Timeline
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During November 1944
82nd et 101st Airborne Division: ordered to rest -
Beginning of February 1944
Operation Neptune, Overlord's assault phase, is launched -
February 8 1944
Major General William C. Lee is replaced temporarily -
February 15 1944
The 82nd Airborne Division settles in England -
February 28 1944
The IX Troop Carrier Command's US Airborne Pathfinder School settles in England -
March 1st 1944
The Airborne Command becomes the Airborne Center -
March 14 1944
Brigadier General Maxwell D. Taylor is appointed commander in chief of the 101st Airborne Division -
End of March 1944
The 504th PIR joins England -
April 1944
Creation of Airborne ghost units -
May 18 1944
Jump zones assignment -
May 28 1944
D-Day goal changes -
Night of the 5 to 6 June 1944
Diversion operation named Titanic -
June 6 1944
Mission Boston -
June 6 through 7 1944
Gliders landing -
July 3 and 4 1944
Drop in Dutch New-Guinea -
July 10 1944
The 101st Airborne Division returns to England -
July 13 through 14 1944
The 82nd Airborne Division returns to England -
August 2nd 1944
Activation of the 1st Allied Airborne Army -
August 15 1944
Operation Dragoon -
August 27 1944
Nominations de Ridgway et Gavin et Rattachement du 507th PIR -
September 17 1944
Landing in Holland -
End of October 1944
Brigadier General James M. Gavin receives his second Major General star -
November 29 and December 5 1944
Drop-off in the Philippines -
December 17 and 18 1944
Positioning around the village of Bastogne
June 6 through 7 1944
Gliders landing
June 6 through 7 1944: Following the paratroopers, the first gliders land in Normandy. To this occasion, as part of mission Chicago, the 101st Airborne Division loses its Assistant Commander, Brigadier General Don Pratt, who dies in his glider’s crash.
5 others missions follow; they are codenamed Detroit, Keokuk, Elmira, Galveston and Hackensack. Overall, 512 gliders managed to bring more than 4000 men in reinforcement for the 82nd and the 101st Airborne Divisions.