Carolina Blue

Carolina Blue. The Carolina Blue Squadron of Sanford, South Carolina featured new member, Todd Piacenza, whose enlightening presentation on "Other Airbornes" highlighted USA divisions beyond the better known 82nd and 101st. Others were the 11 th, 13th and 17th. Piacenze served with the 11th Airborne Divison during WWII. He was parachute and glider qualfied, jumpmaster and pathfinder rated. The 11th, activated in early 1943, was sent to New Guinea, Leyte, Luzon, Okinawa and Japan. Todd traced the history of the airborne divisions and puncuated his excellent presentation with intriguing facts. He likened the CG 4A glider to a large milk carton with wings that carried a 3,750 pound payload: two pilots and 13 fully combat loaded soldiers, or six soldiers and a jeep. When airborne, you could look inside the craft towards the tail and watch the tail swing from side to side. (Carl Woodard)

Copyright Association of Naval Aviation Spring 2001
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