SOUTHERN FRANCE - August 15, 1944
Serial
Operation Dragoon
On 15 August
1944, American gliders from airfields near Rome and other airfields extending down some
150 miles of the Italian coast, strike in the Argens River valley to isolate German units
in the coastal area of Southern France.
"Then we came in over the landing zone. There was no mistaking it this time.
Hollywood never made a scene like this. I was given a perfect tow over the center of the
field at 500 feet. We had a bird's-eye view of the burning planes, smashed gliders,
collapsed parachutes, shell bursts, -- men running, dodging, dying. The whole panorama of
war - with our reinforcements being funneled into it, like circling down the cone of a
tornado to the point of contact with the ground"
Units involved in Southern France:
62nd Troop Carrier Group
64th Troop Carrier Group
435th Troop Carrier Group
76th Southern France narative and Crew Lists
436th Troop Carrier Group
437th Troop Carrier Group
438th Troop Carrier Group
439th Troop Carrier Group
440th Troop Carrier Group
441st Troop Carrier Group
442nd Troop Carrier Group

Glider Pilot's returning after flying gliders to landing zone.
Following report is from the Headquarters 64th Troop Carrier Group, Officer of the Operations Officer, APO 650, US Army, 21 August 1944
SUBJECT: Report on glider Mission DOVE TO: Commanding Officer, 64th TC Group (Attention: S-2)
In accordance with request the following report is submitted.
The report is based on interrogation of the glider pilots who returned.

Glider pilots have reached the Riviera beach for evacuation back to Italy. A great photo taken by Capt. Draper, 442nd Troop Carrier Group.
--Airborne Troop Carrier
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American Glider pilots involved in the Southern France Operation
The WITNESS TO WAR: A glider pilots perspective-
Milt Dank, Glider Pilot, 91st
Troop Carrier Squadron, 439th Troop Carrier Group, 1st Allied Airborne Infantry
Forty-five to ninety seconds. That's all Milt Dank says he had to land his four ton glider in the vineyards of Southern
France while facing life-threatening obstacles. (4:50)
Courtesy of the National Archives / NWWIIGPA Collection Caption on back: Invasion Gliders land after being towed to the coast of southern France by Douglas C-47
Transports of the 12th
Air Force Troop Carrier Air Division, on the invasion's "D" Day. Dust can be seen as the Gliders land somewhere between Cannes and Toulon.

Courtesy of the National Archives / NWWIIGPA Collection Caption on back: General view of anti-glider posts placed by Germans along the southern coast of France.
(Petuis Area, France) 21 August 1944.
[Field Marshal Rommel directed that thousands of these tall wooden
poles be erected in open fields in Southern France so as to impede glider landings.]
Silent Wings Museum / NWWIIGPA Collection Back Caption: "Art Thomas, Great Pilot, Great Guy, Southern France. His Glider. --Jerry Schelley"
Courtesy of the National Archives / NWWIIGPA Collection Caption on back: 15 August 1944. Seventh Army, La Motte, France. 1st Airborne Task Force.
Airborne Troops leaving their glider for C.P. area, shortly after landings were made in southern France. Photo by Leibowitz, 163rd Signal Photo Company
Courtesy of the National Archives / NWWIIGPA collection 17 AUG.1944 7/MM-44-2151
7 ARMY, LE MUY, FRANCE.
T. F., Stack German euipment in the town square of Le Muy as German prisoners pass under glider pilot escort
Photo by Leibowitz, 163rd SIG. Photo Co. .
OPERATION CODENAME DOVE
Courtesy of the Silent Wings Museum / LBS Research Team collection
18 August 1944
HQ 51st TC Wing report on Equipment and Material for the Mission DOVE by Michael J. Samek, 1st Lt. Air Corps, Asst A-3
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