Baltic Approaches D+16 (25 July, 1987) Part II

0700-1200

0700– The first purely military move against Gdansk by Soviet forces was the use of heliborne troops to seize the highway bridge spanning the Vistula River east of the city and the smaller bridges connecting the island of Wyspa Sobieszewska to the city. The operations were conducted by two Soviet airmobile battalions out of Kaliningrad. The attackers were surprised to discover Polish naval infantrymen guarding both locations in unexpectedly large numbers. Instead of the quick seizure envisioned by Soviet commanders, pitched battles erupted around the bridges and carried on even after the first Soviet troops hit the beach at 0800.

0745– CINC-West’s new orders for the Northern Group of Forces called for an immediate reshuffling of priorities and tasks. Relieving the paratroopers at Skrydstrup was now the main objective for NGF. The impending action against the Polish divisions in western Jutland was on hold for the time being. Colonel General Korbutov did not even pretend to understand the new directive for his command. After the considerable amounts of time and effort spent realigning his main combat elements for operations to the west, NGF now had to undo those moves and prepare to head north as fast as possible. This was not going to be a simple endeavor.

0820– At Skrydstrup Airbase, the commander of the 108^th Guards Airborne Regiment is starting to lose hope. He is completely out of touch with his higher headquarters and has no idea of what is taking place beyond the captured NATO airbase his forces still hold, albeit tenuously. Supplies, food and ammunition are projected to start running dangerously low within the next twelve hours. At that time, the regiment commander could find himself having to make some difficult decisions.

0900– Elements of the 36^th Guards Naval Infantry Brigade landed on the beaches east of Gdansk at 0800. An hour later, the Polish defenders had been killed or withdrew towards the city. With the beachhead now secure and being consolidated, the second wave of naval infantry was coming ashore and would begin the advance inland later in the morning.

0925– With the first combat elements of the 20^th Tank Division expected to reorient north in the early afternoon, NGF orders the East German 17^th Motor Rifle Regiment forward to establish contact with the NATO forces positioned south of Skrydstrup. Intelligence reports given to the East Germans indicate their main opposition will come from units of the West German 6^th PzGD. Instead, far forward of the expected West German positions, the lead GDR motor rifle troops encounter elements of the US 9^th Infantry Division (Light) backed up with heavy air support.

1055– The second echelon of Soviet naval infantry starts moving inland to expand the beachhead and pave the way for the follow-on echelon’s expected assault on the Gdansk shipyard. As the fighting approaches the eastern edge of the city, resistance stiffens considerably.

1159– The East German 28^th Motor Rifle Regiment defeats an early morning assault by Danish forces, which were reinforced on the previous evening. The East Germans held their positions but just by the skin of their teeth. Reluctantly, the regiment commander orders his forces still on Zealand to withdraw back to Mon. He’s unsure of just how much longer his men can hold out, but remains determined to make the Danes pay for every yard of territory in blood.