The War Department assigned the small Marine Parachute Battalion to the Martinique invasion force with the intent that the paratroopers would drop on the island’s airfield. It was known that over 100 American-made warplanes had been sent to Martinique, and these had to be neutralized as quickly as possible. But Martinique had no airfield, and so the paratroopers would land in the fields just east of the capital Fort-de-France.

The American parachute landing scattered badly, but French opposition proved weak and both companies had the chance to gather themselves and seek their objectives. The French suffered badly from American air attacks, and by afternoon the Para-Marines had successfully established a strong blocking position isolating Fort-de-France from any reinforcements summoned from the eastern or central portions of the island.