For the remainder of the war, they served primarily as elite motorized infantry . They fought legendary defensive battles, such as the months-long defense of the monastery at Monte Cassino in Italy and against the Allied advance in the Normandy hedgerows . Training and Specialized Equipment
A specialized knife for cutting oneself free from parachute cords.
Because of their parachute design, jumpers could only carry pistols and grenades; their primary rifles and machine guns were dropped in separate canisters that had to be recovered on the ground.
The invasion of Crete ( Operation Mercury ) was their most famous mission. Although they captured the island, they suffered approximately 6,400 casualties . This loss was so severe that Hitler forbade further large-scale parachute drops, fearing the elite force would be wiped out.