HEADQUARTERS
440TH TROOP CARRIER GROUP
APO 133, U S ARMY

On 26 December the 440th Troop Carrier Group was committed for eight planes in a glider resupply mission for the purpose of resupplying the 101st Airborne Division at Bastogne, Belgium, who were at the time threatened with the possibility of being cut off.

Briefing was held in the Group War room at 1300 for all pilots, co-pilots and navigators and the briefing was carried out by Group Personnel. The eight planes were led by Lt. Colonel ANDERSON in plane No. 908 and plane No. 730 piloted by Lt. JOHNS fulfilled our Squadron commitment.

The planes each towing a glider with 300 gallons of 80 octane gasoline took off at 1510 for Bastogne. Fighter escort was provided as far as the River Meuse at which time they dropped their belly tanks and too off in another direction.

The planes reached their objective at 1721 and all glider landed in vicinity of LZ with no damage to gliders. Or load. Planes returned to A-50 at 1845 and pilot returned immediately to the 95th BOQ where they were interrogated.

The planes encountered light flak and small arms fire, most of it coming from towns of Sibret and Marbet. Col. ANDERSON’S plane received a 20mm hole in the left side of fuselage, machine gun holes through left wing and floor in cabin. Plane No. 730 received no damage.

Glider pilots, 2nd Lt. THOMAS P LONGO and copilot ROYAL H TAYLOR, pilot F/O WARREN DE BEAUCLAIR and copilot F/O LOWELL E DASHOW landed their gliders at 1721 just to the left and North of the Belgian barracks used by the 101st Airborne Division at Bastogne.

Immediately after landing the gliders were unloaded by the airborne and glider pilots were taken to the CP of the 101st Airborne Division. Glider pilots were shown their barracks and were set up for the night. In the morning they were given breakfast and told to hang around the CP and wait for the trucks which were to evacuate them. During this time various units were flying in supplies and numerous planes were seen to go down in flames around the DZ. There were tanks t this time periodically bursting through to Bastogne and relieving the pressure.

The trucks arrived at 1430 and at 1500 along with 700 prisoner the glider pilots started on tier first leg of evacuation. They were taken from Bastogne to Neufchateau (P3541) by the trucks. From there the pilots proceeded by train along with the prisoners to Florenville (P2526) to Louguyou (U4596) to Jarny (U6664) to Paris to Orleans. Glider pilots arrived at Orleans on 29 December at 2130 hours.

Source: Air Force Historical Research Agency. Maxwell AFB. 440th Headquarters Troop Carrier Group Reel B0550 Pg 447&448 National WWII Glider Pilots Association Research Team Collection.