Col James M. GAVIN (CO) briefs men of his 505th Parachute Combat Team, prior to the air assault against Sicily …
OPERATION " HUSKY " - 09 July 1943
82d Airborne Division - Staff & Unit Commanders
| Division Commanding General + Aide-de-Camp Assistant Commanding General Division Artillery Commander Executive Officer Division Artillery Chief of Staff G-1 (Personnel) G-2 (Intelligence) G-3 (Operations & Training) G-4 (Supply & Evacuation) Adjutant General Chemical Officer Chaplain Finance Officer Headquarters Commandant Inspector General Judge Advocate General Ordnance Officer Engineer Provost Marshal Quartermaster Signal Officer Surgeon General Special Service Officer 325th Gli Inf Regt 504th Prcht Inf Regt 505th Prcht Inf Regt 319th Gli FA Bn 320th Gli FA Bn 80th Abn AA Bn 376th Prcht FA Bn 456th Prcht FA Bn 307th Abn Engr Bn 82d Abn Sig Co 307th Abn Med Co 407th Abn QM Co 782d Abn Ord Co 82d Prcht Maint Co (Prov) Division Headquarters Company Headquarters Battery Division Artillery 82d Airborne Military Police Platoon Division Reconnaissance Platoon (Prov) | Maj Gen Matthew B. RIDGWAY Capt Don C. FAITH Jr Brig Gen Charles L. KEERANS Jr Brig Gen Maxwell D. TAYLOR Col Francis A. MARCH Col Ralph P. EATON Lt Col Frederick M. SCHELLHAMMER Lt Col George E. LYNCH Lt Col Richard K. BOYD Lt Col Robert H. WIENECKE Lt Col Raymond M. BRITTON Lt Col John P. GEIGER Lt Col George L. RIDDLE Lt Col William E. JOHNSON Capt William C. SHREVE Lt Col Charles BARRETT Lt Col Casimir D. MOSS Lt Col Joshua FINKEL Lt Col Robert S. PALMER Maj William P. BOWDEN Lt Col John W. MOHRMAN Lt Col Frank W. MOORMAN Lt Col Woolcott L. ETIENNE Maj Frederick G. McCOLLUM Col Harry L. LEWIS Col Reuben H. TUCKER Col James M. GAVIN Lt Col William H. BERTSCH Jr Lt Col Paul E. WRIGHT Lt Col Jack WHITFIELD (acting Maj Raymond E. SINGLETON) Lt Col Wilbur M. GRIFFITH Lt Col Harrison HARDEN Lt Col Robert S. PALMER Capt Robert E. FURMAN Maj William H. HOUSTON Capt Samuel L. MAYS Capt Jeff DAVIS Jr Capt Albert C. MARIN Capt William C. SHREVE Capt Tony J. RAIBL Maj William P. BOWDEN 1st Lt Roland M. HUDSON |
505th Regimental Combat Team Land during night D-1 / D in area N and E of GELA, capture and secure high ground in that area . Disrupt communications and movement of reserves during night . Be attached to the 1st Infantry Division, effective on D-Day . Assist 1st Infantry Division in capturing and securing landing field at PONTE OLIVO .
The 505th PCT plan, as embodied in its first FO, directed that Regimental Headquarters, 1st Battalion, and 2d
Battalion, 505th PIR, and A and B Batteries of the 456th PFA Bn, should drop just north of an important road junction about seven miles east
of GELA, attack and overcome an enemy strongpoint commanding this junction, and defend it against attack . 3d Battalion, 505th PIR, and C
Btry, 456th, should drop south of the same junction, and occupy the high ground overlooking it . 3d Battalion, 504th PIR, should drop south
of NISCEMI, and establish and defend roadblocks on the road from NISCEMI to the south . Each of these elements was to be prepared to assist
the 1st Infantry Division in seizing the PONTE OLIVO Airfield . Three planes of troops, including the Demolition Section, were to drop about
five miles further east and prepare the demolition of rail and road crossings of the ACATE River . The mission assigned the Division, less
the 505th Combat Team, was outlined in Field Order # 1 of Force 343 (Seventh US Army) : 82d Airborne Division (less Dets) concentrate rapidly by successive air lifts in SICILY, by D+7,
in either or both the DIME (45th Infantry Division) or JOSS (3d
Infantry Division) areas, as directed .
2d Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion, remain in NORTH AFRICA, in Force 343 reserve,
available for drop missions as directed .
In compliance with this order, the Division devised a Movement Table to FO # 1, under which the 504th Parachute Combat
Team, as a second lift, was alerted for movement the evening of D-Day . Division Headquarters was
to constitute a third lift, ready for movement in gliders the evening of D+1 or thereafter . The 325th Glider Combat
Team and the 80th Airborne Anti-Aircraft Battalion, were to follow by planes and gliders in
designated order .
Col James M. GAVIN (505th Prcht Inf), Lt Col Charles KOUNS (3d Bn / 504th Prcht Inf), Lt Col Harrison HARDEN (456th Prcht
FA Bn), Capt William H. JOHNSON (B Co / 307th Abn Engr Bn), 2d Lt Edward KACYAINSKI (Det / 82d Abn Sig Co), S/Sgt Kenneth I. KNOTT (Det /
307th Abn Med Co), Capt Jack M. BARTLEY (Air Support Party), 1st Lt Louis P. TESTA (PWI Personnel)
504th Regimental Combat Team
Col Reuben H. TUCKER (504th Prcht Inf – 3d Bn), Lt Col Wilbur M. GRIFFITH (376th Prcht FA Bn) Capt Thomas M. WIGHT (C Co / 307th Abn Engr Bn)
Alerted for overseas movement, the 82d Airborne Division began its departure from Ft. Bragg, N.C., on April 17,
1943 . The Division staged at Cp. Edwards, Mass., from 21 to 27 April and departed for the New York P/E . It then sailed aboard US Transport
George Washington, from Staten Island early on the morning of April 29, 1943, thus becoming the FIRST American
Airborne Division to sail overseas !
The “All American” landed at Casablanca, May 10, 1943, marshalled at Cp. Don B. Passage, near the city and subsequently moved to the vicinity
of Oujda, French Morocco, and Marnia, Algeria, on May 13 . Here the Division bivouacked as a Combat Team with the 325th
Glider Infantry Combat Team, the 80th Airborne Anti-Aircraft Battalion, and the
320th Glider Field Artillery Battalion, stationed at Marnia and the remainder of the Division stationed near Oujda Airport . The
Planning room was established in a Gendarmerie building (popularly known as the “Pentagon” building), and here plans were worked out for the
82d’s FIRST combat mission, “Operation HUSKY”, or the invasion of Sicily, code
name : “HORRIFIED” .
Preceded by small advance parties, the Division on June 24, 1943, began movement by truck, train, plane and glider to the cactus-hedged areas
of Tunisia, near Kairouan . 10 different take-off airfields were to be used for the coming Operation . The Invasion of Sicily began on the
windy night of July 9, 1943, when Colonel James M. GAVIN led his
505th Parachute Combat Team on its drop into Sicily .
The Assault mission, as stated in Field Order # 6 issued by II Corps was as follows :
The FIRST lift included following elements ; 505th Prcht Inf Regt + 3d Bn / 504th Prcht Inf Regt +
456th Prcht FA Bn + B Co / 307th Abn Engr Bn + Det / 82d Abn Sig Co + Det / 307th Abn Med Co + Air Support Party + PWI Personnel … commanded
by Col James M. GAVIN
The SECOND lift included following units ; 504th Prcht Inf Regt (less 3d Bn) + 376th Prcht FA Bn +
C Co / 307th Abn Engr Bn … commanded by Col Reuben H. TUCKER
The THIRD lift, i.e. the Division Hq serial was to include members of the General and Special Staff
Sections and following units, such as, Hq & Hq Btry + Div Arty + Div Hq Co + 82d Abn Sig Co + 407th Abn QM Co + 307th Abn Med Co + 782d Abn
Ord Maint Co + 307th Abn Engr Bn, as well as 22 ¼ T trucks, all under command of Lt Col Robert S. PALMER
The Division CG, Major General Matthew B. RIDGWAY, with a special command party, including 1 ¾ T Command &
Reconnaissance Car, 4 ¼ T trucks, and 2 ¼ T trailers, boarded the S/S Monrovia, Seventh Army Command Vessel, at ALGIERS, July 4, 1943, from
which he and his party would land at GELA on D-Day . The CG’s group included ; Col Ralph P. EATON (Chief of
Staff), Lt Col George E. LYNCH (G-2), Lt Col Richard K. BOYD (G-3),
Lt Col Robert H. WIENECKE (G-4), Lt Col Frank W. MOORMAN (Signal Officer),
Maj E. S. ADAMS (Liaison Officer), Capt Don C. FAITH Jr (Aide-de-Camp), and
11 enlisted men from the Staff Sections …
Although the Sicily Operation was costly, both in lives and equipment, valuable experience was gained by those
who survived, untold damage was inflicted behind enemy lines, and many prisoners were captured . Enemy prisoners taken : 15,475 (German &
Italian officers and men) . Vehicles captured : 62 (mainly Italian) . The Division remained in front line positions for 13 days (period July
10 > Aug 19, 1943) . For comparison purposes, Italy represents 142 days (period Sep 14, 1943 > Mar 23, 1944), Normandy 33 days (period Jun 6 >
Jul 13, 1944), Holland 58 days (period Sep 17 > Nov 13, 1944), Ardennes (Bulge) 46 days (period Dec 18, 1944 > Feb 18, 1945), and Central
Europe 24 days (period Apr 4 > Jun 1, 1945) .
In recognition of the Sicily campaign, Maj Gen M. B. Ridgway received following letter from Maj Gen G. Keyes, commanding Provisional Corps,
of which the 82d Abn Div had served as a part :
24 July 1943
Major General M. B. Ridgway
Commanding 82d Airborne Division
A.P.O. 469
My Dear General Ridgway;
With the remarkably rapid and successful conclusion of the mission assigned the
Provisional Corps of the Seventh Army in the operation to capture Palermo and the Western portion of the island of Sicily, I wish to express
to you and your splendid Division, together with the attached units, my admiration for feats accomplished .
The rapid assembly and organization of your force of mixed units, and their more rapid
advance on each objective to include the important city and locality of Trapani, reflects great credit upon you, your staff and your men .
It is an honor for me to be privileged to command the Provisional Corps composed of
such fine Divisions and it is with extreme regret that I learn that the 82d is to be withdrawn for other important missions .
With best wishes to you and your command for continued success, I am,
Sincerely yours,
/s/ Geoffrey Keyes
GEOFFREY KEYES
Major General, U.S.A.,
Commanding
82d Airborne Division casualties during the Sicilian Campaign
Entire Division : 80 Officers + 884 Enlisted Men > total 964
504th Prcht Inf Regt : 33 Officers + 355 Enlisted Men > total 388
505th Prcht Inf Regt : 33 Officers + 391 Enlisted Men > total 424
307th Abn Engr Bn : 5 Officers + 34 Enlisted Men > total 39
376th Prcht FA Bn : 2 Officers + 55 Enlisted Men > total 57
456th Prcht FA Bn : 6 Officers + 49 Enlisted Men > total 55
... as we had been forewarned by Intelligence that the Japanese would often trick our people by
calling out names of the different individuals, Headquarters had ordered us to give every Officer in the Regiment a ‘nickname’ . At the
time of "Operation Husky I", the air and seaborne assault against Sicily, Colonel J.M.
GAVIN commanding the 505th RCT (consisting of 505th PIR, 3d Bn / 504th PIR, and other
troops) told me: "Al, I want you to find a nickname for every Officer and all the key people of this Regiment" . So I had to come up with
some fancy nicknames for everyone … that’s how Colonel Gavin got the nickname "Slim Jim" (there were pretzels at the time called ‘Slim Jim
Pretzels’ and since our Commander was a tall slim guy, I thought this nickname to be most
appropriate) ...
(Alfred W. IRELAND, Capt, S-1, 505th PIR, 82d Abn Div, USA, O-35113, recollections)
"... know thy enemy..."
This ‘personal’ story is certainly not about any ‘bloody’ firefights but just about knowing, and
identifying the enemy . The incidents took place during “Operation HUSKY I”…
As the late Lieutenant General James M. GAVIN (1907-1990) CG who took over the “All Americans” from Maj.
Gen. M.B. Ridgway in Aug 44 stated back in 1947 : “Sicily in July of 1943 was the BIRTHPLACE of American
Airborne Technique, it was, as well, the crucible into which were thrown the brainstorms, the cocktail cerebrations and the intensely cherished
unorthodox combat tactics of a still young Army – theories originally conceived, nurtured and brought to apparent maturity without the test of
battle were exposed to their first test !”
 READY for action ! 82d Abn Div troopers preparing their gear ... Click image to enlarge |  Individual equipment layout for a Parachutist, as used during summer of 1943, in the MTO Click image to enlarge |
The American part of “Operation HUSKY” conceived by the Allied planning Staffs and Headquarters of
NATO (North African Theater of Operations) and the Seventh US Army envisioned the Invasion of Sicily,
with an Amphibious Assault (July 10, 1943) at Licata, Gela and Scoglitti by the American 3d Infantry, 1st Infantry
and 45th Infantry Divisions . The Invasion plan called for one reinforced Parachute
Combat Team of the 82d Airborne Division to drop ahead of the amphibious landings, between
Caltagirone and the 1st Infantry Division’s beaches, in order to protect the American Forces which were to land on the island . After the
D-Day landings, the Airborne Combat Team was to be built up by successive air and sea lifts in the Seventh US Army zone and participate in
the further conquest of the island . Mission : seize key terrain features, block enemy reinforcements, destroy enemy communications, and deny
use of specific strategic enemy airfields . The Combat Jump itself faced unusual odds (1) nature; trained to jump with winds up to 12-15 mph,
troopers now faced a gale with winds up to 35 mph, blowing across the Mediterranean, (2) enemy; although they jumped on schedule, troopers
landed in small groups, widely scattered over part of the island, furthermore they were almost at once met by the elite Hermann Göring Panzer
Division with the newest Tiger tanks, while being w/o effective antitank weapons . Numerous US Paratroops not only experienced harsh landings,
in rocky gullies, fields, streams, and roads, some even landed near or on enemy positions, but the majority were widely scattered all over
southeastern Sicily … in fact, one outfit only, i.e. I Co, 3d Bn / 505th PIR (Capt. Willard R.
Follmer) was dropped on its objective ! The scattered, disorganized paratroop landings and attacks on July 10 + 11, 1943, carried
out by small bands of men, significantly harassed enemy troops, causing the necessary confusion among both Germans and Italians, and not only
fought the Germans to a standstill, but helped drive the enemy from the battlefield !
505th Parachute Combat Team (reinforced) consisted of following units :
505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, under command of Col. James M. GAVIN, also
overall Commander of the reinforced Regimental Combat Team (1st Bn > Lt. Col. Arthur F. Gorham, 2d Bn > Maj. Mark
J. Alexander, 3d Bn > Maj. Edward C. Krause) + 3d Battalion / 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment
(Lt. Col. Charles W. Kouns) + 456th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion (Lt. Col. Harrison B.
Harden, Jr) + Co B / 307th Airborne Engineer Battalion (Capt. William H. Johnson) + Signal, Medical elements + Naval-Gunfire Support Liaison Detachments . The force totalled 3,407 troopers, and required
226 C-47 transport planes manned by 904 aircrews . D-Day was set for July 9, 1943, and the Operation was to be a
night parachute drop !
Before entering combat, one of the ground rules is to be able to ‘recognize’ your enemy … early July 1943, Major General Matthew B. RIDGWAY (CG 82d Abn Div) took special precautions to make certain that regular Army units clearly understood the dangers and risks inherent to operations run by parachute forces . He also sent different teams to the US Divisions who would fight with us in the Sicily Campaign, to show what US jumpsuits, jump boots, weapons (e.g. the new folding-stock .30 cal Carbine), gear, and other equipment looked like, so they could actually see a live US Parachutist, and acquaint the Officers and Enlisted Men with Airborne accoutrements and tactical maneuvers … our battle dress was indeed quite different from other American troops, and it should be stated that German forces were not familiar with our dress either ! |  Maj. General Matthew B. RIDGWAY, CG 82d Abn Div, and Staff, Sicily July 20, 1943 (after "Operation Husky") Click image to enlarge |
 1st Lt. Robert M. PIPER, in Oujda (French Morocco), May 1943 (picture taken during training) Click image to enlarge | I was a member of the 505th PIR, and Assistant Regimental Adjutant (or Asst S-1) to Captain Alfred W. IRELAND (S-1) when dropping into battle over Sicily . My current rank was 1st Lieutenant . My plane was separated from the main air column en route from N. Africa to Sicily – the formations were blown apart by the strong northwest winds, and since we had to maintain radio silence, the only way was supposedly to keep visual contact between planes, however because of this gale, each aircraft was more or less on its own . So on July 9, 1943, we finally picked up the Sicilian coast and were flying up the Straits of Messina over near the British sector – when the pilot admitted he wasn’t sure where he was, I asked him to turn westerly and give me the green light when we were again over land – we jumped from about 3 to 400 feet (because of the hills below) and were dropped some 40 miles east of our designated DZ near the British sector, where I actually ended up in an olive tree (actual landings of the 5 plane serials were widely dispersed from Niscemito to S. Croce Camerina) . I gathered 11 men and immediately started moving west over rugged, rocky and barren country . We shot up railroad tunnel guards, civilians, Italians, Germans, any non-US targets . While on a trail, we saw a group of men in the distance coming toward us, they seemed to progress in a formation, stripped to the waist, this looked like a kind of morning exercise or PT to me . The Germans didn’t recognize our jumpsuits, not being familiar with them, and I think they must have thought we were probably Italians … furthermore they had not received word that an American Airborne Operation had taken place the night before ? When I said “Hi”, they responded with “Heil Hitler”, and there was a brief firefight which they lost ! We continued to shoot up the countryside and moved toward Vittoria during Saturday-Sunday, where we ran into some 45th Infantry … and the Battle for Biazza Ridge (located between Gela and Scoglitti) … to link up with Colonel James M. GAVIN and 3d Bn / 505th PIR elements who were battling German armor . |
At the end of the afternoon, when most of the enemy tanks had been knocked out or withdrawn, Colonel GAVIN,
told me to get hold of a jeep, one we had ‘procured’ from the 45th Infantry Division and get back to the
landing beaches to get food and ammo moving to us . On my way, I was driving alone toward the beach area, I was stopped by a patrol of
Infantry (pertaining to the 45th “Thunderbird” Division) who had NEVER seen
an airborne trooper in jumpsuit and fully geared up, and thought I was a German who had captured an American jeep ! As I said before, even
though we had sent teams to the 45th Inf Div when back in North Africa to show them what a Parachutist looked like, NOT everyone saw our demo
teams, so when soldiers saw a strange-looking uniform, and someone wearing jump boots, with a folding-stock Carbine for a weapon, they thought
I was either a German or Italian driving a captured US jeep . They debated whether to shoot me or not on the spot and recover the vehicle
with 45th Inf Div markings . Needless to say they talked fast and furious . They made me sing the US National Anthem; tell them who won the
World Series that year; who was the current President, etc. all the while pretending I was an enemy, since wearing a German uniform, because
they simply had never seen a jumpsuit before . They gave me the ‘third degree’ ! Finally, they let me go unharmed … |  Colonel James M. GAVIN (aka "Slim Jim") in Sicily, some time after the operation, July 12-14, 1943 Click image to enlarge |
Biazza Ridge, 505th PIR troopers around one of their 'kills' - a German Panzer IV tank |  |  | Postwar Battle Monument in honor of the 82d Abn Div (505th PCT)
at Ponte Dirillo (Biazza Ridge), on Highway 115, Gela to Vittoria, Sicily |
I had the privilege of knowing a fascinating person and a fine Officer , his name was Robert M. Piper .
I first met Colonel R. M. Piper in Normandy, it was June of 1981; he was strolling along the streets of S-M-E . At first we exchanged a few words about
WW2 , his career with the military, and the Airborne in general , we however promised to meet again .
Bob Piper obtained an Officer’s commission on 16 June 1941 , and volunteered for the Airborne . After having gone through Jump School, he was assigned to
the newly activated 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment , later to become an organic unit of the famous
“ALL AMERICAN” – 82d Airborne Division . Bob Piper spent the entire WW2 period as a member of the same Regiment , and made all 4 combat jumps .
Although it was against regulations, he managed to take a private camera along in the field to shoot some unique photographs of the Regimental Staff and
visiting brass . Colonel Piper had a fabulous memory and knew lots of people and lots of names related to the 82d Airborne . As promised , we met again ,
always in Normandy , except on one occasion , which took place in Bastogne (Belgium) . Having interviewed him more closely about the early days of his
career , we finally exchanged a lot of letters during 2002 and 2003 . He always remained a humble man , and conveyed his personal impressions and
reminiscences without fuss , rarely mentioning his own involvement …
I met him for the last time on 3 June 2004 … in Normandy , of course . This remarkable Officer made his last jump on 16 December
2007 – Airborne … all the way !
"...sniper..."
… I was a sniper with A Co, 505th Parachute Infantry . My weapons were a .30 cal
Springfield M1903A4 rifle provided with a scope and a M1A1 .30 cal carbine with a folding stock . My CO at the
time was Captain Edwin SAYRE . We came down in a vineyard on the side of a steep hill . Tracers were flying in
all directions, it almost looked like the Fourth of July ! I was very much impressed, I can tell you, since this was my very
FIRST combat jump ! As soon as we dropped our chutes, I went looking for the equipment bundles – one of these held my rifle,
while the sight was wrapped in my musette bag . Getting everyone assembled proved very difficult . The Company had been scattered over an area of several hundred yards, and our priority was to try and locate our weapons and munitions bundles first, in order to get going .
I remember that behind First Battalion, came the 505th RCT Headquarters serial, including our commander,
Colonel James M. GAVIN and part of his staff .
At first sunlight, we were to attack a number of Italian pillboxes surrounding a garrison compound (which we had already unsuccessfully
attacked the previous night) . We now had two 60mm mortars and three .30 caliber light machine guns for support, with some additional 2.36-in
rocket launchers . We were divided into two-man teams for the assault . Together with another man, we both worked our way around the back of
a house, the enemy had machine guns dug in there, so we managed to sneek onto them reaching the back door of our target, a house . About the
time, we thought everything was clear, an enemy handgrenade landed right in front of me … I ducked to avoid it, but shrapnel got me in the
neck . So I just went back the way I came in, by crawling, that is … I remember Capt Sayre asking for some additional mortar rounds on the
compound, and then, to fix bayonets, and to get in … I was all shaken and had trouble fixing the bayonet on my rifle …
We managed to capture the house complex though, with the help of rifle and handgrenades, and effective machine gun fire support .
(Dave R. BULLINGTON, Pfc, A Co, 505th PIR, 82d Abn Div, USA, 20457720, recollections)
Notes:
AMERICAN AIRBORNE FORCES
First Combat action of American Airborne Troops in WWII took place in N. Africa . The very FIRST
operation under command of Maj. William P. Yarborough, consisted in landing the 2d Bn / 503d PIR (later
redesignated 509th PIB) to seize the Tafaraoui & La Sénia Airports, near Oran, Algeria 8 November 1942 .
The SECOND mission under command of Lt. Col. Edson D. Raff, was the drop on Youks-les-Bains Airfield, near Tebessa, on the Tunisian border,
16 November 1942 . The THIRD operation under command of Lt. Dan A. DeLeo, involved sending a demolition team
to blow up a key railroad bridge 6 miles north of El Djem, Tunisia, 26 December 1942 .
The first real MASS Combat Jump over hostile territory was “Operation HUSKY”, involving 82d Airborne Division units which took place July 9 – 11, 1943 and which yielded some
very important lessons in how to best organize and deliver Airborne Assault Forces . A professional Training Program was subsequently set up
at Biscari Airfield, Sicily . Its purpose was to develop specially trained Pathfinder units, who would land
about 20 minutes before the main assault . These teams would consist of 1 Officer + 9 EM, reinforced by protective personnel to insure success
of the mission . The team would be equipped with special electronic gear on which i/c troop carrier pilots would home and lights to mark the
respective DZs . In charge of this Training were Lt. Col. Joel L. Crouch (US Air Corps) and Capt. John Norton (82d Abn Div) .
 | special "bazooka patch" as ordered by Col. James M. GAVIN, after the Sicily Campaign (hand-embroidered copy, still open questions about the correct colors) |
Out of respect for the heroic combat achievements of his Bazooka Teams in the Sicily Campaign, Colonel James M. GAVIN (CO > 505th PCT) ordered from the nuns of an old Convent and Monastery (near Trapani) a
special hand-embroidered insignia to be worn as a pocket (or shoulder) patch by the bazookamen for their valorous combat feats (i.e.
destroying and disabling enemy Tiger I tanks) . These very special insignia were issued at the first
Regimental formation in N. Africa, after August 20, 1943. The men were proud to wear them !
505th PARACHUTE INFANTRY REGIMENT (505th PIR)
Activated July 6, 1942, Ft. Benning, Ga., and assigned to Airborne Command, later assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division
February 10, 1943 (replacing the withdrawn 326th Inf Regt) and moved to Ft. Bragg, N.C. February 12 . The Regiment staged at Cp.
Edwards, Mass. April 21, 1943, until it departed New York P/E April 28, 1943 for overseas . It first landed at Casablanca, N. Africa May 10,
1943, where it was chosen to spearhead the Air Assault against Sicily under command of Colonel James M. GAVIN.
After the Sicilian operation the 505th PIR returned to Kairoun, N. Africa August 19, 1943 . The 505th was again transferred to Sicily September
4 in
view of the coming Italian Invasion . After having fought in Italy, the Regiment left for Ireland November 19, where it arrived December 9,
1943 . It then moved to England February 14, 1944 to prepare for the Invasion of Normandy . It went back to England for rehabilitation July
13, 1944 and then gradually prepared for the Holland Assault . After Market-Garden, the 505th returned to France November 14, 1944 . Because
of the German Counter-Offensive in the Bulge (Belgium), it was called to help counter the enemy thrust and crossed into Belgium December 18,
1944 . The Regiment finally entered Germany January 30, 1945, and then withdrew to France February 19, 1945, before re-entering Germany April
2, 1945 for Occupation duties ! It returned to New York P/E January 3, 1946 and moved to Ft. Bragg, N.C. January 16, where it remained active
thru 1946 . This was the only unit to see extensive combat as part of the 82nd Airborne Division during WWII .
Major General Matthew B. Ridgway described it as ...the best Parachute Regiment to come out of
World War II ...
No D.I. was authorized for the Regiment, thus it is unfortunate to note that the 505th PIR did NOT have its own patch, only a motto “Ready”,
noteworthy is the fact that one of the rarest patches ever associated with the unit is the special ‘bazooka patch’ commissioned by
‘Slim Jim’ Gavin in Sicily – to reward the unit’s antitank (bazooka) teams . The 505th PIR participated in
the following Campaigns; Sicily (Arrowhead for Assault against Gela 9 Jul 43) Naples-
Foggia (Battle Star for jump on Paestum, Salerno Beachhead 15 Sep 43) Normandy (Arrowhead for
Assault behind Utah Beach, Normandy 6 Jun 44) Rhineland (Arrowhead for Assault Nijmegen, Holland 17 Sep 44)
Ardennes-Alsace (fighting in the Bulge 18 Dec 44 – 2 Feb 45) Central Europe,
with following distinctions; Arrowhead,
Distinguished Unit Badge with Streamer embroidered “Ste-Mère-Eglise”, Distinguished Unit Badge with Streamer embroidered “Nijmegen” awarded
to the 2d Battalion, French Croix de Guerre with Palm and Streamer embroidered “Ste-Mère-Eglise”, French Croix de Guerre with Palm and
Streamer embroidered “Cotentin”, French Croix de Guerre with Fourragère, Knight 4th Class Netherlands Military Order of William with Streamer
embroidered “Nijmegen”, Netherlands Orange Lanyard, Belgian Croix de Guerre with Fourragère 1940 and Two Citations in the Orders of the Day
of the Belgian Army for Actions in the “Ardennes” and “Belgium and Germany”, inactivated in 1946 .
 Click image to enlarge |  Fort Benning, Georgia, AGF TC - Infantry School - Parachute School - Reception & Induction Center for Colored Troops  (1943-1944) |
TIGER (Pz. Kpfw. VI – Tiger I)
After encountering Soviet T-34 and KV-1 tanks on the Eastern Front, the Germans reviewed their specifications for procurement of a heavy tank
capable of mounting the highly successful 8,8-cm (Flak) high velocity gun in a turret with full traverse, and enhanced armor to defeat all
present antitank weapons ! Production of the new type designated Pz.Kpfw. VI (aka Tiger
) Sd.Kfz. 181, was launched in August 1942 . It was not only introduced to combat Soviet armor on
the Eastern Front (Leningrad), but soon joined the DAK in Tunisia where it was deployed against (vulnerable) Allied armor . Main
characteristics : crew 5, armament 8,8-cm Kwk 36 L/56 gun + MG34 co-axial + MG34 in hull, armor from 1.02” up to 4.33”, length 27’,
width 12’3”, height 9’4”, weight 121,253 lb, ground pressure 14.8 lb/in2, water-cooled gas engine Maybach HL 230 P45 V-12, range 62 mi . Its
first appearance was a shock to the Allies, and it rapidly gained an awesome reputation on the battlefields (also in Normandy) . Not always
ingeniously deployed, it suffered mainly from its heavy weight, and was often overcome by sheer numbers, and attacks against its rear . It
was built between August 42 – August 44, only 1,350 Tiger Is were ever built . |  82d Airborne personnel inspect a knocked out German Tiger I tank - quite a feat (with such light arms, as the 2.36" Rocket Launcher) Click image to enlarge |
Informative Pamphlet for US Armed Forces, issued by The British Council, printed by Spottiswoode, Ballantyne & Co, Ltd, London, Colchester, and Eton, December 1944
"...Green Hornet ?"
… I enlisted on March 1, 1942 in New York City . Being a native of that city, and more particularly born and living in the
Bronx, I had problems finding a decent job – moreover I was already 22 and part of a family of 14 kids (8 boys + 6 girls) – so, one of the
solutions was to join the Army, in order to help support my family ! After getting Basic Training, I volunteered for the Paratroops and got
assigned to the 505th Parachute Infantry . I joined F Company as a private . My
first combat jump took place over Sicily, this was July 1943 ! I was later dropped over Italy, Normandy and
also Holland, and earned my 4 combat stars .
Although I wasn’t tall at all, I was tough, and I therefore got selected for the Regimental Boxing Team – my height was only 5’4” and my
weight 118 lb … I even won the 505th Lightweight Boxing Championship on August 18, 1944 …
(Richard TEDESCHI, Pfc, F Co, 505th PIR, 82d Abn Div, USA, 12059540, recollections)
 Richard TEDESCHI, picture taken in 1945  picture taken in September 1988, 505th RCT Reunion, Columbus, Georgia  picture taken in 1995 |
As I could only find a poor WWII picture of Pfc Richard Tedeschi, and the one taken at the 1988 505th RCT
Convention, I elected to add another one taken at a dinner-party organized by E. Lacroix (Chairman, C-47 Club, Belgian
Chapter) at Namur, Belgium, January 29, 1995. Pvt R. Tedeschi already made his first ‘combat’ jump in Sicily, back in July 1943 !
I met ‘Rich’ (or ‘Tiger Rich’ as some people called him) for the first time in February 1992, and although he rarely spoke about the ‘real’
war, he nevertheless could tell some wild ‘stories’ bragging and boasting about booze, women, and the ‘good’ times he particularly enjoyed in
England, after the Normandy operation . We’ll NEVER know for sure, whether he was the “Green Hornet” ? Always
keen for a beer and a smoke, and a good tale, that’s how I’ll remember him . ‘Rich’ made his ‘final’ jump on March 2,
1999 – Airborne … all the way !
OPERATION " NEPTUNE " D-DAY NORMANDY - 06 June 1944
Excerpts from After-Action Report for June-July 1944, written by MG Matthew B. RIDGWAY, CG 82d Airborne Division
, dated 8 Jul 44, and classified RESTRICTED – these documents describe preparation, landing, and FIRST combat action of the “All
American” Division, on D-Day June 6, 1944 (-ed)
Force “A”
Commanded by BG James M. GAVIN, Assistant Division Commander, to be committed by parachute before dawn of
D-Day and to include :
| Det Hq & Hq Co, 82d Abn Div Pathfinders Det Hq, 82d Div Arty Det 82d Abn Sig Co Det 456 Prcht FA Bn (atchd 505th Prcht Inf Regt) Air Support Party (atchd Hq 82d Abn Div) 505 Prcht Inf Regt 507 Prcht Inf Regt 508 Prcht Inf Regt Co B, 307 Abn Engr Bn Naval Shore Fire Control Party (atchd 505 Prcht Inf Regt) | 4 planes 9 planes 2 planes 3 planes 117 planes 117 planes 117 planes 9 planes |
| Hq & Hq Co, 82d Abn Div (-) Hq & Hq Btry, 82d Abn Div Arty (-) 82d Abn Sig Co (-) 325 Gli Inf Regt 319 Gli FA Bn 320 Gli FA Bn Btrys A, B, & C, 80 Abn AA Bn (AT) Co A, 307 Abn Engr Bn 307 Abn Med Co (-) 82d Abn Rcn Plat (-) Air Support Party Command vehicles – Prcht Regts | 22 planes 11 planes 13 planes 172 planes 40 planes 54 planes 57 planes 10 planes 20 planes 13 planes 4 planes 12 planes |
| 456 Prcht FA Bn (-) 80 Abn AA Bn (-) 307 Abn Engr Bn (-) 782 Abn Ord Maint Co 407 Abn QM Co 82d Abn MP Plat Corps Med Dets | 87 Armd FA Bn (atchd) 899 Td Bn (atchd) Tp B, 4 Cav Sqdn (atchd) Co C, 746 Tk Bn (M) (atchd) 3809 QM Trk Co (atchd) 3810 QM Trk Co (atchd) 1st Plat, 603 QM (GR) Co (atchd) |
82d A/B Div staff prior to Normandy – front row, L > R, BG James M. GAVIN (Asst CG), MG Matthew B. RIDGWAY (CG), Col Ralph P. EATON (CoS) – back row, L > R, Capt Arthur G. KROOS Jr (Aide-de-Camp), Lt Col Robert H. WIENECKE (G-3), Lt Col Frederick M. SCHELLHAMMER (G-1), Lt Col Bennie A. ZINN (G-4), Lt Col Jack WHITFIELD (G-2) – May 1944
All airborne elements of the Division had closed and were sealed in special camps at the take-off fields by 24 hours before the scheduled
kick-off time . Parachute elements were located at 7 airfields in the GRANTHAM – COTTESMORE – LANGAR area of the British Midlands, and glider
elements were at 7 other airfields in the ALDERMASTON – RAMSBURY – MERRYFIELD area
All men were briefed thoroughly on their missions, a recheck was made of all equipment and personnel, and planes and gliders were loaded with
equipment . The Allied D-Day operation was postponed 24 hours because of weather conditions, and the first planes of Force “A” took off at
052315 June 1944
The main flight was preceded by the 3 Regimental Pathfinder Teams which dropped one half hour prior to the
first group . The Pathfinders sustained many casualties and had difficulty in using lights, but they accomplished their mission and set
beacons to guide the incoming planes to the three designated DZs
The flight over the English Channel was in good formation and without incidents, but between the west coast and the Drop Zone, a heavy fog
bank tended to break up the planes formation . Flak and some enemy night fighters activity caused some of the Troop Carrier planes to take
evasive action, and by the time the DZs were reached, many planes were scattered, and were flying at excessive speeds and at altitudes higher
than those ideal for jumping
The 505th Prcht Inf Regt landed generally in the vicinity of its DZ . The 507th Prcht
Inf Regt was scattered, one element dropping in the vicinity of MONTEBOURG, another south of CARENTAN, and the remainder astride
the MERDERET RIVER east of the DZ . The 508th Prcht Inf Regt was likewise scattered widely, the bulk of its
parachutists dropping east of the Drop Zone and some personnel landing as far away as 8 miles south of CHERBOURG
The 52 gliders containing batteries of the 80th Abn AA Bn and detachments, plus forward parties of Artillery,
Signal and Division Headquarters followed the main body of paratroops and began landing at 0404 hours . The
gliders also encountered fog and Flak . They too were scattered, and many of them were damaged upon crashing into the small fields and high
hedgerows
Enemy reaction to the landing of the 82d Airborne Division in the NORMANDY area was prompt and severe, but
from the time the first member landed, until days later, when the Division was finally relieved, “ every mission was
accomplished and no ground gained was ever relinquished “
 SSI of the "All American" division |  Major General Matthew B. RIDGWAY (CG) conferring with “All American” staff – at left is Brigadier General James M. GAVIN (Asst Div Cdr) wearing Randall knife … |
D – DAY, 6 JUNE 1944
The FIRST element of the main body of the Division landed at 0151 hours, having been preceded 30 minutes by
the Pathfinder Teams . By 0312 hours ALL paratroopers had landed, and at 0404 hours
the first gliders in the initial glider serial crashlanded . Both parachutists and gliders were scattered
Small groups and some individual units attacked to secure the Division zone . Groups of men and individuals who had been scattered in the
landing rejoined their units throughout the day, or the day after, and by nightfall approximately 30 % of the Division’s forces were under
control
At 2100 hours 100 gliders landed with Artillery, Engineers, and Special Troops . Seaborne elements set sail at
0645 hours from BRISTOL, except for a Task Force consisting of C Co, 746th Tk Bn, 1st
Pltn, B Tp, 4th Cav Sqdn, and elements of F Co, 3d Bn, 325th Gli Inf Regt (originally, 2d Bn,
401st Gli Inf Regt) . This TF landed on Utah Red Beach at 1400 hours and proceeded inland with the mission of
contacting the Division near STE-MERE-EGLISE
At the close of the day (6 Jun 44), the Division was in the midst of severe fighting . It had captured STE-MERE-EGLISE and held a general
line along the MERDERET RIVER from LA FIERE (319963) south to include the eastern end of the causeway over the MERDERET RIVER at 321930
HEADQUARTERS & HEADQUARTERS COMPANY, 82d AIRBORNE DIVISION (Capt George J. CLAUSSEN)
Parachute elements, part of Force “A”, dropped at 0214 hours near the west bank of the MERDERET RIVER, and
glider elements, leading echelon of Force “B”, landed at 0204 hours . The Force “A” Command Post was set up
initially at 305965, west of the MERDERET RIVER, but at 0730 hours the group waded across the river to the
east bank and assembled at LA FIERE (319963) . A new Force “A” CP was established at a railroad crossing at 326944
The Division Commander (MG Matthew B. RIDGWAY), who jumped with the 505th Prcht Inf Regt, established his
Command Post in a hedgerow west of STE-MERE-EGLISE at 332965 . Elements of Headquarters and of the Defense Platoon moved south to secure the
bridge west of CHEF-DU-PONT (321930) where it encountered severe enemy fire . This group returned to the CP at 1700 hours
, but part of the Defense Platoon moved up to a new Force “A” CP at a railroad pass at 323960
The Division Headquarters intitial glider serial, which landed in the dark at approximately 0415 hours, was
scattered, and the G-2 (Lt Col Jack WHITFIELD) and G-3 (Lt Col Robert H. WIENECKE) did not reach the CP until late afternoon . The Chief of
Staff (Col Ralph P. EATON) was injured in a glider crush and later evacuated . The G-1 (Lt Col Frederick M. SCHELLHAMMER) did not reach the
Command Post for two days (the G-4, Lt Col Bennie A. ZINN was wounded on D + 1, and replaced by Lt Col Frank W. MOORMAN)
505th PARACHUTE INFANTRY REGIMENT (Col William E. EKMAN)
The first element, the 2d Battalion, dropped at 0151 hours and the entire Regiment landed by
0202 hours . Most of the troops landed on or near the DZ, but a few were widely dispersed over the
countryside . Assembly was rapid, and the different Battalions moved off toward their objectives . The 3d Battalion entered STE-MERE-EGLISE
at 0400 hours, and the town was securely held and outposted within an hour . The American Flag was raised
over STE-MERE-EGLISE, the FIRST French town to be liberated by the Allies . After assembling, the 2d Battalion started to move out to take
NEUVILLE-AU-PLAIN, but orders were received from the Regiment to stand by . At 0600 hours the 2d Battalion
moved into position north of STE-MERE-EGLISE, and assisted the 3d Battalion in holding the town . The 1st Battalion moved toward its
objective, the bridge over the MERDERET RIVER (314956) at LA FIERE at 0630 hours and by
0830 held the eastern end of this bridge against heavy enemy fire from the western approaches
507th PARACHUTE INFANTRY REGIMENT (Col George V. MILLET + Lt Col Arthur A. MALONEY + Col Edson B. RAFF)
The first element, the 1st Battalion, jumped at 0232 hours, and by 0312 the
entire Regiment was on the ground generally east of the MERDERET RIVER and was fairly dispersed . Small groups assembled to form independent
Task Forces until such time as the Regiment could assemble completely . One such TF on the west bank of the MERDERET RIVER attacked AMFREVILLE
but was forced by overwhelming superiority in enemy strength to FLAUX (303955) . A Patrol was sent to the western end of LA FIERE BRIDGE and
contact was made with elements of the 505th Prcht Inf Regt on the eastern end at 1430
hours . The enemy recaptured FLAUX and drove this Patrol from the western end of the LA FIERE BRIDGE . Another Force of the
Regiment with Force “A” Headquarters and at 1130 attacked to secure the CHEF-DU-PONT BRIDGE (321930), meeting extremely severe resistance .
The eastern end of the bridge was finally secured by nightfall . Leaving one Company to hold the bridge, the remainder of this second Force
moved to an Assembly Area at 1715 hours in the vicinity of the railroad overpass at 323960 . Still another
group, led by the Regimental Commander, landed on or near the scheduled DZ but had no contact with other elements of the Division during the
day (Col George V. MILLET was captured on D + 2, and replaced by Lt Col Arthur A. MALONEY, while Col Edson B. RAFF took over command from June
15 onwards)
508th PARACHUTE INFANTRY REGIMENT (Col Roy E. LINDQUIST)
The 3d Battalion jumped at 0208 hours and the entire Regiment was on the ground by 0220
hours . Four separate groups were assembled . One group was in the vicinity of LA FIERE, fought along the railway and attacked the
LA FIERE BRIDGE . This group was later relieved by the 1st Bn, 505th Prcht Inf Regt and moved to an Assembly
Area in the vicinity of the railroad overpass (323960) to organize a defensive position . Two other groups joined forces west of the MERDERET
RIVER in the vicinity of PICAUVILLE after taking part in heavy fighting around GUETTEVILLE (300948) and north of PICAUVILLE . An officer of
this group shot and killed the CG of the German 91st Air Landing Division . The combined group then seized the high ground west of the
MERDERET RIVER south of GUETTEVILLE at 310940 during the night of June 6 – 7 . A fourth group dropped in the vicinity of STE-MERE-EGLISE,
fought with the 507th Prcht Inf Regt to take the CHEF-DU-PONT BRIDGE (321930) and later organized a
defensive position covering this Bridge
325th GLIDER INFANTRY REGIMENT (Col Harry L. LEWIS)
F Company, 3d Battalion, supporting C Co, 746th Tk Bn, landed on Utah Beach at 1400
, dewaterproofed its vehicles and moved inland at 1600 hours to make contact with the Division . Heavy
artillery, mortar and small arms fire held up this Task Force at crossroads 363933 . Two tanks were knocked out . The remainder of the
Regiment prepared to take off from airfields in England
82d AIRBORNE DIVISION ARTILLERY (Col Francis A. MARCH)
Parachute elements jumped at 0210 hours, joined a group from the 508th Prcht Inf
Regt and assisted in the attack on the LA FIERE BRIDGE . At 1330 hours this element joined the
glider troops at the Division CP at 332965 . Glider elements landed at 0500 hours and moved directly to the
Division Command Post . At 2305 hours Hq & Hq Btry, 82d Div Arty, the
319th Gli FA Bn and the 320th Gli FA Bn glided into NORMANDY and encountered
severe enemy small arms and mortar fire . Reorganization commenced immediately but was handicapped by intense enemy fire .
The section of the 456th Prcht FA Bn (atchd to 505th Prcht Inf Regt) jumped with the 3d Battalion, but was
able to assemble only 1 of the two 75mm Pack Howitzers which had been dropped
80th AIRBORNE ANTIAIRCRAFT BATTALION (AT) (Lt Col Raymond E. SINGLETON)
A and B Batteries landed by glider at 0405 hours . Six 57mm AT guns had been recovered and were in position
by 1730 hours . C Battery landed in the area at 2100 hours and began assembly
and reorganization . The remainder of the Battalion sailed from BRISTOL, ENGLAND, at 0645 hours
307th AIRBORNE ENGINEER BATTALION (Lt Col Robert S. PALMER + Maj Edwin A. BEDELL)
B Company (less 1 Platoon attached to the 505th Prcht Inf Regt) jumped with the 508th
Prcht Inf Regt at 0210 hours . Some Engineer personnel took up defensive positions at LA FIERE in
support of one group of the 508th Prcht Inf Regt, while other personnel joined the
508th Prcht Inf Regt group west of the MERDERET RIVER . One ‘stick’, which included the Battalion Commander, was dropped over
ST-SAUVEUR-LE-VICOMTE, and only a few men escaped . Part of Headquarters and A Company landed by glider at 2300 hours
and started to assemble under heavy enemy artillery and small arms fire . The remainder of the Battalion prepared to take off from
airfields in ENGLAND (Lt Col Robert S. PALMER was captured on D-Day, and replaced by Maj Edwin A. BEDELL as from June 8)
307th AIRBORNE MEDICAL COMPANY (Maj William H. HOUSTON + Maj Jerry J. BELDEN)
Elements of the Company landed by glider about 2100 hours and immediately began assembly, recovering by use
of life rafts much equipment from gliders that had landed in shallow waters near the banks of the MERDERET RIVER . A Clearing Station was set
up at a crossroad north of BLOSVILLE (Maj William H. HOUSTON was KIA on D-Day, and replaced by Maj Jerry J. BELDEN)
82d AIRBORNE SIGNAL COMPANY (1st Lt Robert B. NERF)
Parachute and glider elements of the Company which landed prior to H-Hour, were scattered and assembled with difficulty . Much equipment was
lost . Only 1 of the three SCR193 Radios landed during D-Day was operative, and it was not until the night of June 6 – 7 that radio contact
was established with the 4th Inf Div and with the 82d Airborne Division base in ENGLAND
Note :
Other senior officers were; 82d Abn Rcn Plat (1st Lt Joseph V. DEMASI), Provost Marshal & 82d Abn MP Plat (Maj Frederick G. McCOLLUM), 82d
Abn Prcht Maint Co (Capt James E. GRIFFIN), 407th Abn QM Co (Capt Samuel H. MAYS), 782d Abn Ord Maint Co (Capt Jeff DAVIS Jr), 319th Gli FA
Bn (Lt Col James C. TODD), 320th Gli FA Bn (Lt Col Paul E. WRIGHT), 456th Prcht FA Bn (Lt Col Wagner J. d’ALESSIO), 376th Prcht FA Bn (Lt Col
Wilbur M. GRIFFITH), Inspector General (Lt Col Charles M. BARRETT), Signal Officer (Lt Col Frank W. MOORMAN, replaced by Capt Robert E.
FURMAN as from June 7), Adjutant General (Lt Col Raymond M. BRITTON), Judge Advocate (Lt Col Casimir D. MOSS), Surgeon General (Lt Col
Wolcott L. ETIENNE, WIA June 6, replaced by Maj William C. LINDSTROM), Finance Officer (Lt Col William E. JOHNSON), Chaplain (Lt Col George
L. RIDDLE), Ordnance Officer (Lt Col Joshua A. FINKLE, WIA June 7), Quartermaster Officer (Lt Col John M. MOHRMAN), HQ Commandant (Maj Don C.
FAITH Jr), Special Service Officer (Capt Rudrick R. OTTO), Military Government Officer (Capt Peter SHOUVALOFF)
Registry No.50539 | Initials:_______ Date: 24 May 1944 |
F. O. 1. | HEADQUARTERS 505TH PARACHUTE INFANTRY |
101st A/B Division | KANGAROO | 80th AA Bn. | CLASSIC |
OFFICIAL: | EKMAN |
"...D-DAY as I remember it..." !
I Company (CO > Captain Harold H. SWINGLER, later KIA on
D-Day) paratroopers got the command to “GO” and before they knew it they were in the air with open chutes ! It wasn’t a long descent, and I
could see enemy tracers coming up at a low angle toward us, and hear the gunfire too . I then hit the ground with a severe jolt in a little
field on the outskirts of Ste-Mère-Eglise, the rest of our jump stick had just missed the downtown center to
land not far from the cemetery … I was trying to reassemble my M-1 rifle and get out as fast as I could out of my chute, when I saw someone
running toward me, I yelled the password, ready to fire, but it luckily turned out to be a member of I Co / 505th PIR
(Pvt Everett W. Gilliland, KIA in Holland, Sep 18, 1944) . It was hard to pinpoint the gunfire, which seemed all around, but the most
awesome sight were the C-47s continuously flying overhead at a very low altitude after dropping their loads . Only 3 or 4 of us got together,
but we managed to assemble . Sgt J. Robinson took charge, and we meanwhile kept crisscrossing and going away from town to pick up more of
our guys and equipment bundles . Sgt. Robinson disappeared somewhere, but by then, we had pretty much of the Company together …
(Mission “BOSTON”, 3d Bn / 505th Prcht Inf Regt + 2 Secs 456th Prcht Fld Arty, departed Cottesmore, England, at 0157,
bound for DZ “O”).
 | Pvt W.H. Tucker, during training at Cp. Toccoa, Georgia, Sep 42 - Tucker joined the
Army 15 Aug 42, at 18 and volunteered for Parachute Infantry . After training, he was assigned to F Co / 506th Prcht Inf Regt and
later transferred to French Morocco in April/May 42, as a member of unassigned parachute troops to 5th US Army Headquarters - he finally
ended up being attached to the 82d Abn Div, after its Sicily combat jump, and joined I Co / 505th
Prcht Inf Regt for the rest of WWII ... |
At about 0315 hours, June 6, 1944, it seemed pitch black – I had never seen anything like the huge mounds of hedgerows before; they were
mounds of earth with thickets runnning from bottom to top in a ‘jungle’ of bushes, thorns and even trees, they were bigger and meaner than
those we had known in England, and they would cause much trouble, blocking direct passage from any one point to another, even making passage
for tanks difficult !
 82d Abn Div Maneuvers, England 16 May 44 - inspection by Major General Joseph L. Collins, CG VII Corps (third from right) accompanied by Major General Matthew B. Ridgway, CG 82d Airborne Division (first from right) Click image to enlarge |
An attack formation was started toward the town (which was not too far ahead) along one of the endless tiny dirt paths between the hedgerows
. We kept getting mixed up and frequently had to stop, at one time, I opened a K Ration and even dozed off . This bumbling around went on for
about an hour, and during this time, there was constant firing all around us . A German machine gun opened up close on our left, and Larry
(Leonard) and I felt very ambitious starting to go after it during a short break – just going thru the hedgerow, a stream of tracer bullets
cut the tree branches right above our heads and I can tell you, we changed our minds rather quickly ! We could tell the gunner had his sights
on us, but we only knew his direction, not his location . It was begining to be light and we were on some kind of sunken narrow road almost
entirely covered over with green foliage . It seemed kind of eerie . By now, we had become quite a large group, with
Lt. Walter B. Kroener now in command . Stopping a local farmer up front, I was called up to ask the Frenchman (I spoke High School
French) where the center of the City was ? he pointed the way and off we went . Along the way, I remember William “Red the Medic” Barrow
stopping a few times to stick a rifle in the ground beside a body, so that it would be picked up by the Graves Registration people later .
Other groups from I Company / 3d Battalion / 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment (COs >
Captain Harold H. SWINGLER / Major Edward C. “Cannonball” KRAUSE / Colonel William E. EKMAN)
joined in as we all moved toward Ste-Mère-Eglise (our objective now) . We entered Ste-Mère-Eglise around 0400 hours, and could recognize the
church and some houses, but there didn’t seem to be much firing around now . Worried-looking French inhabitants ran past trying to get out
of the way, they were the people who had just been liberated but didn’t look all that joyful at the time, rather worried and frightened .
Whatever danger they felt, I was happy to see the people and to know we were the first Allied troops to liberate Sainte
-Mère-Eglise, so I shouted “Vive la France” but this did not have much effect …
 Major Edward C. Krause, CO 3d Bn / 505th PIR with "Beaver" Thompson (War Correspondent for the Chicago Tribune), Camp Quorn, Leicestershire, Great Britain, 25 May 44 Click image to enlarge |  Colonel Bill E. EKMAN, CO 505th PIR (second from left), with group moving west - note German PWs carrying SCR-300-A Radio, and pushing handcart ... Click image to enlarge |
We passed again near where I landed, and finally got close to the German truck park and started the attack, firing our .30 caliber machine
gun (I was a Pfc, and assistant (light) machine gunner) . Larry Leonard and myself ran into the park to set up our weapon under a large tree,
just inside a 5-foot wall near the church . It was suddenly very quiet and I felt very strange . Something seemed to be moving very close to
me, so I swung the gun around but didn’t see anything, until I looked up straight above me – there was a dead American parachutist hanging
from a tree right over my head (Pfc R.K. Buchter / F Co / 506th PIR), his body was swaying back and forth, and
I noticed he had very big hands, his helmet covered most of his face … I felt shattered . The body of another jumper was about 10 yards away
in the tall grass, he had on his jump suit and parachute harness and I guess he cut himself loose from his chute and equipment after having
been caught in a tree, he was probably shot down while trying to get away; what struck me was that his boots were missing ! I then had a
good look at the trees bordering the park and there were more bodies of 6 or 8 other paratroopers shot by the Germans as they hung there,
there were also many empty parachute harnesses . We ran from the park and across the square in front of the church, and as I ran by a door
of the church, I almost stopped when coming across an empty chute on the ground . I saw the body of a German soldier . It was the first dead
German I had seen in daylight in France – I will always remember his face, his skin was a little blue, and blood ran from the corner of his
mouth . His uniform looked immaculate . His Mauser rifle lay nearby with fixed bayonet . I was thinking that the German would have survived
if he had shot the trooper instead of trying to nail him with his bayonet – the guy of the empty chute was probably a little too fast for
the German with the clean uniform, I decided . While running I saw other parachutes hanging from chimneys or roofs, all were empty. We
reached the other side of town and guessed, that by that time, Major Ed C. Krause (WIA during D-Day, and
temporarily replaced by his XO William J. HAGAN, III) was close to sitting in the Mayor’s office because we had taken
the town of Sainte-Mère-Eglise, although I began to wonder just where we were and how many Germans we still had around us !
It seemed however, that 3d Battalion had secured the town (Maj. Krause reported the town “secure” at 0600,
and had raised an American flag which had first flown over Naples) and was pretty much intact – we had G and H Companies and some of the 3d Battalion Headquarters troops with us, 3d Battalion and the rest of the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment had completed its objectives with the most men assembled of any of the Airborne units .
 Rigging ! 82d Abn troopers getting ready for their next combat jump i.e. Normandy, 5 Jun 44 Click image to enlarge | At the other side of town, I Co went into Battalion reserve with instructions to support
G and H Companies which were assigned to the line . We gathered together in a small, enclosed apple
orchard just a little bit outside of town, on the southwest side, away from from Utah Beach, where American
troops would be landing by sea . We stayed there for some time before getting new orders . It got pretty hot, and I realized how tired I
just was . I didn’t feel like doing much talking … |  "All American" troopers, before enplaning for Normandy, Cottesmore Airfield, Great Britain, 5 Jun 44 Click image to enlarge |
After about 30 min, we got orders to move out and attack and seize the high ground held by the enemy south of Ste-Mère-Eglise, because
Battalion had been under enemy mortar fire from that direction . Just before we moved out, someone starting firing at us, we were all lying
around, pinned down, on the ground, and were certainly lucky none of us got killed . An ambitious German had crept along the hedgerow and
fired on us from a good concealed position with an automatic weapon . Sgt C. Prager had gone downtown to a well to get some fresh water, as
he came back, he saw the German soldier firing at us; Prager (S/Sgt Clarence Prager, KIA in Holland Sep 18, 1944) fired a rifle grenade and hit the enemy soldier in the back, blowing him up .
We learned from the incident to take our training seriously about not leaving ourselves vulnerable, as the German had done . We got started
from the orchard, and never in all our maneuvers of the past did we chase around a circle so much – it was a horrible experience of about 2
hours’ walking up and down hedgerows, tearing thru bushes and thickets, and probably not even going more than a mile beyond the outskirts of
town . We eventually reached the main road leading south with our 2d Platoon on the left, and other Platoons on the right .
Captain Harold H. Swingler led us, Larry carried the MG tripod, and I carried the weapon and some ammo . Most roads had ditches
along both sides where people could take cover from bombing and strafing, and we were foolishly advancing single file in one of them carrying
full packs and equipment . Larry and I got a hell of a time getting our machine gun assembled . The firing grew heavier to our right, soon
we heard Synold’s (Pfc Frederick G. Synold, KIA, Jun 18, 1944) MG banging away, some 75 yards ahead to the right, but no one seemed to move up ahead on our side … we were pinned down in
this ditch, still in single file, and Ritchie came back with a bullet hole in his left arm, as we didn’t know what was happening ahead, it
was awful lying there in the ditch, waiting … Germans were in a ditch on the other side of the road only about 10 yards away to our right,
they threw hand grenades at us, we replied with fire, but then other Germans started firing at us from the fields at our left . There were
about 9 of us still in the ditch, including First Lieutenant William S. Gaillard, Jr. (later KIA Jun 17,1944) .
Jack Leonard was in front of me . He kept sticking his head up and laughing, as he always did when things were tough, it was a way to
keep morale going, he also kept arguing with Lt. W. Gaillard to take off and move somewhere else, but we all wanted to stay and see what had
happened to Capt. Swingler who was missing after the firing up front (he was later found dead in a ditch by some 4th
Infantry Division infantry) . Since enemy firing didn’t let up, there was no choice but to move backwards in the ditch, in order
to try and find some place to get across the road . At one point there was a hump to get over, as I crawled over it I fell head first into a
big deep hole dug by the French, the machinegun receiver jammed into my stomach, and I couldn’t pull it out without leaving myself exposed
to enemy fire, my legs were still outside as poor Dyles got to the top of the hump . He yelled at me to keep going, all I could do was haul
myself out, leaving the machine gun where it was so that Dyles could get under cover, too . I really didn’t have much choice, I had bullet
holes thru my pack, all our Musette bags were full – but everything in them had been shot to shreds, mine was all loose cigarette tobacco !
At the edge of town, we all made a dash across the road and into a little sunken orchard near a farm . We then stopped to breathe easier, but
a few minutes later, someone opened up from less than 50 yards with a submachine gun . I took a dive over some bushes and landed in a pig
slop, the black slime that pigs wallow in – covered in pig slop, I was a real mess, with one trouser leg ripped off in the jump, and my
Musette in shreds . We somehow reached our Company in town . By that time things were humming, there was a firefight all around, but tough,
proud German PWs were being brought in too . I later found out, that we, a Company of approximately 85 men had actually been attacking a
German Battalion of several hundred men that D-Day afternoon – it had infiltrated thru town that night to
join other German forces north and west of Ste-Mère-Eglise .
 group of Pathfinders (CO 1st Lt. Robert B. Bales) belonging to 3d Bn / 505th Prcht Inf Regt, some hours before enplaning ... 5 Jun 44 Click image to enlarge |  82d Abn Div troopers, await the signal to board the Troop Carrier C-47 planes, that will take them over the Cotentin Peninsula, Cottesmore or Spanhoe Airfields, Great Britain - 5 Jun 44 Click image to enlarge |
I Company was then ordered back into reserve at a place on a narrow street in the middle of town, on rue de
l’Ecole (School street) with G and H Companies on a defensive line somewhere
around us . As we felt surrounded by the enemy, Larry and I started looking for a place to dig in . I remember that some members of our
Squad had found some excellent deep holes in the corner of the yard . In looking around, we crossed paths with Sgt Howard P. Melvin who by that
time – as usual – had taken actual charge of our Company . First Sgt Melvin was pretty sore at us for losing the machine gun in the road
ditch; he told Larry and me to go back that night after dark and find it, but we all knew no one would ever be able to get out of town that
same night . We dug shallow trenches in the backyard, at the front of our position was a small, wooden two-story house . Off to our right,
about 20 yards was an opening to the driveway leading to the street . One guy digging there was from Hq Co, 506th
Prcht Inf Regt . As we dug in, Sgt Melvin yelled, we had better dig in deep . It began to darken; it was just about dusk when
shelling started . G Co was hit badly at first . A few enemy 75mm guns were near G
or H Company, and 2 of them were knocked out quickly . Full darkness came at about 2330, and it was a really
dark night . Without doubt, the night of June 6 in Normandy was a night of
hell ! We lay there in our holes in total darkness and heard firing behind us . There was firing maybe 25 yards away in the street . A shack
stood about 15 yards to my left, and I thought that one of our guys was behind it . Instead, someone was crawling alongside it; it was a
German, and he came out in front and kept crawling toward me . I raised my M1A1 carbine (which I had taken from a dead
507th PIR Officer) and pulled the trigger . The bolt went halfway forward and stopped, I had done a lot of crawling to avoid
enemy fire, and plenty of dirt completely clogged the carbine’s spring . While I had an instant of terror, frantically working the bolt, I
guess the German heard, and took off . Later, I slept for 5 or 10 minutes, while Larry was supposed to be watching … when I woke up, I saw
a man like him dragging something from the driveway . He headed for the hole where the 506th man was dug in . I raised my carbine, aimed it,
and yelled our password ‘FLASH’ three times – when he didn’t answer ‘THUNDER’,
i.e. the countersign, I fired, and he made a leap for that 506th trooper’s foxhole - I found out pretty quickly that I had fired at the 506th
man and just about tipped his nose with my .30 caliber bullet . He had been dragging a wooden board or a log to help cover his position and
froze when I yelled the password – he not only forgot to reply but couldn’t even get a word out ! He was lucky I hadn’t been able to see
enough to aim better …
 ... near N13 in Ste-Mère-Eglise, 82d Abn Div troopers check buildings for hiding Germans, 7 Jun 44 - patrols on foot, on horseback, with horsedrawn carts, and with jeeps ... Click image to enlarge |
My partner Larry and I both began to realize that we were too close to the houses and the street to have any field of fire . There were lots
of American and enemy guns going off all over the place – even around our little yard . At about 0300, early morning of June 7 Larry and I
drew back about 20 yards, we were now near to where the Company CP was and started digging in again, so we could now shoot toward the street.
Our front position facing the street had become a real outpost ! It just wasn’t safe to fire unless someone was right on top of us, for fear
of hitting our own guys … Dawn of June 7 would bring more enemy shelling, and during the night, G and H Companies had been engaged in a terrific machine gun and rifle battle with Germans to our rear and on our left, so
most of the enemy shells landed in our area .We were spread out, and we had to be, because the shelling was continuous . No question, German
artillery spotters had us in close sight, and that yard of ours became a nightmare, with airbursts going off right over us . We started to
lose men early in the day, I don’t know who got killed, I was still digging deeper, even with my bare hands …When things eased up, we’d pop
out of our holes to look around, then enemy artillery would start again . Once, several of us volunteered to pull a
57mm antitank gun out of a crashed glider approximately 150 yards away and to the left of our position . Everyone in the glider
was dead . We were however spotted and a German 88mm gun opened fire, everytime we tried to jump out of the
big ditch near the wrecked glider, the 88 would fire . After an hour or so trying, we gave up .
 Cotentin Peninsula - map showing evolution of frontlines, 6 Jun > 18 Jun 44 Click image to enlarge |
We all wondered what had happened to the 4th Infantry Division at Utah Beach,
because we thought they were supposed to reach us within twelve hours after the jump (first contacts 071000 June) ! We were surrounded on all
sides and we heard there was no way of contacting the beach . During brief lulls in the fighting, I moved around a little . The narrow street
nearby us was an unholy mess with a couple of gliders smashed to pieces and many of the houses blasted . It was risky to move around because
even though we were the reserve Company right in town, there were enemy snipers, and shots rang out constantly . As I explored, I found a
bottle at our house . I thought it was cognac, so I took it back with me and stuck it in my jumpsuit pocket . Ten minutes later, a shell
landed a foot or so away from the edge of my foxhole . There was a terrific concussion, and I felt fluid running down between my legs . I
thought I had been hit badly, but instead, the bottle had been broken by the shock waves, it wasn’t cognac at all, it was some kind of
vinegar (?) which burned me awfully . It didn’t help that one my trouser legs had already been ripped off during my jump, I was now
completely exposed, practically from the waist down . At the time, I thought I had been badly shot up … |
We grew so tired, that whenever we stopped, we went to sleep – truly exhausted, without having had anything to eat since we jumped, except
for a few K Rations, some crackers and bits of a D-bar – having been hit once more, I was now in an awful dilapidated state – I had only one
trouser leg, the front of my trousers was wide open, my underwear was torn, my jump jacket was ripped across the front where the last bullet
had gone thru, and my wrists, legs and ankles were bleeding from hedgerow cuts … when new attacks were ordered, our 2d Platoon didn’t give a
damn anymore, bayonets were fixed, and we started moving again … when we got lucky, temporarily attached American tanks
(C Company / 746th Tank Battalion) would help clear many Germans from their positions … my nerves were
pretty well shot as well as my physical condition … things finally got fairly quiet even though there were still large German forces in
front of us … after being relieved, we were ordered to move back to Regimental Headquarters … we later boarded trucks and headed toward the
beach, all the way down, we saw crashed gliders, bloated cows, dead Germans, and all sorts of debris … my own thoughts around June 12 or 13
were mostly of survival, what I could eat, how I could live thru that particular night, and perhaps sleep … then, suddenly new orders were
issued, and we would be going on other missions again, moving out on foot, to Neuville-au-Plain, Etienville, Saint-Sauveur-le-Vicomte,
fighting along with other American units, Bois-de-Limors, Hill 131, Hill 95, La-Haye-du-Puits, joining with more US troops and again fighting along mixed Airborne
elements of 507th and 508th Parachute Infantry while 2d Battalion patrols had
contacted elements of the 8th Infantry Regiment / 4th Infantry Division … Regimental patrols along the
Merderet River were now in contact with the 357th Infantry Regiment / 90th Infantry Division … June 17 – 18,
we finally cleared the Saint-Sauveur-le-Vicomte bridgehead of all enemy resistance and consolidated defensive positions, allowing passage of
the 47th Infantry Regiment / 9th Infantry Division thru our lines to continue the advance to the west …
between June 21 – 29, 3d Battalion suffered losses from heavy enemy mortar and artillery concentrations when occupying the Bois-de-Limors
area … July 1 - 2, the 82d Airborne Division meanwhile maintained and strengthened defensive positions,
drove out all attempts by the enemy to infiltrate patrols thru its sector, and maintained contact with the 79th
Infantry Division on the right and the 90th Infantry Division on the left . 2d Battalion, 325th GIR moved into position between 2d and 3d Battalions of the 505th PIR sector
wich was enlarged to include the eastern slope of Hill 95, and with 2d Battalion, 508th PIR, attached, cleared the
area of infiltrating enemy patrols ! At 070800 July, the “All Americans” regrouped, placing
325th GIR and 508th PIR in reserve and making 505th PIR and
507th PIR responsible for the right and left portions respectively, of the Division’s frontline … on July 8,
1944, the 82d Abn Div reverted to VII Corps reserve and was relieved of all
attachments; the 8th Infantry Division then passed thru the Division’s positions to continue the general
attack to the south – The 82d Airborne Division assembled and on July 11 finally withdrew to First Army reserve .
… some aspects of the campaign seemed to become misty to me … England seemed so far away … but … that day would come; we finally loaded onto
our “deuce-and-a-half” trucks and got on the roads to the beaches, driving thru a part of Normandy still
licking its wounds, but there was always a little wine and a smile from the wonderful people as we passed thru French towns … on our way to
the beaches, we passed the (temporary) graveyards at Ste-Mère-Eglise, I knew that 20 men from my outfit were there, and I couldn’t help feel
close to them … when we reached the beach, we found it crowded with German PWs and all sorts of equipment . The Germans too, were waiting
for boats, and it looked as though we had bagged some pretty good soldiers in Normandy, they were certainly better trained and tougher than
the ones we would face later in Holland, Belgium and Germany . We boarded LSTs and found a place to sleep on our journey to England . A day
later, we docked at Southampton, and we stepped on British soil again . A little band greeted us on the docks, everything was wonderful as
of that moment . There was that feeling to me of ONLY the present, but not of the future … |  temporary Aid Station run by the 307th Abn Med Co / 82d Abn Div Click image to enlarge |
 505th PIR CP, somewhere in the neigborhood of Bois-de-Limors area, 26 Jun 44 Click image to enlarge |
(I Company lost one plane, although some troopers on that plane were taken prisoners, others were found dead
or were recorded as missing – after 30-odd days of severe fighting, we returned to England on board LSTs – there had been 144 men in I Co,
only 15 would come back from my Platoon, and 44 from the entire Company)
… 33 days of action without relief, without replacements, every mission accomplished, no ground gained ever relinquished … combat efficiency excellent, short 60% infantry, 90% artillery … (Report Maj. General Matthew B. Ridgway, Commanding & Lt. Col. Walter F. Winton, Acting G-3) - during these 33 days of combat, the 82d Abn Div engaged five enemy Divisions and were credited with destroying the fighting force of the 91st and 265th German Infantry Divisions – 11,770 men of the “All Americans” had come to Normandy, by parachute, glider and landing craft; there were 5,429 men left to make the return trip to England …
(William H. TUCKER Jr, Sgt, I Co, 505th Prcht Inf Regt, 82d Abn Div, USA, 11087454, recollections)
"...FIRST campaign, FIRST combat jump !"
… my watch indicated 0115, it was my FIRST operation - being only 19, I was both thrilled and frightened,
it was to be my FIRST campaign, my FIRST combat jump, and moreover it was dark … and when I jumped as part of the 505th
Parachute Infantry Regiment, on the early morning of June 6, 1944, I tried to think about nothing, yet I told myself that if ever
I managed to get out of this operation, I would NEVER play dice or poker anymore ! We should have landed on ‘La Fière’ but instead landed in
Sainte-Mère-Eglise . I saw a wall about 10 yards away, climbed over it, and the other side was the local
cemetery, so I quickly got out again ! I later met 3 guys who’d been in the same plane as me . The fight in the town square only lasted a few
minutes – and after having been rounded up by an unknown Lieutenant, we were regrouped and participated in mopping up the rest of the town …
at the town’s southern exit, we were told to dig foxholes in view of a possible German counter-attack . I later fought at Fauville too,
that’s where I saw my first ‘Asian’ soldier (German "Ost" Battalions) and drank some ‘Calvados’ . I only found my Company,
A Company at La Fière, it was midday, June 8, 1944 . On June 16, I got shot in the left hand, by a German I thought was dead ...
I killed him ! The same day I got wounded one more time by German mortar fire, and while recuperating at a Field Hospital at
La Madeleine (Utah Beach) the place was bombed by German aircraft on June 21, and I got plastered with shrapnel over both my arms
and face . Subsequently evacuated to England June 22, 1944 I arrived in Southampton the same day . I was dismissed September 13, right on
time to take part in "Operation Market-Garden" September 17, 1944 … and also fought in the
"Battle of the Bulge", arriving at Werbomont, Belgium, December 18, 1944 - at the time my main interest was survival, having
some beers, and chasing young women … |  Howard MANOIAN, picture taken in 1945 (After Discharge) |
"...glad to be relieved !"
… hardly anything was left of St-Sauveur-le-Vicomte when we entered town
June 16, 1944, I was 22 years old at the time, and was in command of G Company, 505th PIR ; our orders were to
capture the high ground occupied by the Germans . The enemy was dug in on the railroad embankment, and our job was to take it !
I Co was on our right, and we attempted to attack the enemy from their positions, since they weren’t under
fire . Our Regiment was part of "Force A" including elements of the 505th and 508th PIR
. We got across the embankment, captured it and moved back toward our kick-off point when the Germans hit the town with several
tanks … we only had 3 bazookas (2.36" rocket launchers) and gave them hell ! We managed to score directs hits on one of the tanks and knocked
the tread off another, the others withdrew … I remember that after the 505th PIR secured the St-Sauveur-le-Vicomte bridgehead June 17-18, we
were damn glad to be relieved by the 90th Infantry Division . The Regiment left by truck for another sector,
late in the evening of June 19.
(Jack R. ISAACS, 1st Lt, G Co, 505th PIR, 82d Abn Div, USA, O-1288058, recollections)
 Jack R. ISAACS picture taken in 1944  Jack R. ISAACS picture taken in 1996 |
My first meeting with Capt Jack R. Isaacs dates back to 1994, when I met him in Ste-Mère-Eglise June 5, 1994 during the
50th Anniversary of D-Day, with a lot of other "All American" Veterans from
the 505th Parachute Infantry . Having interviewed him about some of the actions that involved G Company during D-Day, we promised to meet
again . I eventually ran into him again on June 06, 1996 and then discussed his participation in the "Battle of the Bulge"
. He briefly mentioned some facts, reminiscing about his arrival in Werbomont (Belgium), the aggressive patrolling around
Basse-Bodeux to locate infiltrating German forces, and his action in Grand-Halleux . Sadly there wasn't enough time to further elaborate on
the 'Ardennes-Alsace' Campaign . We unfortunately would never meet again . Captain Isaacs made his 'final' jump on
November 23, 2003 - Airborne ... all the way !
"...misdropped !"
… I volunteered for the Paratroops in 1941 after Pearl Harbor and received Basic Training at Cp
Wolters, Texas . Then came Ft Benning, Georgia for Parachute Training, I think it was at the end
of September 1942 . I then took a course in Signal and Radio Communications, and even completed Demolition School . I got assigned to
Hq Co, 1st Bn, 508th Prcht Inf Regt and was promoted to Buck Sergeant in my Company .
My first combat jump was Normandy, D-Day 6 June 1944 – we had blackened our faces because it was a night operation, and carried an enormous
combat load, including individual weapons, extra ammunition, explosives, and rations . I threw my gasmask away, and filled the rubber carrier
with cigarettes and other goodies, just as others did ! I dropped into a river (Douve river), but got out of it, ruining part of my
individual equipment . Others were less lucky and drowned, sometimes even in shallow waters … our CO, Capt. Gerard A.
RUDDY was killed almost right after hitting the ground, and Lt. McElligot took over .
We managed to regroup, after avoiding German patrols, taking cover in hedgerows or hiding in ditches, and met other stragglers, from
different units, until we were about 55 strong, under the command of S/Sgt Ray Hummel . Over the next 5 days, we lost about 14 of our men
and started getting short of ammo – but we fought on, We had no choice . When the 90th Infantry Division
finally got to us, I think it was the afternoon of June 11, we finally got relieved . I was wounded on June 13, and was eventually evacuated
to England, via Utah Beach, a few days later .
(Owen B. HILL, Sgt, Hq Co, 1st Bn, 508th PIR, 82d Abn Div, USA, 15103774, recollections)
 Owen B.HILL picture taken in 1942 |  picture taken in 1944 |  with fellow troopers, picture taken in 1944 |
I met Owen Hill, or rather O.B., as he was called, for the first time in 1994 in the Belgian Ardennes – it was December 18, right about
time to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge ! Later on, we were to often meet in
Normandy, from June 1996 thru June 2002, and I had the privilege to also discuss D-Day operations with him, during one of the numerous
commemorative hikes in the Bulge (where he once more got wounded during WWII), organized by the C-47 Club, Belgian
Chapter . O.B. was the thriving force behind the 508th PIR Veterans’ Association, and helped organize its very first reunion . He
became the Association’s first President, and was named ‘Permanent Chairman’ ! O.B. made his ‘final’ jump on June 10,
2002 (incidently, I last spoke to him June 03, 2002) – Airborne ... all the way !
"...I got the enemy Flag ! "
… flying over the DZ we could hear the rattle of incoming fire, our plane was hit several times ! Then enemy flak hits our
left engine, and our aircraft shudders all over and starts losing height … our jumpmaster orders us to leave the plane immediately and jump
as fast as we could (our C-47 would explode seconds later) . I hit the ground, and immediately started cutting away my parachute harness .
Then I heard footsteps, lucky for me, the men turned out to be Americans ! Having problems getting oriented, I decided to knock at a farm’s
door – I introduced myself and said in my best school French – “I am an American parachutist, can you tell me where we are ?, long live
America, long live France !” . The farmer, spontaneously let us in, and offered some bread and wine, before trying to explain where we just
landed . At 0230 in the morning we sat in the kitchen, enjoying a glass of red wine, and toasting the Liberation ! Later, I ran into more men
belonging to the 508th Parachute Infantry, and while advancing on the road to Picauville, I discovered a
bullet-riddled German staff car with some dead bodies . This was German Lt. General W. Falley (CG 91st Air
Landing Division) and his aide . Both had been killed in an ambush, set up by Lt. Malcolm BRANNEN (CO >
Hq Co, 3d Bn, 508th PIR) . Rummaging through the car, I found a large German flag
, which I put away, I later donated it to the St-Mère-Eglise Airborne Museum (in 1969) . I was
eventually captured, but managed to escape from the German hospital in Rennes . I also jumped over Holland (17 Sep 44) and fought in the
Bulge (Dec 44-Jan 45) …
(Jack W. SCHLEGEL, Pvt, Hq Co, 3d Bn, 508th PIR, 82d Abn Div, USA, 12190855, recollections)
 Jack W. SCHLEGEL, picture taken in 1943 |
 German flag donated to the Ste-Mère-Eglise Airborne Museum, picture taken in 1969 |
"...dead men, and bodies..."
… I was the last man of the stick to exit the plane . My landing was all right, and as soon as I got out of my parachute
harness, I started moving west looking for the others pertaining to my team . We had been scattered over different small fields, and the
hedgerows growing around them, didn’t make life easy – you had to try and find an opening to leave the place, and repeat the process in
every field, again and again .
We started moving toward Ste-Mère-Eglise, my unit, G Company was leading,
followed by men from H and I Companies . We were still short of several men,
some went missing, having been widely scattered over the area, while others had joined groups of stragglers belonging to other Regiments … it
was dark all around, and we moved in a single file, not knowing where we were exactly, just assuming we were heading in the right direction .
I was leading a small group of G Co troopers, trying to pick up any stragglers from Battalion; the moving was
slow and visibility poor, when we started approaching a village ?, a town ? I halted the column and moved ahead to inspect the neighborhood
and discovered a dead parachutist hanging from a tree . There were a couple of bodies laying close by too . We would later see a number of
dead men who had landed in trees and on overhead wires, and who had been killed by the enemy, they never had a chance to get out of their
chutes !
(Wheatly, ‘Chris’ CHRISTENSEN, Cpl, G Co, 505th PIR, 82d Abn Div, USA, 33154656, recollections)
"...La Fière Bridge..."
… I was dropped over Normandy June 6, 1944 and