Saving A Piece Of History
A group of volunteers, headed by a French woman who heads a D-Day museum in Merville, Normandy, is trying to rescue a shot-up C-47 cargo airplane that is abandoned at an airport in Bosnia. If the Bosnian government does not sign the necessary papers by November 14th there will no chance at saving the craft. The plane participated in the Normandy Invasion, Operation Market Garden and in the siege of Bastogne. It is a true piece of history.
A team of volunteers has been on stand-by for weeks to crate up the plane and truck it out of Bosnia, where it was machine-gunned on an airfield near Sarajevo in 1994 during the Yugoslav civil war to prevent it from ever flying again.
However, a mix of blunders, bureaucracy and pure bad luck have stopped the Bosnian presidency from signing the release order and Guillaume says if they don't do it as promised on November 14, they will miss their final window of opportunity.
Ironically, given its history, the Douglas C-47 will need the help of German troops stationed at the Bosnian airfield to be loaded onto the waiting trucks. Their mission finishes on December 1. and they won't be coming back.
"If the memorandum of understanding is not signed now, it is finished. This is our last chance. We have tried to do everything we can. We are just waiting now," said Guillaume.
D-DAY SYMBOL
Guillaume and her friends began hunting for a Douglas C-47 years ago, seeing the sturdy transport plane as a potent symbol of the 1944 D-Day landings, when hundreds of thousands of allied troops poured into Normandy to liberate France from the Nazis.
A French soldier heard of her search and told her he had spotted one such plane while serving as a peacekeeper in Bosnia in the 1990s. A plane enthusiast, he had negotiated a one hour ceasefire to see the plane up close and in safety.
A check of its registration numbers revealed that it had taken part in the Normandy landings, as well as the disastrous Arnhem 'Market Garden' operation, the siege of Bastogne and the last parachute drop of the war in Europe in March 1945.
The crew named the plane The SNAFU Special during the war. Strangely appropriate right now. I hope Beatrice Guillaume can actually get the airplane out and give it a place of honor back in France where it served so faithfully. More about the C-47 Skytrain at this website. The C-47 was unbelievably tough and there are still some flying today. The official name 'Skytrain' was usually ignored, by the way. It was referred to as the Gooney Bird mostly - in an affectionate way.
The crew named the plane The SNAFU Special during the war. Strangely appropriate right now. I hope Beatrice Guillaume can actually get the airplane out and give it a place of honor back in France where it served so faithfully. More about the C-47 Skytrain at this website. The C-47 was unbelievably tough and there are still some flying today. The official name 'Skytrain' was usually ignored, by the way. It was referred to as the Gooney Bird mostly - in an affectionate way.
UPDATE: In a comment posted today, Beatrice Guillaume sends the following great news:
SNAFU Team Communiqué
On November, 12th, during its 26th ordinary session, the Collegial Presidence decided to offer an American plane wreck who took part in WWII to France.
This decision which has been reached on the Veterans American Day is a continuation of a large mobilization on the two sides of the Atlantic and especially the veterans who flew in this plane and the families of the different crews.
Within few days, the SNAFU Team members will go in Rajlovac to dismantle this big witness of our History who bravely took part in all the battles of the Europe freedom in 1944/1945.They will bring her on three trailers in Normandy where she will be restored before being shown to the public on June 2008.
We have a lot of gratitude towards the leaders of Bosnia and Herzegovina for this handsome gesture of friendship and we aim our warmly thanks to the diplomatic representations we mobilized as also all people who lavish help and encouragements on us.
The Batterie de Merville museum homepage is here.
Other Links to this Post
-
Blue Crab Boulevard » Great News On The C-47 — Wednesday, 14 November , 2007 @ 9:09 am
By NortonPete, Sunday, 11 November , 2007 @ 12:07 pm
I thought they were a beautiful plane because of their sturdy rounded lines, but scrap value will rule the day. If someone wants it they will to pay for it.
By Béatrice GUILLAUME, Wednesday, 14 November , 2007 @ 1:37 am
SNAFU Team Communiqué
On November, 12th, during its 26th ordinary session, the Collegial Presidence decided to offer an American plane wreck who took part in WWII to France.
This decision which has been reached on the Veterans American Day is a continuation of a large mobilization on the two sides of the Atlantic and especially the veterans who flew in this plane and the families of the different crews.
Within few days, the SNAFU Team members will go in Rajlovac to dismantle this big witness of our History who bravely took part in all the battles of the Europe freedom in 1944/1945.They will bring her on three trailers in Normandy where she will be restored before being shown to the public on June 2008.
We have a lot of gratitude towards the leaders of Bosnia and Herzegovina for this handsome gesture of friendship and we aim our warmly thanks to the diplomatic representations we mobilized as also all people who lavish help and encouragements on us.
By Gaius, Wednesday, 14 November , 2007 @ 5:31 am
Fabulous news, Ms Guillaume. Best of luck to you and the team.