Airborne Gliders in World War II

We talk about the “Flying Coffins” of World War II that silently transported troops, weapons, and equipment behind enemy lines . . . getting lots of troops killed and wounded in the process.

Glider warfare experts Monique Taylor, author of Suicide Jockeys: The Making of the World War II Combat Glider Pilot, and Bill Bonnamy, creator of the 319 Gliderman website, devoted to the WWII 319th Glider Field Artillery of the 82nd Airborne Division, tell us about what these contraptions were, how they were used, and what it was like to fly and crash in the,

During World War II, the United States developed and deployed combat gliders as part of its airborne operations, using them to silently transport troops, equipment, and supplies behind enemy lines. These unpowered aircraft, towed by powered planes before being released to glide to their destinations, were used in several major operations in both the European and Pacific Theaters.

These contraptions were notoriously dangerous, and those who flew in them faced harrowing experiences.

The Waco CG-4A, the most widely used American glider, was a high-wing, fabric-covered aircraft with a tubular steel frame. It could carry a pilot, copilot, and up to 13 fully equipped troops or a combination of supplies, including a Jeep or a 75mm howitzer. The CG-4A measured 48 feet in length with an 83-foot wingspan and weighed approximately 3,900 pounds empty. It had no engine, so it relied on a tow from a C-47 Dakota or other tow aircraft using a 300-foot nylon or steel cable.

Another less common glider, the CG-13A, was a scaled-up version of the CG-4A, capable of carrying 30 troops or heavier equipment. Though tested, larger gliders such as the CG-10A and CG-15A were not widely deployed in combat.

The United States first used gliders with the invasion of Sicily (Operation Husky) in July 1943 where they suffered heavy losses due to navigational errors, miscommunications, and enemy fire. Many gliders crashed into the sea or were scattered far from their intended landing zones.

Glider operations were instrumental in the D-Day invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944. Hundreds of CG-4As carried elements of the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions into enemy territory, reinforcing the initial paratrooper drops. These troops secured critical bridges, road junctions, and other key positions before the main invasion force arrived.

One of the most famous American glider operations took place during Operation Market Garden in September 1944. This ambitious attempt to seize a series of bridges in the Netherlands involved the largest airborne operation of the war, with over 2,000 gliders deployed. CG-4As delivered troops, anti-tank guns, and vehicles behind German lines. Though the operation ultimately failed to achieve its final objective—the capture of the bridge at Arnhem—it demonstrated the effectiveness of glider-borne troops in securing initial positions.

Gliders were again heavily utilized in the Battle of the Bulge (December 1944 – January 1945), delivering reinforcements and supplies to encircled Allied forces in Bastogne. In the Pacific Theater, gliders saw more limited use due to the dense jungle terrain, though they were employed in the Burma campaign to deliver supplies to Merrill’s Marauders and other special forces units operating behind Japanese lines.

Flying in a combat glider was an experience filled with danger. Pilots, trained under the Army Air Forces, were considered among the most courageous aviators of the war. Unlike powered aircraft, gliders had no means of escape once they were released from their tow planes. Pilots had to skillfully navigate to their landing zones, often under intense enemy fire. Glider landings were abrupt and often destructive, as they had no engines to regulate descent and typically crashed into rough terrain, obstacles, or defensive positions. Many troops sustained injuries upon landing, sometimes be