Silent Wings Museum

08/19/2026

Main Street USA – Temporary hometown of Glider Pilots

Communities like Ft. Sumner, New Mexico welcomed student glider pilots as they accomplished their training. The hospitality of those on the Home Front made a great impression on these men as they trained far from home and family.

08/18/2026

Teachers, it is time to schedule your trip to the museum! Our education schedule fills quickly. Don’t miss out on a field trip or outreach program this year. Call 806-775-3059 or email [email protected] to get on our calendar.

08/17/2026

Now Open! From a Grateful Nation: Honoring the American World War II Glider Pilot illustrates the medals and decorations that represent the courage and commitment of these specially trained aviators as they carried troops and a wide variety of cargo into every major campaign of World War II.

The Distinguished Flying Cross recognizes extraordinary heroism with actions in the face of great danger above and beyond the line of duty while participating in aerial flight.

Sixty-three Glider Pilots earned the Distinguished Flying Cross during World War II. These individuals demonstrated leadership and courage during particular operations, which were noted by superior officers and submitted for recognition.
Honor the memory of Captain Earl Sumner Draper, Jr and his fellow DFC recipients on your next visit to the Silent Wings Museum!

Exhibit open June 2026 through April 2027.

08/15/2026

Operation Dragoon - August 15, 1944

Almost 400 Allied cargo gliders flew in men, equipment and supplies during Operation Dragoon, the Allied invasion of Southern France. Out of airfields in Italy, two missions, named Bluebird and Dove, headed for landing zones near the cities of Mitan, Le Muy, La Motte and surrounding areas. Rocky terrain, broken by vineyards and orchards, presented unique challenges for these Glider Pilots.

Their participation in this focused operation to cut off German advances in Southern France aided the ongoing effort in Northern France to advance out of the Cotentin Peninsula. Glider Pilots were allocated to this operation from elements of several Troop Carrier Groups, some moving from English airfields to Italian airfields recently liberated from German hands to accomplish the mission.

This CG-4A glider suffered extensive damage as it landed in a French vineyard. “Rommel’s Asparagus”, poles planted in likely landing zones, tore the bottoms out of many gliders as they set down on already rough terrain amid the posts, wires, and tangled vines.

08/15/2026

VJ Day – August 15, 1945

The surrender of Japan on August 15, 1945, followed the deployment of two atomic bombs over Nagasaki and Hiroshima. A number of glider pilots were in the Pacific Theater to prepare for a glider-borne invasion of Japan. With the surrender of Japan, these Glider Pilots were processed back to the United States over the next few months.

The Japanese delegation and American representatives gathered in Manila in preparation to sign surrender documents, which would take place September 2 1945, aboard the USS Missouri.

08/13/2026

Happy Birthday to the National WWII Glider Pilots Association!

From its beginning, the National World War II Glider Pilots Association provided opportunities for fellowship at reunions, bringing together buddies and their growing families. Attendees signed souvenir items like this ceramic Bugs Bunny to create mementos of their reunions.

08/10/2026

Pea Patch Show Proved the Worth of the CG-4A Glider

Pressed to demonstrate the value of cargo gliders to Airborne operations, Col. Michael C. Murphy organized the “Pea Patch Show” at Laurinburg-Maxton AAB on August 4 and 5, 1943.

General Hap Arnold and other Army leadership watched as glider pilots demonstrated the ability of the CG-4A glider to land in limited spaces and on rough terrain, and illustrated the variety of cargo it could deliver.

Glider Pilots trained intensively for this demonstration. Arnold and his entourage were especially impressed by precision landing demonstrations, in which CG-4A gliders were hopped over a line of trees and dropped into a tight landing zone to come to a halt at a rope line near the observers.

08/09/2026

JOIN US TODAY!

Spirit of '45 Day
Sunday, August 9, 2026 | 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM
FREE Admission

Step back into history and celebrate the courage, sacrifice, and legacy of the Greatest Generation during Spirit of '45 Day at the Silent Wings Museum.

This special afternoon honors the American Glider Pilots who flew dangerous missions behind enemy lines during World War II, as well as the countless home front heroes whose dedication made their service possible.

Explore our newest exhibition, From a Grateful Nation: Honoring the American World War II Glider Pilot, made possible through the generous support of the Helen Jones Foundation. Throughout the afternoon, enjoy engaging presentations, family-friendly activities, and opportunities to discover the remarkable stories of the men and women who helped shape history.

Program Schedule:
1:30 PM – Kids Contribute: Fighting Falcon Story
2:00 PM – From a Grateful Nation Gallery Talk with the Museum Curator
2:30 PM – Glider Pilots Fly War Bond Shows
3:00 PM – Exclusive screening of Women in the Wings documentary

Please join us for an entertaining and enlightening afternoon!

08/07/2026

Today is the LAST DAY to register to reserve a spot at the Meaningful Moments hour for those in the early stages of memory loss Friday, August 14, 2026, from 9AM-10AM.

This is a free time at the museum. Guests are limited. Please call 806-775-3049 to reserve spots to visit during this quiet hour.

08/07/2026

With our Gratitude

On this National Purple Heart Day, we pause to remember and honor the brave men and women who were either wounded on the battlefield or paid the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.