Written by Robert Child – Producer, Director and Writer

Silent Wings was brought to my attention by a fellow filmmaker in 2002 who had begun production on it in 1996. After reviewing the material, I realized that this story is one of the select few that must be told. I had produced several historical documentaries for PBS on the Civil War and it excited me to get to know a new generation of heroes who stepped up and made sacrifices for their country.

It was immediately clear to me that glider pilots all shared the same sense of duty in serving the war effort but what set them apart was their shared intense desire to fly.  Some began in flight training programs for powered military aircraft but for one reason or another were told that flying was not for them. These were men who did not take no for an answer but had the courage to “volunteer” to fly missions that were designed to go in only one direction – one way and behind enemy lines.

I had the great pleasure of working with Michael J. Samek current chairman of the National WWII Glider Pilots Association, Inc. and glider veteran himself. His insight provided a launching pad for my own independent research and when I had questions on historical accuracy he was there to provide clarification. From the very beginning I wanted the film to be historically accurate but also emotionally stirring. And when I began the script I said to myself, if I knew nothing about this story, what would resonate with me.  And although of course there is a huge population of people who lived through these war years, I wanted to have the story to reach people who might have no interest in a war documentary but could grasp the concept of individual sacrifice for a cause.  I decided to interweave the story of the glider pilots against the backdrop of the entire struggle of WWII.  This was to provide the audience a frame of reference so they would not lose their historical bearings and at the same time demonstrate how integral the glider program was to America’s overall war effort. It is widely acknowledged that the Normandy invasion would not have been successful without the efforts of the glider pilots.

Among the most enjoyable aspects of producing this project was working with acclaimed actor, Hal Holbrook. The folks at Inecom Entertainment astutely offered his participation as the narrator and I thought it was a fantastic idea. He remains one of the true legends and gentlemen in the industry and I had time to get to know him in our sessions in Hollywood. He brought the sense of credibility I was seeking in the read of the script. He himself served in the war. And to share a moment with you, when we got to the section on Pearl Harbor and he was reading over the lines before we recorded it, he stopped.  He said “I’ll never forget where I was when I heard this news. I was at college and everyone was in this one room on our floor gathered around the radio listening to the reports. No one said a word because we all knew that from that moment on our lives would change forever.”  Both the audio engineer and I were moved by his recollection.

Now that the film is complete, I could not be more proud of it. As you may know from my past projects, I strive for an extremely high level of quality and it has been noted in national and international circles and with every film I produce including my last one for Inecom Entertainment Company, Lincoln and Lee at Antietam – The Cost of Freedom, I want to say it is my best effort yet and I did say it about the Antietam project. But I truly believe Silent Wings is in a category all by itself.  Not only do I believe that it is my finest effort yet but I am thrilled that it will be viewed by the people who actually participated in the events illustrated in the film and others who lived during that time in American history.

In closing, I believe glider pilots exploits and the story itself is a reminder to all that true courage is found in the midst of the greatest adversity.  And that fortitude and character is what Silent Wings is all about. I could not be prouder of any other project I have ever produced and I am extremely excited to share it with you.