit was in which place at which time). In other words, the
subtitle "autopsy of a battle" is a more literal title than one would
think. The level of research is impressive.
Gassend,
probably wisely, decided to write his book mainly as an oral history, allowing
participants (military, resistance, civilian) to tell the story themselves, for
the most part. As a non-historian, this was probably the best way for him to
go. The book is reasonably well-written (Gassend speaks/writes English), though
Schiffer's copy-editors should have caught a few things.
The
Riviera "campaign" was really nothing but small scale skirmishes,
sometimes very small scale, with no truly big action at all. The largest single
combat was when the French resistance rose up against the Germans in Nice. What
this does is allow Gassend to treat each little skirmish, each little episode,
as a treasure to explore and relate, from every perspective
possible--American/Canadian, German, French resistance, French civilians.
Gassend's
emphasis on casualties and deaths--in numbers that are meaningful as opposed to
the vast deaths of the Bulge or Kursk or Iwo Jima--gives the book a special
character. When a person dies here, it is a death, not a statistic. And we
often find out exactly how that person died--war isn't pretty. This is
something that really is missing from the overwhelming majority of military
history works, but it is possible here because of the nature of the historical
situation as well as Gassend's patient, loving dedication to detail.
I
haven't read many World War II books like this one, I will certainly say. But
it is a book worth reading, even though in the larger scheme of things,
virtually none of the actions here mattered at all. Gassend shows us that
sometimes it is not the larger scheme of things that we should be paying
attention to."
Mark Pitcavage
Videos
Videos linked to some of the stories featured in Autopsy of a Battle can be viewed here:
-Killed soldier's photos returned: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3u4ZIlgsiM
-Exhumation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yseqYvqIqGY&t=2s
In the press - Dans la presse
Ein Buch als Friedenswerk
von Reinhold Steiml und Markus Salzeder Stammham/Waldkirchen | 16.01.2013
Wenn demnächst in Frankreich ein Buch erscheint, das die Gräuel des Weltkriegs und die sinnlosen Opfer auf allen Seiten der Fronten darstellt, dann ist darin auch ein Kapitel jenem Josef Fuchs gewidmet, der 1944 aus Stelzermühle bei Waldkirchen (Lkr. Freyung-Grafenau) zu den Waffen gerufen wurde – und der nie mehr zurückgekommen ist. Sein Bemühen, Zeitzeugen und deren Nachkommen zu finden, hat den jungen Autor des Werkes "Autopsy of a battle", Jean-Loup Gassend, seine Fühler auch nach Waldkirchen ausstrecken lassen. Dort ist er fündig geworden. Maria Krieger, die Nichte von Josef Fuchs, hat Jean-Loup Gassend bestens unterstützt.
Zum einen, um ihm mehr über ihren Onkel, seinen Weggang, die Situation damals im Bayerwald, den Schmerz daheim über den Tod des jungen Soldaten bei einem Einsatz in den französischen Seealpen zu berichten. Zum anderen aber auch im Bemühen, ihm Wege zu ebnen zu weiteren betagten Kriegsveteranen und auch Nachkommen, die von ähnlichen Schicksalen berichten konnten.
Maria Krieger, die seit den 1990er Jahren in Stammham wohnt, aber aus der Stelzermühle stammt, war ebenso wie ihr Mann so fasziniert von den Bemühungen des angehenden Mediziners aus Nizza, dass sie ihn nun sogar zusammen mit ihrem Gatten in Südfrankreich besucht hat.
American GI reunited with his helmet
A heartwarming tale from Villeneuve-Loubet
An 82-year-old American war veteran of the 517th Parachute Infantry Regiment made a memorable trip recently to Villeneuve-Loubet to retrieve the army helmet that he lost in Cormes 60 years ago during the Liberation of Provence in 1944. Marvin D Moles, accompanied by his daughter and son-in-law, was the guest of a young French-Canadian who had discovered the helmet five years ago in Cormes. Jean-Loup Gassend, 22, is passionate about World War II memorabilia and having discovered Marvin’s name on the helmet, he spent five years tracking him down through the local press in the United States to his home in Dublin, Virginia. They decided to meet up. Many of those living in Cormes had not forgotten the Americans’ role in their liberation from the German occupation, and turned out in force to witness the handover of the helmet. The war veteran received an equally warm reception in Sospel where he had spent three months in 1944.
Des soldats allemands exhumés sur la côte d'Azur
Publié le 25/10/2006 sur le site anciencombattant.com
Ils avaient participé aux combats qui avaient directement suivi le débarquement allié en Provence, le 15 août 1944. Les restes d'une quinzaine de soldats de la Wehrmacht ont été exhumés mercredi 18 octobre à Villeneuve-Loubet près de Nice (Alpes-Maritimes). Ils étaient tombés lors de la bataille de libération de la petite ville, le 26 août 1944 et reposaient à environ un mètre sous terre, dans un sous-bois à la sortie de la commune, sur la route de Grasse.
Jean-Loup Gassend, étudiant en médecine de 24 ans (mais passionné par l'histoire) avait pu localiser l'endroit où avaient été enterrés les soldats allemands grâce à des témoignages recueillis dans la localité : « Les corps ont été transportés dans ce bois, après les combats, par les villageois qui les ont enterrés », a expliqué l'étudiant, qui a informé l'association Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge (VDK) qui s'occupe de l'entretien des cimetières militaires allemands à travers le monde. L'institution allemande estime que 7 000 soldats allemands sont toujours portés disparus sur le territoire français mais la fosse de Villeneuve-Loubet constitue l'une des principales découvertes de ces dernières années.
Des ossements, des casques et des munitions ont pu être dégagées lors de ces fouilles. Mais ce sont surtout les cinq plaques d'identification déterrées qui pourraient permettre d'identifier avec certitude les victimes. Ces plaques ont été envoyées à Berlin pour être analysées. Les soldats retrouvés à Villeneuve-Loubet seront inhumés le 23 juin 2007 au cimetière militaire allemand de Berneuil, près de Saintes (Charente-Maritime).
Des ossements, des casques et des munitions ont pu être dégagées lors de ces fouilles. Mais ce sont surtout les cinq plaques d'identification déterrées qui pourraient permettre d'identifier avec certitude les victimes. Ces plaques ont été envoyées à Berlin pour être analysées. Les soldats retrouvés à Villeneuve-Loubet seront inhumés le 23 juin 2007 au cimetière militaire allemand de Berneuil, près de Saintes (Charente-Maritime).
Author contact: jean-loup@gassend.com
The author is always seeking for veterans, manuscripts, photos, information and documents about the First Airborne Task Force - 1st Aiborne Task Force and the following units:
-First Special Service Force
-2nd Independent Parachute Brigade
-2nd Chemical Battalion
-3rd Ordinance Medium Maintenance Company
-4th Battalion Parachute Regiment
-5th Battalion (Scottish) Parachute Regiment
-6th Battalion (Welsh) Parachute Regiment
-40th Engineer Regiment
-46th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company
-48th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company
-51st Evacuation Hospital
-65th Infantry Regiment, Puerto Rican (Borinqueneers)
-83rd Chemical Battalion
-141st Infantry Regiment
-334th Quartermaster Airial Resupply
-460th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion
-463rd Parachute Field Artillery Battalion
-509th Parachute Infantry Regiment
-512th Signal Company
-517th Parachute Infantry Regiment
-550th Glider Infantry Battalion
-551st Parachute Infantry Battalion
-596th Parachute Combat Engineer Company
-638th Medical Clearing Company
-636th Tank Destroyer Battalion
-645th Tank Destroyer Battalion
-676th Medical Clearing Company
-887th Airborne Engineer Company
-LST-51
-LST-282
-LST-285
If you are the relative of a soldier of the First Airborne Task Force, particularly of one of those listed below, please contact the author at: jean-loup@gassend.com
Marion L. Adams Pvt 35703699
Alton L. Allen Pvt
Glen H. Allen FLO T-060478
Lawrence L Alto FLO T-122096
Elmer J. Anderson Pvt
Robert C. Anderson Pvt
Joseph Andrews 2Lt O-396102
Henry / Heinrich Apperman 2Lt O-1320581 141st Infantry Regiment
John N. Apperson Maj O-301346 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion
Edward A. Armatta SSgt
James M. Arredonds Cpl 39251615
Marius Arzallier Sgt Chf Inf Col
Edgar R. Jr Attebery Sgt
James E Bagby 34
630 661
Al D. Baggett Pvt
William F. Baldwin T5
Melvin E. Barbeau Pvt
Ira Barnhurst Pvt
Clifford H. Bartow PFC 32894159
Roy E. Baze Capt O-377640
Stanley Jr Beatham Sgt 31044588
Arthur E. Beauchaine Sgt
Homer C. Beaver T4
Eugene Beckner T 4 37300492
Richard B. Bednarz Pvt
Edgar F. Beeman PFC 12174306
Arthur C. Begue Pvt 602nd Pack Field Artillery Battalion
Joseph Belanger Sgt 1st Special Service Force
Marvin C. Bell PFC 39280878
Orman G. Bell FLO T-122899
Harold E Bell Cox 7233802
William C. Benter Pvt 42039514
Clarence Bergeman PFC 36735915
Solomon Biblowitz SSgt
Lewis R. Billman T5 35392487
John E. Billstrom 2Lt O-672275
Joseph Henry Birtles Pvt 7380344
Charles P. Blair PFC
Joseph A. Blais Pvt
David G. Bloyd Pvt 15394397
William F. Boggan PFC
Thomas Frederick Booley Bmb 1089541
Foster V. Bowden Pvt 39844505
Henri Braconnier Matl
Can Groupe Naval d'Assaut de Corse
Samuel Braff Pvt 31371477
Levi Brierley Pvt 5124358
Dan G Brogdon PFC 34680400
Vivian F. Brookshier PFC 37539693
Douglas Brown Cpl 33128397
Frank S. Jr Brown Pvt 31303343
Robert W. Brown PFC 39134894
Joseph L Buchanan Sgt 14017112
Robert S. Buckley Pvt
Paul H. Buechler PFC 35044018
William Buk PFC 33602311
Gavin Pollock Burns Pvt 14350728
Francis N. Jr Burns Pvt
Don N. Burnside PFC
Ira J Butler Pvt
René Cacaud Qrt Mtr Mnvr
Ernest Calvert Lnc Cpl 14219293
Charles H. Camden Pvt
John J. Campbell Pvt
Frank Campos PFC
Elmer J. Carlson Pvt
Joseph Carvalho PFC 31371240
Joe Castanon PFC
Anthony S. Celli PFC 12160585
John F. Jr Chappell PFC 14068228
Charles Chesunas PFC 35267594
Henry A. Ciner PFC
John W. Clark Pvt
Ernest R. Coffelt PFC 34734290
John G. Colflesh Sgt
James T. Collins PFC
Thomas Collinson Pvt 36561455
Hector H. Colo PFC 39566024 517th Parachute Infantry Regiment Hector Conception, North Bunker LA
Edward E. Conaway Pvt
Moffet C. Cook Pvt 38531177
William C. Cooper Cpl 33037842
Albert Corlou 2 Mtr Fsl
Francis Edward Cox Pvt 7380951
Thomas J. Crane 1Sgt 33082489 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion
Oakley H. Crane SSgt 12138417
Oscar F Crevelling Sgt
James H. Crosby Pvt 6927574
Lynwood W. Cross Pvt 34810300
Roderick S. Cross PFC 31005369
William C. Cutmore Pvt
Stanley E. Dainard Pvt C-4446 1st Special Service Force
Richard R. Daley PFC
Robert B David S Sgt
Roy W. David Sgt 19115661
Charles Reginald Davis Cpl 5825576
James M. Davis T4
Robert E. Davison Pvt 39312263
Albert T Dawson T 5
Jacques G.F. Debray 1er Bataillon de Choc Debray Jacques G. F.
Bernard J. DeCamilla Pvt
James W. Deming T5 12216229
William E. Dennis PFC 15115562
Vernon D. Dirkson Pvt 37546744
Robert L. Dodson 1Lt O-2055900
Sigurd L. Dohner Pvt 32799176
Anthony J Dorsa 1 Sgt
Carl H. Dorschel 1Lt 1046417
Pierre Dourous Matl Fsl
Benjamin Dowie Pvt 6985362
John A. Jr Driscoll Pvt
Toney F. Duarte Pvt 39390568
Larry J. Ducote Pvt 38219760
Vernon E. Dunbar PFC
George H. IV Dunlap Pvt 34817527
George E. Durham MSgt 6438339
Joseph A. Edgerly PFC
Thurman H. Edwards PFC 32483834
Perry I. Ellis Sgt 14062818
Wallace P. Englert Sgt
Albert J. Ernst Pvt 32829161
William E. Everett Pvt 34311768
Anthony Fabrick PFC 33622713
Charles S. Farrell PFC
Hubert J. Fiander 1Lt O-25745
Pierre Fichefeux 2 Mtr Mnvr
Warren B. Fields Pvt 36566508
Daniel A. Fisher Cpl
Herbert E. Fisher Pvt 33120264
Cecil M. Fitzgerald PFC 34728951
Charles A. Flament PFC 31381513
John L. Florant Pvt
Leo L. Jr Flynn Pvt
Johnnie C Ford/Fort PFC
Albert S. Foster PFC 38038060
Robert George Fouracre Pvt 5194041
John Fouts Pvt 38470226
Harold M. Freeman 2Lt
Jack D Funk Pvt
Joseph Gabrus Sgt 12065045
Jesus M. Gallardo Cpl
Julius Garcia Pvt
George B. Gardner Sgt C-72766
William H. Gates Pvt 6939871
John E. Gaunce 1Sgt
Marvin N Gillman T 4
Jesse O. Goswick PFC 32890925
Renaldo Granger Sgt M/65375
Louis F. Green PFC 38319548
Louis Green Cpl 32561973 from Emerson, NJ Millie, Fannie, Mary
Burton M. Gregory Pvt
Donald F. Griffin Pvt 16021254
William C. Griffitts Sgt 20801888
Morrie Grodin SSgt
Robert R. Gruwell Pvt 39277657
Jacques Guidoni Qrt Mtr Can
Henri Guilcher Matl Gbr
Clarence N. Guynup Pvt
David B. Haight PFC
Leonard R. Haller Pvt 35750995
J B Hampton PFC 34728088
Robert X. Hardin FLO T-120248
Robert R. Hathorn Pvt
John J. Hay Pvt 32728747 463rd Parachute Field Artillery Battalion
George P. Hemsworth PFC 10726224
Lowell Jr. Henderson PFC
William B. Henderson PFC 37539693
Lawrence Hendrickson Cpl 37173336
Arthur J. Hessong PFC 33139154
John M Hill Pvt 13081489
Sayre Hillerson Pvt 33316110
Ralph V. Hirales PFC 39847995
Walter M. Hofsommer Pvt
Carl O. Hosey PFC 35268193
Robert M. Houck Pvt
Dudley W. Hudson SSgt 34606437
Felix J. Hughes Pvt 32651685
Allen H. Hulshier Pvt
Richard A. Jamme Cpl 39328656
Howard D. Jr Jaynes Sgt 16146056
FW Jenkins 36462841
William R Jenner Sjt
George W. Jensen PFC
Frederick M. John Pvt
Davy James Jones Pvt 14342324
Raymond L. Jones PFC 32243176
Chester B. Jozefski Pvt
Walter H. Jr Juve Pvt
Olav Kaastad Pvt 37309913 40th Engineer Regiment
Joseph J. Kaplar Pvt 33620898
Frank J. Keefe Pvt 32522280 602nd Pack Field Artillery Battalion
John A. Kenna Pvt
Philip M. Kennamer PFC 38469985
William E. Kern FLO T-000806
Wilburn M. Kersey Pvt
Paul R. Kimball 2Lt O-531344
Albert J. Klausen PFC
Burl J. Knapp Cpl 36402694
Harold L. Kobel Pvt 16089059
Orrin F. Kuehl Pvt
LaVerne Jr LaBar Pvt 33359847
Walter L. Ladd T4 35470679 1st Special Service Force
Paul G. LaPorte Lt Canadian
Robert J. Larkin Cox 6262561
Ralph E. LaValle FLO T-000813
William C. Lawson Pfc 37214203?
Horace F. Leaman FLO T-124242
Calvin R. Lee PFC
James E. Lee Pvt
Theodor N. Legg
PFC
Joseph Legros PFC
Charles C. Lemen Pvt
Rudolph M Lencer
Sgt 32274543
Louis P. Lesmeister SSgt 37203983
Harold J. Lewis PFC
Billie E. Lewis PFC
Lewis N. Lindsey Pvt/Cpl? 14047256
Harry Linett Cpl 12079843
Daniel T. Lopez Pvt 32910141
Vestal R. Lucas Pvt 38419909
Albert V. Luksis PFC 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion
Arthur E. Lundquist PFC 32931782
Arthur J. Lupone T4 32522351 602nd Pack Field Artillery Battalion
George R Lynch PFC 32981213
Rexford C. Mann Pvt B-137315
Gérard Marche Capt Corvette
Leonard Mathis Pvt 33525081
Kenneth R Mattice Sgt 32040289
Travis V. McDonald PFC 38343717
Theodore M. McDonald Pvt 36246219
Kenneth D. McDougall 2Lt
Richard M. McFarland FLO T-123849
Joseph T. McGeever Capt
Paul R. McKee 1Lt O-1823909
Herbert B. McLamb PFC
Melvin W. McLey PFC
Willard E. Meek PFC 35593202
Harold D Metzger Cpl
Patrick L. Michaels Pvt
Georges Mignot Matl Fsl
Maurice J Miley 2Lt
Ralph R Jr Miller Capt 1283116
Robert J. Miller Sgt 39566866
Harold H. Miller Pvt
Walace A. Montgomery Pvt
Harry F. Moore 2Lt 0-1823915
Stanley W Moore Pvt 38468661
James D. Moore 2Lt O-2055069
Harry J. Moore Pvt
Alfred Moore
Pvt 35642441
Eric Arthur Morley Pvt 6299827
Thomas A. Naylor Pvt
Harry Newell Pvt 2152812
William E. Nichols PFC 34817628 141st Infantry Regiment
Eugene E. Obenrader PFC 33683835
Joseph E. O'Brien Pvt
Patrick O'Flaherty Pvt 5125846
Daniel L. Ogniewski PFC 32932175
Marvin R. Oliver PFC
Harry E Oliver 2Lt O-1320157
Clarence B. Olson PFC
Victor A. Osburn T5
Med 35209270
James J. Pacey PFC 35218224
Robert J. Painton Lt
Melvin R. Palmer Pvt
Anthony Paplatario 1Sgt
Leon W. Parks Pvt 32938245 551st Parachute Infantry Battalion
Eugene F. Patenaude T4
James Fairbairn Patterson Pvt 7264358
Rushton D. Peabody 1Lt 551st Parachute Infantry Battalion
Thomas W Pennebaker Pvt
Albert T Peterson SSgt 20232720
Adolph Petras T/Sgt 20803348 141st Infantry Regiment
John A. Pinciak Pvt
Alfred Jr Pipino Pvt
John J. Polinsky Pvt
Paul Emile Maurice Pollender Pvt D
129989
Lee W. Polson T5 Med 34128576
Thomas C. Potenza Sgt B-137590
Leon V Potter Pfc
Sam L. Rader T4
Stanley E. Radon Pvt 6584895
Carl F Rash PFC 35552820
Carl R. Jr Ratajczak Pvt 33407875
Emmett J. Reed Pvt 35776745
Joseph J. Reginato Pvt 517th Parachute Infantry Regiment
George W Reid T 5
William Richards PFC
Julius J. Richmond Pvt 34610801
Howard L. Richmond Pvt
Arthur W. Ridler 1Lt O-454403
Arnold C Ridout SSgt 39132903
Don A. Rigby Pvt
Albert M. Robinson 2Lt
Robert George Rodger Pvt 3129916
Herbert Rodgers Lnc Sjt 2937177
William A. Rogge PFC 20653122
Burnell Rose SSgt 34303847
Joe G. Rowe Pvt
Walter D. Jr Ruark Cpl
George P. Ruell Pfc 12153037
Charles J. Sadlo 2Lt
Richard Sailor Pvt 37020050
Carl G. Salmon Pvt
Ross Leroy Samuel Lt Canadian
Max W. Sanchez FLO T-121464
George J. Scecina Pvt
Floyd Stanley Schmidt Sgt Canadian
Mark E. Scott PFC
Harold D. Seegar Pvt
Ramon M. Sepulveda Pvt 36383866
Pierre Servel Ensgn Vaisseau
Rex D Sexton PFC 39386260
Alton L. Shaneyfelt T4
George W. Sharpe 1Lt
Theodore R. Shearer Lt
Thomas L. Sheehan Pvt 42032916
Arthur E. Sherman Cpl 39571184
Harold I. Shumaker PFC 36121939
Alois J. Siewierski PFC
Eugene D. Jr Singley Pvt
Duane L. Smith 2Lt
David W. Smith Sgt
Willis H. Smith PFC
John A Staat Pvt 36653263
Charles F. Stanford PFC 33039782
Hugh R. Starr T5 15012443
Preston Stephens FLO T-060452
Leonard Stevenson Pvt 5783995
Arthur Claude Firth Stewart Lt 108201
Joseph M. Stewart Cpl
Alton W. Strassburg PFC 32842298
William A Sutherland Sgt
Glenn W. Swank Pvt
Frank J. Sweetitz Franz Swetitsch Pvt 32767093 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion
Casimer W. Szczech T5
Jerome F. Tappen T5
Charles H. Tatro
Pvt 31304642
Louis J. Tenute Pvt 37547430
Gwilym John Thomas Cpl 4202347
Hillard B. Thomas 2Lt
Raymond F. Thompson Pvt 34545137
Alfred G. Thompson FLO T-122745
William Thorng Pvt 6145127
James J. Tierno Pvt 33323297 1st Airborne Task Force
Gerald K. Tilney Sgt 35164966
Reidar Tobiassen Pvt 32335593
Joseph J. Tully Pvt 31237338
Joseph F. Van Ness Pvt 6273776
Walter Vanderpool Pvt
Charles E. Vickers T4
Ernest Waddle 2Lt
John L Walkmeister 20907209
Edward J. Jr Wall T4 32748680
James L. Walton Pvt 34673997
Lee M. Webb 1Lt O-1286934
James E. White Pvt 37549178 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion
Harley L. White T5
Jack Whitfield PFC
Henry Wikins Wikinski Pvt 33781304 596th Parachute Engineer Company
John Williams Cpl 4208945
Max G. Williams Cpl 34008807
Willis A. Woodcock Pvt
William J. Wright Pvt 33572805
Stephen J. Wright Pvt
Alvin J. Yellowrobe PFC 39619427 551st Parachute Infantry Battalion
Joe E. York PFC 33436367
Basil Yulo PFC
Joseph L. Zadlo PFC 33312244
Lt William H. Crawford, FSSF, from Passaic NJ
Howard Knapp, 463rd PFAB
Thomas M Shaw, 463rd PFAB
Edward M Spath, 463rd PFAB
Joseph Vuchak, 463rd PFAB
Weldon Walker, 463rd PFAB
Thomas J Wolf, 463rd PFAB
Keywords: oral history, battlefield archeology, Operation Dragoon, Airborne, Reserve Division 148, First Airborne Task Force, Maritime Alps, WWII, French Riviera. Histoire orale, archéologie de confit.
Keywords Libération de Vence, Villeneuve-Loubet, Montauroux, Nice, St Cézaire sur Siagne, la Roquette sur Var, la Colle sur Loup, Mandelieu la Napoule, Cannes, Théoule sur Mer, Fayence, la Turbie, Peira Cava, Hill 1098, le Col de Braus, Sospel, le Broc, Grasse, St Tropez, Menton, Callian, et le reste de la Côte d'Azur. Reserve Division 148. Reserve Grenadier Bataillon 7. Reserve Jäger Bataillon 28. Reserve Grenadier Bataillon 164. Reserve Grenadier Bataillon 327. Reserve Grenadier Bataillon 372. Reserve Grenadier Bataillon 444. Reserve Artillerie Regiment 8. Reserve Artillerie Abteilung 44. 509th Parachute Infantry Batallion. 551st Parachute Infantry Battalion. First Special Service Force (FSSF). FABTF. First Airborne Task Force. Le Groupe Naval d'Assaut de Corse. Generalleutnant Otto Fretter-Pico. General Robert T. Frederick. Colonel Yarborough. 517th Parachute Infantry Combat Team Puerto Rican 65th Infantry Regiment Moulinet Tête du Pin, First Airborne Task Force.
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