Combat· World War II
Operation DRAGOON (Southern France)
Operation DRAGOON was the Allied invasion of southern France, launched to open another front and drive German forces out of the region.
Troops landed along the Mediterranean coast and pushed inland, supported by warships that bombarded enemy positions and helped clear the way. Marines took part through the Navy once again. Ship's detachments served aboard the cruisers providing gunfire support along the coast. A few days into the operation, these warships sent landing parties ashore, including their Marine detachments, to accept the surrender of German troops holding islands in the bay near Marseilles. Marine officers also served as observers and as interpreters and liaison with French forces. As in the other landings in this theater, the Marine role was modest and centered on the fleet rather than on any Marine ground unit.
Podcast episodes on World War II
Record no. 593