It was America’s first stealthy aircraft. Its nickname was “Silent Wings.” The aviators who flew them during World War II had no weapons, no parachutes, and no second chances. They were called the flying coffins of World War Two.

The most widely used American military glider during World War Two was the Waco CG4A. It was huge. It could carry 13 fully equipped soldiers or a jeep with a 4man crew and equipment or a 75mm howitzer plus supplies and ammunition. These gliders were towed into the air primarily by Douglas C47s. They were connected by a towrope that also carried basic communications between the glider and aircraft.

So why were military gliders used during WW2? Well, landing by parachute caused the troops to be spread over a large dropzone and separated from other airdropped equipment, such as vehicles and antitank guns. Gliders, on the other hand, could land troops and their support equipment in greater concentrations precisely at the target landing area. Furthermore, the glider, once released at some distance from the actual target, was effectively silent and difficult for the enemy to identify.

Because the Waco CG4A could carry heavy equipment like antitank guns, antiaircraft guns, or small vehicles such as jeeps and light tanks, our lightly armed paratroopers became a much more capable and lethal force.

By the way, these gliders did not soar! Think of the glider like a brick with wings! If things were working well, the gliders would cut loose from their tow planes at about 500 feet over their land area. After the towline was disconnected, the pilots had about 20 seconds to decide where to land! It was basically a planned accident! Guess that’s why these gliders acquired the nickname, the Flying Coffins! In addition to crash landings, many glider casualties occurred from enemy antiaircraft and machine gun fire.

During the war, 6,000 men volunteered and trained as glider pilots. The possibility of officer's pay and the chance to fly attracted a particular breed of risktolerant trainees, and the glider pilots' maverick reputation quickly spread. Every landing was a genuine doordie situation for the glider pilots. It was their awesome responsibility to repeatedly risk their lives by landing heavily laden engineless aircraft containing combat soldiers and equipment There were only a few instruments on these gliders.

All of these instruments had originally been manufactured for use in powered airplanes where engine vibrations would keep the indicator needles from sticking. The glider pilots, flying their vibrationless aircraft, frequently tapped all their indicators to be sure they were given correct readings. No wonder they didn’t trust their instruments!

One of the more interesting concepts taught at the base was the "snatch pickup" which was used to retrieve undamaged gliders on the ground by C47s flying over them. This technique was used to bring back wounded soldiers from an open field where a runway did not exist. The glider would be "snatched" and pulled into the air by the tow plane.

Military gliders were used in several important operations during World War Two. The most famous was Operation Overload, the invasion of Normandy. Germany was well prepared for a glider invasion of Normandy. Beachheads were guarded by antiaircraft guns. And potential American landing zones were saturated with “Rommel’s asparagus” – a glidersmashing network of 10foot poles wired together with explosives. Nasty stuff!

During the Normandy invasion it was incredibly important for radio silence. So to decrease the likelihood of friendly fire it was decided to apply a special marking to each glider and transport plane. On June 6, 1944, 867 gliders crossed the English Channel and delivered almost 4,000 airborne troops and their equipment. Because the gliders were forced to land in small fields, sometimes less than 400 feet in length, many of them crashed on landing, but few of the occupants were injured and only a minimal amount of the cargo was damaged.

Overall, the Normandy glider missions were a complete success. Glider pilots who participated in the Normandy landings were awarded the Air Medal for their role. Theirs were special, with a capital "G" stamped in the center. Technically it stood for "glider," but they were quick to tell anyone who asked that it really stood for "Guts."

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