Post by Piston Paul on Sept 30, 2009 7:15:35 GMT -5
Market Garden memorial flights.
To commemorate the 65th anniversary of operation Market Garden and the liberation of Southern Holland, DDA flew some Dakota sorties over that area.
(I was privilliged to fly aboard our DC-3 in reality on Saturday September 19th from Eindhoven Airport (except Oosterbeek and Ginkelse Heide, which was off-limits that day because of mass para drops in that area)).
Below an impression.
The Waal bridge at Nijmegen. This bridge was crucial for the Allied advance to Arnhem, and had to remain intact. The 82nd Airborne Div. did the heroic job in crossing the river Waal at Sept. 20th 1944 in 26 small canvas boats under heavy enemy fire. A story not to forget...
Another view on Nijmegen and the Waal bridge.
Flying further up north to Arnhem. This was called ‘Hells Highway’, for the Allied Troops suffered many casualties on this road which led from Valkenswaard via Eindhoven to Arnhem.
The famous Arnhem bridge (too Far). This bridge had to be taken by the British Paratroops, but history tell us otherwise...
Overhead Hotel Hartenstein at Oosterbeek village. The airborne memorial is in the park across the street. During the battle, this hotel was the headquarters of general R.E. Urquhart. The hotel was under attack by the Germans for several days. Currently, the Airborne Museum is housed in this building.
The memorial.
Left turn over the Ginkelse Heide (Heath), where British paratrooper and gliders landed, Sept 17th, 1944.
The heide as seen by one of our passengers.
To celebrate the para drops at the Ginkelse Hei, a C-47 did the same 65 years later. Some WWII veterans were there (on the ground, this time) and witnessed it all.
The C-47 on its return to Eindhoven following 'Hells Highway' and just passing the bridge at Vechel over the Zuidwillemsvaart, an objective for the 101st Airborne, which landed at Best.
To commemorate the 65th anniversary of operation Market Garden and the liberation of Southern Holland, DDA flew some Dakota sorties over that area.
(I was privilliged to fly aboard our DC-3 in reality on Saturday September 19th from Eindhoven Airport (except Oosterbeek and Ginkelse Heide, which was off-limits that day because of mass para drops in that area)).
Below an impression.
The Waal bridge at Nijmegen. This bridge was crucial for the Allied advance to Arnhem, and had to remain intact. The 82nd Airborne Div. did the heroic job in crossing the river Waal at Sept. 20th 1944 in 26 small canvas boats under heavy enemy fire. A story not to forget...
Another view on Nijmegen and the Waal bridge.
Flying further up north to Arnhem. This was called ‘Hells Highway’, for the Allied Troops suffered many casualties on this road which led from Valkenswaard via Eindhoven to Arnhem.
The famous Arnhem bridge (too Far). This bridge had to be taken by the British Paratroops, but history tell us otherwise...
Overhead Hotel Hartenstein at Oosterbeek village. The airborne memorial is in the park across the street. During the battle, this hotel was the headquarters of general R.E. Urquhart. The hotel was under attack by the Germans for several days. Currently, the Airborne Museum is housed in this building.
The memorial.
Left turn over the Ginkelse Heide (Heath), where British paratrooper and gliders landed, Sept 17th, 1944.
The heide as seen by one of our passengers.
To celebrate the para drops at the Ginkelse Hei, a C-47 did the same 65 years later. Some WWII veterans were there (on the ground, this time) and witnessed it all.
The C-47 on its return to Eindhoven following 'Hells Highway' and just passing the bridge at Vechel over the Zuidwillemsvaart, an objective for the 101st Airborne, which landed at Best.
