Constructed late in World War II, That’s All, Brother had an impressive military history. Here are some of the key dates from her records.
March 7, 1944: Built at Douglas Aircraft plant in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA.
March 8, 1944: To USAAF at Baer Army Air Field, Indiana, via Dallas Love Field.
April 16, 1944: Departed for England with Air Transport Command.
June 5, 1944: “That’s All, Brother” was the lead aircraft, Chalk 1 of Serial 7, and led the main airborne invasion on the eve of D-Day. She led over 800 C-47’s dropping over 13,000 paratroopers behind enemy lines in Normandy.
The crew of “That’s All, Brother” on D-Day (Left to Right):
T/Sgt. Harry A. Chalfant, Crew Chief
S/Sgt. Woodrow S. Wilson, Radio Operator
1st Lt. Barney Blankenship, Co-Pilot
Lt. Col. John M. Donalson, Command Pilot (438th Troop Carrier Group Commander)
Lt. Col. David E. Daniel, Pilot (87th Squadron Commander)
2nd Lt. Robert G. Groswird, Navigator
2nd Lt. John N. Shallcross, Navigator
Lt Col Donalson (far right) looks on as they prepare to board paratroopers from the 2nd Battalion, 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division aboard “That’s All, Brother.”
Radio Operator S/Sgt Wilson comes to the aid of a paratrooper struggling to board “That’s All, Brother” as Crew Chief T/Sgt Chalfant looks back on the line of troops as they prepare to board his aircraft.
Lt Gen Brereton, Commander of IX Air Force, shakes hands with Lt Col Donalson prior to boarding the aircraft. Lt Col Daniel, already wearing his flack suit, is shown with this back towards the camera.
The men that jumped from the airplane were all troops of the 2nd Bn, 502nd PIR, from the 101st Airborne Division. While we don’t know all of their names, written accounts identify much of the group were in leadership positions. Shown here is possibly Lt Colonel George Van Horn Moseley, Jr. known as “Old Moe” talking with Lt General Brereton as S/Sgt Wilson, the Radio Operator, looks on.
Two other persons that we know for sure that jumped from “That’s All, Brother” on D-Day were Episcopalian Chaplain Raymond S. Hall (center) and combat surgeon Maj. Douglas Davidson (left).
Normally, chaplains were prohibited from making jumps in combat. But “Chappie Hall” was passionate. He was concerned that his men would never accept him unless he jumped with them.
After months of wrangling with the chain of command, Hall had finally had enough. He went straight to the Division Commander, Gen. William. C. Lee, to ask for permission. He argued that there would come a day when a chaplain would be needed on the battlefield and that he’d be better at advising the men if he went through the same experience they did. The answer — “permission granted.”
Jump school was more difficult for a man in his mid-thirties. Hall felt the aches and pains more so than the nineteen and twenty-year-olds in his unit. To his men “Chappie” become known as the “Jumping Jesus!” And just like everyone else who passed, he earned his jump wings — the hard way.
And after jumping from “That’s All, Brother,” Hall refused to leave the front line. He held onto the shattered arms and legs of his soldiers, injecting them with morphine, and adjusting splints. He tended to all the men and their souls that needed care, comfort, and support — all while under fire.
Today “That’s All, Brother” features a bronze placard above the seat in which Hall sat prior to jumping into combat on D-Day.
Hall’s presence on “That’s All, Brother” was also confirmed in The War Diary of Charles W. Lusher by this entry. “The last of the planes were warming up their engines as I finished my rounds… Lt. Col. Donalson and Lt. Col Daniel pulled the lead ship out of the parking area. “Soon they would be pushing the jump button on their plane named “That’s All, Brother” and the invasion of Europe would be on.”
In that ship was Chaplain Hall and the leaders of the 101st. Lt. Col Daniel had his little Scottie dog sitting on a flack suit beside him.”
Lt Colonel Benjamin Weisberg, Commander of the 377th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion, and two others, Corporal Victor Nelson and Private Donald G. Johnson, were also known to be aboard the aircraft that day.
In the waning hours of Jun 5th, “That’s All, Brother” finally lifted off the runway at Greenham Common. Lt Col Donalson placed the aircraft into a wide slow turn to allow the other 35 aircraft in her serial to form-up on her. They had practiced this so often it took only a few minutes. Soon they were in a tight formation — on course 234º magnetic, speed 133 mph at 1,500 feet.
Soon formations of C-47s from the 436th Group at Membury—the 439th Group at Upottery—the 435th Group at Welford Park—the 441st Group at Merryfield—and the 440th Group at Exeter would join Lt Col Donalson and “That’s All, Brother” in a massive formation. ALBANY was on her way. And would soon to be joined by others.
Each serial was made up almost entirely of 36, 45, or 54 airplanes. They flew as nine-ship Vs on Vs in trail formation. Each nine-airplane flight was spaced 1,000 feet behind the rear of the preceding flight. Elements leaders of each flight were 200 feet back, and 200 feet to the right or left. Within each three-plane V, the wingmen were 100 feet back and 100 feet to the right or left of their lead. This was a tight formation at night for aircraft approximately 75 feet long and 100 feet wingtip to wingtip.
Never in military history had anyone in the world witnessed anything as grandiose or spectacular as this. Eight hundred and twenty-one Skytrains in formation — nine planes wide — strung out in a solid train of transport aircraft five hours long. With “That’s All, Brother” leading the way.
NAV Log
Start point – SALTBY – fly heading 234º- 30 miles
Nav point ATLANTA – Code K – maintain courseº- 30 miles
Nav point BURBANK – Code F – fly heading 236 – 30 miles
Nav point CLEVELAND – Code B – Left turn to heading 163º for 30 miles
Nav point ELKO – Code D – right turn to heading 213º for 30 miles
Nav point FLATBUSH – Code G – maintain course 213º for 25 miles
– 4 minutes past FLATBUSH turn off nav lights
Nav point GALLUP – Code L – maintain course 213º for 28 miles
Nav point HOBOKEN – Code C -Left turn to heading 125 for 34 miles
At HOBOKEN turn off amber recognition lights
Nav point PIORIA – IP – Left turn to heading 112º for 20.5 miles
Enroute to DZ — Speed 110 mph – Altitude 700 ft
Center of DZ Alpha 49º24’27″N 01º22’36” W
As they approached the coast of France, clear skies were replaced by low, hanging clouds. Once they hit the coast it was just 14 1/2 minutes to the drop zone, but the weather was deteriorating rapidly as the low clouds rolled in.
The monotony in the back of the aircraft would break as the jumpmaster called out and signaled to the troops – “Ten minutes!”
En route to the DZ, the Rebecca -Eureka transponder system would be utilized as their primary navigational aid. The Eureka beacon was placed on the drop zone by pathfinders who jumped just 28 minutes before “That’s All, Brother” arrived over Drop Zone Alpha.
Jumpmaster — “Five Minutes!” “Stand up! — Hook up! — Sound off for equipment check!” “Sixteen OK! Fifteen OK! Fourteen OK …”
The crew’s attention focused on the companion system for Eureka on board the aircraft — Rebecca — to indicate when the aircraft was over the drop zone.
The aircraft slowed to 110 mph as the pilot pulled the power back on the number one engine.
As the jumpmaster yelled “One Minute,” the troops inched backward towards the door. Time would seem to stand still as they waited on the system. The pathfinders landing long during their initial jump set was 1.25 miles North of the intended landing spot.
Even at 110 mph, each additional second would seem like an eternity. You can almost imagine the navigators, Lieutenants Shallcross and Groswird looking at each other double-checking to see if calculations were right.
With each waning second doubt spread through the minds of the crew. Were the pathfinders successful? Were they captured or killed or did the beacon simply fail? Was Rebecca even operational? The moments were tense ones as Rebecca failed to locate the Eureka beacon. Nevertheless, Lt Col Donalson relying on their other navigational systems gave the order — Green Light!
The jumpmaster shouted “Go, Go, Go!” and the back of the plane erupted in a flurry of activity and noise. And as quickly as it began, it was over. The troops were gone. God Speed!
At 00:48, the skies over Normandy filled as paratroops fell towards the ground, the momentum of the soldiers slowed momentarily by the silk canopies opening over the heads. Then the sound of flesh, leather, and metal could be heard as each troop hit the ground.
The first wave jumped into Drop Zone Alpha, but the lack of the Eureka signal meant they were off the mark.
Although the 2nd Battalion dropped as a compact unit, they were off the intended drop zone.
Lt Col Moseley was injured after jumping from “That’s All, Brother,” but he refused to be evacuated from the battlefield, commanding the 502nd regiment from a wheelbarrow for two days.
Without a functioning Eureka beacon and deteriorating weather conditions, the remainder of the 502nd (70 of 80 sticks) were dropped in a disorganized pattern around the impromptu drop zone set up by the pathfinders near the beach.
Their commander, Lt Col. Steve A. Chappuis who jumped from a different aircraft, came down virtually alone on the correct drop zone. Chappuis and his stick of paratroopers captured the coastal battery soon after assembling and found that it had already been dismantled after an air raid.
Battalion commanders of the 1st and 3rd Battalions, Lt Col. Patrick J. Cassidy (1/502) and Lt Col. Robert G. Cole (3/502), took charge of small groups and accomplished all of their D-Day missions.
Cassidy’s group took Saint Martin-de-Varreville by 0630, sent a patrol under S/Sgt. Harrison C. Summers to seize the “XYZ” objective, a barracks at Mésières, and set up a thin line of defense from Fourcarville to Beuseville.
Cole’s group moved during the night from near Sainte-Mère-Église to the Varreville battery, then continued on and captured Exit 3 at 0730. They held the position during the morning until relieved by troops moving inland from Utah Beach.
Back in “That’s All, Brother” there was no time to relax. T/Sgt Chalfant had to pull in the D-bags before they could install the paratroop door and accelerate away from the drop zone. Lt Col Donalson and Daniel got their heads back down in the cockpit to get the formation home — safely.
The navigators struggled to pick out the next nav point — MADUGAN — on the radar scope. The harbor was so full of ships and landing craft it obscured their reference points. After SPOKANE, they turned back and began a slow climb to 3000 feet so that they would deconflict with the formation of C-47s flying below that were still en route to Normandy.
A photograph dated June 6, 1944, titled “FIRST SHIP TO RETURN” confirms the story as Lt Col Daniel and his little Scottish Terrier that flew the mission along with the rest of the crew from “That’s All, Brother.”
A personal letter sent home after the end of the war from Lt Shallcross, recounts, “After returning from dropping the paratroops [on D-Day] we hauled Horsa gliders (English type) back to the drop zone to resupply the paratroops.”
This second sortie was part of Operation Elmira. Lt Col Donalson and Daniel commanded the “Belle of Birmingham” using the same basic crew that flew “That’s All, Brother” earlier in the day. They led Serial 31, a formation of 50 C-47s, all towing a British A.S. 51 Horsa or an American CG-4 Waco glider.
The Belle towed a Horsa glider LG 687, which was flown by a glider pilot named Captain Cawthon and copilot Capt Adams. Immediately after landing at 21:19 hours, the glider was hit by gunfire. Both Captain Cawthorn and Adams were captured by the Germans.
Captain Cawthorn was freed by American troops the following day. And later Capt Adams talked his captors into surrendering. He led them back to the American lines where his captives surrender and were interred. A newspaper report would later call Captain Adams “The Sgt York of Oratory.”
But the glider pilots weren’t the only ones injured in the heavy ground fire. During Operation Elmira, both S/Sgt. Woodrow S. Wilson, the Radio Operator (center) and T/Sgt. Harry A. Chalfant, the Crew Chief (right) are both wounded. A third crewman from the 87th Troop Carrier Squadron, Radio Operator S/Sgt William E. Jones (left), was also wounded during the Operation. All three posed with the Belle of Birmingham after receiving the Purple Heart.
July 18, 1944 (Secret Destination)
On July 18 “That’s All, Brother” and 17 other C-47s embark on a SECRET mission.
(We’ll post more when we learn more about this mission.)
August 1944: Participated in Operation Dragoon (15 August 1944).
September 1944: Operation Market Garden in Holland (17–25 September 1944).
On September 17, 1944, the 87th Troop Carrier Squadron was again leading the 438th TCG. And again, ‘That’s all Brother’ was leading. Just like Normandy, paratroopers of the 502nd PIR, 101st Airborne Division were dropped again.
The following two days, the 438th TCG was involved in towing gliders to the same area. “That’s all Brother’ flew at least one of these missions, and possibly both.
A last glider mission to the Eindhoven area was flown on 23 September 1944.
A photograph from Lt Shallcross collection captures paratroopers boarding “That’s All, Brother” for Market Garden.
November 5-6, Belfast, Ireland
On November 5th, 1944 “That’s All, Brother” flew to Belfast, Ireland for Administrative duties and remained overnight.
March-May 1945: Participated in Operation Varsity (24 March 1945 – 2 May 1945)
On Operation Varsity, “That’s All Brother” flew as chalk number 127, leading the last element of nine airplanes of the 438th Troop Carrier Group in a combat airborne operation. This was Serial A-3 in that operation, with the goal of dropping paratroopers of the 507th PIR, 17th Airborne Division at DZ-W near Wesel.
Changes had already taken place in the command structure of the 438th TCG. Lt. Col. Donalson had left the Group for another position and Lt. Col. Daniel was now with Group HQ instead of leading the 87th TCS.
Crew of That’s All, Brother for Operation Varsity
Capt. Allison L. Reams (P)
2nd Lt. Walter L. G. Collins (CP)
S/Sgt. Ramon Pena (CC)
Sgt. Ira E. Bailie (RO)
T/Sgt. Martin S. Rohrer
The 15 paratroopers of 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment:
1st Lt. James P. Webb
Pvt. Everett M. Grant
Pfc. Roland G. Charette
Pfc. Alton G. Marvin
Pfc. John W. Patridge
Pfc. Jesse D. Isaacs
Pvt. Darrel J. Palmer
Pvt. Juan S. Vasquez
Pvt. Kenneth F. Tongue
Pvt. Edward A. Zawilinski
Pvt. Chester A. A. Burrows
Pfc. William M. Winnie
Sgt. Willie R. Moore
S/Sgt. Earl S. Patton
T/Sgt. William H. Lindsey
August 4, 1945: Departed for the United States
