1-15-18 Garand Picture of the Day

[Mark in Rochester]

I see one GI with these

also found this "What did the glider pilots who flew troops to Normandy on D-day do after they landed?"

Craig Simons, Project Manager


They fought their way back with the airborne troops they carried. The mission of the parachute and glider infantry units were to drop behind enemy lines, capture their designated targets or attack the enemy from behind, and hold until relieved by standard infantry or armored infantry troops. The glider pilots, if they survived their own landings (and many of them didn't), would fight along side their airborne passengers until they could be relieved to re-join their army/aviation units.


Those that weren't injured fought with the troops they delivered. There is a documentary on these guys, who were in mind one many groups of unsung heroes. There weren’t many of them, less than 3000 if memory serves, and they’ve formed an a veteran’s association.

NWWIIGPA-Official Website NWWIIGPA-Official Website

It appears that the airbornee and the glider pilots returned at the same time “Give me 3 days and nights of hard fighting and you’ll be relieved and sent back to England”

[BEAR]

Until I saw this video, I always thought they selected the glider pilots from the ranks of the glider units. Silent Wings: The American Glider Pilots of World War II (2007) - IMDb

And concerning the wear of the airborne kit of the pilots. If you had a choice of going into combat with the uniform of a "leg" doughboy or an Awesome, elite, tougher than nails PARATROOPER..... what would you wear?

[Mark in Rochester]

If you had a choice of going into combat with the uniform of a "leg" doughboy or an Awesome, elite, tougher than nails PARATROOPER..... what would you wear?

Do you really think they had a choice or the elites tolerate them wearing a badge of office they did not earn? Then again if they fought there way back with the airborne that may explain the equipment but It appears they came back together.

[CINDERS]

Who cares what they wore as long as they did not funk it when the lead started flying who gives a rats ar*e what the hell they were wearing just return fire and advanced where possible..........
When I have been involved in scraps as a civie when the sh*t hit the fan with a bikie mob the last thing you want to see is a so called mate bailing on ya when your getting planted by a couple of rat bags, the rat bags were dealt with!

[BEAR]

Just joking gents.