D-Day memorial flight recalls Eisenhower airfield

Descendants of a World War Two airman have made a commemorative flight in his plane, which took US paratroops to Normandy as part of the D-Day invasion.

Allison 'Al' Reams Sr flew men from the US 101st Airborne Division from Greenham Common in Berkshire.

A photograph from the former airfield of General Dwight D Eisenhower meeting the men, their faces covered in camouflage cream on the eve of battle, is one of the most famous images of the invasion.

Preparing for the anniversary flight, the pilot's son Al Reams Jr said: "He was a hero. Flying over the beach will break me up because I know what they faced."

Al Reams Snr's diary was unearthed by one of his great-grandchildren when she was doing a school project.

In it, he recalls General Eisenhower's visit and how his plane was picked to lead the others that night, because it had more advanced navigation equipment.

In the end, partly due to weather, they still missed the target but each paratroop drop achieved its objectives.

The pilot's grandson Troy von Kutzleben said the diary showed "amazing" calmness under fire, recording: "Taken some flak [anti-aircraft fire]. Seen some other planes go down."

The plane, a C-47 transport, named That's All Brother, has been back in England for the D-Day commemorations.

On board for Saturday's flight to France were three generations of Al Reams Snr's family - his son, his grandson and one of his great-grandsons.

Al Reams Jr thinks the plane may have been christened by his father.

He said: "Perhaps it was what they said as they packed the guys out of the plane over Normandy.

"That's all brother. The rest is up to you."

Greenham Common, which later became better known as a US Cold War cruise missile base, will mark the D-Day anniversary with a series of events including a public exhibition in the post-war control tower.

The tower charity said General Eisenhower delivered his famous 6 June order to Allied forces in a speech at Greenham Lodge.

The message, including the famous line, "The eyes of the world are upon you," was also broadcast and circulated in leaflets as forces began the battle to liberate Europe.

The Allied supreme commander later recalled the paratroops had joked with him at Greenham Common, saying: "Quit worrying, General, we'll take care of this thing for you."

Speaking to CBS anchor Walter Kronkite in 1964, he played down suggestions that he had a tear in his eye that evening in Berkshire.

"You know there are going to be losses, along the line. They're going to be bad," he explained.

"If a man didn't show a little bit of emotion, it would probably show that he was a little bit inhuman and goodness knows, those fellas meant a lot to me."

Follow BBC South on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected] or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2240.