That’s All, Brother was built in February 1944 and was the leading C-47 aircraft in a group of 800 C-47s that carried approximately 13,000 paratroopers to Normandy, France, on June 6, 1944 (Facebook)
MASON CITY, Iowa (Tribune News Service) — A significant piece of World War II history with a fascinating tie to North Iowa is heading to Mason City later this week.
On Thursday, the Mason City Municipal Airport will open its tarmac to the historic C-47, That’s All, Brother, and allow attendees the opportunity to view the aircraft take flight.
In addition to the That’s All, Brother, a handful of other historical aircrafts will be making their way to Mason City for the three-day event.
The history
That’s All, Brother was built in February 1944 and was the leading C-47 aircraft in a group of 800 C-47s that carried approximately 13,000 paratroopers to Normandy, France, on June 6, 1944, better known as D-Day.
77 years later, That’s All, Brother will be landing at the Mason City Municipal Airport to teach attendees about the historical significance of the aircraft and its role in history.
Kim Pardon, a spokesperson for The Commemorative Air Force, said she’s excited for the opportunity to bring such an important piece of history to Mason City.
“It just tells a great story about World War II,” Pardon said. “It’s going to be a spectacular event.”
The story of That’s All, Brother doesn’t end following World War II but instead just begins. Following the end of the war, That’s All, Brother was sold in the civilian market, bouncing between many owners along the way. Eventually, an owner sold the plane to a scrapyard in Wisconsin.
Reeanactors prepare for a jump in June 2021. (Facebook)
That’s where the story of That’s All, Brother could have ended, but in 2015 the Commemorative Air Force discovered the plane’s location and began a campaign to buy and restore the aircraft.
“The Commemorative Air Force spent way too much money and bought the airplane and completely renovated it,” Pardon joked.
After three years of tireless restoration, That’s All, Brother finally took to the skies again, 74 years after its flight to Normandy.
The pilot
By 1986, the That’s All, Brother was operating as a mail carrier ship and owned by a Clear Lake resident; that’s when pilot Doug Rozendaal, a member and chairman of the board for The Commemorative Air Force, first became familiar with the historic aircraft.
“I was driving home one day in 1986 and saw that plane sitting at the Mason City airport,” Rozendaal recalled. “I slammed on the brakes and went inside to talk to the owner.”
Six weeks later, Rozendaal became certified to fly C-47 aircrafts and began flying That’s All Brother on behalf of its owner across the United States, but did so not knowing its extensive history. Rozendaal was even the pilot who eventually flew That’s All, Brother to its presumed (at the time) final resting place.
“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t emotional about it,” Rozendaal said. “It was hard to know I was leaving it be chopped up.”
Rozendaal has been flying planes since 1977 and has flown over 200 different types of airplanes, from modern private jets to historic World War II era aircrafts.
It wasn’t until the Commemorative Air Force began its restoration project in 2015 that Rozendaal became familiar with the extent of That’s All, Brother’s history.
In 2018, when That’s All, Brother finally took to the skies again, Rozendaal was the man who got to do so as the pilot. Rozendaal, who has lived in Clear Lake since 1984, got the opportunity to fly That’s All, Brother from the Untied States across the Atlantic Ocean to Normandy, France in 2019 for the 75th anniversary of D-Day.
“When you’re flying it, you’re intensely focused on the flight,” Rozendaal said. “But, when we passed over the beach and the graveyard, it was difficult not to imagine what was going on directly below us 75 years ago.”
On Thursday, Rozendaal will be flying That’s All, Brother, the aircraft that has meant so much to him over the years, to his local community of Clear Lake.
“Every time you get to fly it is a privilege,” Rozendaal said. “I’m proud to use it to tell stories and help educate, honor and inspire younger generations.”
The event details
That’s All, Brother, will land at the Mason City Municipal Airport on Thursday at 2:30 p.m. and remain at the airport until Saturday, July 24. The aircraft will be on display to the public July 23-24 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Those who choose to attend will have the opportunity to tour the inside of the aircraft, and for $249, you can reserve a seat on That’s All, Brother for a flight on the plane at https://tour.thatsallbrother.org/.
zachary.dupont@globegazette.com.
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