Narrative of the Operation - Conclusions

Strategic.--Airborne units are most useful in gaining or restoring mobility when armies are in contact.

Mobile reserves should be sufficient to insure exploitation of initial airborne success.

Reserve infantry divisions should be available, and utilized, to replace airborne divisions in combat as rapidly as their replacement can be physically effected.

Employment of airborne units should be based on a maximum  exploitation of their capabilities; hence all well conceived airborne operations will involve an acceptance of a calculated risk in view of possible far-reaching results.

Tactical.--Where adequate protection from enemy interceptors can be insured, and where adequate air preparation can be provided to silence hostile flak, daylight airborne operations will suffer combat losses substantially lower than the normal operational losses sustained at night. Further, accuracy of placing airborne troops by daylight is vastly superior.

Against a well-organized army in regions vital to the enemy (e.g., Germany, Manchuria, Korea, Japan), plans for airborne operations should require that all troops and equipment essential to the success of the mission be landed on the initial day. This is especially important under certain climatic conditions, but the rapid concentration of hostile flak which must be anticipated will in any case render later air operations increasingly costly.

Doctrine requiring early relief of airborne units is sound where the enemy is well organized. Air dropping of supplies cannot be relied upon under conditions of uncertain weather and enemy flak concentrations. However, it may be possible to make a deep airborne penetration of vital enemy territory, without expectation of immediate relief, provided:

1. A period of favorable weather can be anticipated.
2. We possess virtually complete air superiority.
3. The entire air effort can be expended to further the operation.²
4. Landing fields can be seized.
5. Sufficient infantry and light artillery are air-landed at once to defend landing fields out of enemy medium artillery range.

Air Transport.--When tonnages is required for the conduct of decisive ground operations, and in the absence of adequate sea, rail, and road supply, air lift must be employed to supply any needed tonnage. Normally, the cargo should be susceptible to hand loading and should include ammunition, rations, and petroleum products. Trucks should carry ammunition rather than rations or fuel when other circumstances permit, permitting airplanes to take those cargoes better safeguarded by air lift.

Decision as to employment of troop carrier aircraft as between air transport, on the one hand, and airborne training and/or combat, on the other, must be that of the theater commander. Operation of air transport should be under the air commander.

Troop carrier strength, considering the use of troop carrier aircraft for intratheater air transport purposes, cannot be charged in its entirety against theater airborne needs. However, at least one-half the troop carrier cost is normally and permanently chargeable to airborne needs.

² This will no longer be necessarily true when air has the capability of air-landing all essential heavy ground fighting equipment.