Flights in a historic plane that played a key role in the Normandy landings during World War II will be offered as part of a D-Day 80th anniversary event in Riverside.
The restored C-53 Skytrooper, called the D-Day Doll, is a centerpiece of the history on display at Riverside Municipal Airport. The event hosted by the Inland Empire Wing of the Commemorative Air Force marks the 80th anniversary of the allied forces' June 6, 1944 landing on the beaches of France.
Commemorative flights on the meticulously restored plane, built at the Douglas factory in Santa Monica, that carried paratroopers over France will be offered Thursday and Saturday.
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The plane was delivered to the military on July 7, 1943 and assigned to the 434th Troop Carrier Group. It was stationed at bases in Nebraska and Indiana before arriving Royal Air Force Aldermaston in England in March 1944.
The D-Day mission consisted of towing gliders with reinforcements for troops who landed earlier in the night near Normandy's Utah Beach, one of the beaches stormed by allied troops. The aircraft flew three missions on D-Day and the following day, most under the cover of darkness.
Fully equipped, the plane carried about 18 paratroopers weighed down with gear and supplies.
"At that time, it was dark," said Chris Clarke, of the Inland Empire Wing. "They left very late to be over France after midnight. So, they were going to fly over in total darkness, drop in darkness, land in darkness. When they were jumping, in most cases, they were being shot at. And, you can't shoot back. You were just hoping to get on the ground and do what you had to do."
Paratroopers didn't always land in designated drop zones, meaning many first had to figure out where they were.
The plane was part of Operation Market Garden in the Netherlands, the re-supply of Bastogne and the crucial crossing of the Rhine River as the allies closed in on the heart of Germany. The plane also was used to evacuate wounded service members to England.
June 6 marks a day of remembrance and tributes to the service members who landed in Normandy and fought to liberate Nazi-occupied western Europe. World War II veterans from the United States, Britain and Canada are in Normandy this week to mark 80 years since the bold operation that helped lead to Nazi leader Adolf Hitler's defeat.
Nearly 160,000 Allied troops landed in Normandy on D-Day, including 73,000 from the United States and 83,000 from Britain and Canada. Forces from several other countries were also involved, including French troops.
The Allies faced about 50,000 German forces in the opening battle for western France.
A total of 4,414 Allied troops were killed on D-Day, including 2,501 Americans. More than 5,000 were wounded.
The youngest survivors are now in their late 90, but it is not clear how many D-Day veterans are still alive. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs said it does not track the figures.
