World War II Database

1.  Alan Chanter says:
28 Mar 2014 02:19:27 AM

The 442nd Troop Carrier Wing based at Fulbeck, consisting of four squadrons of C47s, were allocated the task of dropping the US Airborne's 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment plus its Headquarters Company on D-Day. Forty-five C47s were involved in the drop. Led by the Group's Commanding Officer, Colonel Charles Smith, they began dropping the paratroopers at 02.40 a.m. on the 6th of June close to the Normandy village of Ste Mere -Eglise. The American pilots were ordered to drop the Paras from 700 feet, a height that left the aircraft at the mercy of light flak and small arms fire. Several aircraft crossed the drop zone a number of times to make sure the troops were to be delivered to the right spot, Three C47s were shot down (one after it dropped its stick) and a further 28 returned home with flak damage. There followed frantic scenes at the airfield as damaged aircraft were patched up and replacements prepared for the next days operation, when some 56 Group C47s left on a resupply mission to the Normandy battlefield.

2. Claude Richards says:
7 May 2017 04:04:37 PM

I have this exact photo and several others of the same field taken from an airplane circling the field. The field is easily identifiable by the diagonal lines coming in from the right side of this photo. In my records this photo and the others are identified as "Maneuvers in Texas 42". The notations are in my sister's handwriting and she could be wrong. However, this looks more like Texas than England to me. Our father was involved in securing the gliders, planning and training for D-Day. Email me if you would like the other photos.

3.  David Stubblebine says:
27 Jun 2017 09:36:53 PM

Mr. Richards (above):
As a result of our email correspondence since you posted your comment, I believe you are right about this photo’s location and the caption has been adjusted accordingly. Thanks for bringing this up.