Raibow bridge

Raibow bridge

In 1944, as a first lieutenant, Lieutenant John S. Thompson led his men during an air raid as part of Operation Market Garden. The light in the jump bay of the platoon's C-47 Skytrain was later than expected, moving their landing zone from its intended location near Grave in The Netherlands; the plane was passing over buildings when the paratroopers were signalled to leave the aircraft, and Thompson decided to wait until reaching several approaching fields.[1]

Thompson led his platoon in an attack against the nearby bridge spanning the Maas River, which was defended by German forces supplemented by two 20 mm flak guns, one on the close side of the bridge and one across the river. The platoon opened fire on the German forces, killing four.[1] Two trucks of German soldiers arrived on the scene, but they "showed no desire to fight... [and] ran away".[2] Thompson's platoon destroyed "electrical equipment and cables that they expected were hooked up to demolitions",[2] and their bazooka operator destroyed the nearer flak gun, permitting the establishment of a roadblock on the bridge while waiting for the remainder of the 82nd Airborne