The United States Army
09/25/2025 | News release | Distributed by Public on 09/25/2025 08:49
Operation Market Garden veterans retrace their footsteps 81 years later
[Link] 1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption - U.S. Army WWII veteran Gene Metcalf visits one of his fallen comrades at the Netherlands American Cemetery in Margraten, the Netherlands, Sept. 20, 2025, during Operation Market Garden Commemoration Ceremonies. Operation Market Garden was conducted by Allied powers during World War II from Sept. 17-27, 1944, and is considered the largest airborne operation in history, with more than 41,000 Allied jumpers being dropped into the Netherlands to occupy bridges until land forces arrived. Its intent was to open a liberation route into northern Germany, and it was split into two phases. Phase one, known as Market, used U.S. and British airborne forces to seize nine bridges. Phase two, known as Garden, used British land forces to further secure the bridges. (Photo Credit: Courtesy Photo) VIEW ORIGINAL [Link] 2 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption - U.S. Army Veterans are greeted and honored at a Market Garden Ceremony located at 'Fox Hill,' which is a major WWII battle location in the Netherlands, September 18, 2025. Operation Market Garden was conducted by Allied powers during World War II from Sept. 17-27, 1944, and is considered the largest airborne operation in history, with more than 41,000 Allied jumpers being dropped into the Netherlands to occupy bridges until land forces arrived. Its intent was to open a liberation route into northern Germany, and it was split into two phases. Phase one, known as Market, used U.S. and British airborne forces to seize nine bridges. Phase two, known as Garden, used British land forces to further secure the bridges. (Photo Credit: David Overson) VIEW ORIGINAL
WIESBADEN, Germany - U.S. Army veterans who bravely fought in World War II participated in commemorative events honoring the 81st anniversary of Operation Market Garden in several cities in the Netherlands, Sept. 15-22.
Gene Metcalf, now 102 years old, was 19 when he parachuted into Groesbeek, the Netherlands, on Sept. 17, 1944, as part of the 82nd Airborne Division's 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment.
"I'm very proud of these young guys today," said Metcalf during an Operation Market Garden commemoration ceremony at Nijmegen-Groesbeek Ridge on Sept. 17. "They're carrying on our tradition, and I'm just so proud of them."
[Link] 1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption - U.S. Army WWII veterans Gene Metcalf (left) and Frank Stellar meet with Operation Market Garden Commemoration Ceremony attendees at a Market Garden Commemoration Ceremony in Groesbeek, the Netherlands, September 18, 2025. Operation Market Garden was conducted by Allied powers during World War II from Sept. 17-27, 1944, and is considered the largest airborne operation in history, with more than 41,000 Allied jumpers being dropped into the Netherlands to occupy bridges until land forces arrived. Its intent was to open a liberation route into northern Germany, and it was split into two phases. Phase one, known as Market, used U.S. and British airborne forces to seize nine bridges. Phase two, known as Garden, used British land forces to further secure the bridges. (Photo Credit: Courtesy Photo ) VIEW ORIGINAL [Link] 2 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption - U.S. Army Veteran Gene Metcalf arrives at a Market Garden Commemoration Ceremony located at 'Fox Hill,' which is a major battle location of Operation Market Garden during WWII, September 18, 2025. Operation Market Garden was conducted by Allied powers during World War II from Sept. 17-27, 1944, and is considered the largest airborne operation in history, with more than 41,000 Allied jumpers being dropped into the Netherlands to occupy bridges until land forces arrived. Its intent was to open a liberation route into northern Germany, and it was split into two phases. Phase one, known as Market, used U.S. and British airborne forces to seize nine bridges. Phase two, known as Garden, used British land forces to further secure the bridges. (Photo Credit: David Overson) VIEW ORIGINAL
Operation Market Garden was conducted by Allied powers during World War II from Sept. 17-27, 1944, and is considered the largest airborne operation in history, with more than 41,000 Allied jumpers being dropped into the Netherlands to occupy bridges until land forces arrived. Its intent was to open a liberation route into northern Germany, and it was split into two phases. Phase one, known as Market, used U.S. and British airborne forces to seize nine bridges. Phase two, known as Garden, used British land forces to further secure the bridges.
As U.S. paratroopers descended on Groesbeek in 1944, they were met with fierce resistance from German forces, Metcalf recalled.
"We dropped right over there," said Metcalf. "They were killing us, their 88s were firing at us, their machine guns, it was just chaos everywhere you looked. Then, the next thing we knew, our training kicked in."
The harrowing experiences of Operation Market Garden left an indelible mark on all who participated, a sentiment echoed by veterans like Frank Stellar who supported the assault.
[Link] 1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption - U.S. Army WWII veteran Frank Stellar greets attendees at an Operation Market Garden Commemoration Ceremony at Groesbeek, the Netherlands, Sept. 18, 2025. Stellar flew B-17 missions over Europe in support of Operation Market Garden 81 years ago. Operation Market Garden was conducted by Allied powers during World War II from Sept. 17-27, 1944, and is considered the largest airborne operation in history, with more than 41,000 Allied jumpers being dropped into the Netherlands to occupy bridges until land forces arrived. Its intent was to open a liberation route into northern Germany, and it was split into two phases. Phase one, known as Market, used U.S. and British airborne forces to seize nine bridges. Phase two, known as Garden, used British land forces to further secure the bridges. (Photo Credit: Courtesy Photo ) VIEW ORIGINAL [Link] 2 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption - German WWII veteran Dieter Von Levetzow (left) greets American U.S. Army WWII veteran Frank Stellar at a Market Garden Commemoration Ceremony located at 'Fox Hill,' which is a major battle location of Operation Market Garden during WWII, September 18, 2025. Operation Market Garden was conducted by Allied powers during World War II from Sept. 17-27, 1944, and is considered the largest airborne operation in history, with more than 41,000 Allied jumpers being dropped into the Netherlands to occupy bridges until land forces arrived. Its intent was to open a liberation route into northern Germany, and it was split into two phases. Phase one, known as Market, used U.S. and British airborne forces to seize nine bridges. Phase two, known as Garden, used British land forces to further secure the bridges. (Photo Credit: Courtesy Photo) VIEW ORIGINAL
Stellar, 101 years old, was a crew member on a 'Flying Fortress" B-17 in the 302nd Bomb Squadron, 8th Air Force, during Operation Market Garden.
"Most of us WWII veterans relive those days in our minds every day," said Stellar while sharing his story with local school children at a commemoration ceremony on Sept. 18.
Flying long, dangerous missions over occupied Europe, enduring heavy German anti-aircraft fire and Luftwaffe fighter attacks, Stellar's work supported major Allied campaigns including Operation Market Garden.
Lester "Les" Schrenk, 101 years old, assigned to the 327th Bomb Squadron, 92nd Bomb Group, flew combat missions in a B-17 Flying Fortress over Nazi occupied Europe.
[Link] 1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption - U.S. Army Veteran Lester "Les" Schrenk arrives at a Market Garden Commemoration Ceremony located at 'Fox Hill,' which was a major battle location in the Netherlands, during Operation Market Garden, September 18, 2025. Operation Market Garden was conducted by Allied powers during World War II from Sept. 17-27, 1944, and is considered the largest airborne operation in history, with more than 41,000 Allied jumpers being dropped into the Netherlands to occupy bridges until land forces arrived. Its intent was to open a liberation route into northern Germany, and it was split into two phases. Phase one, known as Market, used U.S. and British airborne forces to seize nine bridges. Phase two, known as Garden, used British land forces to further secure the bridges. (Photo Credit: David Overson) VIEW ORIGINAL [Link] 2 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption - U.S. Army WWII veteran Lester "Les" Schrenk visits one of his fallen comrades at the Netherlands American Cemetery in Margraten, the Netherlands, Sept. 20, 2025, during Operation Market Garden Commemoration Ceremonies. Operation Market Garden was conducted by Allied powers during World War II from Sept. 17-27, 1944, and is considered the largest airborne operation in history, with more than 41,000 Allied jumpers being dropped into the Netherlands to occupy bridges until land forces arrived. Its intent was to open a liberation route into northern Germany, and it was split into two phases. Phase one, known as Market, used U.S. and British airborne forces to seize nine bridges. Phase two, known as Garden, used British land forces to further secure the bridges. (Photo Credit: Courtesy Photo ) VIEW ORIGINAL
"I'm just so happy to have survived WWII," said Schrenk.
On his 10th mission in February 1944, Schrenk's plane was shot down over Denmark, where he was captured by German forces, and sent to Stalag Luft IV in Poland. Alongside other POWs, Schrenk was forced to march the 500-mile "Death March." Approximately 80,000 POWs were forced to march westward, away from the advancing Soviet Army, across Poland, Czechoslovakia, and Germany in extreme winter conditions, which took place over the course of four months from January-April 1945.
Schrenk was liberated in May of 1945 and is a living example of the "Greatest Generation."
More images and videos of Operation Market Garden 81 commemorative events can be found here: DVIDS
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