| Original caption: “Long, twin lines of C-47 transport planes are loaded with men and equipment at an airfield from which they took off for Holland. The C-47s carried paratroopers of the First Allied Airborne Army.” United Kingdom Royal Army paratroopers of the 1st Airborne Division board Douglas C-47 Skytrain transport aircraft of the 61st Troop Carrier Group for airborne Operation “Market” to be dropped at Arnhem, Netherlands. This airborne operation was intended to pave the way for Operation “Garden” a narrow front Allied ground offensive. In the largest air deployment in history, 3 airborne infantry divisions – the American 82nd and 101st and British 1st – would seize key bridges for the XXX Corps’ rapid advancement across the Rhine, through the Netherlands and into Germany. The 1st serial of 36 C-47s dropped 559 paratroops and the 2nd of 35 C-47s carried 609 men. All aircraft returning safely. The next day, 81 C-47s hauled 80 Waco CG-4A gliders to Groesbeek. Based at RAF Barkston Heath from February 18, 1944, the 61st Troop Carrier Group consisted of the 14th (designated 3I on their planes), 15th (Y9), 53rd (3A), and 59th (X5) Troop Carrier Squadrons. hTe 1st mission departed Barkston Heath at 1150 hours on the morning of September 17, 1944, with 1,168 paratroopers bound for Dutch battlefields. The Group saw no enemy aircraft and experienced only light and ineffective ground fire. All 72 aircraft returned, and the mission was considered by all crewmen to be perfect. A perfect drop on the Drop Zone, no casualties to personnel or aircraft, excellent fighter escort, and only 2 to 3 bullet holes from small arms fire. The next day, things got much tougher as the 2 formations of 40 aircraft and 40 gliders each encountered heavy flak and machine gun fire in the vicinity of the Landing Zone, from the woods, canal barges and mobile guns. Unfortunately, the 53rd reported 2 aircraft missing during post flight interrogation and reportedly saw 3 or 4 parachutes open from 1 of the burning ships. The 3rd Market mission, on the 19th proved just as deadly for the Blackjacks. The Group launched 35 aircraft carrying 192,500 pounds of vital re-supply bundles and encountered poor visibility throughout the route and intense anti-aircraft fire over the Drop Zone. Unfortunately, this accurate fire claimed another C-47 and crew from the 53rd, bringing their 2-day loss total to 12 men and 3 aircraft. The 4th and final mission of Operation “Market” was eventually flown on September 23, after numerous weather delays. The 61st Troop Carrier Group towed 63 gliders to Landing Zone “O” and lost 2 more aircraft in this mission that airlifted troops, jeeps and supplies to troops in the Netherlands. When the 4 days of missions were completed, the 61st Troop Carrier Group had flown 229 combat flights, airlifted 1,990,462 pounds of cargo and 2,372 Airborne troops into battle. These missions cost the Group 33 men, 6 aircraft, and another 25 were damaged. By the end of the month, all but 7 of the 53rd’s glider pilots and aircrew had returned to RAF Barkston Heath. 1 crew, who were reported missing on the 1st night of the Operation, had escaped the crashed airplane without a scratch and evaded German field patrols until finding friendly forces. There was jubilation in the squadron to see those returning and a reluctance to speak of the chances of those still missing. The 61st Troop Carrier Group was highly decorated for its combat parachute infantry drops during the Invasion of Sicily (Operation Husky) in July 1943; Invasion of Italy (Operation Avalanche) in September 1943; Invasion of France (Operation Overlord) in June 1944; the airborne invasion of the Netherlands (Operation Market-Garden) in September 1944; and the airborne crossing of the Rhine River, (Operation Varsity) in April 1945. | |
| Image Filename | wwii0524.jpg |
| Image Size | 652.70 KB |
| Image Dimensions | 2924 x 1832 |
| Photographer | |
| Photographer Title | |
| Caption Author | Written or Adapted by Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | September 17, 1944 |
| Location | RAF Barkston Heath |
| City | Grantham |
| State or Province | Lincolnshire |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Archive | National Archives and Records Administration |
| Record Number | NWDNS-208-AA-56T(4) |
| Status | Caption ©2026 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission; Image in the Public Domain |
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