Warbird Information Exchange

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PHOTO DESCRIPTION' C-47s with CG-4 Waco Gliders just before D-Day, 1944, 316th Troop Carrier Group, 37th TCS
SEE PATHFINDER'S COMMENTS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE THREAD FOR MORE INFO ON THE FIRST PICTURE, IT HAS BEEN POINTED OUT TO ME THAT THE MARKINGS ARE POST D-DAY. THANKS PATHFINDER



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PHOTO DESCRIPTION;"Captain Elwood R. Quesada, assigned to intelligence in the Office of the Chief of Air Corps in October 1940, went on to become commanding general of the 9th Fighter Command where he established advanced Headquarters on the Normandy beachhead on D-Day plus one, and directed his planes in aerial cover and air support for the Allied invasion of the continent."



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PHOTO DESCRIPTION; Photo reconnaissance Lockheed F-5 Lightning photographed against the English countryside from the vertical camera installation of another photo Lighting.
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PHOTO DESCRIPTION;American paratrooper, among the first to make successful landings on the continent, holds a Nazi flag captured in a village assault. Utah Beach, St. Marcouf, France. 8 June 1944
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PHOTO DESCRIPTION; A U.S. Army Air Forces Martin B-26B-55-MA Marauder (s/n 42-96142). The aircraft was assigned to the 596th Bomb Squadron, 397th Bomb Group,98th Bomb Wing, 9th Bomber Command, 9th Air Force in Europe. "X2-A" was named "Dee Feater" and carries numerous mission markers, and D-Day invasion stripes. The 397th BG was stationed starting 15 April 1944 at Rivenhall, Essex (UK), and moved to Hurn, Hampshire, on 4 August 1944. On 30th August 1944 the Group was relocated to France.


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PHOTO DESCRIPTION;Two USAAF C-47A Skytrains (based on the Douglas DC-3) from the 12th Troop Carrier Wing, loaded with paratroopers on their way for the invasion of southern France (Operation Dragoon). The aircraft in the back is a Douglas C-47A-65-DL (s/n 42-100550), the other is a C-47A-90-DL (s/n 43-15661).
August 1944
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PHOTO DESCRIPTION;Parachutes open overhead as waves of paratroops land in Holland during operations by the 1st Allied Airborne Army.
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PHOTO DESCRIPTION;Battle of the Bulge: Railroad yard near Limburg, Germany, struck by 9th Air Force light and medium bombers on Dec. 23, 1944, the first day of good weather during the Battle of the Bulge. Unfortunately, since the rail cars were not marked per the Geneva Convention, Allied POWs in transit sometimes lost their lives in rail attacks.
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PHOTO DESCRIPTION;101st Airborne Division troops that landed behind German lines in Holland examine what is left of one of the gliders that "cracked up."


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PHOTO DESCRIPTION;Battle of the bulge - Bastogne, Belgium. Troops of the 101st Airborne Division watch C-47’s drop supplies to them. 26 December 1944

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PHOTO DESCRIPTION;The pilot of a C-47 cargo transport crash lands safely after having dropped supplies to elements of the 101st Airborne Division which has successfully repulsed all attempts to capture the besieged city of Bastogne, Belgium. 30 Dec 1944

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PHOTO DESCRIPTION;Briealf, Germany - C-47s of the 101st Airborne Division drop supplies on the 4th Infantry Division Sector. This became necessary when rains and early thaw made roads impassable in this area. The supplies consisted of rations, gas, and ammunition. 13 February 1945

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PHOTO DESCRIPTION; "A consolidated B-24 Liberator of the 15th A.F. releases its bombs on the railyards at Muhldorf, Germany on 19 March 1945. Bombers of the 15th A.F. are slicing vital rail lines from Vienna to Munich as the air offensive against the enemy reaches an all time high".

This plane was assigned to the 451st Bombardment Group, 15th Air Force. It is distinguished by the red upper tailfin over a red circle.

451st Bombardment Group Formed at Davis-Monthan AB, Arizona April 1943. Arrived at Gioia del Colle, Italy January 1944,to San Pancrazio March 1944, to Castelluccio, Italy April 1944. Inactivated September 1945. 724th BS 725th BS 726th BS 727th BS
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PHOTO DESCRIPTION;A USAAF strike photo of an attack on Deggendorf harbour, Bavaria, on 20 April 1945. Deggendorf was attacked from Douglas A-20 Havocs of the 426th Bomb Group. The Siriuswerke ("Deggendorfer Bleicherde - Fabriken") and the Wallner company were destroyed. A 5000 t grain silo and twelve oil tanks were destroyed at Wallner, as were the quais and most of the buildings. The photo shows most obviously the explosion of the oil tanks.

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PHOTO DESCRIPTION; OVER GERMANY -- B-17 Flying Fortresses from the 398th Bombardment Group fly a bombing run to Neumunster, Germany, on April 13, 1945, less than one month before the German surrender on May 8.

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PHOTO DESCRIPTION; P-47D 44-33204 of the 493d Fighter Squadron, 48th Fighter Group This photo was taken in June 1945 at Illesheim Germany by Major William H. Casterline, commander 493rd Fighter Squadron. The wing of his plane is in the lower right hand corner. This is one of three photos taken in sequence.

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PHOTO DESCRIPTION; Verboten! Men 101st Airborne Div. remember they can not fraternize as they watch a shapely fraulein swing up the walk to their rest center in Königssee, Germany.

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PHOTO DESCRIPTION; Major Dick Winters, leader of the celebrated "Band of Brothers" in World War II, ceremonially presents his personal papers collection to the USAMHI during the grand opening celebrations at Ridgway Hall, September 2004.
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Fly Fast Make Noise!

Anybody know if Major Winters is doing better these days, I hope??

Lynn

Nice set of photo's there Robbie.

With regards to the photo above, I appreciate that's the original caption.
Closer examination shows the 506th PIR troops are trying to extricate the glider's crew.

The pilot, Ft Offr. Thornton Schofield who can be seen trapped in the cockpit, was severely wounded in the crash but survived.
The glider following him in to land was hit, blinding it's pilot, and it struck the tail of Schofield's glider just before landing.
Schofield was able to bring his glider back under partial control before hitting the ground, saving the lives of three passengers from the 501st PIR.
Lt. Laurence Critchell was in the co-pilot's seat, with Pfc Tony Wysocki in the driver's seat of the jeep alongside Pvt. Davis Hart.
Wysocki later recalled:
Schofield was seriously wounded by the jeep which, despite Pfc. Wysocki's efforts, ran into his back, but survived.
Lt. Critchell suffered a serious head wound, Pfc Wysocki's legs were trapped in the wreckage and Pvt. Hart came away with concussion and a dented helmet.
The pilot of the following glider, Ft. Offr. Lloyd Shuffelberger, died of his wounds later that night.

All the best,
PB

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Paul Bellamy

401BG Association Historian & Honorary Life Member
401BG Historical Society (UK) Member
1st Air Division HQ Historical Society (UK) Founder Member
Director of Archives & Collections, Airfield Research Group Archive, Alconbury
RAF Alconbury Base Historian

Paul thanks for additional info on the glider crash photo. The caption I used was the caption with the photo from my source. I suspected there was more going on there. God Bless the brave men in those days.
Best Regards
Robbie

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Fly Fast Make Noise!

Last I read, it was not so great sounding. He sent me a great signed photo and letter about a year ago. Really classy guy.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager

FWIW,
F/O Thornton Schofield lived until August 2006 when he made his last flight.
He flew the Normandy, Southern France and Holland glider missions.

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Charles Day,
Silent Ones WWII Invasion Glider Test & Experiment CCAAF Wilmington Ohio

Saw the Band Of Brothers Visiting The SAC Museum thread, & thought I would give this one a bump for those of you that might have missed it.
Robbie

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Fly Fast Make Noise!

He is as sharp as ever, but like most 92 year olds, he is not as agile as he used to be.

A great group of photos. I will say this much about Winters, if every company had a leader of his caliber the war most defiantely would have been over sooner. A born leader!

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Ain't no sunshine when she's gone!

I missed this, so thanks for the bttt. Great pics.

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Sure, Charles Lindbergh flew the plane... but Tom Rutledge built the engine!

Visit Django Studios online or Facebook!

I just bought this book that focuses on the P-47's of the 365th FG supporting the ground war during this "Band of Brothers" time. You can get an autographed copy from robert.f.dorr@cox.net (one of the authors)

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"There are old pilots and bold pilots but few old, bold pilots."

The first photo in the selection above noting the aircraft shown as being "before D-Day" is in error.
The aircraft shown have half stripes. This photo is after D-Day. Full stripes were used for D-Day.
The top half of the stripes were painted out for DRAGOON and all operations afterwards.

sdennison, Thanks for the heads up about the book. I just ordered it via the email address you provided.

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Ain't no sunshine when she's gone!

No problem Pat. It's a good book and I am, as you know, a P-47 fan.

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"There are old pilots and bold pilots but few old, bold pilots."

Further to the first photo posted above:

This is most likely 18SEP44. Serial A-42. 37th and 44th TCS hauled 82nd Abn's 319th Glider FAB and HQ Battery to LZ T in Holland. 43-15292 was Chalk 13--and interestingly enough you can see the corresponding number on the nose of the CG-4A in the foreground. This would be glider tail number 43-27361.

The 37th did another glider tow on the 23rd, but since glider 361 is in this photo (and unlikely to have been returned in five days) it is most probable that this is the 18SEP44 mission.

The K plane in the background is 43-15093.

The glider (tail) in the foreground is being hauled in the #11 position and the tow plane was 42-92884.

Nose #34 is 42-24328---radio call O--Chalk 15.

The V plane seen between the others is 43-15617---in the # 18 position.

The B plane led the 37th's mission on 17SEP carrying elements of the 505th PIR 1st Bn.

Source: Mike Ingrisano's (Outstanding!!) VALOR WITHOUT ARMS.