Excitement for the Fourth of July
The glider that landed in our field.
One morning the week of the Fourth of July 1944, planes flew through Randolph County with gliders attached to them. One came over my father’s farm, and the glider had to be detached when the winds became too brisk. Our field consisted of a few cleared acres with an electric line running several yards to our farm house.
When the glider was detached, the military officer was concerned it might not clear the electric lines, but fortunately it did. It had landed in front of what is now Solid Rock Baptist Church in Randleman on the right side of the road.
I took my camera and rushed to the scene. Two military officers were assessing the damage. One noticed I had a camera and told me I was not to take any pictures. I had already snapped this one and was not questioned.
It was not long until word spread and spectators came to view what had happened. My mother prepared lunch for the guys.
The glider stayed grounded for two days. A crew came from Fort Bragg to disassemble the glider, and they took it back to the base.
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