D-Day C-47 Pilot Casualty

[Eagle0025]

There is a story from my father's fighter group (the 474th FG) that goes as follows:

In the morning hours of D-Day, 6 June 1944, there were many aircraft returning from Normandy that had been badly shot up that used the 474th's field at Warmwell for emergency landings since it was one of the closest airfields they would come to on the southern coast of England. One such aircraft, a C-47, landed at Warmwell with it's pilot dead from a .30cal bullet in his chest. The pilot was killed after dumping off his stick of paratroopers only to find two that had refused to jump. The pilot had to make a second pass over the drop zone to let the two stragglers off. That is when he got hit.

Does anybody know who the pilot might have been and the unit he was assigned to? I'm just trying to learn more about this incident.

Cheers, Gary Koch

[Martin Gleeson]

Hallo Gary,

The pilot was Lt. Sidney W. Dunagan of the 50th TCS, 314th TCG. It appears that the two paratroopers did not refuse to jump, rather their rip cords had become fouled.

Source: ON WINGS OF TROOP CARRIERS IN WW2 by Robert E. Callahan, 1997, self-published (?).

Hope this helps,

Martin Gleeson.

[kaki3152]

Just as a matter of information Lt. Dunnagan was an ex-resident of the Panama Canal Zone.

Carlos

[Eagle0025]

Martin and Carlos,

Many thanks for the information. This will help me to update the 474th's history. You have been most helpful.

Cheers, Gary

[pdunagan]

Sidney was my great uncle. My father, Col. Lewis H. Dunagan, a veteran of WWII, Korea and Vietnam, is 86 years old and can speak with great detail on Sidney's casualty, as he and Sid were best friends from birth back in Wilder, Idaho; my dad's dad actually raised Sidney in his home with my father. Col. Dunagan is still around, and can be found in Fort Worth, Texas. I think he's in the phone book, but if not, please contact me with your info and I'll have him call you.