“Machine Guns Concentrated”
Technical Sergeant Arthur L. Perez submitted the following brief testimony: “I saw Glider cut off normally, taking a 45 degree left turn and pushing nose into a steep glide. Machine guns concentrated on this Glider (LJ 161) after puncturing our right wing.”
The glider carried a crew of two, as well as two infantrymen from the 82nd Airborne Division. But the glider’s cargo, in military eyes, was just as important, if not more so. The equipment on board LJ 161 when it went crashed on June 6, 1944, near Blosville, France, was:
- 1 Jeep
- 1 Net
- Phone and wire
- Gun tools
- 15 rounds 57mm ammunition
- 1 57mm gun
- Pioneer tools
- Tow Rope
- Loading Equipment
- 1 Radio
The pilot and one of the passengers were killed. The pilot was Captain Norman L. Aigner, of Roxbury, VA. The passenger killed was Corporal Anthony Apicella, of Belmont County, OH. The copilot, Flight Officer Dominic Salemma, of West Haven, CT, survived the wreck, only to be shot down and killed over Holland on September 17, 1944, during the airborne operation “Market Garden”.
The other passenger, PFC Harry K. Lamb, survived the crash.
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My father was Paul D Jessop, he spoke of your Grandfather a lot. My father passed away in 2011 .The World War II Dead of University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA)
Hi Bill, Thanks for putting this together. My grand uncle, 2nd Lt. Robert L. Woolfolk attended UCLA and I believe he graduated in 1936. He was on the waterpolo team. He was a bombardier in the 571st Bomb Squadron, 390th Bomb Group and his aircraft "Decatur Deb" was shot down on May 28, 1944. He and six others perished while three were able bail out and became POWs. This is written up the in the book "Bloody Skies: U.S. Eighth Air Force Battle Damage in World War II." There is a B-17G tail gunner's compartment on display at the 390th Bomb Group Memorial Museum, which is dedicated to this crew. Regards, Nick VeronicoBill’s WW2 Almanac for January 21: Featuring Col. Randy’s Flying Circus
Hi! Randall Col Randy is actually my great grandfather and I was wandering if you ever new him? I am curious to know more about him.Women in WWII: Cornelia Clark Fort
Interesting....very hard to know the 'who hit who'.....Fort had enough flying time to be a instructor, I know nothing about the other pilot. If Pastor Jeff had information on her being talked into a situation, I would love to know if reliable. Regardless, so many losses in so many ways.... My take is the WAFS/WASPS deserve a bit more of history's 'time in the books'. Many thanks for the commentary, StarrRemembering the Fallen: WWII Veterans of UCLA, Major Robert C. Maze
Bill, Are you still working on this blog? Rosemarie is my mother in law. She passed away 10 years ago. Her (and Roberts') son Robert Maze Jr is alive and well. I was googling Admiral Radford and ended up googling links... Thank you for your efforts here. Kim WoodsFrom Panatella to Ploesti
I’m looking for information on My Great great GRANDFATHER WAS ON A B-24 LIBERATOR CALLED: Diamond li
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