Thread by @82ndABNDiv

10:45 AM: G Company, 3rd Battalion, 505th has been controlling a checkpoint going into Ste- Mere-Eglise for ~ 2 hours. At ~ 10:45 AM, a German force of 2 companies of infantry, supported by 3 small tanks & 3 tracked guns attacks thee roadblocks.

Myth or Fact? Did Lt. Colonel Ben Vandervoort, commander of 2-505, really order Paratroopers from the 101st to carry him on a cart as famously depicted in the movie "The Longest Day"?

ANSWER US!!!

Our position is that this #DDay story seems to be true.

In the movie, Vandervoort tells the two 101st glider troopers: "You are in the 82nd now!" and orders them to carry him around.

Vandervoort never told the story that way, but it basically went down as depicted in the film

According to those who were there, the two 101st Glider troops were carrying captured German ammo on a cart. When they saw Vandy and his condition (remember he broke his leg on the jump) they immediately started to help.

1110 AM - The Division HQ receives garbled radio messages signed "CO 507" and realizes that the 507th Regimental Commander is trying to make contact. He was isolated w/ about 300 of his Paratroopers west of Amfreville and was calling to request a link-up

According to 2 reports, when the 2 101st guys got Vandy 2 the infirmary in Ste-Mere, 1 of them said to the 82nd Paratroopers: "I didn't come to Normandy to pull a f%^king colonel around." Don't know if that part is true, but it sounds like something someone in the 101st would say

Last thing on Vandy: he was wounded twice more in Normandy after breaking his ankle.....AND STILL JUMPED INTO OPERATION MARKET GARDEN.....where he was shot in the eye

Ok - REAL last thing on Vandy.

We LOVE this painting by a fella named Michael Akkerman called "God of D Day" depicting this scene we just referenced (the two 101st guys carrying Vandy through the city)

1130 AM - Lieutenant Colonel Krause (commander of 3-505) is in St Mere. He sees that we are still being attacked from the North. He orders his I Co. to attack the high ground at Fauville from where the mortar and artillery fire was now being directed at Ste. Mere Eglise.

Captain Harold Swingler, I Co CDR, is unable to get there (we cannot confirm, but it sounds like he got lost). Trying to get to the high ground, Swingler's forces get ambushed and Swingler gets killeed. The company tries to withdraw back to Ste Mere Eglise.

Bit of an odd #DDay scene follows: as I Company is trying to withdraw after the death of Captain Swingler, the I Co. commander, the German ambushers think I Company is actually moving into a reinforcing position for another element.

The Germans think that I Company is part of a much larger American force headed their way. As I Company retreats, the Germans simultaneously retreat!

Last year we interviewed Don Jakeway, 82nd #DDay Paratrooper. He told us about being dropped 600 meters off the drop zone. "What was it like to be alone?" I asked. Don is a man of Faith. He immediately and sharply replied: "I'm never alone."

We will never forget that

We are wrapping up here and want to thank all of you for following along. We’ve got a few minutes left here

Remember, we’ve strung all these tweets together so you can follow the thread

So that's it, folks. The story does not end there, but we do. This was a glimpse into 17 hours that would impact the Free World.

What a story. What a remarkable time. What a group of men. What a Nation we live in to have them.

Thank you all so much.

#DDay