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Operation Neptune, Captain Thomas Francis Mantell, Jr.


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"6 June 1944. Operation Neptune, Captain Thomas Francis Mantell, Jr., His Douglas C-47 Skytrain (6Z), glider tug, `Vulture’s Delight', 96th Troop Carrier Squadron, was hit by flak. He successfully completed his mission, returned to England and was awarded the DFC."

 

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Capt. Mantell would be killed 3-1/2 years later (Jan 1948) in a crash while chasing an object thought to be a "UFO". He climbed above 25,000', passed out from the lack of oxygen. went into a spiral dive that he never came out of. The "UFO" was actually a top secret spy balloon code named Skyhook. As the balloon was top secret, he had no way of knowing what he was chasing.

 

As to the Vultures Delight, that was a helleva piece of flying to bring such a heavily damaged aircraft home. May he rest in peace.

 

:FlagAm:

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