Archie L Dickson
"My military career was very disappointing.
I held the rank of Captain in my ROTC class but never got that rank on active duty... After various assignments and law school and bar exam I answered red bordered letter from the Army Air corps for Glider Pilots.
I attended the "Air Intelligence" school at Harrisburg PA, then overseas. We glider pilots held administrative jobs before the invasion. As a result, with no rigorous physical exercise I don't think us glider pilots were in top shape for what we faced in Normandy My copilot Don Atkin, attorney from Oklahoma city, were scheduled for the 1st mission on June 6th, Mission Chicago and were to be the last glider in the 434th Troop Serial.
We loaded up and stayed in our glider (last 3 numbers 797) when we finally learned in the early morning hours of June 6th we would not be used, so we went to the quarters to sleep.
When we loaded up after midnight on June 7, the weather at Aldermaston was dismal, cloudy, and rainy so it was a relief to get airborne.
We headed for France and after cutting loose from my tow plane I was watching, turning left with the others and just happen to look up front and was looking head on with a C-47. So I dived under him and built up some speed I did not need.
When I pulled up to clear the trees I called to Don to deploy the deceleration chute which he did and as we cleared the trees he hollowed "I'm hit" and I replied "So am I”. I was able to successfully land the glider with all the troops and equipment. When I looked back everyone had left safely. Don was shot in both legs above the knees, both ham strings severed but no bones broken. I sustained a compound comminuted fracture of the right tibia with lot of lead splash and damage to circulation.
We scrambled out of the glider and Don was farther away, lying on his stomach when a German soldier approached and raised his rifle at Don when Don rose up. But Don saw him and fell back down hollowing "wounded, wounded". Just then someone took a shot at the German who then disappeared.
So I removed my belt and made a tourniquet for my right leg then gave myself a shoot of morphine. I was surprised to look up and see a Frenchmen offering me a drink of wine. I did not refuse his hospitality. It was the best wine I ever had.
Many hours later I was evacuated after been given a 2nd morphine shot by a 4th Infantry Division medic.
I was then taken on a jeep my leg put firmly on a stretcher then loaded back to an LST.
We were the send to a field hospital in England and after being operated on I was flown back to the USA.
That's my story, there are thousands more.”
