Glidermen of Neptune: The American D-Day Glider Attack

by Charles J. Masters

Although the word gliderman does not appear in the dictionary, a brave group of World War II soldiers known as glidermen flew into combat inside unarmed and unarmored canvas-covered gliders known as "flying coffins." Charles J. Masters points out that because World War II was the first truly mechanized and armored global conflict, the role of the glidermen and their combat gliders was at best anachronistic. Fighter planes exceeded speeds of 400 miles per hour and were heavily armed with multiple machine guns. Dogfights had taken on new dimensions, eclipsing the tactics, speed, and firepower first evidenced by the fragile biplanes of World War I. Tanks achieved a lethal efficiency barely dreamed of even five years before the war. An array of weaponry never seen in any previous military engagement confronted the combat soldier during World War II. And yet there were gliders. And glidermen. Masters tells of these men and of their fragile aircraft in a war of mechanized chaos. In copious detail, he describes the gliders and the Americans who boarded them during the American D-Day glider attack, a mission that was part of the overall cross-channel plan code-named "Operation Neptune." The son of a gliderman with the 82nd Airborne Division, Masters had unique access to the surviving glidermen and comrades of his father. During the course of his research, he located and interviewed 106 of the men who had flown the D-Day mission in gliders. As an insider—in a sense almost a member of the family and fraternity of glider-men—Masters was cordially received by the members of the American airborne divisions that participated in D-Day, many of whom told him stories they had seldom told their own friends and families. Often harrowing and always riveting, the stories these men told an eager listener and researcher are very much a part of this narrative. Masters has also assembled the finest existing collection of photographs of the American D-Day glider attack. These photographs—many of which have never before been published—provide a spectacular photographic record of a little-known aspect of this war. In fact, because of the short military history of the American combat glider, most readers, including veterans of World War II, will not have seen one of these "flying coffins," even at a distance. These photographs afford the opportunity to actually examine the inside of the combat gliders used on D-Day, to observe the glidermen in action, and to witness the often tragic consequences of the glider attack.

112 pages, Paperback

First published December 22, 1995

Reviews

[Martin Koenigsberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting and informative book on a oft-forgotten topic. No this is not some Sci-Fi epic- this is the story of the Glider Assault at D-day, "Neptune " being the name of their part of the operation. American Airborne Divisions contained both Parachute Infantry who dropped from aircraft with parchutes(duh) and Glider Infantry who were delivered to the battlefield via Wood and Canvas Gliders, aircraft with no engines- towed into action and released over the target. Much of the heavier equipment of the division was also delivered in this way. These regiments were considered the "Junior " regiments in the Airborne divisions, although they were larger formations, and did not wear the Jump Boots, the Special Tunics, and the wings that the Paratroopers did.

But after Normandy they did get those recognitions. The author, Charles Masters, who discovered that his Father had been one such trooper, is a little breathless in his telling of the tale, but does an decent job. The element of surprise had figured large in the prior uses of Glider in WWII, The Germans in Belgium seizing forts, Crete where the Anglo-Kiwi defender had only a few days warning, and Sicily, where the Allied landing were protected by deception. But by 1944- the German commander Rommel knew that the Allies preceded Landings with Airborne operations- so the fields of Normandy were filled with stout posts with mines- the "Rommel's Asparagus" that caused a lot of glider casualties- as did the stout "Bocage" walls of the small fields. Masters focuses a little too much on the essential folly of the glider assault, replaced before the end of the war by Parachute Only assaults, and now by the wonders of Helo /HALO/STOL insertions- but we all recognise that it was a short-lived concept now surpassed. On the other hand, his annoying sense of wonderment does mean he is good with many details of the operation.

There are some adult concepts and some horrific injury descriptions, so this is best for a Junior Reader over eleven. For the Gamer/Modeller/Military Enthusiast, this is a rare chance to get to know half of the Airborne Divisions that might have been overlooked. If you happen to be gaming a D-Day Campaign (I hear you Flames of War and Battlegroup!) you will like getting the exact numbers that were supposed to be at all the landing zones- as well as the exact casualty figures. As a deep dive on the whole Glider program it will also go beyond Scenario/Diorama development to help you get your head fully around WWII Airborne operations - with its strong Glider element. A good addition to any WWII library.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Walter Cronkite a World War II correspondent once said after riding in a glider, "I tell you straight out. if you got to go into combat, don't go by glider, walk, crawl, parachute, swim, float-anything but don't go by glider." After reading this book I have to agree. Charles J. Masters in this book explains the reasoning behind why America used the glider to transport military troops into the D-Day invasion. Why Eisenhower knew that seventy percent of the gliderman in those "flying coffins" would never come home alive and still went ahead and ordered the attack as planned. Gliderman of Neptune is well written account of the D-Day glider operations with vivid pictures about a little known aircraft. These men the gliderman went above and beyond. Take the time to read this book to understand what it was like to be a gliderman, incredible courage.