Today June 6, 2019 is the 75th Anniversary of the that more than 160,000 Allied troops landed along a 50-mile stretch of beaches of Normandy France to fight the Nazi of Germany. Among those that were part of the battle was Lt John M Butler, a 26 year old man from Harrington Delaware.
He was onboard a Waco glider. At 48ft, with a wing span of 83ft, the glider could carry 13 troops with equipment, or a jeep or a 75mm howitzer along with its flight crew. On this day Lieutenant Colonel Mike Murphy and Second Lieutenant John M. Butler flew in Brig. Gen. Don Forester Pratt, an assistant commander of the 101st Airborne Division, and his aid 1st Lt. Lee John May. The glider was the first of 52 that departed from England about 1:19 a.m. on June 6, 1944.
The following is from Pratt’s Wikipedia page, “The Waco glider landed successfully but when Lieutenant Colonel Murphy applied the brakes, the tall wet grass caused the glider to skid without significant slowing, and it overran the landing zone, crashing into a hedgerow line of 40-foot-tall (12 m) poplar trees. Lieutenant Colonel Murphy suffered severe injuries, with both legs broken, one a compound fracture. A tree limb came through the co-pilot side of the cockpit, killing Butler. Pratt, sitting in the Jeep, died from a broken neck resulting from whiplash. The Jeep was not chained, but was tied down with nylon rope and did not break loose. Lieutenant May was riding on the jump seat behind the Jeep and survived the crash.”
There is a scene in “Saving Private Ryan that shows the aftermath of the crash and the general’s death.
On Memorial Day, May 27, 2019, a display with many of Lt. Bulter’s his personal effects was unveiled at the Harrington Historical Society. The items in the display was provided by Lt Bulter’s son, Roger Butler, who was 6 at the time of his father’s death.
