C-47 That’s All Brother carries Two Flags to EAA AirVenture
July 26, 2021, San Marcos, Texas - This month the Commemorative Air Force’s D-Day C-47 That’s All, Brother was selected to carry two important flags into Oshkosh, Wisconsin for EAA AirVenture.
Two Flags is a group that selected notable aircraft and notable aircrew to transport two flags, one U.S. Flag and one Wisconsin Flag aboard to bring additional interest to aviation and honor Wisconsin Veterans.
The flags have been in circulation for several years and have flown aboard DC-3s to B-52s to a U-2 in which they went up to 70,000 feet. The flags have also flown with Vice Presidents, Governors, and active members of the U.S. military. In 2020, some of the missions included traveling on the USS Ronald Reagan often flying on an F-18 Hornet, traveling in Hawaii flying on helicopters touring Pearl Harbor sites, and flying out of Washington state on an F-18G Growler.
For each “mission” aircrews are asked to take photos and talk about what they do and how they got started in aviation. Eventually, these stories will be compiled and posted online at https://the2flags.com/ for viewers to learn more about the vast opportunities in aviation and read the personal stories of how people became inspired to take the first step towards flying.
Congratulations to the C-47 That’s All, Brother crew for being assigned this mission. We look forward to many other Commemorative Air Force aircraft and volunteers participating in this great program.
About That’s All, Brother
From the CAF Central Texas Wing's Website
Over 75 years ago, on June 6, 1944, That’s All, Brother led the main airborne invasion of Normandy. Piloted by Lt. Col. John Donalson, the plane led over 800 C-47s that dropped over 13,000 paratroopers into a battle that changed the course of mankind. 75 years later, we were able to bring this great airplane back to the skies over Normandy for the commemoration of the 75th anniversary of D-Day.
After serving on D-Day, and in Operations Dragoon, Market Garden, Repulse, and Varsity, the airplane returned to the United States and was sold to the civilian market in 1945. During the course of many owners over the next several decades, the historical significance of the airplane was lost and it was eventually sold to be scrapped. Fortunately, two historians from the U.S. Air Force discovered that the airplane was lying in a boneyard in Wisconsin. The Commemorative Air Force was able to acquire the airplane, and through a large group of donors and volunteers, restore the airplane to flying status.
That’s All, Brother has been restored to its 1944 condition, including its D-Day paint scheme along with a thorough historic interior restoration. The CAF maintains airplanes to be artifacts of living history, and you can experience the airplane first hand by touring and even going for a flight. As part of the Commemorative Air Force (CAF) Central Texas Wing, That’s All, Brother flew with 14 other C-47/DC-3 airplanes to make the epic journey back over the Atlantic in 2019. We retraced the classic ferry path from the United States to Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Scotland, and England to join up with over 30 C-47/DC-3 airplanes in Duxford, England. On June 5, 2019, That’s All, Brother flew with 18 re-enactor paratroops who boarded the plane in England, flew over the English Channel, and made a successful paradrop flight over Normandy. On June 6, 2019, That’s All, Brother flew with 12 other C-47/DC-3 airplanes in formation to close out the D-Day commemoration over the U.S. Cemetery in Normandy, and then continued to Germany for the 70th commemoration of the Berlin Airlift and back to France for the Paris Airshow.
We are greatly appreciative of the donors who have brought us this far, and to continue to honor the contributions of the Greatest Generation, we still need your help! Any donation you can make will help us pay tribute to those who so bravely fought for us all. Learn more at www.ThatsAllBrother.org.
