1945 82nd Airborne Pictorial Map of Western Europe - Printed in the 82nd's Newspaper

This is a World War II 1945 82nd Airborne Division pictorial map of Europe. The map highlights the 82nd's combat experience, with a focus on Berlin and the Division's role in the post-war occupation.

A Closer Look

Coverage embraces from the English-Scottish border and northern Ireland south to North Africa and from the Atlantic Ocean to Berlin. 82nd Airborne insignia mark training and battle sites. Striking paratrooper silhouettes mark the 82nd airborne assaults on Sicily, Salerno, Normandy, and Holland. The 82nd also saw combat at Anzio, in the Ardennes during the Battle of the Bulge, and in the drive across Germany. These actions are marked by dated lightning bolts. Additional pictorial vignettes highlight transport and training in North Africa, the Nijmegen Bridge in Holland (the Division's objective during Operation Market Garden), and forest fighting in the Ardennes. Berlin occupies most of the right side of the sheet. Notable sites include an airport, stadium, the Brandenburg Gate, destroyed buildings, and a parachute drop.

The short history of the Division's two years abroad occupies a large part of the sheet and informs the reader that the Division's tour of duty began in North Africa, then went through Sicily and Italy, before being sent to England to prepare for D-Day. After their successful jump on D-Day, the Division fought in France before being sent back to England to prepare for Operation Market Garden. The newspaper states that Market Garden was 'the perfect drop' but does neglect to point out that the operation was not successful. Then it briefly recounts the Battle of the Bulge before summarizing the push through the Siegfried Line, across the Rhine, and into Germany. The Division's combat experience follows: 371 combat days, 7 campaigns, 200,000 German prisoners, 4 Airborne invasions, and 7 major river crossings.'

Publication History and Census

This map was created by Sam West and published as Page 1 of the Berlin Edition of the 82nd Airborne Division's newspaper the All American' Paraglide, published in August or September 1945. We note a single cataloged example in an institutional collection, at the Vrijheidswmuseum in Grosbeek, Netherlands.