Three C-130J from the 37th Airlift Squadron at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, taxi down the runway Wednesday, May 29, 2019, prior to taking off for Normandy, France. Four planes and about 40 personnel from the squadron will participate in events next week marking the 75th anniversary of D-Day. (Jennifer H. Svan/Stars and Stripes)
Three C-130J from the 37th Airlift Squadron at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, taxi down the runway Wednesday, May 29, 2019, prior to taking off for Normandy, France. Four planes and about 40 personnel from the squadron will participate in events next week marking the 75th anniversary of D-Day. (Jennifer H. Svan/Stars and Stripes)
A C-130J from Ramstein Air Base, Germany, sports a 'W7' and "invasion stripes," a vintage paint scheme to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the D-Day invasion in Normandy, France. C-47 aircraft from the former 37th Troop Carrier Squadron were painted with similar markings when dropping paratroopers in Normandy on D-Day. (Jennifer H. Svan/Stars and Stripes)
''Invasion stripes'' can be seen underneath the wing of a C-130J parked at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Wednesday, May 29, 2019. Four of the aircraft from the base's 37th Airlift Squadron received the vintage paint scheme and will participate in events next week to mark the 75th anniversary of D-Day in Normandy, France. (Jennifer H. Svan/Stars and Stripes)
Air Force Capt. Ryan Statler, C-130J pilot with the 37th Airlift Squadron out of Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Jennifer H. Svan/Stars and Stripes)
Air Force Capt. Andy Forsyth C-130J pilot with the 37th Airlift Squadron out of Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Jennifer H. Svan/Stars and Stripes)
A C-130J from the 37th Airlift Squadron at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, takes off Wednesday, May 29, 2019, heading for Normandy, France. Four planes and about 40 personnel from the squadron will participate in events next week marking the 75th anniversary of D-Day. (Jennifer H. Svan/Stars and Stripes)
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany — The 37th Airlift Squadron sent three C-130Js to France on Wednesday decked out with a new paint scheme.
World War II veterans who fought at Normandy likely would recognize the markings immediately.
The aircraft are sporting “invasion stripes” — alternating black and white bands on the fuselage and the wings that were painted on almost every allied aircraft participating in D-Day to reduce the chance of getting shot down by friendly forces.
The squadron will send four C-130Js and about 40 personnel to Normandy for the 75th anniversary of the June 6, 1944 invasion.
They’re among 1,000 U.S. military personnel, stationed in Europe and from U.S.-based units with historical ties to D-Day, slated to participate in ceremonies, flyovers, parades and other events scheduled in the Normandy area from June 1-9.
President Donald Trump and other world leaders are expected to join some of the festivities.
From Ramstein, Capt. Ryan Statler and Capt. Andy Forsyth, C-130J pilots involved in the squadron’s mission planning for the 75th anniversary, will make their first trip to Normandy for the occasion.
“I think it’s awesome,” Statler said. “I’m a history guy, so I get a little extra excited about it. It’s cool to go to Normandy at all, so to be out there to see all that, participate in the remembrance of the invasion, is humbling.”
The squadron participates in D-Day commemorations every year, but because this year is the 75th anniversary, the unit’s contributions will be much greater, the pilots said. Ramstein airmen will be part of more than 40 flyovers, several more than last year, Statler said.
With aircraft from various nations participating, one of the biggest challenges will be coordinating the airspace around Normandy, Forsyth said, while keeping tabs on restricted airspace.
“You can’t overfly the president,” he said.
Ramstein’s air crews also will fly in large formations and will drop paratroopers, the latter a nod to the squadron’s historical D-Day ties.
The 37th Airlift Squadron draws its lineage from the 37th Troop Carrier Squadron. The carrier squadron dropped paratroopers outside of Sainte-Mere-Eglise, France, on D-Day, and participated in ensuing resupply airdrops.
The carrier squadron flew the C-47, a vintage plane scheduled to make a return to Normandy for the 75th anniversary. A fleet of restored American C-47s will join C-47s from Europe and Australia for a June 6 flyover and paratrooper drop.
Just like the C-47s in 1944, Ramstein’s C-130s are marked with a “W7.” The designation Whiskey 7 helped the paratroopers know what plane to go to, Statler said.
Forsyth hopes to get a peek inside one of the C-47s.
Flying with the advantage of 75 years of avionics updates, Forsyth said, “it’s amazing to me that you can navigate and find drop zones like that.”
“Just with a compass, stopwatch and a map,” Statler added.
“It’s incredible,” Forsyth said.
svan.jennifer@stripes.com Twitter: @stripesktown
