He was a glider pilot in support of the D-Day landings at Normandy in what was known as Glider “Operation Neptune”. This was the code name for the airborne assault behind German lines that launched the Normandy invasion, known as "Operation Overlord." Operation Neptune launched Operation Overlord and was the first major action of the invasion. There were 38 casualties related to the #Normandy-Gliders incident on June 6 and 7, 1944.