​Long Islanders Fly Over Jones Beach In A WWII C-47 Warbird, Honoring Veterans: 'A Labor Of Love'

FARMINGDALE, NY – Long Islanders flew over Jones Beach in a WWII C-47 warbird this past Saturday at the American Airpower Museum.

The AAM Flight Experience honors veterans and gives a glimpse into what 82nd and 101st Airborne Paratroopers experienced during D-Day. AAM has been doing the Flight Experiences for more than 20 years.

Anthony LaGiglia was one of the living historians on the flight; he’s been working with the AAM for about nine years as part of the reenactment unit for Easy Company, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment. He said the flights serve as a remembrance of WWII veterans.

“It’s about keeping history alive,” he said.

LaGiglia said he is passionate about educating the public — all of the living historians are, he said — and they even provided their own gear to create as accurate a reproduction as possible for the participants.

Participants suited up in authentic reproductions of field jackets, G.I. helmets, and a simulated jump harness. They were shown and able to hold the various weapons paratroopers had, including compact guns that were portable for airborne operations.

Then, participants were given a briefing on what their mission would be during the reenactment. They were told to follow commands, such as shout sound-offs, line up in formation, provide equipment checks, and ready their “parachutes.” While living through the replication, they were reminded of those paratroopers who gave up so much for their country.

Once deemed as ready as they'd ever be, they boarded the restored warbird single-file, in formation.

Over the roar of the twin engines, historians instructed those aboard to stay seated and seatbelted.

Adrenaline rushed through the plane as participants lifted off the ground, soaring more than 1,000 feet over Long Island’s shoreline at about 150 miles per hour.

After a few minutes, those onboard were allowed to walk around, taking in the sights inside — photographs of 1942 paratroopers inside a C-47, and pilots in action — and out.

Some crouched to view Jones Beach from the windows.

The historians on board shouted details about D-Day and the experiences of paratroopers, including pointing out when the warbird reached the height at which they jumped.

“If you look at the greatest generation that fought in WWII, we owe them,” LaGiglia said. “I believe we owe them a debt of gratitude. These were just ordinary citizens who answered the call to fight for the country as soldiers.”

He added: “They answered the call. They took years out of their lives to dedicate to a cause. I think that doesn’t happen that often anymore. We need to pay tribute to them and keep their memories alive.”

He continued by saying the need to honor them was critical, especially as there aren’t as many WWII soldiers still alive.

“They’re mostly gone,” he said. “We need to keep that memory alive and realize that these men gave up themselves for us, so we need to memorialize them. Captain Scarabino has worked hard to actually meet many of the veterans and interview them.”

WWII Living Historian Robert Scarabino, and director of the 101st Airborne Living History Group, has led AAM’s C-47 D-Day flights since 2003.

“I have family that fought in the war — my grandfather, my uncle,” he said. “I was weaned on war stories in the early 60s, and then I became a history major at Gettysburg. Now, I’m knee-deep in history, and I just keep on taking the passion along.”

He said that 20 years ago, they were taking more veterans on the flights, but now, they’re seeing more people coming to honor their late loved ones who served in the war.

Scarabino said he is just one of many who want to keep the legacy alive: “We living historians are part of a collective group of guys that have the passion to follow authenticity and deliver what really is the best way to honor the veterans. That’s our obligation to them. It’s a collective effort.”

And, he reflected: “Remembrance is the highest form of honor. We’ve met a lot of combat veterans from WWII and their families. These veterans never wanted anybody to experience what they went through, but now with these programs and films like 'Saving Private Ryan' and 'Band of Brothers', it gives men the permission to start talking about it and understanding that it was all right that they survived. Because all of them will tell you, ‘I’m not a hero. The hero is the man who never came from Europe or Japan or the Pacific or wherever.’ They have survivors' remorse, so to see them feel worthy to keep on living their lives, it’s just amazing to witness. They carry such humility with them."

The journey is about so much more, Scarabino said. "It becomes a labor of love and an obligation to tell their stories. True living history is not just watching a movie or reading a book, but when you have dinner with veterans and they tell their stories, or when they come to the museum and they critique what we do. We’re handing down that heritage to generations that would never have even known.”

Nicholas Casseus, 27, has been a living historian with the AAM for about six years, and said it’s been a privilege of his to serve.

“I’m a Black kid from Amityville, and I want to retell the story of the 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion — the first African American paratroopers in the United States Army,” he said. “That unit was formed during WWII. They did not go overseas to fight; however, they were used as smoke jumpers stateside during the wildfire season of 1945.”

When asked why learning their story is so important, Casseus was candid. "Because they led the way for others. For Black, white, yellow, green. Other Americans who want to serve their country. They allowed them that opportunity to do so without the degradation of segregation,” he continued. “They were able to be free Americans and serve their country just like anybody else, and they opened up the door for those who were to follow.”

Robert Scarabino instilled his passion for airpower and veteran honor into his son, Michael, who flies with him.

“I grew such a big fascination for all of this living history and everything that came with it,” he said. “It just seems so incredible to me, especially when I was surrounded by all the stories.”

Now, 29-year-old Michael said even though he was only a kid the first time he was the AAM, it made a lasting impression on him.

“I hold the record for the youngest passenger of all time on that C-47,” he said. “Seven years old.”
Michael has been a passenger and assistant squad leader, as well as jump-mastering flights himself.

“Each experience is special in its own way through the different passengers that we’ve taken up,” he said.

At the beginning of the flight, all were told there were cards tucked neatly away in their jacket pockets. At the end of the flight, back on the tarmac, participants were allowed to take them out and read them. They each bore the name of a paratrooper from Easy Company, and information on if they survived or not.

It made the experience feel incredibly real, all agreed.

“It’s always amazing to get the passengers’ reactions when they take their cards out,” he said.

The flight itself was about 20 minutes long, but the memories and impact will last a lifetime, participants said.

There were four flights on AAM’s World War II Douglas C-47 Skytrain “Second Chance” this past Saturday, and AAM offers this experience four weekends a year. More information on the AAM and its historical Flight Experiences can be found online.