Arthur W. Hooper Glider Pilot - 72nd Troop Carrier Squadron, 434th Troop Carrier Group. Version Française

I was a Glider Pilot that landed in Normandy near Ste-Mere-Eglise on 6 June 1944 at about 4.30 am.

We landed in flood field, had 4 members of 101st Airborne Division plus jeep with radio equipment. Because field was flooded, we did not get the jeep out till much later on D-day, we landed not to far from where the General Pratt was killed on there landing.
I was in Glider #7 as I recall. After landing we came under small arms fire and headed for nearest hedgerow for cover. Our orders were to stay off roadways till daylight and shot at all that were on same. Take no prisoners till after dawn. We were not sure if we were near our landing area but after daybreak hooked up with our airborne troops and by early afternoon were in Ste-Mere-Eglise and spent the night of 6 June there.
Early evening of 6 June another group gliders came into this area, but were under attack and suffered heavy losses in landing.

As I recal late on 7 June the forces that landed on Utah with tanks reached us and we took some German prisoners back to beach area, and not long after retuned to England by ship, to be ready to go again if needed. The co-pilot was assigned to me only a day or so before we left, I cannot recall his name, he was not from our Sqd? We became separated after landing and I never saw or heard from him again!!!!!

When you are young you take all this for granted, and feel you could live for ever, so many did not!!!!!

Arthur W. Hooper     (June 01, 2003)