The monument for the grave site of Sylvan R. Lucier and his parents, Eva and Delphis Lucier,was installed in Holy Cross Cemetery, Fargo, North Dakota in June 2006. The design was chosen by Sylvan's niece, Anne Hilber Nephew, with the blessing of Tom Lucier, the remaining sibling of Sylvan, and another niece, Virginia (Barbara) Deibert, who lovingly cares for the grave sites.
The front of the monument has a rosary on the top left. According to Sylvan's brother, Lannie, Eva Lucier gave each of her sons a black rosary when they left for the army. On the top right side is a red flag with five stars which was displayed in the Lucier's front window. Sylvan was the fourth son in his family to enlist (he would not have been drafted), which explains the four blue stars. If a soldier died a gold star was fixed over the blue star. In Sylvan's case the gold star was pinned to one side because after his death the fifth son graduated from high school and enlisted.
On the back of the monument is etched the WACO CG 4A glider ( tail number 43-41701) that he flew in the Market Garden mission to liberate Holland. The Waco Air Museum sent me photographs to guide our art work.
The places Sylvan served are printed across the base. In February 1943 Sylvan left Laurinberg/Maxton Air Base where he was with the 374 Troup Carrier Group to join the 313 TCG, 49th Squadron to served in Africa and Sicily.
In April, 1944, he was assigned to the 316 TCG, 36th SQ for invasion preparations in England. As a glider pilot trainer he also flew the British Horsa glider and thus was given a temporary assignment in th 438 TCG, 88th SQ to bring men and equipment into Normandy on June 6. His drop zone was the Ste Mere-Eglise area.
On September 18, Sylvan flew a CG 4A glider, without a co-pilot, that landed near Groesbeek, Holland. Less than a month later he and two others died in an accident flying double tow near Tiffield, Northamptonshire, England.
More details, documents and photographs will be posted in the future, as well as details of his year training in the US.
Anne Hilber Nephew
eanephew@aol.com
43-42089 PR CG-4A TIFFIELD .5 MI E, NORTHHAMPTO 316
ReplyDelete43-19807 GE CG-4A TIFFIELD .5 MI E, NORTHHAMPTO 316
FWIW, these two CG-4A gliders crashed on 10/13/1944. One flown by your uncle. PR is Pratt-Read, GE is General Aircraft. they were two of 16 prime contractors that built the CG-4A glider.