| This picture shows a group of 325th glidermen at Upottery Field in England gearing up for their mission into Normandy. They are standing in front of an English made "Horsa" glider, which had a plywood fuselage instead of canvas stretched over a metal framework like the Waco CG-4A. The glider assault into Normandy comprised of six separate missions, code-named Chicago, Detroit, Keokuk, Elmira, Galveston and Hackensack. CHICAGO ~ Mission Chicago was the first glider mission, scheduled to take off just after 0100 on 6 June from Aldermaston in Berkshire. The flight consisted of fifty-three Wacos towed by C-47s of the 434th Troop Carrier Group (TCG). Brigadier General Donald Pratt (who was killed when his glider crashed into a tree) commanded the mission. The gliders carried 153 glidermen of the 327th GIR (101st Airborne), along with anti-tank guns, ammunition, jeeps, medical supplies, mines, grenades, water, etc. This mission was scheduled to land in Normandy at 0400 at Landing Zone East (LZE). DETROIT ~ Mission Detroit was also scheduled to take off at 0100 on 6 June from Ramsbury in Wilts. The mission comprised fifty-two CG-4As towed by the 437th TCG, carrying A and B Battery of the 80th AA Bn., HQ 82nd, HQ Artillery, and the 82nd A/B Signals.They were scheduled to also land at 0400 further west from the Mission Chicago landing zone (Landing Zone West or LZW). KEOKUK ~ Mission Keokuk was the smallest of the six missions and the first daylight mission. Thirty-two Horsa gliders carrying the second of the two missions for the 327th GIR were schedued to leave from Aldermaston at 1830 on 6 June, towed by the 434th TCG. Aboard the gliders were 157 glidermen of the 327th, medical and staff personnel, vehicles, howitzers and supplies. Keokuk was to land at LZE at 2100. ELMIRA ~ Mission Elmira was the largest glider mission of Normandy. 176 gliders from four different airfields would take part in this mission, which because of the large number of gliders, was split into two echelons so that not all the gliders would arrive over the LZ at the same time. The first echelon was made up of two serials; the first serial was scheduled to depart from Ramsbury at 1840, the 437th Troop Carrier Group towing 8 CG-4As and 18 Horsa gliders. Aboard the gliders was C Battery 80th AA Battalion, Headquarters 80th, 82nd A/B Artillery and the 82nd A/B Signals. The second serial left from Greenham Commons in Berkshire at 1850. The 438th Troop Carrier Group towed 15 CG-4As and 35 Horsa gliders, carrying men of the 82nd A/B Recon., 82nd Signals, Headquarters 82nd, and 307th A/B Medical Company. Landings were scheduled for 2100 at LZW. The second echelon was made up of two serials of fifty gliders each. Departure was one hour after the first echelon. The first serial, consisiting of 2 CG-4As and 48 Horsa gliders, was towed by the 436th Troop Carrier Group from Memsbury in Berkshire. Aboard the gliders was the 319th Glider Field Artillery (GFA) Battalion, 320th GFA Battalion, 307th A/B Medical Co., A Co. 307th A/B Engineer Battalion, and the 82nd A/B Artillery. The second serial left from Welford in Berkshire, 12 CG-4A and 38 Horsa gliders towed by the 435th Troop Carrier Group. This flight was mostly made up of the 320th GFA Battalion (82nd A/B), along with their howitzers, ammunition, and jeeps. Mission Elmira was the last of the glider missions scheduled for D-Day. GALVESTON ~ Mission Galveston, comprised 100 gliders split into two serials. Serial one was scheduled to leave from Ramsbury at 0430 on 7 June (D+1). Comprised of 32 CG-4As and 18 Horsas, they were towed by the 437th Troop Carrier roup. The gliders carried the 1st Battalion 325th Glider Infantry and A Co. 307th A/B Engineer Bn., 717 glidermen in all. Serial two left from Aldermaston with fifty Wacos towed by the 434th Troop Carrier Group.This flight carried the Headquarters 325th GIR, Co. A 307th A/B Engr. Bn., 82nd A/B Recon., 82nd A/B Division Artillery, 25 jeeps and 20 guns. HACKENSACK ~ Mission Hackensack was the final glider assault into France. It too was made up of two serials of fifty gliders each. Serial one was scheduled to take off at 0630 from Upottery in Devon, towed by the 439th Troop Carrier Group. Twenty Wacos and thirty Horsas carrying the 2nd Battalion 325th GIR, 2 Battalion 401st (assigned as the 3rd Battalion 325th GIR), 3 jeeps and 10 tons of ammunition. Over 950 soldiers were scheduled to land at LZW at 0900. The second serial was scheduled for 0700 from Merryfield in Somerset. Fifty Wacos, towed by the 441st Troop Carrier Group, would carry the 2nd Battalion 325th GIR, 2nd Battalion 401st GIR, 20 jeeps and 12 81mm mortars. Before D-Day it was feared that the glider forces would face losses nearing 50-70% before they even got into combat, due to crash landings and the German defenses. It was felt by some that these men were simply being sacrificed for no gain. General Eisenhower insisted that the glider assault take place. The actual initial losses in crash landings and other causes were only 10-15%, and the glider forces proved crucial to the success of the invasion at Utah Beach. |
| Photo appears courtesy of 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment homepage |
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