![]() A Jeep containing soldiers was loaded into the glider ahead of time and the nose was closed. The glider was towed to Black Field, the Greenville High School football field. Glider #42-46574 had just been finished and the logo was painted on her sides. The children decided to name the glider The Flying Falcon.Ī celebration of this financial success was planned and held on May 19, 1943. ![]() Of War Bonds, enough to buy three and one-half Gibson built gliders (based on Gibson’s contracted average cost). In approximately six weeks these grade school children sold over $72,000.00 ![]() The grade school children of Greenville, Michigan sold war bonds in the first government approved War Bond Drive by private citizens with the intent to sell enough War Bonds to purchase one of Gibson’s gliders for the Army. The Fighting Falcon CG-4A serial number 42-46574 (246574 on tail, Figure 1), was the 23rd glider built by the Gibson Refrigerator Company, Greenville, Michigan and was delivered to the Army late in May 1943. May, suffered a possible concussion, but otherwise was unhurt. LTC Murphy suffered leg and ankle fractures. Pratt, Assistant Commander of the 101st Airborne Division was killed in this glider as was the co-pilot 2Lt. Depending on which stories you have previously heard or read, the first part of this is pretty much the same. The 52 glider flight serial named Chicago was flown by 104 glider pilots from all four squadrons of the 434th Troop Carrier Group led by LTC Murphy carrying the only 101st Airborne Division glider troops to enter the battle via glider on that morning. Murphy, the highest ranking glider pilot to fly a glider into Normandy on D-Day landed his CG-4A glider named The Fighting Falcon at five seconds past 0400 (per Murphy’s watch). In the dark early morning of JLieutenant Colonel Michael C. The Flag Ship: The pictorial history of the Fighting Falcons NORMANDY: Operation Overlord 6 June 1944: Serial Codename: Chicago
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