The First Man Into Normandy: Col. Vito S. Pedone

Warriors In Their Own Words | First Person War Stories

Robert Kirk

History

4.6 • 675 Ratings

🗓️ 21 November 2024

⏱️ 20 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Colonel Vito S. Pedone served in World War II as a Pathfinder Pilot. Pathfinders were paratroopers that dropped into enemy territory first, tasked with setting up signals that would direct the rest of the paratrooper fleet into the correct landing zones. Since they were often the first soldiers sent across enemy lines, this was an incredibly dangerous job. As a Pathfinder Pilot, it was Pedone’s job to fly the Pathfinders into enemy territory. On D-Day, Pedone co-piloted the lead Pathfinder plane. During the flight over, he leaned forward and stuck his head out the window to check the weather, making him technically the first man to enter France that day. You can learn more about Pedone here. Make sure to check out the Documentary.tv YouTube Channel, where we’ve combined the incredible stories you hear on this show every week with rare, authentic battlefield footage to create riveting film documentaries. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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0:00.0	It's the cinematic event of the year. Critics say incredible, jaw-dropping, action-packed with savings.
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0:29.3	T's and Cs apply. I'm Ken Harbaugh, host of Warriors in Their Own Words.
0:46.0	In partnership with the Honor Project, we've brought this podcast back at a time when our nation needs these stories more than ever.
0:53.6	Warriors in Their Own Words is our attempt to present an unvarnished, unsanitized choice. a time when our nation needs these stories more than ever. Warriors, in their own words,
0:54.9	is our attempt to present an unvarnished, unsanitized truth of what we have asked of those
1:00.2	who defend this nation. Thank you for listening, and by doing so honoring those who have served.
1:06.8	Today, we'll hear from Colonel Vito S. Padone. Padone served in World War II as a Pathfinder pilot
1:12.8	and co-piloted the lead Pathfinder plane
1:15.4	during the invasion of Normandy.
1:42.8	I was in Europe in 1943 flying A-20s a reconnaissance-type aircraft going over taking photographs of targets along the coast of France.
1:48.8	And when my tour was up, I had the opportunity of either coming back to United States or staying in England.
1:50.8	By that time, I had married a U.S. Air Force flight nurse by the name of Geraldine Curtis,
1:57.6	and I decided it was best I stayed with my wife.
	...

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