American paratroopers depart England for the invasion of Normandy, France (D-Day), during World War 2. U.S. paratroopers of the 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, help each other with their gear, as they stand beside a C-47 aircraft, on RAF Greenham airfield, England. A crew chief cleans the window of the C-47. Two paratroopers, with camouflage painted faces, converse. Three air crewmen, two in leather jackets, pose by the airplane. One, a Lieutenant,holds an oxygen mask and carries a 45 automatic in a shoulder holster. View from inside the cabin, as paratroopers climb aboard the C-47. Lieutenant General Louis H. Brereton, Commander, 9th Air Force, smiles as he offers something to a paratrooper who reaches out from the airplane for it. Brereton laughs and reaches out to shake the paratrooper's hand. The General salutes as the aircraft taxis away and joins a long line of C-47s preparing to take off. Ground crewmen wave to the departing aircraft. The aircraft begin taking off at dusk with their wingtip lights illuminated, bound for the coast of Normandy, France.
U.S. Army Air Forces C-47aircraft , number 42-93098, of the 9th Troop Carrier Command Pathfinder Group, and its crew. This is the first aircraft and crew to drop American paratroopers (pathfinders) over France during the Allied invasion, in World War 2. The aircraft taxis on a British airfield. Crew of the aircraft are seen in front of it, including pilot, Lieutenant Colonel Joel Crouch, Copilot, Captain Vito Pedone, Navigator, Captain William Culp, Radio Operator, Harold Coonrod, along with two crew chiefs. Crew members shake hands and board the aircraft. Colonel Crouch waves from the cockpit of the C-47 (but has not started engines). Major J.L. Sweetman boards another aircraft. Colonel Crouche's C-47 taxis to where the Pathfinders will load up. View of Control Tower at RAF North Witham, with ambulance parked outside it. Three hours before takeoff.Colonel Crouch, is seen on a path near the airfield, with a Pathfinder Captain and Lieutenant, who will be aboard his aircraft and be the first to jump into France. They kid around. The Pathfinder officers note that Colonel Crouch wears paratroop wings. Later, two Pathfinders, of the 101st Airborne Division , with camouflaged faces and American flag insignia on their right shoulders, step from woods and pose momentarily. Pathfinder Paratroopers line up to board C-47 aircraft as Lt. Col. Crouch rides a scooter at the airfield. Aircrews and Pathfinders pose for photographs before taking off. The lead aircraft, number 42-93098, with Lieutenant Colonel Crouch at the controls, takes off from RAF Station North Witham at 9:54 PM, on June 5, 1944. to begin the invasion of France. (Note: This C-47 was shot down on September 18, 1944, during Operation Market Garden, and crash landed on Haamstede Airbase, Netherlands. Although shot at by German troops on the ground, pilot, Maj Joseph A. Beck, and Navigator Lt. Vincent J. Paterno, survived as prisoners of war. Copilot Capt Fred O. Lorimer and another crew member were fatally shot.)
Montage of war scenes related to World War 2 Allied invasion of France. German sentry looking though binoculars. German coastal rail gun. Field Marshal Hermann Goering with Marshal Wilhelm Keitel, Chief of German High Command, inspecting Atlantic Wall coastal defenses on French coast. Allied D-day forces boarding ships in England. Troops loaded and waiting for orders to depart. Barrage balloons aloft. British and American troops, Coast Guard men, and sailors being briefed and studying aerial photographs and maps of the coast of France in the Normandy beach landing region. General James Gavin briefing American Airborne troops. American and British aircrews being briefed for missions. British King George VI visiting Royal Navy sailors aboard British warship. Sailors use light signals; ships weigh anchors,cast lines. Task force convoys underway. General Eisenhower visiting US Army paratroopers of 101st Airborne Division. U.S. paratroopers boarding C-47 airplanes the night of June 5, 1944. A C-47 named: "That's All Brother."C-47s with D-Day paint stripes taking off at nightfall.
Fliers from U.S. bomber crews take leave at 127th Replacement Battalion site Washington Hall, Chorley, Lancashire, England while awaiting final orders to return home, during World War 2. A sign reads 'Special Service Office'. An officer checks out a tennis racquet.On a comical note, the staff hand one flier a live dog, that he carries away. One flier obtains a pair of dice. A group of fliers plays volleyball. One flier works out on a heavy bag with boxing gloves, while another practices gymnastics on a pair of rings. An officer in uniform pitches a baseball from the mound. A group of American fliers, on tour of nearby towns, leaves a parish church to continue on their tour. The Rector waves to them from the church. Expert British guides accompany the group. The group is seen looking at a rebuilding project, and walking in a major city.
U.S. bomber crew members on leave in England while awaiting final orders to return home to the USA, during World War 2. A sign reads 'Officers Entrance Red Cross Aeroclub'. U.S. airmen and officers have drinks and snacks in a garden, compliments of the Red Cross, at the aeroclub of 127th Replacement Battalion site, Washington Hall, Euxton, Chorley, Lancashire. The airmen line up in formation for a retreat ceremony and salute as the American flag is lowered and folded by Military Police. An announcement over Loudspeakers prompts the fliers to rush toward Squadron "O" Bulletin Board to find their names on the list of those scheduled to return home to the USA. One flier wears a leather jacket with image of B-17 named "American Beauty" and 36 bombs (for missions) painted on it. Another wears jacket with image of a B-24 and 31 bombs, and one has room only for the name,"Piccadilly Willy," because the rest of the jacket contains bombs for 65 combat missions. Army Air Forces Methodist Chaplain, Clifford Peace, from North Carolina, conducts a brief service of blessings and good wishes for the fliers who will now be returning home.
U.S. Army paratroopers of the 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, bivouacked at British RAF Greenham Common, England, prior to the Operation Market Garden invasion of Holland. Two paratroopers of 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment (hearts on their helmets), 101st Airborne Division, clown for the camera with foreign currency. A Lieutenant performs a good-natured inspection of his platoon, for the camera. Paratroopers prepare boxes of demolition charges for air drop. Another Lieutenant of the 502nd PIR inspects members of his Platoon. Soldierss clown around and have fun giving and receiving haircuts. Troopers seated under a tent, sharpening their personal knives and testing the edge by shaving hair on their arms. Group of U.S. Army paratroopers being briefed outside tents and reviewing orientation techniques while one holds a magnetic compass.
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