What was the first unit to parachute in to action, and when/ where was this?

Question

Was it the British Parachute Regiment? American Airborne? German Stormtroopers? WW2? Europe or the Far East...which battle, and was the use of parachutists decisive?

Thanks!

Answer 1

On the 10th May 1940 German fallschirmjaegers jumped over Maastricht in Dutchland and in Belgium over the fort of Eben-Emaël, Vroenhoven and Weldwezelt to capture the bridges on the Meuse and the Albert canal.
Hitler used them in Crete too but was so horrified by their losses that he stopped using them as paratroopers on large scale assaults.
The Allied learned the lesson.

Answer 2

i believe it is the fallshirmjager - german paratroopers in may 1940. they landed in belgium to take Fort Eben Emael, hitherto considered impregnable, by a surprise assault. this opened the gateway to take belgium and the rest of western mainland europe. it was decisive in this particular action but also showed the allies what could be done with these type of troops and they stepped up there efforts to have there own parachute regiments.
the german use of the paratroopers in the invasion of crete however caused hitler to refrain from using them again in any major offensive because although they took crete back from the british they suffered high casualties and made the germans nervous about a repeat of this.they proved formidable defenders though in germany's resistence to the allies in italy and the east.
They did prove somewhat effective for the allies during the d-day invasion disrupting the german lines of communication and supply and stalling the reinforcements which went a long way to helping in the successful allied invasion of france.
the british paras were a part of this and proved vital in taking a vital bridge.

maybe not decisive in the whole scheme of things but definitley proved essential on specific mission objectives.

mostly used now for getting special forces in behind enemy lines unseen but the parachute regiments have an important place in the army of today.

Answer 3

The first reference I can find is Britain's first airborne assault which took place on February 10, 1941, when, what was then known as II Special Air Service (some 40 men of 500 trained in No. 2 Commando), introduced themselves to the enemy by jumping into Italy and blowing up an aqueduct in a daring raid named Operation Colossus.
But I can't be sure it was the first ever.
Curiously the Italians seem to be the first to train troops for this purpose (circa 1927)

Answer 4

The U.S. Airborne during World War II
The First Airborne Task Force
Operation Dragoon : The Invasion of Southern France
The invasion was set for August 15, 1944

Lieutenant General Lucian K Truscott, VI Corps Commander, was selected to lead the main thrust of the attack. It was LG Truscott who had led VI Corps out of the Anzio "meat grinder" and into Rome. Also attached to General Truscott's corps was the recently activated 1st Airborne Task Force (1st ABTF). This division-sized unit was activated on July 11, 1944 under the command of MG Robert T Frederick. (picture right) The 1st ABTF consisted of the British 2nd Independent Parachute Brigade, the U.S. 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion (PIB) with the attached 463rd Parachute Field Artillery Battalion, the 517th Parachute Regimental Combat Team (PRCT), the 550th Glider Infantry Battalion, the 551st Parachute Infantry Battalion.

See this link for more : http://www.ww2-airborne.us/18corps/other_overview.html

Answer 5

I am not sure of the first, but the Germans used a massed para attack on Crete, but took extemely heavy losses and decided not to do that again.
The allies did not realize how heavy the casualties were, and added more paras to their armies.

Answer 6

Germans were first to use paratroops; used them when they invaded and occupied Norway. Japanese also used them in war with china in 1937-38-39.