When the D-Day Squadron arrives in Normandy to commemorate the 75th anniversary of D-Day, there will be some special guests included.
Organizers are looking for one veteran and one student from each state in America to be on the ground to experience the Daks Over Normandy fly-over in France.
“In the pivotal spot that marked the beginning of the end of the war, past and future generations will stand side by side to observe the significance of this historic event,” organizers said. “These ‘100 in Normandy’ will be the special guests of the D-Day Squadron, made possible by the generous support of donors of the D-Day Squadron.”
The volunteers of the D-Day Squadron will journey across the ocean with a fleet of American C-47s, each vintage aircraft meticulously restored to flying condition. The squadron will join up with C-47s from Europe and Australia for Daks Over Normandy, a fly-over of more than 30 aircraft, to drop 250 paratroopers over the shores of Normandy on June 6, 2019, commemorating the 75th anniversary of D-Day.
The entire fleet of warbird aircraft will be on static display at public events in both the United Kingdom and France during the commemorations.
Fundraising for the effort continues, according to D-Day Squadron officials.
The D-Day Squadron is part of the Tunison Foundation, a non-profit charitable organization. The crew of the “Placid Lassie,” the Tunison Foundation’s C-47 that flew in the original Normandy invasion, is spearheading the efforts of the D-Day Squadron.
I believe that the one student from each state should be a representation of those descendants of the pilots who flew .
I believe that this student group should be comprised of an equal number of male and female students. Or even a male and female from each state.
It is probable that an equal number of males and females waited for word of the safe return from a mission flown by a pilot on D-Day.
Quite probably now that student group would include grandsons and great grandsons as well as granddaughters and great granddaughters and even some great greats!
Yes, with the conscripts of that day, only male pilots were flying on the D-Day missions, i would hope that with this historic re-enactment of those incredible pilots and their airplanes would bring itself to modern times and have the students chosen to represent this nation a well-balanced group of female and male students.
Of course the WASP could and did fly comparable aircraft and flew them well.
Currently women fly this type aircraft.
Hopefully, this wonderful event will be truly representative of a nation holding values of these current times.