Medals Earned by Glider Pilots, Air Medal

I can thank our friend Chuck Foreman, Wing I Commander of the National World War II Glider Pilots Association, for gifted me with this beautiful medal that I had sought on Sylvan Lucier's behalf for quite some years! My husband and I spent time with Chuck and glider pilot Don Manke at the Pima Air Museum a year ago when he promised to obtain it for me.

I found the small gold and blue bar in my grandmother's box. It is possible the medal went missing before I received the memorabilia but I doubt that. When an awards ceremony was staged following a mission, government written orders were given with names listed. I don't know if the medal itself, or just a letter confirming the medal was handed out.

In Sylvan's case, he had died before the tiny Oak Leaf Cluster (indicating a Second Air Medal) could be given to him. Although Sylvan was stationed in Africa in 1943, preparing for an invasion of Sicily, I'm told he was not listed as a pilot or co-pilot in that mission. He would have done a lot of flying later in Sicily, was transferred to the 36th Squadron of the 316th group, and left for England in late March, 1944. So the First Air Medal could not be from the Husky (Sicilian) mission.

A document given me by 316 TCG Historian Mike Ingresano, provided proof that Sylvan was given his first Air Medal for flying a Horsa glider on D-Day in Normandy, while assigned to the 88 Squadron. I also have the document of glider pilot from the 316th group on Temporary Duty to the 88th. In a search the 88th Squadron War Diaries I found no list of glider pilots receiving an air medal. They had returned to their own group in early August, and I think air medals would have been presented by then. Once again, the frequently reassigned glider pilots are left out of reports.

In this photo I have placed the new air medal and the older bar from Sylvan's uniform on a white tea napkin embroidered by my mother in her youth. There is a tiny oak leaf cluster (which was given when the pilot earns a second air medal) on the bar as well as the ribbon now. I think there were glider pilots who earned four air medals (Normandy, Southern France, Holland and the Rhine crossing) but probably not five.