“I had my pistol in one hand, my cricket in the other…I crept along the hedgerow looking for a gate. Just as I found it, I heard a stir on the other side. I drew my pistol and got all set. Then I heard the click. That was the most pleasant sound I ever heard in the entire war.”

~ General Maxwell D. Taylor , commander of the 101st Airborne Division

On June 6, 1944, the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions were to jump over Normandy during the night time.

For the 101st Airborne, it was the baptism of fire. General Maxwell D. Taylor was one of the very few men of the 101st Airborne Division who had combat experience. Taylor anticipated that the dispersion amid the Normandy hedgerows would create havoc, and he wanted his troops to have a distinctive noisemaker to identify themselves. An aide came up with a simple child’s toy, a metal cricket as shown in this photograph with Pfc. Cecil J. Mick, “D” Company, 2nd Battalion, 502nd PIR. When holding the cricket between the thumb and forefinger and squeezed, it clicked and then clicked again when the fingers are released. PFc. Mick’s cricket was prepped by drilling a small hole and a length of string inserted through and tied to hang around his neck. Some paratroopers taped them to the butt of their riles.

This was to be the means for Taylor’s paratroopers of identifying friend from foe in the dark night of D-Day on the drop zone. This turned out to be a blessing, as there were many paratroopers separated from their groups. I remember my 101st Airborne father saying that when he dropped and clicked, he heard nothing in response. He had to make his way through the night until finding his unit and a few Germans in the process. They took off leaving their prisoner behind…

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PHOTO & TEXT SOURCE: Michel De Trez D-Day Publishing www.d-day-publishing.be