Middlesex Township near Carlisle in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

Ranger and Airborne Operations

Liberation Pointe

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), February 25, 2023

1. Ranger and Airborne Operations Marker

Inscription. Airborne World War II saw the first major use of paratroopers in combat. Three divisions of paratroopers, the American 101st and 82nd Airborne Divisions, and the British 6th Airborne Division, were dropped deep behind enemy lines on the flanks of Utah and Sword Beaches on the night before D-Day. Their mission was to prevent German reinforcements from reaching the beaches, take vital bridges and causeways, and destroy artillery positions that were defending the beaches. Bad weather, enemy fire, and inaccurate deployment caused many problems. Still, the paratroopers proved very successful in their enemy resistance efforts.

Rangers The Rangers, an elite unit, were deployed on D-Day to Pointe du Hoc, an area between Utah and Omaha Beaches, 225 Rangers from the 2nd and 5th Ranger Battalions, attached to the 1st Infantry Division, were assigned to destroy a coastal battery of guns on the cliffs that were shelling both beaches.

The Rangers suffered heavy losses from the rough seas and fire from the German artillery. The men used grappling hooks to scale the cliffs and take Pointe du Hoc. However, the Nazi guns had been

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relocated. After hours of fighting and searching, the cannons were discovered in an apple orchard and destroyed. The elimination of these guns kept heavy fire off the troops and ships in the American sector of the invasion.

The Gliders About 870 glider planes supplemented the parachute landings in the areas surrounding the Normandy beaches. A mixture of British Horsas and American Wacos were towed behind aircraft and released over large open fields. The gliders provided vital support to the Allied troops.

The Crickets That Saved Us Only in six pararoopers landed in their targeted drop zone. To communicate with each other in unfamiliar settings, the Army purchased toys known as crickets, and issued them to paratroopers. These crickets proved to be useful in identifying the scattered Soldiers. The code was one click to initiate, and two clicks to respond. Paratroopers also communicated verbally using selected words, such as "thunder" to initiate, and "flash" to respond.

First of Its Kind The 320th Barrage Balloon Battalion, a specialized force of African-Americans, was assigned to stop the Luftwaffe, the German Air Force,

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), February 25, 2023

2. Ranger and Airborne Operations Marker

from strafing the American troops on Utah and Omaha Beaches. The tethers of the balloons were meant to snag low-flying enemy warplanes. Explosive devices were sometimes affixed to balloons themselves to knock down aircraft that came too close.

D-Day was the first combat assignment for the 320th Battalion. They were the only American barrage balloon unit in France, and they were the first black unit in the segregated American Army to arrive on the beaches on D-Day. General Eisenhower commended them for completing their "mission with courage and determination, proving to be an important part of the defense team."

Nearly 1,700 African-American troops served on D-Day. About 500 African-American Soldiers served on Omaha Beach in the 327th Quartermaster Service unit and the 320th Barrage Balloon Battalion. On Utah Beach, African-Americans served in the 320th Balloon Battalion, the 582nd Engineer Dump Truck Company, the 385th Quartermaster Truck Company, and the 490th Port Battalion.

Private Raymond Wallace, 18
Paratrooper - 82nd Airborne Division
Centerville, PA
Wallace's plane was hit three times before he evacuated, landing

"Liberation Pointe" image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Larry Gertner, July 30, 2026

3. "Liberation Pointe"

An Eagle Scout project for the 75th Anniversary of D-Day.

twenty miles from his targeted drop. He met up with other miss-dropped paratrooper to re-take the Nazi occupied town of Graignes. After two days of intense combat, the 17th SS Panzergendier Division, re-took Graignes. Severely outnumbered, Allied troops were forced to retreat, leaving their wounded with medics in the town church. the SS executed the wounded, medics, two priests, civilians, and burned the church and village, leaving only two buildings unscathed. Amazingly, Wallace was taken prisoner and remained in a Nazi POW camp until the end of the war. Wallace entered the Army weighing 165 pounds, and weighted ninty-eight pound when he was liberated.

Flight Officer - John Whipple
Millcreek, UT
Flight Officer John Whipple was a glider pilot of an Airspeed Horsa Glider on D-Day. His glider carried a Jeep, an anti-tank gun, and three Soldiers, along with him and his co-pilot. His landing was slightly rough, as he completely missed his designated landing point. Nevertheless, he landed his troops and equipment safely. After his drop, he became an infantryman, and survived through the rest of the war.

Lieutenant Frank L. Kennard, 22
2nd Ranger Battalion
Kennard

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Led a cannon platoon of Rangers on the invasion of Pointe Du Hoc. After losing half of his men to scale the cliffs and repelled German attacks for two days until reinforcements arrived. He was later promoted to battalion adjutant, serving in that role until the end of the war.

Corporal Waverly B. "Woody" Woodson, Jr., 22
Medic, 320th Barrage Balloon Battalion
Philadelphia, PA
While Woodson was landing on Omaha Beach, shrapnel hit his leg and lodged in his groin. Despite his wounds, he scrambled to shore and set up a makeshift aid station. Woodson extracted bullets, patched gaping wounds, dispensed blood plasma, and amputated a right foot. He went on to rescue four men from the water, reviving them and teaching others how to resuscitate drowning Soldiers. It is estimated he treated close to 200 men before collapsing from exhaustion and wounds, some thirty hours after he set his boots on Omaha Beach. Woodson was recommended for the Distinguished Service Cross, and the Medal of Honor, but received the Bronze Star Medal.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Air & Space • Communications • War, World II.

Location. 40° 12.439′ N, 77° 9.603′ W. Marker is near Carlisle, Pennsylvania, in Cumberland County. It is in Middlesex Township. It is on Soldiers Drive south of Army Heritage Drive, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 950 Soldiers Dr, Carlisle PA 17013, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in South-Central Pennsylvania and in Greater Harrisburg.

It is also in the American Northeast,

in the Mid-Atlantic,

in Appalachia,

and specifically in Northern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy

and also one of the original Thirteen Colonies.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Omaha Beach (here, next to this marker); Operation Overlord (here, next to this marker); Utah Beach (here, next to this marker); Gold Beach (here, next to this marker); Sword Beach (here, next to this marker); Liberation Pointe (here, next to this marker); Juno Beach (here, next to this marker); General Matthew Bunker Ridgway (a few steps from this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Carlisle.

Other markers no longer nearby. Corporal John D. LaWall (was a few steps from this marker but has been confirmed missing); Private First Class Willard Dominick (was a few steps from this marker but has been confirmed missing); Sergeant First Class Randall D. Shughart (was a few steps from this marker but has been confirmed missing); The Army Introduces a Heavyweight: The 3-Inch Antitank Gun M5/M6 (was a few steps from this marker but has been permanently removed).

Credits. This page was last revised on August 4, 2026. It was originally submitted on February 27, 2023, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 251 times since then and 13 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on February 27, 2023, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. 3. submitted on August 4, 2026, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.