D-day WI: Special forces take Cherbourg

WI the allies had sent in special forces or one of the airborne divisions and taken Cherbourg by surprise and capture the docks intact. Would that be possible?
 
I doubt it. Droping an airborne unit in the night close to a big town just begs for disaster. St Mere Eglise, anyone? And that was just a village. So you have to drop them farther. Also, paratroopers need time to get together after landing and organize before they become a significant force. In Normandy they had serious problems with that. Germans would have had time to consolidate their defense.
Special forces? They may have captured the port itself, although I'm not so sure. How would they get there? A raid, St. Nazaire style? But how long would they have been able to hold the port?
 
There's also the question of the forces the Germans had in Cherbourg, from memory when I was there a few years back there's fairly high ground over looking the port and it was fortified during the war. Any Artillery positioned there would be well placed to engage a naval force and would give problems for any airborne units.
 
Theres also the problem that the germans were prepared to destroy the ports on short notice. Getting a division of special forces landing in v22 ospreys isoted from today might work. Aside from that, im doubtful.
 
WI the allies had sent in special forces or one of the airborne divisions and taken Cherbourg by surprise and capture the docks intact. Would that be possible?

They would get slaughtered. Special forces and airborne troops in WW2 didn't do too well if not relieved by main forces in a day or two.

Cherbourg was a 'designated fortress' with thousands of troops and plenty of mines protecting the harbour. The German defence plan was based on denying a port to the Allies in the early stages so as to give time for their reserves to destroy the landings while still on beaches. They had plans to defend against an assault on the port and airborne landings.

Special forces and airborne troops lacked the equipment and support to fight major set piece battles. As soon as they land the German forces hit them with artillery and panzers as well as infantry fighting on their own ground. An airborne landing is destroyed in less than 24 hours.
 
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