William T. JACOBS

Source : Mary Kaye

14 november 1942

Washington DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

National Guard

Source : Dominique Potier

Douglas C-47 - type A-75-DL - s/n 42-101025 Z4*? Chalk #54

Macr: 7271

Mission: #15 - Mission Albany
- Airborne Troops 501ePIR/101eAB - DZ-D (Angoville-au-Plain)

Take Off: Station 464 Merryfieldl, SOMERSET

Shot by flak 01h42 - Explosion

CEMETERY TEMPORARY of  Blosville N°3508

Map Normandy American Cemetery

Pvt William T. Jacobs, paratrooper of Company D, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division (2nd Battalion), took off from station 464 in Merryfield, United Kingdom in C-47 42-101025 to drop over DZ-D as part of Operation Albany during the Normandy invasion (5 hours before the amphibious landings). DZ-D was north and east of the town of Carentan.

The mission was to sieze key canal locks at La Barquette and destroy the bridges over the Douve River. The target time was 0134.

The plane was flow by pilots from the 301st Troop Carrier Squadron, 441st Troop Carrier Group.

The plane was the last of five waves to cross the Contentin peninsula (Normandy), over air defenses now on full alert. To complicate matters, there were heavy clouds at 1,500 feet, gone unreported due to the strict radio silence.

Some pilots decided to pull up and find their DZs with the Eureka-Rebecca system, others went low to obtain a visual of their DZs, and a rare few stayed the course through the cloud bank. While approaching their drop, the plane came under heavy flak fire. It exploded in mid-air at 0142 and crashed in the Bois de Limors, France. A memorial has been erected on the site, with monument listing the names of those aboard the aircraft and two flags, one U.S. and one France.

Source : Jaap Vermeer

Source : Jaap Vermeer

 Abbe Levert was the priest in charge of the parish of Varenguebec in 1944. He wrote this gruesome report about the crash in Limors. It says that:

“On June 9, we carried out the burial of the 22 allied paratroops killed in Limors forest during the night of the invasion. They were on board a plane, probably flying low, which hit the top of the trees, capsized and took fire. The passengers were burnt to death and one of them was still hanging from the higher branches of a tree. Several had probably attempted to escape.

In any case, six had retained a human shape and were interred in coffins, the others, in an advanced state of decomposition, and for the most part only shapeless forms, were wrapped in parachutes. The identify of every one of them was carefully records and reported to the Mairie [village authorities], together with a detailed plan of all the graves.

These 22 victims were buried with the prayers of the church. All the bodies were recovered about 10 days later after the Americans passed through the village and transported to a military cemetery.”

101^st AIRBORNE DIVISION - SCREAMING EAGLES

Activated/Activé	Normandy/Normandie
15 Aug 1942	Days of Combat/Jour de Combat  214
	Casualties/Victimes 9 328
Entered Combat/Entré au combat
6 Jun1944 D-Day
Commanding Generals/Commandants généraux Maj. Gen. William C. Lee (Aug 42 - Mar 44) Maj. Gen. Maxwell D. Taylor (Mar 44 - Dec 44) Brig. Gen. Anthony C. McAuliffe (Dec 44 - Dec 44) Maj. Gen. Maxwell D. Taylor (Dec 44 - Sep 45)	Campaigns/Campagnes Normandy (6 Jun 44 - 24 Jul 44) Rhineland (15 Sep 44 - 21 Mar 45) Ardennes-Alsace (16 Dec 44 - 25 Jan 45) Central Europe (22 Mar 45 - 11 May 45)
PLAN DE ROUTE DE LA CAMPAGNE - CAMPAIGN ROUTE MAP
DIVISION CHRONICLE The 101st Airborne arrived in England, 15 September 1943, and received additional training in Berkshire and Wiltshire. On 6 June 1944, the Division was dropped into Normandy behind Utah Beach. Against fierce resistance it took Pouppeville, Vierville, and St. Come du Mont. On the 12th, the stronghold of Carentan fell, and after mopping up and maintaining its positions, the Division returned to England, 13 July, for rest and training. On 17 September 1944, taking part in one of the largest of airborne invasions, the 101st landed in Holland, took Vechel and held the Zon bridge. St. Oedenrode and Eindhoven fell after sharp fighting on the 17th and 18th. Opheusden changed hands in a shifting struggle, but the enemy was finally forced to withdraw, 9 October. After extensive patrols, the Division returned to France, 28 November, for further training. On 18 December, it moved to Belgium to stop the German breakthrough. Moving into Bastogne under the acting command of Brig. Gen. Anthony C. McAuliffe, it set up a circular defense and although completely surrounded, refused to surrender on 22 December. Its perimeter held against violent attacks. The 4th Armored Division finally reached the 101st on the 26th and the enemy offensive was blunted. Very heavy fighting continued near Bastogne for the rest of December and January. On 17 January 1945, the Division moved to Drulingen and Pfaffenhoffen in Alsace and engaged in defensive harassing patrols along the Moder River. On 31 January, it crossed the Moder in a three-company raid. After assembling at Mourmelon, France, 26 February 1945, for training, it moved to the Ruhr pocket, 31 March, patrolling and raiding in April and engaging in military government at Rheydt and Munchen-Gladbach. The 101st reached Berchtesgaden by the end of the war and performed occupational duties until inactivation in Germany.	CHRONIQUE DE DIVISION Le 101st Airborne est arrivé en Angleterre, le 15 septembre 1943, et a reçu une formation supplémentaire dans le Berkshire et le Wiltshire. Le 6 juin 1944, la division est larguée en Normandie derrière Utah Beach. Contre une résistance féroce, il fallut Pouppeville, Vierville et St. Come du Mont. Le 12, le fief de Carentan est tombé, et après avoir nettoyé et maintenu ses positions, la Division est revenue en Angleterre, le 13 juillet, pour se reposer et s'entraîner. Le 17 septembre 1944, participant à l'une des plus grandes invasions aéroportées, la 101st débarque en Hollande, prend Vechel et tient le pont de Zon. St. Oedenrode et Eindhoven sont tombés après des combats acharnés les 17 et 18. Opheusden a changé de mains dans une lutte changeante, mais l'ennemi a finalement été forcé de se retirer, le 9 octobre. Après de longues patrouilles, la Division revint en France le 28 novembre pour suivre une formation complémentaire. Le 18 décembre, il a déménagé en Belgique pour arrêter la percée allemande. Déménagement à Bastogne sous le commandement de Brig. Général Anthony C. McAuliffe, il a mis en place une défense circulaire et bien que complètement encerclé, a refusé de se rendre le 22 décembre. Son périmètre tenu contre les attaques violentes. La 4e division blindée atteignit finalement la 101e le 26 et l'offensive ennemie fut émoussée. De très violents combats ont continué près de Bastogne pour le reste de décembre et janvier. Le 17 janvier 1945, la division s'est déplacée à Drulingen et à Pfaffenhoffen en Alsace et s'est livrée à des patrouilles de harcèlement défensif le long de la rivière Moder. Le 31 janvier, il a traversé le Moder dans un raid de trois compagnies. Après s'être rassemblé à Mourmelon, France, le 26 février 1945, pour s'entraîner, il s'installa dans la poche de la Ruhr, le 31 mars, patrouillant et faisant des raids en avril et s'engageant dans un gouvernement militaire à Rheydt et Munchen-Gladbach. La 101e a atteint Berchtesgaden à la fin de la guerre et a exercé des fonctions professionnelles jusqu'à l'inactivation en Allemagne.