Hello all I have an after action report from the 82nd Airborne. 6th 7th June. This report tells of paratroopers walking through a glider because it was the only way to get out of the field they were in. Here are the main points of what the report says: "During the night a C-47 towing a glider went up in flames above Shanleys position and the glider landed nearly in the same field. The men figured it was a chance to get additional men or heavy weapons. But the Glider contained only 1 man and a bulldozer destined for the 101st. The bulldozer was left in the field with the Glider but the pilot joined Shanleys force for the time being and fought as a rifleman. A very thick hedge formation blocked the natural line of withdraw out of the field. There was one gap in this hedge and the glider had landed in this gap. So the men had to enter the Glider and pass through to exit the field. Do you know which Glider this is and its location. This is on going research. thanks Glyn
Hi Glyn, I remember reading the same story in the past, and I know that Col. Shanley's position was on hill 30 between Picauville and Chef-du-Pont. In the past I had found an account from SLA Marshall, titled "Affair at Hill 30" that included a basic sketch that includes a glider in Shanley's defensive area. The account is in 2 parts attached below: http://508pir.org/pdf_files/Affair%20At%20Hill%2030%20Part%20I%20-%20MCG%20Feb%201948.pdf http://508pir.org/pdf_files/Affair%20At%20Hill%2030%20Part%20II%20-%20MCG%20March%201948.pdf Maybe we can find something at NCAP, or 1947 aerials that may match the sketch in part 1. John
Thanks for your reply John. You are 100% correct in your reply. I do leave a few details out do that I know that who I am responding to knows their onions. I will check those links out tomorrow. If I can find the glider I can then follow that up easily as I have all the de-briefing reports. The main reason I need this info is to plot the location so I can be 100% sure that a 508th Trooper did die in this field holding off the Germans with suppressing fire so that the others could pass through the glider. Thanks again. If you find anything else out please get in touch.
Glyn, The only glider I could find in the current collection of aerial images from NCAP are in US30 / 4108 frames 1028, 1029, and 1030 and it is just south and west of Gueutteville near the Les Fossettes road . Looking at Dale's map in his post on Let us pause to remember, it may have also been the direction that Col. Shanley's group moved. The map in "Affair at Hill 30" I would say is really quite basic and likely not to any scale. I will leave its interpretation open to discussion. I had logged this glider in my American Glider Landing sites map that I had created for the forum some time back, and re-checking NCAP I could find no other gliders today. John
Thanks again John That gives me plenty to follow up on. I will check out all you have given me and I will let you know the results once I have cross referenced everything. [hr] John That is definitely the Glider in question. How do I find more info on the glider from the map. The numbers US30/4108/1028 don't mean anything to me. I am new to this forum.
I'm interested in this as there is now proof that a Clark CA-1 dozer was flown into Normandy. The 82nd AB glider statistical tables do not list a dozer though which is frustrating.
My report says that the Dozer on the Glider was destined for the 101st area. So this may not have been in the 82nd Loading tables. I don't know much on this as my area of research has always been the 82nd. [hr] So once I have located a Glider of interest on the map where do I go from there because those Numbers allocated on the map don't mean much to me. As I say I am new to this site and just need pointing in the right direction on things. Thanks all
The numbers that John refered to are the Aerial photos (photo number 1028, 1029, and 1030) from a reccon flight (4108) by the US 30th Photo Recon Squadron on 8 June 1944. Yeah someone upgraded me so I can edit posts now. Thanks
ok Thank you sirjahn. I got that now. so where do I find info on the glider in question. All I need now is a serial number. Is there a correlation between the map and info on it
There is no correlation with gliders on my map only parachute drops. It has been suggested to look in the 101st glider manifests for the glider serial number and may be the 101st Afteraction Report might give an approximate location.
Glyn, The website is NCAP.ORG.UK for aerial images. The frame if the glider is below: http://ncap.org.uk/frame/1-1-71-1-28?search=keywords/PICAUVILLE&free-text=yes The glider is in the lower left area of the aerial. Maybe Pat can post an enlarged aerial at some point, and identifying the serial number will be a difficult task but maybe possible from the glider tables. John
Patrick Elie has one bulldozer being flown in to LZ E by a 434th TCG CG-4A as part of Mission Chicago Serial 27.
Thanks every one for your help on this. I should now have enough info to be able to complete this part of my research. I have found 4 C47's nearby so I will research each to get the complete information. If anyone finds a picture of the glider in this area please let me know, this one is for a good friend of myself in Ameeica who's uncle was killed in or around that field.
Jonesy Who is Patrick Elie?. It would be good for us all if we can get some Numbers and pinpoint this Glider exactly and say for certain its cargo was a small Bulldozer. The Tug 43-15101 is as you say from the 434th TCG Serial 27 and its chalk was 51. This is the only C47 to have come down in the area that was towing a Glider. Crew of Tug Howard Raymond (P) Eston KuhnJohn Beckley Marvin Boetcher Glider Pilot was Robert Kile
Glyn, Patrick Elie is in my opinion the most knowledgeable researcher on C-47 paratrooper drops and glider missions. He is a member of our forum and has one of the best websites out there for researchers. You may want to visit: http://www.6juin1944.com/assaut/aeropus/en_index.php John
Hi John, Apologies for the delayed reply, but more mundane matters took my time over the weekend. I'll get you some extracts tonight and post them on this thread. BTW, do you have a copy of 8011, sortie US7GR/1857? Someone gave me a copy a few years back...not, may I hasten to add, from the NCAP collection, though they may well have a copy. In any case this frame is a comrade of 8010, also from the same 12th June sortie and shows a more westerly, high altitude view towards Etienville/Picauville area. The Hill 30 area is included in the view and might therefore be useful in confirming this glider's location. Glyn, Welcome to the Forum and thank you for posting this very interesting thread. Now that it's well underway, I am going to move it to the following location tonight: Research Currently Underway / Air Forces / American / Troop Carrier & Glider Units Regards, Pat
Pat, I am about to head to work this morning, but I do not have frame 8011. I do have from you US7 GR 1857 frames 4051, 4052, and 8010 though. John
Hi John, I'll send you a copy tonight. Due to smoke rising from Etienville/Pont l'Abbe, the clarity is not quite as good as 8010, but if the glider is in line of sight, it might show thereon. Regards, Pat
Hi All, John, here are two enlargements, the first from a low resolution proof of NCAP_ACIU_US30_4108_1028 flown on the 8th June... Image Credit: RCAHMS/www.ncap.org.uk ...and from my own high resolution copy of ACIU_US7GR_1857_8011 flown on the 12th June - the white invasion stripes are just visible through the smoke drifting over from Etienville/Pont l'Abbe to the west: I could be wrong, but I think this is a Waco :s Regards, Pat