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"Well, buddy, just pull your tank in behind me. I'm the 82nd Airborne, and this is as far as the bastards are going!"
US Army
The Situation:
The 325th Glider Infantry Regiment of the 82nd Airborne Division had an insane job, even by WWII standards. Their task was to haul supplies to paratroopers, using gliders that were made out of freaking plywood. This is a material not known for its bullet-deflecting capabilities, and the gliders had a habit of suddenly plummeting to the Earth due to the heavy weight of the cargo. They were basically designed for crashing, with the pilot hanging on with little-to-no control and hoping like hell that the landing would be gentle enough to not break his spine.
US Army
"Oh, yeah, we need a 'pilot' for this thing, ummmmm ... you."
Despite this, the Glider Infantry Regiment saw a lot of action in WWII. They glided into Italy, they glided into the Normandy Invasion on D-Day, and they glided into battle at Nijmegen in the Netherlands. That's a lot of times to voluntarily crash an aircraft into a live battlefield.
In November 1944, the 325th embarked on a reprieve when they and the rest of the 82nd Airborne Division were sent to France for some well-deserved R&R. This lasted barely a month. In December, the Germans launched a surprise offensive, catching the Allies completely off guard in what would be known as the Battle of the Bulge. Despite lacking ammunition and being generally unprepared for the harsh winter, the 82nd were sent to the Ardennes Forest in Belgium to reinforce the line. It was here that tanks from the 3rd Armored Division were retreating from the overwhelming German advance. They came upon a private first class from the 325th, in the process of digging a foxhole. As the tank rolled by him, the PFC inquired: "Are you looking for a safe place?"
US Army
"These tanks are fragile!"
"Yeah," said the tank commander. The man answered:
"Well, buddy, just pull your tank in behind me. I'm the 82nd Airborne, and this is as far as the bastards are going!"
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