Hi all. Can anyone help with as much info as possible on the glider marked with the arrow on the aerial photo. I am hoping part of its cargo consisted of a jeep. Also the names of any troops and pilot etc. Any info would be greatly appreciated.
Glyn, Not much can be known by looking at the aerials specifically, but it first appears on that June 8th aerial you posted so it wasn't specific to the D-Day Detroit or Chicago missions. Mission Elmira is a good candidate. There is video from a scout plane of this wreck on Youtube here: f000076 Sainte-Mère-Eglise / Boutteville / Sèbeville / Cherbourg / Manche You can see this Waco glider at the 3:42 to 3:58 timeframe. Here is a screengrab photo from that portion of video. Respectfully, John Szweda
Hi Glyn, The following ties show the long shed and red/blue gate piers still in place: I would wonder if the damage to the central fuselage and port side stabilizer was incurred after landing...just a hunch. Regards, Pat
You guys never cease to amaze with your knowledge. Thank you. I have still got to find the names of the guys that hit the road block in the jeep. I just can’t give up on this one it’s got me hook line and sinker. You know how it is. lol I can rule out the one that hit the building( confirmed now). It’s the glider to the left in johns picture then that holds all the secrets. It has to be because I have the after action report from Leslie Palmer Cruise, for him to hear the glider land and hear the troopers unloading the Land Rover it has to be that one from his position on the road block road to chef du pont. The only other glider close to him was the one flown by Lt Howard parks which landed at the rear of the houses on rue de la cayenne. Even though he had a jeep in his cargo they couldn’t unload because of enemy fire from hill 20. So that glider is ruled out. On the after action report is also included a road block map of the 505th with the initial CP location until it changed location the following morning. The distances of the road block on the road to chef du pont and the initial CP all give credit to the account of Leslie palmer cruise. I have added the location of that glider (red) and the route of the 505th of the drop zone and where the company split to designated road blocks around st mere eglise (blue). Just have a read and a look at the info to make sure I ain’t going mad please.
Also how many jeeps landed in this area designated st mere eglise?? Wonder if I could reverse my search through a process of elimination. And then check against the regiments casualty lists I have and after action reports. I am at a bit of a loss which way to proceed.
Glyn, As you know, Waco glider would unload through the nose of the glider and the one you are interested in doesn't seem to be in a position to unload, especially with the trees/shrubs directly in front of it. It also doesn't look like it was ever moved away to unload any type of cargo through the front in the days after based on the scout plane video. Are you sure the jeep would have come from a Waco, or could a Horsa also be a fair candidate? Also have you reviewed the glider manifests of the 82nd airborne for gliders with Jeeps? John
Hi John. Do you know I thought that from the video when I saw it today. How would they unload it given the position. I have another after action report from the same group on the road block. In that one he says the troops that landed ( he said the glider boys) were making so much racket getting the jeep out that they were wondering if they had encountered Germans. I have checked the 82nd manifest but to no avail I am afraid. That led me to the other glider I mentioned “maja” flew by Howard parks but I can definitely rule that one out. This one has really got me in knots. I am not the first to try and sort this one. There was a guy in America who was also onto this one as he had a relative at the road block incident. Sad to say he is no longer with us but I have picked up the Batton so to speak and have got a little further. All I can definitely say is , the glider came in in the first wave and landed near the Y junction, they made a hell of a noise getting the jeep out, came through a field and down the road to chef du pont. It was loaded with ammo also so that should be on the manifest. It must have been one hell of an explosion when it hit those mines. I am going to go back to square one I think and cross reference everything with a timeline. That may help. If you or anyone has any info no matter how small or vague please drop me a message. The puzzle is there it just needs putting together. I know of another couple of incidents with jeeps similar through this research so I can rule in or out info pretty quickly. thanks again John and pat for your time and help
I have just remembered , there was one glider linked to the 82nd that landed near what is now Super U. Close to the location but I couldn’t find anything on that one. That’s the only one apart from the one that hit that building that came close for me. Whichever glider it is, it must have come in before 0900 when the 505th set up their maintained CP, and it was dark. Normandy dark, which is can’t see your hand in front of your face dark in places.
Glyn, I don't know too much about the incident, but in the past I marked the roadblock locations on a D-Day aerial I will add to this post. How many soldiers were killed in the incident?
John, Apparently it was two paratroopers. I think this one may be a bridge too far to solve. I have been scanning through a lot of books the past few days and found one that condradicts everything, saying that the Jeep was approaching from chef du pont to st mere. There is just to many variations of accounts to get the facts 100%. Myself and I assume everyone on here works on facts and even then it has to be from a few different sources to be confirmed. It’s not dead yet, I will keep trying.