Silent Wings: The American Glider Pilots of WWII

Robert Child / Director

Silent Wings: The American Glider Pilots of WWII (2007)

Silent Wings, narrated by acclaimed actor Hal Holbrook, brings to life one the least known stories of W.W.II, the exploits of more than 5000 daring Americans-The Glider Pilots. These brave men were an eclectic band of misfits. One general called them "The bastards nobody wanted and the most uninhibited individuals ever to wear an American uniform.” For these aviators sometimes called "suicide jockeys" every mission was do-or-die. It was their awesome task to repeatedly risk their lives landing the men and tools of war deep within enemy-held territory, often in complete darkness, using only a stopwatch to navigate. Broadcast legends Andy Rooney and Walter Cronkite glided into Holland with the 101st Airborne Division in 1

944. Their compelling accounts are just one of the many highlights of this landmark program.

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“Beyond superb. Even the hard core war buff will learn a few things in this documentary such as how Patton's 82nd Airborne troops were shot down by friendly fire on their way to Sicily or that the experience in Sicily almost killed the glider program.” - TheReviewsPage.com

“The documentary brought tears to my eyes on several occasions. The American glider pilots of WWII were an incredibly courageous group who should be recognized along with our other veterans and thanked for their bravery and valor. Silent Wings gives voice to their story and is a respectful tribute to their sacrifices.” - BlogCritics.org

For nearly 50 years, our nation knew very little about these courageous men. They are finally receiving the recognition they deserve through the release of Silent Wings and passage of a House Resolution in their name.” - Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy (NY)

“Our Pick…a soaring documentary about the 6,000 brave Americans who volunteered to fly unarmed cargo gliders into battle during World War II.” - Neil Pond, American Profile

“History buffs and WWII aficionados will be enthralled by the in-depth treatment of this neglected subject.” - E.G., Video Business

“The film was EXCELLENT! There were scenes of glider combat I'd never seen before, and many excellent interviews...and the film work and editing was perfect!” - Dan Stroud, KXY Radio

“I truly enjoyed Silent Wings – The American Glider Pilots of WWII. It made me realize again how important Walter Cronkite is. I wish we had more of his stories on record.” - George Larrimore,Access Hollywood