Major General William Carey Lee: Father of Airborne

 

My dog Torque, the Newfoundland, and I walk through the Old Historic part of Fort Bragg every morning. Most mornings, I listen to podcasts while enjoying the beautiful old buildings. Recently I started wondering about the history of the buildings I see every morning. I have a new fascination with the history of Fort Bragg. One morning in particular, while walking past the old historic division parade field, the skies filled with paratroopers jumping into the parade field for practice. My husband is not a paratrooper, so I know little about their history. Curiosity led me to do some research, which is the focus of today's blog, Major General William Carey Lee, a local hometown hero.

World War II transformed warfare as we know it. No longer would wars be fought in trenches leading to stalemates and a tremendous amount of life. The horrors of World War I led military leaders to explore new ways of conducting warfare in the interwar period. World War II cemented new tactics that increased mobility and technology to include the air, land, and sea.

Fort Bragg is home to the 82^nd Airborne Division, one of the largest military bases in the United States. First formed in August 1917, the division deployed to France during World War I but deactivated at the end of the war. It would not be reactivated until 1942 when the US found itself fighting in another world war. Today Fort Bragg and the 82^nd Airborne Division brags of a remarkable history answering our nation's call for help.

The 82^nd Airborne Division is known for its legacy of being the first airborne division in the US Army. Known as the father of Airborne, Major General William Carey Lee was born in Dunn, North Carolina, just an hour north of Fort Bragg.

Before World War I ended, Brigadier General William "Billy" Mitchell came up with the idea of dropping men with parachutes behind enemy trenches to break the stalemate. After receiving permission to try his experiment, the war ended.[1] The interwar years led to experimenting with the idea of dropping men behind enemy lines. It was Major Lee (at the time but promoted to General before the invasion of Normandy) who developed the tactics and unit behind the idea.

Major Lee advocated for the unit to fall under General McNair's command due to the unit's mission. The men, soon to be called paratroopers, would jump behind enemy lines, but they would act as a specialized infantry unit once on the ground.[2] Promotion to Lieutenant Colonel came with the responsibility of creating a training program and establishing the first parachute unit for the US Army. Lieutenant Colonel Lee established the 501^st Parachute Battalion. The unit's abilities were tested with the invasion of Normandy.[3]

Upon creating the first parachute Battalion, Lee was promoted to Major General and took command of the 101^st Division, stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Unfortunately, Lee would not get to jump into Normandy with his men. In February 1944, he suffered a heart attack and was no longer able to serve in the military. General Taylor took over for General Lee and told his men to pay tribute to their leader by shouting his name as they jumped into Normandy. As each of them jumped into the most famous battle of World War II, they called out "Bill Lee" to honor their former commander.[4] After the War, airborne operations were located at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

General William Lee helped change the trajectory of warfare and light infantry for the US Military. Airborne operations are still a vital part of army tactics. Living on Fort Bragg, it is not out of the ordinary to see paratrooper practicing their jumps. Several times a month, the skies fill with paratroopers practicing and perfecting their skills. Life on a military base is never dull between the sounds of mortar fire, paratroopers jumping, and helicopters circling the skies.

 

Bibliography:

"Destination Normandy: paratroopers of the 101st Airborne recall the moments before, during,  and after the jump of their lives." World War II, July 2009, 341-350.

Greenfield, Kent Roberts. "Forging the United States Army in World War II into a Combined Arms Team." The Mississippi Valley Historical Review 34, no. 3 (1947): 443-52.

Rapport, Leonard and Arthur Northwood, Jr., Rendezvous with Destiny: A History of the 101st Airborne Division (1948).

"William C. Lee, "Father of the Airborne"" (PDF). North Carolina Museum of History, Office of Archives and History, NC Department of Cultural Resources. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-06-30. Retrieved 2007-05-27.

Images:

http://www.bragg.army.mil/history/HistoryPage/History%20of%20Fort%20Bragg/FortBragginthe1940s.htm

https://www.bostonglobe.com/resizer/2bra2watEm3LnGw0GpgYjVLN8zA=/1440x0/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-bostonglobe.s3.amazonaws.com/public/7PNU6PTYAUI6TH3RISGSLOJSC4.jpg

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[1]              Leonard Rapport and Arthur Northwood, Jr., Rendezvous with Destiny: A History of the 101st Airborne Division (1948).

 

[2]              Kent Roberts Greenfield, "Forging the United States Army in World War II into a Combined Arms Team." The Mississippi Valley Historical Review 34, no. 3 (1947): 445.

 

[3]              "Destination Normandy: Paratroopers of the 101st Airborne Recall the Moments Before, During, and After the Jump of their Lives," World War II, (July 2009): 341.

 

[4]              "Destination Normandy: Paratroopers of the 101st Airborne Recall the Moments Before, During, and After the Jump of their Lives," World War II, (July 2009): 345