Operation Dragoon order of battle

On 15 August 1944, Allied forces carried out Operation Dragoon, a set of simultaneous amphibious landings by three US infantry divisions followed by four Free French divisions along the Mediterranean coast of France. The main landings were preceded by nighttime paratroop drops and commando beach landings. This was a phase of the European Theatre of World War II.

Originally called Operation Anvil, these landings had been intended to take place at the same time as the Normandy landings of Operation Overlord, commonly called D-Day, but were postponed because the necessary shipping was committed to the Normandy operation.^[1]

British Prime Minister Winston Churchill strenuously objected to the invasion of Southern France, strongly preferring an operation in the Adriatic Sea.^[2] The American high command, however, particularly SHAEF commander General Dwight D. Eisenhower, insisted on opening a port on the Southern French coast even after the lodgment in Normandy was obtained. The ports of Normandy were overwhelmed handling the cargo to support the Overlord invasion forces and another high-capacity port closer to the German frontier was vital if more men and supplies were to be delivered to the continent.^[3] Additionally, the high command of the French Liberation Army pushed for a landing on the coast of Provence that would include the large numbers of Free French troops that were being trained.^[4] Churchill finally relented only five days before the date set for the landings.^[5]

In the Alpha and Delta areas, Allied air assault and naval bombardment had either destroyed the German gun emplacements or driven their crews to abandon them.^[6] Only in the Camel zone did the landing forces experience any serious resistance.^[7]

The Americans considered Operation Dragoon a success. It enabled them to liberate most of Southern France in just four weeks while inflicting heavy casualties on the German forces (although a substantial part of the best German units were able to escape), and the ports of Marseilles and Toulon were soon in operation.

Allied command structure

Ground forces

US Seventh Army

Lieutenant General Alexander McC. Patch^[a]

Detachment, Army HQ & HQ Company & Special Troops

Detachment, HQ Seventh Army (For Beach Control HQ)

Engineer

Company D (rem Map Plat), 378th Engineer Battalion (Separate)

697th Engineer Petroleum Distribution Company

Mobile Laboratory, 701st Engineer Petroleum Distribution Company

Survey Platoon, 649th Engineer Topographic Battalion

Company A, Engineer Camouflage Battalion

1202nd Engineer Fire Fighting Platoon

1204th Engineer Fire Fighting Platoon

1711th Engineer Map Depot Detachment

Special Platoon, 460th Engineer Depot Company

US VI Corps

Major General Lucian K. Truscott, Jr.

VI Corps consisted of the US 3rd, 45th and 36th Infantry Divisions; these units are detailed in the Alpha Force, Delta Force and Camel Force sections, respectively, below.

HQ & HQ Company, VI Corps

Combat Command

Combat Command Sudre 1ere Division Blindee

Attached

1ere Cie, 9e Regt Chasseurs d'Afrique

Det, 661/2 Cie De Reparation Engines Blindee

66e Cie de Munitions (-)

Det, 705 Cie de Ravitaillement en Essence

Armee "B"

Armee B constituted the follow-up landing force

Général d'armée Jean de Lattre de Tassigny^[b]

Etat-major de l'Armée "B", compagnie de quartier général 162/27 (-)

2ème Corps d'Armee

Général de corps d'armée Edgard de Larminat

Etat-major du 2ème Corps d'Armée et compagnie de quartier général 75

Naval forces

US Eighth Fleet

Vice Admiral H. Kent Hewitt in amphibious force command ship Catoctin'^[9]

Control Group

Vice Admiral Hewitt

1 amphibious force flagship: Catoctin

1 Gleaves-class destroyer (4 × 5-in. main battery): Plunkett

9 minesweepers

8 Auk-class minesweepers: Auk, Broadbill, Chickadee, Nuthatch, Pheasant, Staff, Swift, Threat

1 Raven-class minesweeper: Raven

Special Operations Group^[c]

Captain H.C. Johnson

Western Diversionary Unit (Captain Johnson)

Landings west of Alpha beaches

1 Gleaves-class destroyer (4 × 5-in. main battery): Endicott

4 minelayers

8 PT boats

12 ASRC

Eastern Diversionary Unit (Lieutenant Commander Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.,^[d] USNR)

Landings east of Camel beaches

4 gunboats HMS Aphis, HMS Scarab, HMS Stuart Prince, HMS Antwerp

3 minelayers

4 PT boats

Aircraft Carrier Force (Task Force 88)

Rear Admiral Thomas Hope Troubridge, RN in light cruiser HMS Royalist^[11]

Task Group 88.1

Rear Admiral Troubridge

5 escort carriers

HMS Khedive: 899 Naval Air Squadron (Supermarine Seafire fighters)

HMS Emperor: 800 Naval Air Squadron (Grumman F6F Hellcat fighters)

HMS Searcher: 882 Naval Air Squadron (Grumman F4F Wildcat fighters)

HMS Pursuer: 881 Naval Air Squadron (Grumman F4F Wildcat fighters)

HMS Attacker: 879 Naval Air Squadron (Supermarine Seafire fighters)

2 anti-aircraft light cruisers: HMS Royalist, HMS Delhi

7 destroyers

5 T-class: HMS Troubridge, HMS Tuscan, HMS Tyrian, HMS Teazer, HMS Tumult

1 E-class: HHMS Navarinon

1 Type II Hunt-class: HMS Wheatland

Task Group 88.2

Rear Admiral Calvin T. Durgin, USN

4 escort carriers

Tulagi: VOF-01 (Grumman F6F Hellcat fighters)

Kasaan Bay: VF-74 (Grumman F6F Hellcat fighters)

HMS Hunter: 807 Naval Air Squadron (Supermarine Seafire fighters)

HMS Stalker: 809 Naval Air Squadron (Supermarine Seafire fighters)

2 antiaircraft light cruisers: HMS Colombo, HMS Caledon

6 destroyers

5 Gleaves-class (4 × 5-in. main battery): Jeffers, Butler, Gherardi, Herndon, Shubrick

1 Benson-class (5 × 5-in. main battery): Murphy

6 British minelayers

Antisubmarine and Convoy Control Group (Task Group 80.6)

Captain J.P. Clay^[12]

40 destroyers

21 Hunt-class

HMS Atherstone, HMS Cleveland, HMS Whaddon HMS Beaufort, HMS Bicester, HMS Blackmore, HMS Calpe, HMS Farndale, HMS Lauderdale, HMS Liddesdale, HMS Oakley, HMS Zetland', HHMS Kriti HMS Aldenham, HMS Belvoir, HMS Catterick, HMS Eggesford, HHMS Themistoklis, HMS Haydon, HHMS Pindos HMS Brecon

9 Gleaves-class (4 × 5-in. main battery): Niblack, Carmick, McCook, Frankford, Baldwin, Harding, Satterlee, Thompson, Doyle

4 Benson-class (5 × 5-in. main battery): Benson, Madison, Hilary P. Jones, Charles F. Hughes

1 Somers-class (8 × 5-in. main battery): Jouett

5 French destroyers: Le Fortuné, Forbin, Simoun, Tempête, Alcyon

6 destroyer escorts

4 Buckley-class (3 × 3-in. main battery): Tatum, Haines, Marsh, Currier

2 Edsall-class (3 × 3-in. main battery): Frederick C. Davis, Herbert C. Jones

7 corvettes

5 French: Marocain, Tunisien, Hova, Algérien, Somali

2 British: HMS Aubrietia, HMS Columbine

6 French sloops: Commandant Domine, La Moqueuse, Commandant Bory, La Gracieuse, Commandant Delage, La Boudeuse

12 minesweepers

6 Admirable-class: Improve, Implicit, Incessant, Incredible, Mainstay, Pinnacle

6 yard minesweepers

Sitka Force

Parachute and commando landings night of 14–15 August

Sitka parachute and commando forces

1st Airborne Task Force

Brigadier General Robert T. Frederick

HQ & HQ Company, 1st Airborne Task Force

517th Parachute Infantry Regiment^[13]

1st Battalion

2nd Battalion

3rd Battalion

460th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion^[e]

596th Airborne Engineer Company

509th Parachute Infantry Battalion

550th Airborne Infantry Battalion (Glider)

1st Battalion, 551st Parachute Infantry Regiment (Reinforced)

463rd Airborne Field Artillery Battalion

602d Glider Field Artillery Battalion (75mm Pack)

887th Airborne Engineer Aviation Company

512th Airborne Signal Company

Antitank Company, 442d Infantry Regiment:

552nd Antitank Company^[f]

Company A, 2nd Chemical Mortar Battalion

Company D (airborne), 83d Chemical Mortar Battalion

676th Medical Collecting Company

Provisional Airborne Military Police Platoon

Provisional Pathfinder Detachment

172d Detail Issues Depot British Heavy Aerial Resupply Company

334th Quartermaster Depot Company(-)

3358th Quartermaster Truck Company

Detachment, 3d Ordnance Company (Medium Maintenance)

British 2nd Independent Parachute Brigade Group

4th Parachute Battalion

5th (Scottish) Parachute Battalion

6th (Royal Welch) Parachute Battalion

127th (Parachute) Field Ambulance

300th Airlanding Anti-tank Battery Royal Artillery

64th Airlanding Battery Royal Artillery

2nd Parachute Squadron Royal Engineers

2nd Independent Parachute Brigade Group Signal Company Royal Signals

1st Independent Glider Squadron Army Air Corps

23rd Independent Platoon Army Air Corps (Pathfinders)

2nd Independent Parachute Brigade Group Company Royal Army Service Corps

751st Parachute Brigade Company Royal Army Service Corps

T Company Royal Army Service Corps

2nd Independent Parachute Brigade Group Workshop Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers

2nd Independent Parachute Brigade Group Provost Section Royal Military Police

US-Canadian 1st Special Service Force(-)^[g]

French Groupe de Commandos(-)

Commandos d'Afrique (750 men)

Groupe Naval d'Assault de la Marine en Corse (67 men)

Sitka naval forces

Rear Admiral Lyal A. Davidson in heavy cruiser Augusta^[14]

Gunfire Support Group

Rear Admiral Davidson

1 Lorraine

1 heavy cruiser: Augusta

1 light cruiser: HMS Dido

4 destroyers

1 Somers-class (6 × 5-in. main battery): Somers

1 Gleaves-class (4 × 5-in. main battery): Gleaves

1 L-class: HMS Lookout

1 Hunt-class: HHMS Themistoklis

3 light cruisers:^[h] Omaha, Cincinnati, HMS Sirius

Transport Group

Rear Admiral Theodore E. Chandler^[i]

Unit A

2 destroyer transports: Tattnall, HMS Prince Baudoin

1 PT boat: PT-201

Unit B

HMCS Prince Henry

4 destroyer transports: Barry, Greene, Roper, Osmond Ingram

4 PT boats

Romeo Unit

HMCS Prince David, HMS Prins Albert, HMS Princess Beatrix

4 PT boats

Screen

8 PT boats

Minesweeper Group

5 British: HMS Larne, HMS Clinton, HMS Octavia, HMS Stormcloud, HMS Welfare

4 minelayers

1 danlayer: HMS Kintyre

Alpha Force

Landings near St. Tropez, 15 August

Alpha ground forces

3rd Infantry "Rock of the Marne" Division

Major General John W. O'Daniel

Organic Units

HHC & Special Troops

3rd Military Police Platoon

3rd Signal Company

3rd Quartermaster Company

3rd Counter Intelligence Corps Detachment

3rd Mechanized Reconnaissance Troop

703rd Ordnance Light Maintenance Company

10th Engineer Combat Battalion

3rd Medical Battalion

Infantry

7th Infantry Regiment

15th Infantry Regiment

30th Infantry Regiment

Artillery

9th Field Artillery Battalion (105mm Howitzer)

10th Field Artillery Battalion (105mm Howitzer)

39th Field Artillery Battalion (105mm Howitzer)

41st Field Artillery Battalion (155mm Howitzer)

Alpha naval forces

Task Force 84^[15]

Rear Admiral Frank J. Lowry in Coast Guard cutter Duane

Force Flagship Group

1 Coast Guard cutter: Duane

1 fighter director ship: HMS Ulster Queen

1 LCI-953

1 subchaser: PC-1169

Assault Groups

Red Beach Assault Group

46 LCI, 25 LST, 7 LCC, 43 LCT, 11 LCM, 1 LCG, 1 LCF, 7 LCS, 4 British AM, 5 PC

Yellow Beach Assault Group

2 attack transports: Samuel Chase, Henrico

2 transports: Anne Arundel, Thurston

3 attack freighters: Oberon, Andromeda, HMS Highway

6 SC, 4 PC, 3 LCC, 6 LST, 9 LCI, 1 LCG, 1 LCF, 17 LCT, 9 LCM, 6 LCS, 4 British AM

Gunfire Support Group (Rear Admiral J. M. Mansfield, RN)

1 battleship: HMS Ramillies

1 heavy cruiser: Quincy

5 light cruisers: HMS Orion, HMS Aurora, HMS Ajax, HMS Black Prince, French Gloire

6 destroyers

4 Gleaves-class (4 × 5-in. main battery): Livermore, Eberle, Kearny, Ericsson

2 T-class: HMS Terpsichore, HMS Termagant

Minesweeper Group

4 Auk-class: Prevail, Seer, Dextrous, Pioneer

6 SC, 10 YMS, 8 British and 6 French AM, 2 LCC, 2 danlayers

1 minelayer: Barricade

Salvage and Firefighting Group

Fleet tug Hopi, 1 ATA, British tugs Empire Spitfire, Empire Ann, 1 boom vessel, 1 ATR, 1 YTB, 1 YTL, 1 FT

Delta Force

Landings near St. Maxime, 15 August

Delta ground forces

45th Infantry "Thunderbird" Division

Major General William W. Eagles

Organic units

HHC & Special Troops

45th Military Police Platoon

45th Signal Company

45th Quartermaster Company

45th Counter Intelligence Corps Detachment

45th Mechanized Reconnaissance Troop

700th Ordnance Light Maintenance Company

120th Engineer Combat Battalion

120th Medical Battalion

Infantry

157th Infantry Regiment

179th Infantry Regiment

180th Infantry Regiment

Artillery

158th Field Artillery Battalion (105mm Howitzer)

160th Field Artillery Battalion (105mm Howitzer)

171st Field Artillery Battalion (105mm Howitzer)

189th Field Artillery Battalion (155mm Howitzer)

Delta naval forces

Task Force 85^[16]

Rear Admiral Bertram J. Rodgers in amphibious force flagship Biscayne

Force Flagship Group

Force flagship: USS Biscayne

1 Gleaves-class (4 × 5-in. main battery) destroyer: USS Forrest

1 fighter-director tender

Transport Group (Captain R.A. Dierdorff)

6 transports: USS Elizabeth C. Stanton, Lyon, SS Marine Robin, SS Santa Rosa, Barnett, Joseph T. Dickman

2 attack freighters: USS Procyon, Arcturus

British LSP Dilwara, LSI HMS Ascania, Landing Ship Gantry RFA Ennerdale (carrying LCM).

3 destroyers

2 Gleaves-class (4 × 5-in. main battery): USS Baldwin, Carmick

1 Benson-class (5 × 5-in. main battery): USS Madison

2 Buckley-class destroyer escorts (3 × 3-in. main battery): USS Marsh, Haines

Assault Groups

Red Beach Assault Group: 10 LST, 6 LCI, 7 LCT, 1 LCG, I LCF, 4 LCS, 2 LCM(R), 2 SC, 2 LCC; 1 LCM

Green Beach Assault Group: 5 LST, 5 LCI, 7 LCT, 4 LCS, 2 LCM, 2 SC, 1 LCC

Yellow Beach Assault Group: 2 LST, 2 LCI, 26 LCVP, 4 LCS, 4 LCT, 3 LCM, 1 SC, 1 LCC

Blue Beach Assault Group: 1 LST, 26 LCVP, 16 LCT, 1 LCG, 1 LCF, 4 LCS, 3 LCM, 1 PC, 1 LCC, 1 LCI

Corps and Division Reserve Groups: 5 LST, 20 LCI, 18 LCT, I FT

Gunfire Support Group (Rear Admiral C.F. Bryant)

2 battleships: Texas, Nevada

1 light cruiser: Philadelphia

2 French light cruisers: Montcalm, Georges Leygues

8 Gleaves-class (4 × 5-in. main battery) destroyers: Ellyson, Hambleton, Rodman, Emmons, Macomb, Forrest, Fitch, Hobson

3 French large destroyers: Le Fantasque, Le Terrible, Le Malin

Minesweeper Group

8 minesweepers

2 Auk-class: Sway, Symbol

6 British: HMS Rinaldo, HMS Antares, HMS Arcturus, HMS Brave, HMS Rosario, HMS Spanker

2 danlayers: Satsa, Calm

Combat and Firefighting Group

5 fleet tugs: Narragansett, Pinto, HMS Aspirant, HMS Athlete, HMS Charon

1 ATA, 2 YTL

Camel Force

Landings at St. Raphael, 15 August

Camel ground forces

36th Infantry "Arrowhead" Division

Major General John E. Dahlquist

Organic units

HHC & Special Troops

36th Military Police Platoon

36th Signal Company

36th Quartermaster Company

36th Counter Intelligence Corps Detachment

36th Mechanized Reconnaissance Troop

736th Ordnance Light Maintenance Company

111th Engineer Combat Battalion

111th Medical Battalion

Infantry

141st Infantry Regiment

142nd Infantry Regiment

143rd Infantry Regiment

Artillery

131st Field Artillery Battalion (105mm Howitzer)

132nd Field Artillery Battalion (105mm Howitzer)

133rd Field Artillery Battalion (105mm Howitzer)

155th Field Artillery Battalion (155mm Howitzer)

Camel naval forces

Task Force 87^[17]

Rear Admiral Spencer S. Lewis

Force Flagship Group

1 attack transport: Bayfield

British LCH-3l5

Assault Groups

Red Beach Assault Group

2 attack transports: Charles Carroll, Thomas Jefferson

3 transports: Dorothea L. Dix, Florence Nightingale, General G. O. Squier

3 attack freighters: Cepheus, Achernar, Betelgeuse

5 LCI, 3 LST, 21 LCT, 20 LCVP, 9 LCS, 3 LCC, 1 LCG, 1 LCF, 2 LCM, 3 SC, 2 PC; 1 LSI (Br.), 1 LSD (Br.)

Green Beach Assault Group

23 LCI, I LCH, 14 LST, 21 LCT, 7 LCVP, 7 LCS, 3 LCC, 1 LCG, 1 LCF, 2 LCM, 2 PC, 2 SC

Blue Beach Assault Group

5 LST, 1 LCI, 3 LCS, 2 LCT, 2 SC, 1 PC

Escort and Screening Group

Destroyers from Bombardment Group

6 PC, 10 SC, 1 LST, 2 LCF, 1 LSF, 1 LCC, 5 LCS, 5 LCVP, 1 LCT, 2 LCM

Bombardment Group

Rear Admiral Morton L. Deyo

1 battleship: Arkansas

1 heavy cruiser: Tuscaloosa

5 light cruisers: Brooklyn, Marblehead, HMS Argonaut, French cruisers Duguay-Trouin, Émile Bertin

11 destroyers

8 Benson-class (5 × 5-in. main battery): Boyle, Champlin, Parker, Kendrick, MacKenzie, McLanahan, Nields, Ordronaux

3 Gleaves-class (4 × 5-in. main battery): Woolsey, Ludlow, Edison

Minesweeper Group

4 Auk-class: Strive, Steady, Speed, Sustain

6 YMS, 6 BYMS, 2 danlayers, 6 British ML, 12 British AM, HMS Product

Salvage and Firefighting Group

2 fleet ocean tugs: Moreno, Arikara

1 U.S., 2 British ATA, 1 YTB, 3 LCI, 1 LCT, 4 LCM, 1 boom vessel, 1 YTL

Allied air forces

Mediterranean Allied Tactical Air Force

Major General John K. Cannon

XII Tactical Air Command

Brigadier General Gordon P. Saville^[18]

1st Fighter Group (Lockheed P-38 Lightning) (on loan to MATAF 12–20 August 1944)

14th Fighter Group (P-38 Lightning) (on loan to MATAF 12–20 August 1944)

27th Fighter Group (Republic P-47 Thunderbolt)

57th Fighter Group (P-47 Thunderbolt)

79th Fighter Group (P-47 Thunderbolt)

86th Fighter Group (P-47 Thunderbolt)

324th Fighter Group (P-47 Thunderbolt)

No. 251 Wing RAF (Supermarine Spitfire IX)

No. 322 Wing RAF (Supermarine Spitfire IX)

No. 324 Wing RAF (Supermarine Spitfire IX)

47th Bombardment Group (Douglas A-20 Havoc)

111th Reconnaissance Squadron (F-6A Mustang)

415th Night Fighter Squadron (Beaufighter VI)

No. 225 Squadron RAF (Spitfire V)

II/33 Escadrille (Spitfire V)

Quartieme Escadre (P-47 Thunderbolt)

57th Bombardment Wing

310th Bombardment Group (North American B-25 Mitchell)

321st Bombardment Group (B-25 Mitchell)

340th Bombardment Group (B-25 Mitchell)

5th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron (F-5 Lightning)

23d Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron (F-5 Lightning)

No. 682 Squadron RAF (Supermarine Spitfire XI)

42d Bombardment Wing

17th Bombardment Group Martin B-26 Marauder

319th Bombardment Group (B-26 Marauder)

320th Bombardment Group (B-26 Marauder)

31e Escadre (B-26 Marauder)

31st Fighter Group P-51 Mustang (Escorts for airborne operations)

325th Fighter Group P-51 Mustang (Escorts for airborne operations)

Mediterranean Allied Coastal Air Force

Air Vice-Marshal Hugh Pughe Lloyd^[19]

63rd Fighter Wing

No. 326 (GC 2/7 Nice) (Spitfire V and IX)

No. 327 (GC 1/3 Corse) (Spitfire IX)

No. 328 (GC 1/7 Provence) (Spitfire V and IX)

417th Night Fighter Squadron (Beaufighter VI)

VOC-01 (Grumman F6F Hellcat, Grumman TBF Avenger)

350th Fighter Group

345th Fighter Squadron (Bell P-39 Airacobra)

346th Fighter Squadron (P-39 Airacobra)

347th Fighter Squadron (P-39 Airacobra)

No. 272 Squadron RAF (Beaufighter X)

414th Night Fighter Squadron (Beaufighter VI)

No. 256 Squadron RAF (Mosquito XII and XIII)

No. 153 Squadron RAF (Beaufighter VI)

No. 458 Squadron RAAF (Wellington XIV)

No. 36 Squadron RAF (Wellington XIV)

No. 17 Squadron SAAF (Lockheed Ventura V)

4S Squadron (Supermarine Walrus)

No. 14 Squadron RAF (Marauder I, II and III)

Provisional Troop Carrier Air Division

Brigadier General Paul L. Williams^[20]

50th Troop Carrier Wing (C-47 Skytrain)

439th Troop Carrier Group

440th Troop Carrier Group

441st Troop Carrier Group

442d Troop Carrier Group

51st Troop Carrier Wing (C-47 Skytrain)

60th Troop Carrier Group

62nd Troop Carrier Group

64th Troop Carrier Group

53rd Troop Carrier Wing (C-47 Skytrain)

435th Troop Carrier Group

436th Troop Carrier Group

437th Troop Carrier Group

438th Troop Carrier Group

Axis forces

Army Group G

Generaloberst Johannes Blaskowitz

Nineteenth Army

General der Infanterie Friedrich Wiese

IV Luftwaffe Field Corps

716th Infantry Division

198th Infantry Division

189th Infantry Division

LXXXV Army Corps

General der Infanterie Baptist Knieß

338th Infantry Division (Generalleutnant René l'Homme de Courbiére)

244th Infantry Division (Generalleutnant Hans Schaefer)

LXII Army Corps

General der Infanterie Ferdinand Neuling

242nd Infantry Division (Generalleutnant Johannes Baessler)

148th Reserve Division (Generalmajor Otto Fretter-Pico)

LXIV Army Corps^[j]

159th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht) as 159th Reserve Division

Army Reserve

11th Panzer Division (Generalmajor Wend von Wietersheim)

157th Reserve Division

158th Reserve Division^[k]

Air forces

2nd Flieger-Division

Naval forces

Kommandierender Admiral der französische Südküste

6. Sicherungsflotille

Notes

References

Sources