Resurrection Lutheran Men’s Breakfast Hosts Tim Tarris: D-Day Doll, a C-53D Skytrooper’s role in the WWII D-Day invasion | Community

On Saturday, November 1, 2025, Resurrection Lutheran Men’s Breakfast (Oro Valley) welcomed Col Tim Tarris (USAF Ret), who talked about the D-Day Doll, a C-53D Skytrooper that he helped crew to Europe for the 75th anniversary of D-Day and the 70th anniversary of the Berlin Airlift in 2019.

The C-53 Skytrooper is a specialized troop transport variant of the DC-3. Only 380 aircraft were produced in all, because the C-47 was found to be more versatile. While in Europe, C-53 N45366 D-Day Doll participated in the D-Day invasion, Market Garden in Holland, the re-supply of Bastogne and the crossing of the Rhine. She also flew various support missions and wounded evacuations to England. Col Tarris also shared stories from his other flying adventures, both during subsequent wars, as well as his flying days for UPS.

The breakfast began with opening remarks by Committee Chair Jim Seppala who also provided the blessing. Mark Boyce guided the group in the Pledge of Allegiance and Herman Haenert introduced the guest speaker. A hearty breakfast, prepared by Kevin Risner of Flaming Heart BBQ Catering, was served prior to the presentation. Over 70 men attended the breakfast. At the meeting, the group also presented out-going Committee Chair Jim Seppala with an engraved U.S. Navy stainless steel meal tray. Alan Bergstrom will become the new Committee Chair beginning in January.

The RLC Men’s Breakfast also met on Saturday, December 6, 2025. The featured speaker in December was Retired Colonel Leo Lawrenson who shared information about the Shelter Box program that assists with worldwide disasters. Shelter Box is a nonprofit program that responds to disasters all over the world providing people with temporary shelter and helping with the process of rebuilding their lives and homes. Since the beginning of Shelter Boxes, the organization has responded to over 300 disasters in over 100 countries.

The Resurrection Lutheran Men’s Breakfast meets on the first Saturday of each month from October through May at the Outreach Center on the church’s main campus in Oro Valley. Doors open for coffee at 7 a.m., with the program beginning at 7:30 a.m. Registration is available online at orovalley.org or by calling (520) 575-9901. A $15 donation is appreciated. All are welcome.