Photo Collection for the fall 2020 quarter. Right mouse click to save photo.

The photo is a Signal Corps Photo from the National Archives. This one is special with the research done by Hans den Brok. This photo has been published by many researchers but no one has ever identified the glider pilot. In the photo the glider pilot is standing by himself to the right of the photograph. He may be contemplating the fact that he is flying without a copilot. He is Flight Officer Clement M. Lancaster, 83rd Troop Carrier Squadron, 437th Troop Carrier Group. The others in the photograph are members of the Combat Assignment Team of the 162nd Signal Photo Company, attached to the 101st Airborne Division. Standing is T/5 George R. Jones with technicians Gerard and Sothern, two motion picture cameramen flanking him. Squatting in front is the jeep driver of Division Headquarters. The date is 17 September, 1944.

What is further interesting about this photo is that the glider, tail #42-56176, never made it to the Landing Zone. It was Chalk #4, Serial A-19, and here is what was reported by F/O Lancaster in his report:

Flying #4 glider, I noticed tail flutter immediately after take-off. Airborne personnel informed me that the fuselage on the underside of the glider was ripping off. I hung on in hope that it wouldn't tear completely off. As we were circling the field from which we took off, the fuselage began to rip again and with about 2/3 of the under fuselage gone, I cut and landed on my home field, as close as possible to some empty gliders. We switched our load (one jeep and five men) to another glider and took off. We caught up with our formation by the time we reached the Channel. The rest of the trip was uneventful except for anti-aircraft fire.

More information about how Hans discovered the Glider Pilot and what happened to the original tow plane may be found in Market Flights Volume 10: 437th Troop Carrier Group by Hans den Brok