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508TH ARCT, 2ND BATTALION MAKES THE STARS
AND STRIPES |
Time
To Jump - In a photo somehow reminiscent of a scene in Normandy,
the 508th ARCT, 2nd Bn. is shown in a field march.
The undated article recounts the first jump made by an entire
508th battalion since its arrival in July 1955.
One man, the article reported, was killed after his chute failed to
open. Eleven others were injured, two seriously.
The two-day field exercise involved the 2nd Bn "in combat" with an
aggressor force made up of the 3rd Bn.
(Article copies courtesy Fritz Blum) |
Touted as a jump over the Mori [Japan] DZ
some present-day ARCT Veterans dispute the DZ location (see
below) |
Bad News Conveyed
BG Teddy Sanford (l) gets a post jujmp briefing from Chaplain
(Capt) Joseph Rowan |
Of
greatest significance in the above article is the loss of one jumper
due to a what was described as a parachute malfunction. It was
learned through Ken Hamblin and Wil Charette, both ARCT members of
that era, that the fatality involved a man named Jim Powell and that
he was a member of Wil Charette's squad. An interesting
dialogue resulted tht disclosed a number of othe details about the
508th's jumps in Japan.
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To: Ken Hamill
Sent: Sunday, March 15, 2009 5:35 PM
Subject: 508 RCT Fatality
Ken -
Attached is a Stars and Stripes article, date unknown, that
describes a 2nd Bn. jump at the Mori DZ. The articles states that a
man was killed due to a chute failure. Got any idea how we might
learn the name of that man?
Dick
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Sent: Monday, March 16, 2009 2:24
PM
Subject: Fw: 508 RCT Fatality
To: Wil CharetteWil:
S&S article attached.
Regards, Ken Hamill
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Sent: Tuesday, March 17, 2009 6:09
PM
To: Ken Hamill
Cc: Dick O'Donnell
Subject: Re: 508 RCT Fatality
Ken/Dick:
His name was Jim MNU [middle initial unknown] Powell. In my 2nd
Squad, 2nd Platoon "E" Co; also in my stick from a C-119.
His static line somehow got
tangled with --(we believe under) his "Griswold"
container--containing a BAR. He got hung up behind the C-119 for an
instant --(about six of us went by him on exit), then the static
line separated at the snap link--a good thing and he went into free
fall, but made no attempt to pull his reserve.
Ironically, I have a 8X10 black
and white photo taken of him the morning of the jump on the ramp at
Ashiya as we were loading by one of the guys in the 2nd plt.
Most/all of the guys in "E" Co, signed the photo on the back. We
intended to send the photo of Jim, chuted up, to his family, but for
whatever reason that did not happen. Many-many years later I was
contacted by (unknown) who knew Jim's Sister. I recall mailing a
copy of the photo to her. If interested I will rummage through my
archives and attempt to locate the photo if one of you want it for
508th archives.
Regards,
wil
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Sent: Tuesday, March 17, 2009 7:46
PM
Subject: Re: 508 RCT Fatality
To: Wil Charette
cc: Ken Hamill
Wil -
Thank you for replying to the request that Ken made on my behalf.
I tried to look in the National Veterans Gravesite Locator for Jim
or James Powell but quickly realized that the names are common and I
didn't even know for sure what year Mr. Powell was killed.
If you could supply an approximate date and also share the photo
that you offered I would greatly appreciate it.
Dick
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Sent:
Wednesday, March 18, 2009 9:52 AM
Subject: Re: 508 RCT Fatality
To: Dick O'Donnell
Dick:
We
arrived in Japan 1955 and returned to the States 1956. The news
article in the S&S you sent, states that 3rd Battalion will jump in
November. The photo must have been taken in 1955.
Regards, Ken Hamill
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March 18, 2009 12:14 PM
Subject: Re: 508 RCT Fatality
To: Dick O'Donnell
cc: Ken Hamill
Ken/Dick:
There is more to the story: I challenge the Stars and Stripes
article in that Powell was killed on a jump at one of our
"upcountry" drop zones named Jumanji where we jumped and then
carried out various tactical maneuvers. We also jumped at Mori
(mentioned in the article) DZ located just outside Beppu on Beppu
Bay. Mori had an airfield that would accommodate a C-47 and we made
our "Hollywood" jumps there for pay purposes etc. Mori was famous
for its "honey buckets" the locals used to store their fertilizer
and the trick was to miss the honey buckets or suffer the powerful
consequences.Ken: I am
not aware of any modifications to the T-10 during our period except
for the 5' extension we added to the static line when jumping the
C-47. The reason was the five foot extension delayed the breaking of
the 80 pound test pack closing tie long enough (5') to ensure the
deployment bag that followed, or the deploying chute did not strike
the tail of the C-47.
I am looking for the elusive photo. I vividly recall that it is also
annotated with the date, place etc. of Powell's death; along with
many signatures, presumably yours as well, Ken.
r/wil
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March 18, 2009 12:55 PM
Subject: 508 RCT Fatality
To: Wil Charette
cc: Dick O'Donnell
Wil:
I remember Mori as the place where we had mass jumps and where
Powell died. I remember jumping there that day and hearing soon
after that Powell had lost his life, but had spoke [a]couple of
words to Chaplain Father Rowan before passing on.
The way I remember it, Mori DZ /
Training Area was farther than Jumanji Training Area. Mori was also
an Artillery impact area so when we jumped there we were trying to
stay away from those places where the artillery rounds may have
penetrated and not exploded. The danger being one leg goes in the
hole and the rest of your body gets bent out of shape. We jumped
Mori a few times. They say the 187 ARCT did not jump Mori on a
regular basis - too dangerous.
The Hollywood jump DZ you
remember is Oita Bay DZ over toward Monkey Mountain. Oita DZ had
honey buckets and an old runway on it. There was a story going
around that someone in 3rd Bn put a stick of jumpers from a C-47
into Oita Bay, all got very wet, but all survived.
I also remember hearing a story
that added to Colonel Patterson's mystique - some one at Mori,
perhaps on that fateful day, asked Col Patterson "Is it too windy to
jump Colonel?" Our great Colonel responded by taking off his steel
pot, holding it at shoulder level, dropping it to determine how far
the wind would carry it laterally and answered - "We are good, drop
them."
Best Regards, Ken Hamill
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To: Ken Hamill
Sent: Wednesday, March 18, 2009 1:02 PM
Subject: Re: 508 RCT Fatality
Ken:
You got it right. I forgot
about Oita and that is what I had in mind with my Mori story.
Thanks,
wil
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Final note: Thus far we have not pinned down the
actual date of the ill-fat4ed jump nor have we located a grave site
for Jim (James?) Powell. |
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