There were approximately 6000 individuals who were trained as glider pilots during WWII for one-way missions into enemy territory. Sylvan Ralph Lucier was one of these brave men, and was killed in the line of duty during a training accident. This website collects his family's research on his life and death.

Tuesday, December 25, 2007

Glider Pilot Career Timeline

TIMELINE OF DOCUMENTS, LETTERS & PHOTOS
FOR SYLVAN R. LUCIER, GLIDER PILOT
Serial No. 17062570

SYLVAN'S EARLY YEARS (Military papers information, family photos)
1916-1936
  • 1916 Born October 29 in Fargo, N.D.
  • 1922-1930 St. Mary's Grade School
  • 1930-1934 Central High School, Fargo
  • 1934-35 North Dakota State College
  • 1935-36 Dakota Business College, Graduate; Employed as Accountant at Business Machines Midnite Express, Inc.; Basic ROTC 1 year, Aviation Cadet, 6 months
POWER PILOT & GLIDER PILOT TRAINING (based on certificates, cards & photos sent to his parents)
1942
  • January 20 Enlisted, Minneapolis MN, age 25
  • January 20 Higley Field, Arizona-Card
  • CAA Ground School, 72 hours, no flying
  • April 25 Oxnard, California-letter about wings.
  • Primary Training at Oxnard, CA, 60 hours
  • May 21 Santa Ana, California-Card
  • May 25 Oxnard, California (60 hours Primary Training
  • May 25 Gardner Field, California (8 hours in Basic Training)-Card
  • Basic Training, Gardner Field, CA, 8 hours
  • May 27 Mira Loma Flight Academy, completed Primary Flight Training
  • June 21 Santa Ana, California
  • June 23 Minter Field, Bakersfield, California-Card
  • June 25 Barkley Field, California-Card
  • June 27 Clovis, New Mexico-Card
  • August 15 Appointed Staff Sergeant Pilot (Glider) Air Corp
  • August 16 Twenty-nine Palms Air Academy: Diploma Given
  • October 22 Dalhart, Texas-Card
  • October 22 Albuquerque, New Mexico
1943
  • January 10 Honorable Discharge from Army to become Flight Officer
  • January 11 Dalhart, Texas, Diploma, Glider Pilot, US Army Air Forces
  • January 21 Bowman Field, Louisville, Kentucky
  • March 7 Maxton, North Carolina. Mass card.
  • March 15 Lawrenburg-Maxton Field, N.C. Letter
AFRICA ASSIGNMENT (Photographs, 3 letters home, Italian Lire)
1943 (con't)
  • April 21 Change of Address notice to the 49th Squadron, 313 Tro0p Carrier Group
  • May 21 North Africa Letter 49th Squadron, 313 TCG.
  • May Casablanca, Morocco
  • May Axuica, Morocco
  • July Kaiyouan,
  • December 7 Sicily. Date written on Italian Lire
1944
  • January 26 Sicily "In the event..." Letter, 6 pages.
  • February 20 Sicily-Card
GLIDER MISSIONS: NORMANDY, HOLLAND
1944 (con't)
  • June 6 Operation Overlord, Normandy (Orders for Temp duty-Ingresano)
  • 88th Squadron, 438 TCG. His Horsa Glider landed near St. Mere Englese.
  • September 10 Letter home about his dream.
  • September 18, Operation Market Garden, Holland (Interrogation Report-Ingresano)
  • 36th Squadron, 316 TCG. His CG 4A glider landed OK. Return: Sept. 27.
KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY
1944 (con't)
  • October 13 Killed in Line of Duty, flying double tow. Place: Tiffield, England.
1946
  • January 29, Notification of Remains in Cambridge Cemetery, Plot 0, row 10, grave 3
1948
  • August 5 Transport Lawrence Victory brought body home with 31 North Dakotians.
  • Burial at Holy Cross Cemetery, Fargo.
1951
  • Roll of Honor in St. Paul's Cathedral, London, (28,000 American dead.) Memorial Book Sent to family.
2006
  • Monument installed at grave site with etching of Sylvan's glider & wings. Commemorative blog started to honor Sylvan & the Troop Carrier part in W.W.II
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6 comments:

  1. amy11:34 PM

    Stumbled upon your site.....I think its just amazing! My grandfather, Elbert Jella, was a glider pilot in WW2 as well. :o)
    God bless you and your family!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anne Nephew12:53 PM

    Thank you for your kind comment, Amy. Would you be so kind as to post his Squadron number, Troop Carrier Group, Training dates, and missions he flew, if this is available to you. I could guide you to some more reading if I know a bit more about him.
    Anne Nephew
    Glider Pilot Niece

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ned11:10 PM

    My father, Walter C. Lee, was a glider pilot in the 313 TCG. He must have served with your uncle from Maxton through the time of your uncle's death. My father died in 1992. I am currently going through a box of his letters from the war years.

    You did a wonderful job of documenting your uncle's career. Thank you.
    Ned Lee, San Antonio, Texas

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anne Nephew8:58 AM

      Did he write about any glider missions in July 1943, June 1944, August 1944, September 1944, or the last one called Varsity March 1945 when they crossed the Rhine River.? Your fathers correspondence could be valuable historically. After the 313 in Africa and Sicily then
      My uncle was in 316 Group in England but glider pilots were attached elsewhere for missions.. I can send photos of their base in France

      Delete
  4. Anne Nephew12:02 PM

    Thank you for writing. What squadron of the 313 was your fathers? Sylvan was in 49th. Please treasure those keepsakes. I would love scanned copies. I could give you much info also. Please consider attending ww2 glider pilot reunion in Texas fall 2016. Second generation needs help to save the glider story of our parents.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Ned10:25 PM

    Sorry for thr delay in responding. Dad was in the 48th squadron, at least at the time he went overseas in May or June 1943.

    ReplyDelete

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