“When the kids came over in 1944, they didn’t have GPS…they didn’t have 500 hours of time in the cockpit between them,” says Doug Rozendaal, pilot of That’s All Brother, a Douglas C-47 joining the 2019 D-Day Squadron in an epic trip across the Atlantic Ocean this week. He considers his crew very fortunate: Not only did they have advanced tools and weather reporting (and 50,000 hours of experience in the cockpit), but they also didn’t see much of the water during the entire crossing. “We were on top of the clouds nearly the entire way. As an Iowa farmer, it was easy to imagine that there was nothing but cornfields underneath.” The psychological boost he found was incredible.
D-Day Squadron Marks Milestone Atlantic Crossing
Key Takeaways:
- A squadron of vintage Douglas DC-3/C-47 aircraft are undertaking an Atlantic crossing to commemorate the 75th anniversary of D-Day in Europe, aiming to honor those who served and preserve their stories.
- The journey, following a historic route from Connecticut to Scotland, utilizes modern tools and experienced crews who underwent extensive safety preparations, including cold-water survival drills.
- Notable participants include "Clipper Tabitha May," the first DC-3 to cross the North Atlantic since 1963, and "Placid Lassie," a C-47 veteran of the original D-Day landings, which towed gliders and dropped paratroopers.
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