Waal River Crossing

The site of the famous Waal River crossing by elements of the 504th PIR and the 307th Engineers of the 82nd "All-American" Division. In the distance you can see the Nijmegen Bridge which was the target of the Airborne soldiers crossing to the north side and the English tanks coming from the south. In August 1942 the 82nd Division, the unit which Sgt. Alvin York served during World War I, was split into two creating the 101st Screaming Eagles and the 82nd Airborne Divisions. The attack on Sept 20, 1944 was considered by many as the greatest, most gallant assault during the war. Most of the officers of the 101st were from the All-American Division. Below my new Dutch Airborne Friend Don from Zetten and I in a museum in "The Corridor." Don was a 10-year old when the skies were filled with Allied planes that brought freedom from the Nazi occupation.

American veterans of the 82nd Airborne Division cross the Waal River aboard DUKWs on September 20, 2004, the 60th anniversity of their heroic attack on the Nijmegen Bridge.