The Forced Landing Association Newsletter

from Guy LEPRETRE, Belgian Office

"E" Company,
506th PIR, 101st Airborne Division
NORMANDY, JUNE 6, 1944

On June 5, 1944, 1st Lieutenant Thomas MEEHAN, III boarded a C-47 to be parachuted in Normandy. Lieutenant Meehan had just been appointed Commander of the "E" Company of the 506th PIR. He was in plane 66, along with the company's staff made up of 16 paratroopers. Lt. Harold Cappelluto was flying the aircraft and leading the formation, followed by Lt. Frank Deflita's plane. Deflita remembers: "As we flew over Normandy, DCA's started shooting at us, and Harold's plane got it several times. I could see Flak shrapnels going straight through his plane. After maintaining its course and speed for a while, the plane left the formation and slowly initiated a right turn. I followed it with my eyes and noticed its landing lights coming on, I thought it was going to be all right. Then, suddenly, it came crashing down a hedgerow and instantly exploded." Henry Margerie, Mayor of Beuzeville au Plain, witnessed the accident. He also remembers: "As we awakened to Flak shooting and planes flying over the area, I saw a plane close to the village which seemed to be trouble and attempted to land. I lost sight of it for a brief moment and then heard a loud explosion. The plane had crashed on a hedgerow bordering a field near the village. It burnt for three days, and the heat created by the fire made it impossible for us to approach".

photo used by permission of Michel De Trez from D-Day Publishing

This photo was taken by CPL Forrest Guth (E Co, 2nd BN, 506th PIR, 1942-1945). Forrest was carrying a camera during the Normandy campaign. All of his photographs are published in the book, At the Point of No Return: A Pictorial History of the American Paratroopers in the Invasion of Normandy.When Forrest took the picture of the crash site, he did not know it was the plane carrying LT Meehan and the 16 Easy Company Currahees.

47 years later, my friend Jean PIERRE from the Forced Landing Association and I met Mr. Marjorie during one of our investigating trips. Mr. Marjorie gave us an account of the June 6 forced landing and showed us precisely where it took place. After consulting the American archive "Missing Air Crew Report", we figured that these would be the remains of plane 66 which transported the "E" Company Commander and staff. While searching the site, we came to the conclusion we dreaded. As we dug the parachutes hooks out of the ashes, we noticed they were still locked. None of the occupants of the plane had managed to escape from the crash and jump. From the ashes that were piled on the hedge up to 80 cm, we pulled out dog tags, crickets, rings and a watch. The hands of the watch had stopped at 01:12, this only reinforced what we knew about the force of the impact. Among the debris, we also found a helmet which had been completely flattened. The scene had such an emotional power on us that we decided with Mr. Margerie to erect a stele (monument) in memory of the courageous crew whose destiny had been to die before the battle had even begun. Unfortunately, Mr. Margerie passed away and with him the promise we had made. The commune of Beuzeville au Plain is the only French commune without a war memorial. Beuzeville Municipal Council decided to help us remedy the situation by supporting our project.

1Sgt W. EVANS

1Lt T. MEEHAN

Sgt E. MURRAY, Jr.

S/Sgt M. ROBERTS

BEUZEVILLE AU PLAIN D-DAY -- June 6, 1944 IN MEMORY

Flight crew 439th Troup Carrier Group - 91th Troop Carrier Squadron

Pilot 1st Lt

CAPELLUTO Harold Andrew

0-530935

Co-Pilot 2nd Lt

FANELLI John Joseph

0-696844

Navigator Sgt

FRIEDMAN Bernard

0-698426

Engineer Sgt

TILLOTSON, Jr. Albert Ray

18201054

Radio-Operator Sgt

THOMPSON Norman Elbert

36476582

Paratroopers
"E" Company, 506th PIR, 101st Airborne Division

1st Lt

MEEHAN, III Thomas

0-437484

1st Sgt

EVANS William S.

18117497

S/Sgt

ROBERTS Murray B.

14083048

Sgt

MURRAY, Jr. Elmer L.

19125297

Sgt

OWEN Richard E.

20365291

Sgt

RIGGS Carl N.

39103579

T/5

COLLINS Herman F.

11098566

T/5

WIMER Ralph H.

33445711

T/5

WENTZEL Jerry A.

19112534

Pfc

ELLIOTT George L.

14139866

Pfc

McGONIGAL, Jr. William T.

11102116

Pfc

MILLER John N.

33216794

Pfc

MOYA Sergio G.

39124765

Pfc

SNIDER Gerald R.

15107810

Pfc

TELSTAD Elmer L.

36818763

Pfc

WARREN Thomas W.

14147423

Pvt

OATS Earnest L.

15331144

We also have started a fund in order to carry out our project. Your contribution will help us to honor the bravery of the young Americans who risked their lives to allow us to live in peace. Let us turn their ashes into a beautiful monument which forever, will be a testimony of our appreciation and gratitude.

FORCED LANDING-Association by law 1901 Bank Account SG Chartres : 30003-00590-00037262280 57

French Office:

Jean PIERRE
2, Hameau de Nivernais
28110 LUCE - France
Tel : 33 2.37.35.20.52

Belgian Office:

Guy LEPRETRE
Route de Bizory
B - 6600 Bastogne (Mageret)
Belgium
guy.lepretre@swing.be

The pilot, 1LT Harold Capelluto, is the only person from the crash of Plane#66 to be buried in the American Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer. The 17 Currahees are buried in a mass grave at Jefferson Barracks, St. Louis, MO.