DEDICATION
This site is dedicated to all the American and Allied Combat Glider Pilots of World War II
Glider Pilot Wings
I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course I have kept the faith. -- Timothy 2:4:7
The decorations appearing on these dedication pages were earned by the American Combat Glider Pilots of WWII. Link to Pentagon webpage with descriptions of combat decorations: Medals.
The American Combat Glider Pilots of World War II numbered less than 6,000. They fought in Europe, the Pacific, the China/Burma/India Theater and they flew many special missions that remained classified for decades following the war. Their contribution to victory was far in excess of what their numbers suggest and they received less recognition than they deserved for the dangerous service they performed. The military high command at the time considered them a "necessary nuisance," in the words of one Glider Pilot, and their brave actions were often lost in the after-action shuffle amongst the much larger numbers of the paratroopers alongside whom they fought as infantry once on the ground.
The
Silver Star
The highest combat decoration awarded to any Glider Pilot for bravery in combat. The only decorations higher are the Distinguished Service Cross and the Medal of Honor. The Silver Star was established by an Act of Congress on July 9, 1918. It is awarded to a person serving in any capacity with the Army who is cited for gallantry in action with marked distinction against an enemy of the United States while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force.
Unlike their British counterparts who were fully-integrated members of the airborne units they took into combat, the American Glider Pilots were organized into separate units. Once they landed, the American pilots' original orders were to make their way back to the rear immediately because their numbers would have become significantly depleted from death and injury during each mission and their specialized training and scarcity made them too valuable to risk in additional combat. These orders were usually impossible to follow since their insertion points (also known as drop zones) were often behind enemy lines. Their only choice was to remain and fight, as did the British Glider Pilots, with the infantry until the main Allied units established contact.
The Distinguished Flying Cross
|
Copyright 2000-2022 by T. J. Brennan - All rights reserved. This website has been set up solely as a memorial to the Glider Pilots of World War Two and has no commercial intent. Unless otherwise noted, material on this website may be downloaded or copied with prior permission from the website owner for educational and other non-profit purposes. Any material used from this site must appear in published form (online or otherwise) with proper attribution which must include the full URL link to this website. Use of any of the material on this website for commercial, economic or for any other similar purpose is prohibited. For permission, please contact the website owner. |