82nd Airborne Division After-Action Report on the D-Day Airborne Assault and Fighting in Normandy (1944)

Date: June 6 - July 8, 1944

Created By: 82nd Airborne

Original or Replica: Original

Era: The General, D-Day and the Normandy Invasion

Collection: Eisenhower Presidential Library

Citations: U.S. Army Unit Records, Box 6, 82nd Airborne Division in Normandy France – Operation Neptune; NAID #12004816

This restricted U.S. Army report documents the 82nd Airborne Division’s operations in Normandy from June 6 to July 8, 1944, beginning with its airborne assault during Operation Neptune, the assault phase of the Normandy invasion. The division’s mission called for parachute and glider forces to land west of Sainte-Mère-Église, secure crossings over the Merderet River, protect the western flank of VII Corps, and prevent German forces from interfering with the landings at Utah Beach. The report describes the organization of the division into separate parachute, glider, and seaborne forces and details preparations immediately before D-Day.

The narrative records the difficult airborne landings early on June 6. Heavy clouds, enemy fire, and evasive maneuvers scattered paratroopers and gliders across the countryside, forcing small groups to reorganize and pursue their objectives independently. Elements of the 505th, 507th, and 508th Parachute Infantry Regiments fought to secure Sainte-Mère-Église, bridges, roads, and positions along the Merderet while confronting strong German resistance. Despite scattered landings and disrupted communications, the division gradually assembled and established defensive positions. The report provides a detailed military account of the confusion, improvisation, and combat faced by the 82nd Airborne during the opening days of the Normandy campaign.