FALLSCHIRMJAGER, Crete 1941
The airborne assault of the island of Crete, Operation Mercury, was the largest German airborne operation of WWII. It was also the first time ever that an island had been taken solely by airborne efforts. The location of Crete in the Mediterranean, was of great strategic importance to both Allied and Axis interests, so following Italy's surprise invasion of Greece in late 1940, British forces were sent to occupy Crete.
The 7th Airborne Division was tasked for the drop and was to be supported by the 5th Mountain Division which would be airlanded, after the targeted airfields were captured. A regiment of the 6th Mountain Division with heavy weapons and equipment was to sail to the island on various vessels appropriated locally. Because the Luftwaffe lacked adequate numbers of transport aircraft, the drop was made in two waves, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. The success of the operation depended on the capture of the airfields to allow reinforcements to be flown in quickly.