<P> The pathfinders of the 82nd Airborne Division had similar results . The first serial, bound for DZ O near Sainte - Mère - Église, flew too far north but corrected its error and dropped near its DZ . It made the most effective use of the Eureka beacons and holophane marking lights of any pathfinder team . The planes bound for DZ N south of Sainte - Mère - Église flew their mission accurately and visually identified the zone but still dropped the teams a mile southeast . They landed among troop areas of the German 91st Division and were unable to reach the DZ . The teams assigned to mark DZ T northwest of Sainte - Mère - Église were the only ones dropped with accuracy, and while they deployed both Eureka and BUPS, they were unable to show lights because of the close proximity of German troops . Altogether, four of the six drops zones could not display marking lights . </P> <P> The pathfinder teams assigned to Drop Zones C (101st) and N (82nd) each carried two BUPS beacons . The units for DZ N were intended to guide in the parachute resupply drop scheduled for late on D - Day, but the pair of DZ C were to provide a central orientation point for all the SCR - 717 radars to get bearings . However the units were damaged in the drop and provided no assistance . </P> <P> The assault lift (one air transport operation) was divided into two missions, "Albany" and "Boston", each with three regiment - sized landings on a drop zone . The drop zones of the 101st were northeast of Carentan and lettered A, C, and D from north to south (Drop Zone B had been that of the 501st PIR before the changes of May 27). Those of the 82nd were west (T and O, from west to east) and southwest (Drop Zone N) of Sainte - Mère - Eglise . </P> <P> Each parachute infantry regiment (PIR), a unit of approximately 1800 men organized into three battalions, was transported by three or four serials, formations containing 36, 45, or 54 C - 47s, and separated from each other by specific time intervals . The planes, sequentially designated within a serial by chalk numbers (literally numbers chalked on the airplanes to aid paratroopers in boarding the correct airplane), were organized into flights of nine aircraft, in a formation pattern called "vee of vee's" (vee - shaped elements of three planes arranged in a larger vee of three elements), with the flights flying one behind the other . The serials were scheduled over the drop zones at six - minute intervals . The paratroopers were divided into sticks, a plane load of troops numbering 15 - 18 men . </P>

Where did the 101st airborne land in normandy