Operation Varsity: Flying Gliders Across the Rhine

Them guys had balls. Met a guy at our Legion years ago who did that. When I told him I was with the 101st Airborne for a little while, he reached into his pocket and showed me his glider wings.

ILLUSTRATIONS: (1) 17th Abn. Div. troopers ride a CG-4A Waco glider across the Rhine during Operation Varsity, March 1945. (2) Paratroopers of the 17th Abn. Div. participate in Operation Varsity, March 1945. (3) Pfc. James Conboy, Jr., 513th PIR, 17th Abn. Div., poses for Robert Capa before boarding a C-47 bound for Germany as part of Opn. Varsity. Conboy lost his right leg when he was hit by a 20mm shell after the jump, 24 March 1945

In WWIi, they had unique names for their missions! However,when our folks got captured by them. The Germans knew much about them, before they joined the military! The Germans during that time had many spies in the United States!