On the 24th March 1945 Robert Capa was dropped by parachute, along with the men of the 513th PIR, 17th Airborne Division, who  spearheaded Operation Varsity, the airborne assault across the Rhine.

"The forty seconds to earth were like hours on my grandfather clock, and I had plenty of time to unstrap my cameras.  On the ground I kept clicking my shutter.  We lay flat on the earth and no one wanted to get up.  The first fear was over and we were all reluctant to begin the second".

Life responded by dedicating 11 pages to his images.  The portrait of the young paratrooper on the title page was of Jim Conboy of the 513th HQ Cpy.  In the jump and ensuing battle he lost a leg, but lived until 2004

Other featured photographers in this magazine:

W. Eugene Smith