Douglas Aircraft Company built over 10,000 of the C-47 Skytrain, a military version of the Douglas DC-3. They were employed extensively in North Africa, Europe, Asia and the Pacific. The plane played a crucial role in the D-Day invasion of Normandy during World War II. Specifically, on June 6, 1944, over 1,000 C-47s were used to transport and drop about 13,000 paratroopers of the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions behind enemy lines. These aircraft were vital for delivering troops and supplies, and they also towed gliders carrying more soldiers and equipment to protect the American troops landing on the Normandy beaches from German reinforcements.
