During the evening of July 10th 2008 a member of the Trust received notification and a request for help. Staff of “Valor Magazine” based in America, planned a visit to the Upottery Airfield at Smeatharpe on July 15th bringing with them veterans of Easy Company, 2nd Battalion of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division.
Today these veterans along with others are best known as the “Band of Brothers” after Spielberg serialized their WWII exploits into a TV series.

Although the Trust had no more than two working days to make arrangements, they were able, with the complete cooperation of everyone involved, including the farmer owners of runway 27, to provide the warmest of welcomes by having C-47 43-15211 parked at Upottery to mark the veterans visit.

In so far as we know Donald Malarkey and Earl McClung are the only veterans, out of well over two thousand men who were transported to Normandy by the 439th Troop Carrier Group during the D-Day invasions June 5-7th 1944 to have made a return visit. However over the years since WWII veterans of the 439th TCGp have made a number of visits.

For C-47 43-15211, this was its second visit to Upottery since WWII. The Trust along with the owners of the airfield and Wings Venture owners of the C-47 reunited the plane with the old airfield during 2007.
This aircraft was one of eighty-one that carried the 2nd Battalion 506th PIR over to Normandy, leaving just before midnight June 5th 1944. With the task dropping paratroops behind Utah beach to help secure a corridor inland and fight of counter attacks enabling the sea-borne force to advance after their landing at dawn. During this mission the 439th TCGp lost three aircraft including one flown by 1st Lt Harold A. Capelutto killing every one on board including Lt Thomas Meehan who was the commanding officer of Easy Company. Under battle conditions he was succeeded by Lt Richard Winter and thus the "Band of Brothers" legend was started.
 
Before leaving, the two veterans laid a wreath at the Upottery memorial to their fallen comrades and had the opportunity to meet many local people including British WWII veterans. This historic event concluded with two members of the Trust who lived in the area during WWII, taking the veterans for a meal at the York Inn, Churchingford before escorting the party safely back to their hotel at Taunton.

Veterans from the 101st Airborne visit Upottery

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