Radio silence, Market Garden and death at Arnhem

[ArtKramr]

It was September 17th 1944. We were returning from a mission. As we flew west
we could spot a sky full of C-47's pulling gliders. The sky was black with
them. As we watched them fly by us, going East, the command radio came alive.
Someone blurted over the Command set and in the clear, "Wow, look at all those
gliders". we were all horrified. The unthinkable had occured. Radio silence had
been broken and information of an attack had been revealed. We were all stunned
by this unforgivable breach of discipline. Had that incident in any way had an
effect on operation Market Garden? We will never know. But the CO was furious
and there was hell to pay when we came back toi base.We never found out who
broke radio silence. It couldn't have been any of the gunners or bombardiers
(recieve only) because they have no access to the Command Radio, Intercom
only. So it had to, be a pilot or a copilot. And what is equally interesting
is that this breach of radio silence, which could have effected the outcome of
Market Garden, was never reported in any account of the battle or in any
history book covering the battle. So if you really want to know what happened
in a battle, never depend on a historian who wasn't there. Moral of the story?
when over enemy territory keep your mouth shut.


Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

[Ed Majden]

"ArtKramr"
> It was September 17th 1944. We were returning from a mission. As we flew
west
> we could spot a sky full of C-47's pulling gliders. The sky was black with
> them. As we watched them fly by us, going East, the command radio came
alive.
> Someone blurted over the Command set and in the clear, "Wow, look at all
those
> gliders". we were all horrified. The unthinkable had occured. Radio
silence had
> been broken and information of an attack had been revealed.

Was radio silence all that big a deal? These aircraft were not flying
at 40,000 ft and could easily been spotted from the ground. Surely reports
of this activity would be reported by enemy soldiers and sympathizers.
Aircraft activity over England itself was probably reported as flights took
time to group together. The final destination may have been ambiguous but
they must have known something was taking place.
Ed

[ArtKramr]

>Subject: Re: Radio silence, Market Garden and death at Arnhem
>From: "Ed Majden"
>Date: 2/10/04 12:37 PM Pacific

>ArtKramr"
>> It was September 17th 1944. We were returning from a mission. As we flew
>west
>> we could spot a sky full of C-47's pulling gliders. The sky was black with
>> them. As we watched them fly by us, going East, the command radio came
>alive.
>> Someone blurted over the Command set and in the clear, "Wow, look at all
>those
>> gliders". we were all horrified. The unthinkable had occured. Radio
>silence had
>> been broken and information of an attack had been revealed.
>
> Was radio silence all that big a deal? These aircraft were not flying
>at 40,000 ft and could easily been spotted from the ground. Surely reports
>of this activity would be reported by enemy soldiers and sympathizers.
>Aircraft activity over England itself was probably reported as flights took
>time to group together. The final destination may have been ambiguous but
>they must have known something was taking place.
>Ed
>
>

what is there about SILENCE that is ambigious or hard to understand?. Silence
means silence. Total silence. Not a word. Not an uterence. Silence.
Total silence. Anyone who can't keep their mouths shut in the air ought to
tranfer to cooks and bakers school.




Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

[Krztalizer]

> Was radio silence all that big a deal? These aircraft were not flying
>at 40,000 ft and could easily been spotted from the ground. Surely reports
>of this activity would be reported by enemy soldiers and sympathizers.

They jerries also had Ringrichter <mumble, mumble> ah, hell, sound detectors
all over the place - big gramophone style sound collectors manned by a small
crew - that could detect (but not localize) even a single inbound e/a. Still,
nothing beats a sky entirely filled with gliders and tugs, as well as thousands
of other Allied aircraft over Northern Europe that day. Market Garden was a
disaster due to disregarded intelligence of German troops movements and an
overly ambitious plan that depended on undependable occurrances (i.e., the
successful capture of the bridges en route as well as an armored thrust down a
single road that was quickly dubbed the shooting gallery by those driving upon
it).

> The final destination may have been ambiguous but
>they must have known something was taking place.
>Ed

True, but the Germans were caught by surprise at Arnem - they couldn't believe
the Allies were dumping thousands of lightly armed and unsupported elite troops
so far behind the lines that they could not hope to fight effectively.

v/r
Gordon
<====(A+C====>
USN SAR

Donate your memories - write a note on the back and send your old photos to a
reputable museum, don't take them with you when you're gone.

[BUFDRVR]

>Anyone who can't keep their mouths shut in the air ought to
>tranfer to cooks and bakers school.

So much for providing close air support, or time critical targeting, or SEAD,
or.....


BUFDRVR

"Stay on the bomb run boys, I'm gonna get those bomb doors open if it harelips
everyone on Bear Creek"