1st Allied Airborne Army

The First Allied Airborne Army (FAAA) was formed shortly after the Normandy landings in August 1944 to co-ordinate all airborne operations directly under the Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF).

FAAA comprised the following elements:

- Headquarters

-1 British Airborne Corps, consisting of 1st and 6th British Airborne Divisions, 1 SAS Brigade and 1 Polish Independent Parachute Brigade Group.

- XVIII US Airborne Corps, consisting of 17th, 82nd and 101st US Airborne Divisions and certain Airborne Aviation Engineer Battalions. (13 US Airborne Division joined the Corps at a later stage.)

- IX US Troop Carrier Command

- 38 Group RAF (for specific operations as directed by HQ Allied Expeditionary Air Forces.)

- 46 Group RAF (for specific operations as directed by HQ Allied Expeditionary Air Forces.)

The FAAA planned a large number of operations which were cancelled. However, its units were deployed on three significant operations:
Operation Market Garden (September 1944);
The Battle of the Bulge (winter 1944-45);
Operation Varsity, the Rhine crossing, and the advance to the Baltic (March to May 1945).

The First Allied Airborne Army was dissolved in May 1945, following the defeat of the Germans.

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