Paratroop Activities

Paratroop drops played an important role in the eastward advance. The U. S. 64th Troop Carrier Group, which had flown from the United Kingdom via Gibraltar with British paratroops, landed 34 planes at Maison Blanche on 11 November 1942. Immediately upon landing, the aircraft were refueled and the troops reorganized, in view of plans for early action. At 0600 on 12 November, 26 C-47's took off loaded with paratroops for the invasion of Bone. The operation was completely successful, and all planes returned at 1030. The escort of 12 British fighters brought down one Ju-88.

However, Axis bombardment of Bone was so heavy that it became necessary to abandon the place or dispatch antiaircraft guns. At 1200 on the 13th five C-47's, escorted by P-38, were sent with guns and ammunition to tide the garrison over until more could arrive by water. At 1500 five more C-47's departed for Bone, loaded with gasoline for fighting planes and escorted by five P-38's. The arrival was after dark; the transports landed and turned their lights on the runway to enable the Lightnings to land. It is believed that these two flights were a decisive factor in holding the port. A flight of three C-47's took additional gasoline the next day.

On 15 November a mission left to drop a parachute invasion of Souk-el-Arba, but weather forced the mission to return. The next day 32 C-47's, escorted by 12 P-38's, successfully completed the mission without loss.

Youks-les-Bains was taken on 15 November 1942. On this mission 20 aircraft of the 60th Troop Carrier Group departed from Maison Blanche at 0730 and dropped 350 paratroops of the 2d Battalion, 503d Parachute Infantry, at Youks at 0945 from an altitude of 400 feet or less in record time. The flight went by way of Djidjelli, being escorted to that point by six fighters and from there to Youks and back to Maison Blanche by 12 fighters. The drop was made without either air or ground opposition. A medium force of German infantry was reported within 20 miles of Youks. The mission of the parachutists was to deny to the Germans the use of the zone over which they were dropped. Despite the unfavorable route weather, which caused the flight as well as the escort to resort to instrument flying, the formation reached the drop zone successfully. Two enemy planes were sighted over the drop zone but they failed to attack. "the Youks jump," said Colonel Raff, "was the most successful jump I've ever made. The landing pattern over the target was perfect and well timed."

On 29 November 1942 a large scale attack was made on three vital airdromes at Depienne, Pont-du-Fahs, and Oudena, all lying in a triangle about 15 miles southwest of Tunis. Of the 45 Transports used, 26 were furnished by the 62d Troop Carrier Group and 18 by the 64th. The planes carried about 530 British paratroops. The last transport took off at 1230, followed by four Hurricanes and eight P-38's; at Le Kef 14 Spitfires joined the defense. The transports moved at about 130 m.p.h. and in spite of a rather stiff wind and a ragged formation they arrived at each scheduled point at the exact time planned. Upon arrival at the target the planes dumped their loads. All parachutists bailed out except two, who failed because of static cable trouble, but both soldiers asked the pilot to fly over the drop zone again so they could jump. All ships returned safely. Although they had penetrated into very hot enemy territory, they had met no opposition.