The Gainesville Squadron once again supported the Palatka Fly-In, providing aircraft ramp safety.  It was a much warmer day than last year, and we had a good group of cadets and senior members present, along with our CAP aircraft. 

Of the many aircraft there, we were once again visited by Placid Lassie, a C-47 Skytrain built in 1943 in Long Beach, California by the Douglas Aircraft Company.  This aircraft has a proud history.  On D-Day Placid Lassie and the rest of the 74th Troop Carrier Squadron (TCS) took off from Aldermaston, England at about 0200 towing Waco gliders.  They dropped down to 500 feet and crossed the Channel.  The 74th came over the release zone at 450-feet six minutes early and released the gliders.  About half of the gliders landed within two miles of the LZ.  Placid Lassie and the 74th TCS then flew four more missions over the next four days consisting first of parachutes, then two glider missions and finally a resupply.  Without Placid Lassie and all the other C-47s like her, we could not have won the war.