Drop Zone

 Dad said he landed approximately 1/4 mile east of Orglandes (white star)- quite a distance from where he was supposed to be (regimental objective was Ampfreville - circled).  Dad's plane was near the end of the line, so before his plane could even get near the drop zone the Germans were already on alert and fighting back. Consequently, when his plane got hit by anti-aircraft fire, the jump light was turned on and everyone jumped, even though they were still some distance from the proper zone.

The Red star is the bridge over the Merderet. The red circle is Timmes' orchard

The photos below are of fields east of Orglandes - 

The exact location of his landing is unknown - but it would have looked something like these.

One of the soldiers asked dad, "Hey sarge, do we play hide and seek now?"

I was just so darn happy to be there where my dad was! Dad gave me this sweatshirt. It commemrates all the campaigns of the 507th PIR (Normandy, Bulge, Rhine Jump, Germany) in WWII.

There is a wonderful story (published in two books) of how dad and a handful of troopers made it from the fields above to Timmes' Orchard by borrowing a truck from a French Family and driving through enemy lines. The photo below is the only road between Orglandes and Ampfreville - likely the very road he took. Note the hedgerows on both sides.