I Co, 506 Pir, 101 Ab

[Airchallenged]

Jim said I should post some of the stories I have been learned about of this unit. Most of my stories are second Hand accounts. I either got them from books, or three friends who have had first hand contact with some of these amazing men. So I guess I should thank Mark Bando, John Klein, and Don Borgez, among others for sharing this info with me.

I guess I'll start with a few photos of the commanders and go from there:

The first Commander Capt. Charles Gordon Shettle [standing](later Bn S3)


Capt. John T. McKnight (formerly of 3BN HQ) [POW D-Day]


Capt John Kiley (he was never CO as Capt) KIA 19 Sept. 1944 Eindhoven

I am still looking for a picture of Capt Fredrick Anderson (I may get one within the week).

More to come...

[Airchallenged]

I don't have much info on the unit prior to the invasion of France. I have one funny story but it is not with me so I will tell that later.

For those that do not know the 3rd Battalion of the 506th landed on Drop Zone D South of Angoville-au-Plain and East of Ste. Come-du-Mont (NE of Carentan) near the Douve River. Their objective was to capture the two bridges and a ferry crossing over the River here is a description of the DZ in my own words but taken from the official history:

3rd Battalion was to jump along with the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 501st on DZ “D” located to the south of DZ “C” south of Vierville and east of Angoville-au-Plain. From there they would move to seize two bridges over the Douve River to the northeast of Carentan...The assembly point for 3rd Battalion jumping on DZ “D” was a large field, approximately 1 kilometer wide and 2 kilometer long, divided almost down the center by a canal running east to west. As the largest of the four drop zones “D” was to be the back up drop zone for any plane carrying other men of the 101st Airborne that strayed from their own drop zones....The main objective of the Third Battalion was two bridges over the Douve River were wooden footbridges along with a ferry crossing that was located almost 4 kilometers up the river from Carentan. The first of the two bridges was a German built footbridge on the seaward side of the Douve River 250 meters down river from the ferry landing. The second bridge was a road bridge built between August and December of 1943 when the Germans realized that the footbridge was not enough to deal with all the traffic. The road bridge spanned the river 750 meters in land from the ferry landing. Two berms ran parallel to the river from a farm to the north of the footbridge all the way back to the road bridge.

As everyone knows things didn't turn out as planned. Needless to say the company was spread over a large front. Two of its men clinbed the cliffs of Pointe-du-Hoc, two more were part of Col. Cole's Cabbage Patch charge, three overs fought with "Legs" Johnson at the Lockes further up river, and half a dozen were security for Pathfinders.

To be continued...

[Airchallenged]

The Third Battalion had the unfortunate ability to hit their Drop zone right on the mark. As a result of this two of the three planes in the Battalion that were shot down were from I Company. The 1st plane to go down was chalk 15 carrying what I believe was a mixture of men from 1st Platoon and HQ section. The jump master was 1Lt. Gerald V. Howard and the pilot was 1Lt. Ray Pullen. #15 had been one of three planes randomly selected to carry additional ammunition in Wing Bundles, in there cases TNT. A German Tracer Round hit one of the Bundles and the plane exploded in mid air.

Monument:


1Lt. Gerald V. Howard at Camp Mackall:


Joseph Beyrle's reaction to witnessing two of his best friend (Orville Vanderpool and Jack Bray) killed on the plane:

The fog opened. Once again tracers reached up. Most missed, some hit, one with a huge flash and jolting explosion dead ahead. Lieutenant Johnston’s (Howard’s) ship-Jack, Orv-all aboard were consumed in a falling flame.

-The Simple Sounds of Freedom.

1Lt. Charles Santarsiero's Reactions:

One of our planes went down and exploded. The Explosion shook our plane. Someone asked: "What the hell was that?" I said one of our fighter pilots had just shot down a Kraut. They cheered! For there morale I thought it best that way. How does one tell their men that their buddies were just blown to hell?

The other plane went down in the Channel after over shooting the DZ. The plane shot below the clouds when they hit the Flak and just after leveling out it was hit. The Number two man PFC Nels Christiansen shouted back that the right engine was on fire. At this time the men were informed that they had missed the DZ and were going to turn around. The plane began to slouch to the right and shake badly as the Crew Chief turned on the Green Light. 2Lt. Floyd Johnston jumped out followed closely by Nels (who was actually sucked out). The 3 and 4 men Ray Crouch and Len Goodgal finally made it out (the G-Forces against the door were preventing them). These two men landed in the ocean and swan ashore. The men of Chalk 24 were 1st Platoons 1st and 3rd Squads and its Platoon Sergeant. There had been some debate over whether the plane actually went down or not because neither Crouch or Goodgal remember hearing a splash or explosion. Their fate was confirmed with a missing plane report that was filed (which included Len and Ray's story).

The following men went down with the plane:
Pfc Newton P. Weathersby Jr.
Pvt Keith K. Bryan
Sgt Beverly J. Manlove
Pvt George V. Fernandez
Pvt Robert C. Kinzy
Pfc Bryant L. Hinson
Pfc Harry L. Burg jr.
Pvt Roy Mezo
Pfc Alvin Poynter
Pfc Christopher C. Smith
Pvt Jesse M. Hawkins
Pvt George J. Karalunas
Sgt Victor A. Turkovich
SSgt James H. Japhet
Pvt Edwin Finder
1Lt. William Zeuner (Pilot)
2Lt. Harry Lumsden (Co-Pilot)
SSgt Albert Margotto (Crew Chief)
SSgt William Bellinghausen (Radio Op)

[TRDG]

Thanks Ac, some great thought and effort there, I love that and I am looking forward to reading mor posts from you on this pretty subject!!

Cheers, to you Matt!! It gets me fired up for that Operation Husky game about to begin!!

Tom

[Airchallenged]

Thanks Ac, some great thought and effort there, I love that and I am looking forward to reading mor posts from you on this pretty subject!!

Cheers, to you Matt!! It gets me fired up for that Operation Husky game about to begin!!

Tom

Thanks Tom

I do not have many stories involving the men who became pathfinders. I know that six of the riflemen of second squad second platoon "volunteered" to be the security team for the 3d Battalion plane (Chalk 9). They were stick 3 for the serial of three planes destined for DZ "D". They were led by their assistant platoon leader John J Windish Jr.

Pvt Jack L. BROWN
Pfc George E. KENFIELD
Pvt George R. MC MILLAN
Pvt David D. MORGAN
Pfc William C. WEBER Jr
Pfc John EDWARDS

I only know what happened to John Windish after landing and if I recall correctly McMillan land near Ste. Come-du-Mont where he was soon captured. Here is a response I got on the Trigger Time forum from someone who had met John Windish's wife:

Her husband talked alot about his Normandy experience. As they approached the drop zone the C-47 came under fire and started to take evasive action. Close to this time Windish's security detail jumped. After Windish removed his chute he clicked his cricket but heard no reply. It was the loneliest feeling he ever had. Turns out because of the planes evasive action the stick was spread out all over the place. Windish spent about a week avoiding the Germans but was finaly cornered in a fire fight. He was wounded in the heal . The shot came over his head, down the length of his back and hit the back of his heal. He realized that the jig was up and surrendered. The Germans took him to a French hospital where they worked on his heal. During this time one of the French nurses took a liking to him and would bring him extra rations in her bra. Soon the Break Out occured and the Germans started to evacuate all the American POW's. The French nurse hid Windish in a wheeled laundry basket and took him to the laundry room. It was there that American troops liberated him. Windish never went back to his unit.

Of the six men in the team, Jack Brown, David Morgan, and George McMillan were captured and George Kenfield was killed. George McMillan escaped and made it back to the company before Market Garden. John Edwards was promoted to Corporal to replace their assistant Squad leader.


l to r: James Brown Jr, Bill Weber (PF Security), Chuck Abeyta, Jack Brown (PF Security)

I addition to the casualties already listed I/506 lost almost half a dozen others killed and fifteen others captured:

Killed:
T/5 Leslie Riley
T/5 James Millican- Killed by a treeburst sometime on d-day soon after talking with Elmer Gilbertson
Cpl. Stanley Zebrosky (He is the Cpl that Edwards replaced) -killed in an ambush when he and Cecil Hutt of G/506th were walking toward the wooden bridges together and were ambushed. Hutt was wounded and captured and Zebrosky was KIA.
PFC John Houk -a Pathfinder on Chalk 9 (not security)- another pathfinder witnessed him landing on the roof of a church NEAR Ste Come du Mont. He was never seen after this.

Other POWs:
CPT MC KNIGHT, JOHN T.
SGT NASH, ROBERT E. - see photo below
TEC4 BEYRLE, JOSEPH R. - Captured after accidentally jumping in on top of a German outpost
PFC CHRISTENSEN, NIELS M.- Captured after landing on the Pointe.
PFC COOK, JAMES P.
PFC HARRINGTON, WILLIAM E.-Seventh Rifleman in second squad second platoon
PFC TUCKER, LAMBERT R. - escaped with Joe first time but captured after they split up
PVT CORCORAN, EDWARD J.
PVT DORER, RICHARD F.
PVT DANNER, RUSSEL H.
PVT FARRIS, ALBERT E.
PVT HOFFMAN, RAYMOND D.
CPL SIMSON, JOHN H.
PVT RAINWATER, BERNIE B.
PFC SHEERAN, JAMES - escaped with Bernie in time to return for Holland, Joe Beyrle helped them out of the train through a grate in the roof they filed through


Sgt. Robert Nash

Over all I/506 lost almost 50% of its men in Normandy

[TRDG]

Good thread topics deserve some kind words and thoughts I think, you will have some of my thoughts and questions fairly soon here my frind!!

Cheers, to the

Tom

[Airchallenged]

James(Jim) Jr and Jack Brown were twin brothers who signed up together on September 15, 1942 in Contra Costa County California. Natives of Alabama both brothers volunteered for the Airborne and both were assigned to I Company. This was probably because they signed up one after the other, the ASNs are one digit apart. By chance both of the Brothers were assigned to 2nd Squad 2nd Platoon under Sgt. Sidney MaCallum. James became the Machine Gunner for the sqaud while Jack remained a rifleman. At the time of Normandy Jack was part of the pathfinder security team and was captured. At "Hungry Hill" Joe Beyrle boosted Jack up onto the wall of the School (It was a former Girls French Academy or something to that nature) with a rope where he lay until night. When the coast was clear and dropped down the other side to get away. He was recaptured before he could make it back to the unit (I will get more info on this within the month).

In Holland Jim was operating a Handie Talkie and talking with former Squad member Bill Galbraith, who had been moved to HQ Co. as Capt Kiley's aid, when the radio was shot out of his hand. According to Bill Jim was unphased by this and kept on talking. Kiley was killed soon there after and Bill almost lost his leg. Sometime between the end of Normandy and the beginning of the Bulge, I believe it was closer to the latter, Jim was promoted to Corporal. Jim was killed on January 13, 1945 in the assualt on Foy, Belgium.

Jim with his Machine Gun


Jack with some of his Brothers Ammo

[Airchallenged]

As mentioned above one of the planes carrying I/506 went down in the channel with only four men surviving the jump. Two of those men, the number 3 and 4 men, landed in the Channel while the first two men landed up on the cliffs. Well they actually only landed in the surf but when they hit they thought they were out further into the Channel. Ray Crouch was the third man out of the plane and was able to inflate his Mae West before he hit the water. He was able to get to his feet before removing his parachute and climbing up onto the beach. Ray was unarmed, his Legbag had sunk to the bottom with his rifle in it. Behind him Pvt. Len Goodgal landed in slightly deeper water,still only waist deep, directly on his back. He was able to free himself with the newly implemented quick release mechanism and get his gear, which had landed under his parachute. When Crouch asked Goodgal where they were he responded:

"I wish I knew. I hope this is the White Cliffs of Dover,"

They were actually down the beach from Pointe-du-Hoc at a parallel outcrop. For the rest of the morning they slept in a hole in a cliff they had found. When the big guns and bombers opened up on them they decided to move to a safer place. Both of them riped out their gas masks and put them on thinking that the gas coming from the cliffs may be poisonous but threw them away because they couldn't breath. They realized later that they had forgotten to remove the respirator covers before using the masks! Apparently Crouch decided to occupy his time by chain smoking and singing "Pistol-Packin' Mama."

From here they began to make their way to the cliffs and joined up with the rangers. For the next few days they fought with the rangers mostly as security personnel for Col. Rudder's HQ.

Here are two more detailed articles on there actions at the Cliffs:
A Walk in the Sun, Len Goodgal
Para Research Team (c) - His Story ! - Paratroopers at Omaha Beach !

When they were finally sent back to the company on the 8th (maybe 9th) Rudder gave them a letter to give to their Lt but Kiley just ripped it up without even reading it and sent them out on the line.


Len Goodgal is the trooper seated at the right, between the drinking trooper and the one eating the PB&J, Eating a PB&J Sandwhich. He is the only one with a Helmet marking on it.

[cyberia]

Outstanding thread, Matt.

[Airchallenged]

Originally Posted by cyberia

Outstanding thread, Matt.

Thanks for looking Paul!