Dragoon Liberty March

On August 14, 1944, Radio London broadcast the coded message “Nancy has a stiff neck,” signaling the launch of Operation “Dragoon” and the landing in Provence to catch the Germans by surprise and relieve pressure on the Normandy front.

During the night of August 14-15, the First Airborne Task Force, led by General Robert T. Frederick, deployed nearly 5,000 paratroopers from the 2nd Independent Parachute Brigade Group, the 517th Parachute Regiment Combat Team, the 551st Parachute Infantry Battalion, and the 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion over the areas of La Motte and Le Muy.

After liberating these villages, a unit of the 551st PIB was sent on August 16, 1944, to reinforce and join forces with local resistance fighters battling to reclaim the town of Draguignan from German soldiers.

This second edition is dedicated to honoring the memory of these courageous paratroopers. It is precisely this liberating march through the Provençal villages that the “Airborne Dragoon Forces” Association invites you to relive through the “Dragoon Liberty March 2025.”

Covering a distance of 14 kilometers, the march will be organized in two stages:

1. The first stage will begin at General Frederick’s headquarters, located in the Mitan district of La Motte (Drop Zone O). The route will pass through the village of La Motte and lead you, under the scorching Provençal sun, through stunning landscapes of vineyards and pine trees to the Château de Valbourgès (Drop Zone A) and the Château de Sainte Roseline (Command Post and Field Hospital). This part of the march will include dynamic reenactment scenes.
2. The second stage will transport participants by vehicle to Les Arcs-sur-Argens and then to Le Muy in Provence (primary objectives of the airborne troops) for liberating parades in the streets of these towns. Finally, to conclude this unforgettable day in spectacular fashion, the event will end in Draguignan (headquarters of General Neuling’s Kommandantur and a city in a state of insurrection), with a triumphant arrival and a symbolic reception by Draguignan’s resistance fighters, amid the warm applause of the local population.

A decoration ceremony for all participants, organized by the city’s authorities and elected officials, will then take place to ensure a lasting memory of this memorable day.

Evening dining available on-site in Draguignan. Food trucks will be present.

The “Airborne Dragoon Forces” Association, whose primary concern is the authenticity of uniforms and weaponry, will be required to inspect and verify the compliance of equipment according to a detailed “dress code” outlined on our Facebook page.