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GLIDER PROJECT MEMORIES, RECOLLECTIONS

SEEKING GLIDER STORIES

by Sue Hadden for the MRHF Board

The Menominee Range Historical Foundation is collecting any personal

remembrances of the WW II CG-4A Glider which was built at the

Kingsford Ford factory from 1942-1945. These stories will be used in

the Museum’s future glider exhibit.

Ernest Thunell of Quinnesec served with the 540th Combat Engineers.

“While fighting in Salerno, Italy, I saw one glider landing on a hill about

1/2 mile from us. I saw one jeep come out of the glider, but do not know

where it drove off to. I knew that gliders were being built at the Ford

plant back home in Kingsford, where I worked before I was inducted.”

On the battlefield, the enemy had installed glider barriers. “Long poles

were partially buried upright in the ground about 100’ apart. A second

row of poles was staggered to strip the wings off gliders when they

tried to land.”

Back home, Evelyn Thunell recalls “White cloth was used in the

building of a glider. After the war when production stopped, some

workers brought home yards of this cloth. Curtains were made, baby

dresses were fashioned.” For years, Iron Mountain-Kingsford folks

used this cloth for many different things.

As a boy in Kingsford during the 1940s, Pete Meyers remembers once

witnessing The Snatch at the airport. It was a thrill to see a glider

picked up and towed away with a C47 Transport by means of a long

nylon rope suspended between 2 poles.

The Museum wants to hear more from anyone who has glider

memories. Long or short recollections are all OK. A museum

volunteer can meet with you and put your memories on a video tape.

To have your story recorded, please call Sue Hadden at 906-563-5541. Your

story could also be written down and sent to the Museum by postal mail

or email. Send to Glider Memories, MUSEUMS, PO Box 237, Iron

Mountain, MI 49801. For more Glider information, visit the website

address of the Museum which is: http://www.menomineemuseum.com Click

on “What is a glider?” for more glider facts and details.

Been doing some research on a glider-crash in my village during Market-Garden for almost 2 years.

even Interviewed some eyewitnesses from back then and collected relics from the glider.

Wrote it all down on paper and decided to e-mail this story to the The Menominee Range Historical Foundation.

Even offered to send over the picture's I have to go with the story,

Sadly never heard from them since not even a thank you note.

Strange!!

How long ago was it? I know they have a small staff, so it may take some time. Let me know, and I will do a follow-up letter for you.

Warmly,

M1

Marion thankyou,

I've send my e-mail last saturday. Could send you a copy of the e-mail I have send.

Peter.

You're going to have to be a little more patient. We just celebrated a national holiday too, and most people don't work during the holidays. Even so, I would give them at least a few weeks. It's only been six days.

O, yes sorry july 4th, forgot, oke then I will wait a little more. thanks again.

peter.

If you don't hear anything within a couple of weeks, then drop them a second note and kindly ask if they received your documents. You can say you wanted to make sure they arrived. I'm sure they will understand.

Warmly,

M1

Marion,

Its been some time since I visited this forum due to the summer holiday's overhere.

I wanted to update you on the glider stories subject.

I am in contact with Ken Sovey from Iron Mountain Michigan since last week.

He did resieve my story/reconstruction about the glider crash in my village during Market-Garden and he is planning to use the information in his next presentation on the glider project.

I'm now in the proses of emailing the photo's I have of the gliderparts and others to go along with the story.

These parts I uptained during my research and several publications with requests in the local media.

I also took my little girl Renee (8) to the Margraten Cementry for her first time this holiday to explane what daddy is doing with all that researching and give here more understanding of the meaning honnoring.

She was impressed forsure and now understands the story behind those little wite crosses as she calles them.

Peter.

Peter:

Great news. So glad I could connect the two of you.

BTW, love the photo of your precious little girl. I am so glad you are bringing the history "home" for her.

M1