C-47A 43-15137 "Chalk 40" back to Normandy - 70 years later

Quest Master · **Joined:** Fri Oct 06, 2006 2:42 pm **Posts:** 387

Many of you know that I purchased the nose section of C-47A 43-15137 from the late Gary Austin (CAF) many years ago:
http://www.questmasters.us/C-47A_43-15137.html
This C-47 flew for Normandy Invasion on June 6th 1944 carrying paratroopers of B Company, 507th Parachute Infantry, 82nd Airborne Division as "Chalk 40" of the 306th Troop Carrier Squadron, 442nd Troop Carrier Group. Her entire history can be viewed on the my website link above.
C-47A 43-15137 is shown here with Corporal Bob Roussey, 507th PIR, who jumped from this C-47 into Normandy on June 6th 1944. He was in position 12 on Chalk 40. Photo taken in 2009:

Well, working with a close friend of mine who is currently a member of the 82nd Airborne Division and with the 82nd Airborne Division Museum, I came up with an idea and implemented it. From C-47A 43-15137 fuselage skin, I constructed several dog tags. These tags have been given to a current paratrooper who will drop into Normandy this weekend, June 6th 2014, into the EXACT SAME drop zone "Chalk 40" deployed her paratroopers into Normandy 70 year prior: Drop Zone T.
This is the section of skin I cut from the bottom of the fuselage:

Outline of the dog tags with engraving done:

Final polished dog tags presented to the 82nd Airborne Division for the June 6th 2014 jump into Normandy:

I thought you guys and gals would like to hear this story. When I receive pictures from the June 6th 2014 drop, I will publish them here. After the jump on June 6th 2014, the dog tags will remain with the 82nd Airborne Division until September, when the Division will jump into Holland on September 17th 2014. C-47A 43-15137 was known as "Chalk 76" for Operation Market Garden on September 17th 1944, deploying I Company, 506th Parachute Infantry, 101st Airborne Division. After the two jumps wearing the tags, one tag will go to the 82nd Airborne Division Museum and the other returned to me for display with the cockpit.
I hope Gary Austin is proud that he helped save this aircraft. :drink3:

TAdan · **Posted:** Wed Jun 04, 2014 8:47 am

Great idea Van, nicely done.

N3Njeff · **Posted:** Wed Jun 04, 2014 9:42 am

Now here I though that I was the only one that thought to do stuff like this. :drink3:

Warbird Information Exchange

C-47A 43-15137 "Chalk 40" back to Normandy - 70 years later

Who is online