Mission Detroit was a pre-dawnglider-borne combat assault in theAmerican airborne landings in Normandy, made by elements of theU.S. 82nd Airborne Division on the early morning of June 6, 1944, duringWorld War II. It was part ofOperation Neptune, the assault portion of theAlliedinvasion of Normandy,Operation Overlord. Originally slated to be the main assault for the 82nd Airborne, the glider operation instead became the first reinforcement mission after the mainparachute combat assault,Mission Boston. The landing zone for mission Detroit was nearSainte-Mère-Église, to the west ofUtah Beach.
The objective of the division was to secure the town ofSainte-Mère-Église and to take the bridges along theMerderet River. By doing this, theU.S. 4th Infantry Division coming in atUtah Beach would have easy access to making their way northwards towards the ports atCherbourg.
Casualties for the 82nd Airborne Division onD-Day were about 1,260 of 6,600, or about 20%. On 6 June 1944 the heavier elements of the division landed by glider inMission Elmira.
| Serial | Airborne Unit | Troop carrier Group | # of C-47s | # of gliders | UK Base | Drop Zone | Drop Zone Time |
| 28 | Batteries A & B, 80th AAA Bn Elements Div HQ Elements Div Artillery Elements 82nd Signal Bn | 437th TCG | 52 | 52 Waco | RAF Ramsbury | O | 0407 |
SOURCE: D-Day Etat des Lieux
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