photo #8309400

March 1945: Operation Varsity. More than 2,000 Allied aircraft droned toward Germany. Escorted by swarms of fighters, the armada of transport planes carried 17,000 troops to be dropped on the banks of the Rhine. Four hours later, all major objectives had been seized. The 17th Airborne secured the bridgehead over the Rhine, providing vital direct access into Germany for the Allied troops to guarantee victory. But have you heard of Operation Varsity and the 17th Airborne? Until now, this dangerous, important effort has been largely overlooked. More on the 17th Airborne and Operation Varsity in "Four Hours of Fury," http://bit.ly/FourHours