Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Whiskey Seven

A feel-good story from the Usual USAF Source:
Gooney Bird's Normandy Nostalgia
Douglas C-47 Skytrain troop carrier aircraft, designated Whiskey 7, lands on Ramstein Air Base, May 26, 2014. Whiskey 7 was the lead carrier of 37th Troop Carrier Squadron that took part in dropping the 82nd Airborne Division near St. Mere Eglise, France during D-Day, June 6th, 1944. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Jordan Castelan)

A 37th Troop Carrier Squadron group photo taken in 1944 at RAF Cottesmore, England. The aircraft in the photo is the same Douglas C-47 Skytrain, designated Whiskey 7, that landed at Ramstein Air Base, May 26, 2014.

A World War II veteran C-47 Skytrain flew 3,600 miles from New York to recreate the airdrop it led over Normandy, France, on D-Day 70 years ago. Volunteers flew "Whiskey Seven" from a grass strip in Geneseo, N.Y., hopping from Canada, via Greenland, Iceland, and Scotland, arriving at Ramstein AB, Germany, two weeks later on May 26, according to a base release. In the wee hours of June 6, 1944, Whiskey Seven led the 37th Troop Carrier Squadron—forbearer of Ramstein's 37th Airlift Squadron—dropping elements of the 82nd Airborne Division behind German lines over Sainte-Mère-Église, France. After the stopover at Ramstein, the volunteer crews will drop re-enactors over the same drop-zone for the 70th anniversary D-Day commemoration next week, according to the release. In 1944, unit aircraft flew from RAF Cottesmore, England. Today, the 37th AS flies C-130Js. (See also a New York Times report on flight preparations.)
Let's hope all those re-enactors make it safely to the ground.  We wouldn't want to see one of them hung up on the Sainte-Mère-Église church steeple like the first time

4 comments:

  1. Liberating a Continent28 May, 2014 13:47

    A song that always comes to mind every year, was written in 1943. A powerful inspired song, that isn't wishy-washy about what needs to be done. That "tomorrow black blood will dry in the hot sun on the roads" and that means everyone, not just the enemy.

    Ahoy killers, with bullets and knives kill swiftly!
    Ahoy "saboteur", be careful with your burden of dynamite!

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IbtHlvLXv4

    “It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived.” — George S. Patton

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I can see... plainly... why you like Mireille. What's NOT to like about a woman patriot?

      Delete
  2. Helluva story and good for them! :-)

    ReplyDelete

Just be polite... that's all I ask.