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Please note that our logo is used on our website images only and does not appear on our products. D-Day Invaders by Stan Stokes. (B) You are about to embark on the Great Crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you. In company with our brave Allies and brothers-in-arms on other fronts, you will bring the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world. These were the final words of Supreme Commander Eisenhower to the huge force assembled in June of 1944 on the eve of D-Day. Parachute infantry units would play an important role on D-Day. Although Billy Mitchell had contemplated forming airborne military forces during WW I, it was not until May of 1939 that the United States commenced a study regarding the feasibility of creating an air infantry. By 1940 an all-volunteer test platoon had been organized at Ft. Benning, Georgia. As the threat of War continued, the Army began experimenting with gliders in mid-1941. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Army established Parachute Infantry Battalions, and by early 1943 an Airborne Command was organized as well as an Air Transport Command to facilitate the training of air crews necessary for the deployment of airborne forces. By mid-1942 authorization was received to form two airborne divisions the 82nd and the 101st. With a strength of about 8,000 men, these divisions were about half the normal strength of an infantry division. The first major test for Americas new airborne forces came in North Africa during operation TORCH where the 1st Battalion of the 503rd Infantry was deployed. The 82nd Airborne was later successfully deployed during the invasion of Sicily. Operation OVERLORD, the code name for the D-Day invasion, included both of Americas Airborne Divisions as well as the British 6th Airborne Division. The plan called for numerous parachute jumps and glider landings during the evening prior to the invasion. Supplemental jumps or landings would take place later during daylight hours to reinforce these troops and bring in supplies. Although eighteen aircraft were utilized as pathfinders, the evening jumps were highly scattered and off target in many cases. Despite the massive difficulty in reassembling, the troops of the 101st and 82nd performed their missions with distinction. By June 9 nearly all airborne objectives had been secured despite heavy casualties. Both the 101st and the 82nd each lost about 1,200 men killed-in-action. By occupying German forces behind the invasion front, these airborne forces saved the lives of many on the beaches at Normandy. The 101st and 82nd Divisions continued fighting until mid-July when they were pulled back to England. During these hectic weeks of fighting casualty rates were in excess of 50%. As depicted in Stan Stokes painting, which is dedicated to all those who participated in the Great Crusade, a C-47 Skytrain (bearing white and black invasion stripes) passes over the beaches of Normandy following a drop behind enemy lines on June 6, 1944. Item Code : STK0107B D-Day Invaders by Stan Stokes. (B) - This Edition TYPE EDITION DETAILS SIZE SIGNATURES OFFERS YOUR PRICE PURCHASING PRINT 225 prints from the signed limited edition of 4750 prints, with signature of Stan Stokes and pilot, and a remarque. Image size 16 inches x 11.5 inches (41cm x 30cm) Matheson, S H Matt (signed in person) + Artist : Stan Stokes Signature(s) value alone : £50 £15 Off! Now : £125.00 SPECIAL OFFER : ADD A CLIPPED SIGNATURE TO THE ABOVE PRINT AT A VERY SPECIAL RATE! Add Signature : Sid Harwell. for £30.00 Buy One Get One Half Price Add Signature : John Dalton. for £10.00 Buy One Get One Half Price Add Signature : F Stillwell. for £25.00 Buy One Get One Half Price Add Signature : Richard Denison. for £40.00 Buy One Get One Half Price SAVE MONEY WITH OUR DISCOUNT DOUBLE PRINT PACKS! Buy With : Road to the Rhine by Robert Taylor. for £240 - Save £170 All prices on our website are displayed in British Pounds Sterling

Other editions of this item : D-Day Invaders by Stan Stokes. STK0107 TYPE EDITION DETAILS SIZE SIGNATURES OFFERS YOUR PRICE PURCHASING PRINT Signed limited edition of 4750 prints. Supplied with signed and numbered certificate of authenticity. Print size 16 inches x 11.5 inches (41cm x 30cm) Artist : Stan Stokes £15 Off! Now : £35.00 VIEW EDITION... PRINT Prints from the 225 prints from the signed limited edition of 4750 prints, with signature of Stan Stokes and pilot. Image size 16 inches x 11.5 inches (41cm x 30cm) Matheson, S H Matt (signed in person) + Artist : Stan Stokes Signature(s) value alone : £50 £35 Off! Now : £95.00 VIEW EDITION... General descriptions of types of editions :

Signatures on this item
*The value given for each signature has been calculated by us based on the historical significance and rarity of the signature. Values of many pilot signatures have risen in recent years and will likely continue to rise as they become more and more rare.
Name	Info
Major General S H Matt Matheson (deceased) *Signature Value : £50	Born in Seattle Washington on August 11, 1920, General Matheson graduated from the University of California at Los Angeles, and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Infantry Reserve in 1942. He joined the 506th Parachute Infantry of the 101st Airborne Division after graduation. This is the unit made famous by historian Stephen Ambrose in his 1992 novel Band of Brothers. General Matheson participated in the D-Day invasion at Normandy, the liberation of Holland, the defense of Bastogne, and the seizure of the Berchtesgarden area. Following WW 11 he served in various command and staff positions in the 82nd Airborne Division. During the Korean War, General Matheson was the G-3 Plans Officer of the X Corps and participated in the landings at Inchon and Wonsan, as well as the amphibious withdrawal at Hungnam. Following a tour of duty with the XVIII Airborne Corps, he was assigned to the US Army Europe as Assistant Chief of Staff, G-3, for the 1 st Infantry Division. In 195 8 General Matheson was assigned to the 101st Airborne as Deputy Battle Group Commander, and then later as Assistant Chief of Staff, G-3. General Matheson returned to Europe in 1961 as Commander of the 10th Special Forces. After being reassigned to the States, Matheson became Assistant Division Commander of the 101st Airborne Division, and then assumed command of the Ist Brigade of the 101st Airborne division in Vietnam. Following his tour of duty in Vietnam, General Matheson was put in command of Fort Campbell. Later, the General served in Korea again, as Commander of the 2nd Infantry Division. Returning to the United States in 1970, he served as Director of the International Staff, International American Defense Board. In 1971 Matheson moved to Fort M0herson and served as Chief of Staff, Third U.S. Army. Prior to his retirement in 1975 General Matheson commanded the Army Readiness Region IV. General Matheson, who was one of the first paratroopers dropped during the D-Day invasion, made more than one hundred parachute jumps during his career, and his numerous decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Legion of Merit, the Distinguished Flying Cross, four Bronze Stars, twelve Air Medals, the Army Commendation Medal, the Purple Heart, Master Parachutist Badge, and third Combat Infantry Badge. His foreign awards include the Belgian Fourragere, Bronze Lion of the Netherlands, Orange Lanyard of the Netherlands, National Order of Vietnam (5th Class), Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with two palms, Republic of Korea Order of National Security, and Vietnamese Civic Actions Honor Medal. General Matheson, who passed away on January 8, 2005, resided in Carmel, California in his later years. Like many men of his 'greatest generation' General Matheson was a modest man who didn't boast of his achievements during WW 11.

Artist Details : Stan Stokes

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Stan Stokes Stan Stokes is a California native with more than 37 years as a full time professional artist, who developed a passion for vintage cars, trains and airplanes at an early age. Model building and RC planes filled the many hours of the young enthusiasts free time. However, unlike most other young aviation enthusiasts Stokes also displayed a great gift for artistic talent. After studying art in College, Stan decided to pursue a career as a professional artist. Stokes initially focused his great talents on depicting uniquely realistic landscapes of the western desert and mountain scenes. More than thirty years ago a good friend suggested that Stan combine his passion for aviation history and flying with his artistic talents, and render an aircraft or two. The rest is history. Stan has won many prestigious awards including the Benedictine Art Award in 1975 and the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museums Golden Age of Flight award in 1985. In May of 2000, Stan was honored with the National Museum of Naval Aviations R. G. Smith Award for Excellence in Naval Aviation Art. Commissioned by the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, Stans 12 x 120 foot mural of the History of the Flying White House is on permanent display in the Air Force One Pavilion. In addition Stans painting of the USS Ronald Reagan is hanging in the Legacy Room of the library. In 2005 Stan also completed a painting of our nations next aircraft carrier, the USS George H. W. Bush, which is on permanent display at the George H. W. Bush Presidential Library in College Station, Texas. Stan has also completed several impressive murals for the Palm Springs Air Museum including: The Tuskegee Airmen at 12 x 60 feet and contains 51 portraits of the original Tuskegee Airmen. Dauntless at Midway at 12 x 34 feet and Corsair on Approach at 19 x 55 feet. Stans work also hangs in the Air Force art collection, the Pentagon, San Diego Aerospace Museum, and the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington DC. Stan has had the pleasure of meeting and working with many of his boyhood aviation heroes, including the late General Jimmy Doolittle, the late Pappy Boyington, Chuck Yeager, and many many others. A true aviation history buff, Stan often spends more time pouring over research materials for his paintings to assure their accuracy to the smallest detail than he does behind the canvas. Noted for his incredible detail and strikingly realistic illustration, Stans canvases have a life-like three-dimensional effect that often leaves viewers spellbound. Today his work encompasses not only aviation and space but also portraits, landscapes, ships, classic cars and his new collection of cat-related fine art paintings. Stan particularly enjoys the tough assignment. During his 37 years as a professional artist, he has been asked to produce literally hundreds of paintings documenting historical events, people and places. Although Stan has logged many hours flying his own airplanes, in recent years pleasure flying has had to take a backseat to the artistic demands of his backlog. Stan was commissioned to paint more than twenty original paintings for an aviation museum being in the Philippines. Since the mid-1980s NASA has also tapped Stans talents from time to time and he has completed more than fifteen paintings ranging from the space shuttles to the SR 71 Blackbird. Stan has also painted numerous works for the cutting edge genius in aviation and space design, Burt Rutan. More about Stan Stokes

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