The 3rd Division’s mission in southern France was to land on beaches in the vicinity of St. Tropez and Cavalaire, approximately 30 miles east of Toulon. Once ashore, they were to clear the enemy from the beaches and the adjacent high ground, advancing rapidly inland to assist in the Seventh Army’s attack to the west against the ports of Toulon and Marseille.[1]

(One soldier) wrote … “The French Patriots did a wonderful job helping make the invasion a success. When we hit the beach, they had signs up telling us where the minefields were located. And, in some cases they had removed some of the mines.” After recovering from the initial shock of the pre-invasion bombardment, the Germans pounded the beach with heavy artillery and mortar fire.[2]

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It was the first daylight landing in the history of the 30th Infantry. It was also the first time in any amphibious operation of the 3rd Infantry Division that the 30th Infantry was not used as an assault regiment. When the Division orders were first issued, the Regimental commander, Col. Lionel C. McGarr, called the Division commander, Maj. Gen. J. W. O’Daniel, and told him the 30th Infantry wanted to be an assault regiment on the Southern France landing, not just a follow-up outfit. The General replied, “Don’t worry, son, you are my iron fist, my triple threat. When the assault battalions get the beachhead line, I’ll break you loose through the center and let you run wild. You can exploit. You might even have to help get the beachhead or break through to keep up the momentum of the attack after the others are stopped. I’m not holding you back, son. I’m going to push you forward! Don’t worry!”[3]

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By the close of this D-Day, 66,000 troops were ashore with fewer than 400 casualties, including 95 dead. Some 2,300 German prisoners had been captured—many preferred to surrender rather than risk the vengeance of the maquis roaming the coastal uplands—and Hilter would declare August 15 “the worst day of my life.” … Bill Mauldin declared DRAGOON to be “the best invasion I ever attended.”

Wearing his blue, brass-buttoned Trinity House uniform, [Winston Churchill] had sailed for five hours from Corsica aboard H.M.S. Kimberly to join the bombardment fleet nine miles from the Riveria. … St.-Tropez remained swaddled in haze and smoke, all but invisible. Out of cigars and “in a querulous mood,” as his physician noted, the prime minister retired below to read Grand Hotel, a novel he had found in the captain’s cabin. On the flyleaf he scratched an inscription: “This is a lot more exciting than the invasion of Southern France.”[4]

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For the fourth time in their history, 3rd Division infantrymen came from the sea to land on a hostile shore when, on August 15, 1944, the Allies invaded Southern France in the “perfect operation.”[5]

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In a note, “TO THE OFFICERS AND MEN OF THE VI CORPS,” Gen. Lucian Truscott wrote:

In the bright, prophetic sunlight of the early morning of the 15th August, you men of the VI Corps—men of the 3rd Division, the 36th Division, the 45th Division and of every reinforcing unit—veterans all of other amphibious operations—launched your memorable assault against the shores of Southern France. Supported by powerful air, airborne, and naval forces and assisted by long-oppressed and waiting French Allies, you destroyed the beach defenses of the 19th German army and advanced inland one to initial objectives with almost unprecedented speed.

[At the end of the day] Truscott calculated that his corps had destroyed the power of two German divisions, had killed and wounded an unknown number of enemy soldiers, and had taken 2,129 prisoners. Corps casualties had been much lighter than expected: 183 killed and wounded, with 479 nonbattle casualties.[6]

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[1] Champagne, 77.

[2] Ibid, 80.

[3] Prohme, 206.

[4] Atkinson, The Guns at Last Light, 200-201.

[5] Collie Small. The Third: Tops in Honors. The Saturday Evening Post. August 11, 1945. Page 86.

[6] Heefner. Dogface Soldier, 193.

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