Lieutenant Meehan and the crash of Douglas C-47 42-93095

Thomas Meehan was born on July 8, 1921, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, enlisting in the U.S. Army after the outbreak of WW2. Rising through the ranks earning the rank of Lieutenant by the time of the Normandy Invasion.

After arriving in the UK for the build up for the invasion of Normandy Lieutenant Meehan was initially a platoon leader for B (Baker) Company, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division. He would later become the commanding officer of E (Easy) Company after replacing Lieutenant Herbert Sobel, who had been transferred to command a parachute training school for non-combat officers as depicted in the series "Band of Brothers."

Departure from Upottery Airfield

On June 5, 1944, Lieutenant Meehan and the men of Easy Company departed from Upottery Airfield in Devon, England. Upottery was one of several airfields used by the Allied forces for the D-Day operations. It played a critical role in launching the airborne assault, housing C-47 aircraft that would carry the paratroopers to Normandy. The airfield was bustling with activity as soldiers prepared for the imminent invasion. Meehan’s departure from Upottery marked the beginning of his final mission, as he and his men embarked on their journey across the English Channel towards their drop zones in Normandy.

Today located in one of the airfields original Nissen huts there is a heritage centre run by the South West Airfields Heritage Trust which tells the story of the airfield and the men who departed from it for the Invasion of Normandy, including some panels on Lieutenant Meehan and the crash of the aircraft he was travelling in.

Lt Meehan is featured on a memorial located on the airfield's last remaining original WW2 guard post honouring all those who departed from the airfield on the 5th and 7th of June and were killed in transit. These men were from the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment 101st Airborne Division, 325th Glider Infantry Regiment 82nd Airborne Division and the 439th Troop Carrier Group USSAF.

The Flight

On the 5th June 1944 Lt Meehan and 16 of his fellow comrades and the 5 man crew boarded their Douglas C-47 No.66 (42-93095) of the 12th stick. Shortly before boarding Lieutenant Meehan handed a letter to one of the air force guys to be delivered to his wife.

“Dearest Anne, In a few hours I’m going to take the best company of men in the world into France. We’ll give the bastards hell. Strangely, I’m not particularly scared. But in my heart is a terrific longing to hold you in my arms. I love you Sweetheart - forever. Your Tom”

While flying over Normandy through heavy flak towards drop zone C, the C-47 he was travelling in was hit by German anti-aircraft fire. The pilots attempted to land the aircraft in a field near Beuzeville-au-Plain a small town 2 miles NorthEast of Saint-Mere-Eglise. But burst into flames after clipping a hedge killing all those on board. The plane burned continuously for 3 days, with heat so intense that any approach was not possible.

Crash site memorial

Located near the crash site in the town of Beuzeville-au-Plain there is now a memorial to the 17 paratroopers and 5 crew of the C47 who lost their lives in the crash.

The memorial contains a short account of the crash as well as the names of all those who died.

Excavation of the crash site

45 years after the crash the site was excavated, some of the artefacts from the excavation can now be seen on display at Dead Man’s Corner Museum including dog tags, rings and a watch which had stopped at the time of the crash, 01:12.

Among the items recovered were the parachute hooks, which were all still locked proving that none of the paratroopers escaped from the plane before it crashed.

Easy Company

Following the crash and the death of Lieutenant Meehan, Easy Company's commander, the men of Easy Company served under Lieutenant Winters as depicted in the series Band of Brothers Episode 2: Day of Days. In this episode Easy Company are tasked with clearing 4 guns near Brecourt Manor, to the corner of this field there is now a memorial to the men of Easy Company including Lieutenant Meehan.

Lieutenant Meehan was officially listed as missing in action until the wreckage of his C-47 was re-discovered in 1952 where he was repatriated back to the United States; he is now buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, Pennsylvania.