Operation Market Garden 2023 (#284)
Today’s post covers another aspect of World War II, European Theater of Operations -- Moffatt Burriss and Operation Market Garden.
This year, I am doing a series on leaders and leadership in the European Theater of Operations (ETO) in World War II. This is 26th in the series. Check out the blog to see them all or go to the links at the bottom of this article to see the most recent ones.
Operation Market Garden
September 17, 1944 — 79 years ago last Sunday — Allied paratroopers and tankers initiated Operation Market-Garden in the Netherlands during World War II. Operation Market-Garden was a two-part operation designed to seize a bridgehead over the Rhine River, enable the Allies to attack across northern Germany, and end the war in Europe quicker. Market was the airborne portion of the operation which had British paratroopers from the 1st Airborne Division jumping near Arnhem (in the north) to seize bridges, American paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division parachuting to seize bridges near Nijmegen (in the center), and paratroopers from the 101st Airborne Division jumping to seize bridges at Son and Eindhoven (in the south). Garden was the ground portion of the operation which called for the British XXX Corps to attack northward along a narrow road network, link up with each group of paratroopers, and eventually seize the bridgehead across the Rhine River. Stiff German resistance and unexpected German units increased the challenges of the operation. Unfortunately, the XXX Corps was unable to fight its way to Arnhem, the British paratroopers were forced to abandon the city, and the operation ended inconclusively.
The operation was featured in the book and movie A Bridge Too Far, as well.
Moffatt Burris, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment
In World War II, T. Moffatt Burriss commanded I Company, 3rd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment (a predecessor of C Company, 3rd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment which I was fortunate to lead from 2000-2001). I was privileged to meet Moffatt at Fort Bragg, North Carolina in 2000. Moffatt fought with I Company during the invasion of Sicily, at Anzio, Market Garden, and the Battle of the Bulge.
The 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment did not participate in the D-Day invasion since it was recovering from combat operations in Italy. The team had healed up wounded veterans, brought in new paratroopers, integrated them, and trained them to a high level of proficiency by the late summer. During Operation Market Garden, I Company conducted a perfect parachute jump on September 17, 1944 and seized the Grave bridge intact. As Moffatt said, “Within one hour, my company was assembled with all equipment and no injuries, and we had captured our objective. None of our practice jumps had ever gone so well.”
After a brief pause, Burriss and I Company spearheaded the Waal River crossing in tiny canvas assault boats, under intense German fire, which captured the Nijmegen bridge intact on September 20. Seizing this bridge opened up the road to Arnhem and the potential for XXX Corps to relieve the besieged British paratroopers. The heroic leadership that Moffatt Burriss exhibited that day was extraordinary — as one of his peers wrote in a letter home, the battalion and the company “had accomplished the impossible. We had crossed the Waal. We had attacked across two miles of heavily defended open terrain. We had seized the two vital Nijmegen bridges. We had opened up the lifeline to Arnhem. And it had cost the Krauts plenty.” The company occupied defensive positions east of Nijmegen until November 15, when it was relieved and sent to recover in Sissonne, France. Less than half the company that made the jump into Holland went to refit at Sissonne. Moffatt wrote about his wartime experience in the wonderful book Strike And Hold.
Leadership in Crisis
How could Moffatt Burriss lead his troops in canvas boots across the Waal River while under intense fire? As leaders, we never know when we will be confronted with a crisis where we must lead our team. You may not have to cross a river under fire, but you can apply some of the same traits that Captain Burriss did on September 20, 1944:
Share risks — Burriss led his company from the front in the boats across the Waal River. You can share the risks with your team. As Captain Burriss later said, “we (the officers of the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment) expect officers to set a good example by leading their men in combat.”
Calm, cool, and collected — Burriss was as calm as he could be as he paddled across the river.
Communicate — Burriss briefed his men the plan before they boarded the boats and then did his best to update the leaders of the group with his view of the situation and what they needed to do to seize the bridge. He also listened to his team as they told him about the changing environment. Listen and communicate as much as you can to your team during a crisis.
Competence — Demonstrate your competence as a leader. As a peer said, “When we ran into strong enemy opposition, he [Burriss] didn’t say ‘You go there. He said, ‘Follow me.’ And his men did, because they respected him so highly.”
Next time you are leading people during a crisis — whether it is a storm, a natural disaster, or a pandemic — remember to share risks; be calm, cool, and collected; communicate; and demonstrate competence.
Conclusion
The last five blog posts on leaders and leadership from the World War II European Theater of Operations are:
Interested in bringing your team to Leadership Experience that uses historic case studies like Moffatt Burris crossing the Waal River? Ready to learn how to lead better under crisis? Then send me an email and we can start the discussion today about building better leaders in your organization using a historic Leadership Experience.
In the meantime, go on the offensive and use the story of Moffatt Burriss leading his company across the Waal River to inspire you this week..