Operation Pilgrimage

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Operation Pilgrimage Explained

The first men of the United States 82nd Airborne Division set foot in Northern Ireland on December 9th 1943. By the end of that day, 12,000 troops arrived in the province with over 4,000 being stationed across the North Coast including Portrush and Portstewart. On 11th of March 1944, they left Northern Ireland for England and their final preparations for the invasion of Europe, D-Day and the Normandy landings.

Fast forward 66 years, the 82nd Airborne troops once again arrived on the North Coast as the Wartime Living History Association (WLHA) commemorated the "all Americans" through a project known as Operation Pilgrimage.

On Saturday 22 nd May, members of the WLHA, dressed in full WW2 82nd Airborne kit, hiked the coast road path from Mill Rest Youth Hostel in Bushmills to the 82nd Airborne display at Dunluce Castle and the 82nd Memorials at Royal Portrush Golf Club, Portrush Town Hall and finally, Cromore House - formerly known as Camp Cromore, where many of the paratroopers were based. At each of the three memorials, WLHA members stopped to remember and reflect upon the thousands of men who stayed here and went on to fight and die for their freedom.

The troops covered just less than 12 miles on foot in full WW2 82 nd Airborne uniform which included helmets, boots, jump jackets, jump trousers and combat webbing. Pretty much everything the paratrooper would have worn in combat except for weapon and ammunition.

Michael Gilmore, the event organiser commented: “The WLHA has been delighted by the support it has received not only from its members, but from Hostelling International Northern Ireland.....I can't thank Mary, Mill Rest and HINI enough for their support in this weekend.

For information or to book HINI's youth hostels including Mill Rest, please visit www.hini.org.uk .

82nd Airborne Veteran Interviews (2005)

Portglenone Forest on a warm sunny day in mid May, three GI's returned once more to their camp. This time it wasn't the cold damp winter of 1943 but 2005 and they weren't reporting for duty but here instead to unveil a monument in the forest grounds to the thousands of US service men and woman that never got a chance to set foot on Irish soil again.

During their visit members of the WLHA were fortunate enough to be given a chance to accompany these men as they visited the numerous sites and locations they had seen so many years ago. Members were able to record for posterity the memories they have of the War so future generations know what they did for us all.

GI's

(Len Lebenson,Bob Davis,Clinton Riddle)

Captain Bob Davis - 507th PIR 82nd Airborne Division

where did you fly from in England?

Going into Normandy

Where we landed

The drop zone



PFC Clinton E Riddle - 325th GIR 82nd Airborne Division

My time in Portglenone Forest

My landing zone

Glider Landing

Clinton speaks of the advantages of being in a glider!

Clinton's Normandy Breakfast

Getting organised

Clinton becomes a Co-Pilot for Holland

My service record
 

My little book

My camera

My boots

 



Seargent Len Lebenson - G3 82nd Airborne Division

Landing in the dark

Len speaks on his own landing

(Len Standing Next to the wreckage of Glider that brought him into Normandy June 6th 1944)

To watch the interviews in full click here