ABSTRACT
On 15 January 1942, the Stavka made the decision to insert Maj. Gen. A. F. Levashov’s 4th Airborne Corps into the Ozerechnia area 30 kilometers southwest of Viaz’ma (see Figures 33 and 34). It was a bold decision because it involved a series of night parachute drops conducted in the harshest of winter conditions with temperatures well below zero. The 10,000-man 4th Airborne Corps, consisting of the 8th, 9th, and 214th Airborne Brigades, was then based at Ramenskoe, near Moscow. This corps was one of the most experienced – surviving – airborne units, and its commander, General Levashov, had previously operated for a long period in the enemy rear. Also, elements of its 214th Brigade had spent three months encircled in Belorussia. The projected airborne assaults would take off from Grabtsevo, Zhashkovo, Rzhavets, and Peremyshl’ airfields, located some 30 to 40 kilometers behind the front, near Kaluga. 1 Western Front Situation, mid-January 1942 https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315036120/fe06b150-508c-4019-9ada-2ea4e742e97e/content/fig33.tif" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"/> 4th Airborne Corps Operational Plan https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315036120/fe06b150-508c-4019-9ada-2ea4e742e97e/content/fig34.tif" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"/>
