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By Charles Griffin "Memories
light the corners of my mind,
... memories of the way we were. "
But there are some memories never
to be forgotten. And when the last man who holds them is gone, the pages
of history will bear his testimony and that of all those who jumped
into the face of a strong and violent enemy on those long ago mornings
in World War II.
The veterans of the Normandy D-Day, Operation Market - Garden
in Holland, the Battle of the Bulge, and the cold death of the Ardennes
met again last week here at Ft. Bragg. Members of the 508th Parachute
Regiment shook hands, wrapped arms about each other, recounted old battles
and new grandchildren, greeted long lost friends, missed the ones who
will never see another reunion, and remembered those who never came
back.
It was a time for smiles and laughter, for sharing a tear and
a drink with old comrades-in-arms, for seeing the advance of the modern
airborne soldier, and the relics of the past.
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They began arriving on Thursday at the Bordeaux Motor
Inn. Friday morning they were bussed to the 82d Airborne Division area
where they toured the Museum and a static weapons display.
In the early afternoon, they visited the barracks of the present 508th
and met some of the young troopers who follow the guidons bearing the
names of battles that are only legend to the young men.
The weather had been overcast the whole day and Major General Robinson
Jr. the 82d Division commander, told several of the group that they
would see something unheard of in their day, an AWADS. a parachute jump
in weather that would have stopped a mission just a few years ago.
By 2:45 p.m. the men, their wives, a few children, and a group of wives
and children of current troopers braved what became an on and off rain
to watch the para-troopers of the 1st Battalion, 508th Airborne Infantry
jump at Sicily Drop Zone.
Low clouds swept across the DZ hiding the trees on the far side. Sheets
of rain alternated with a light misty - almost - fog. There were a few
umbrellas, most of the ladies wore raincoats, but the majority of the
veterans seemed to disdain the use of rainwear.
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If the young paratroopers were going to
jump in that soup, the old troopers certainly could wait in it.
At 2:50 the distant sound of engines came muttering through the clouds.
All eyes turned to the skies to follow the sounds of aircraft they could
not see.
At 2:55, like an apparition, the loads and chutes of the first pass,
a heavy drop, came falling silently through the mist and landed dead
center on the DZ in front of the viewing stands.
The clouds began to break slightly, the thundering of more engines
drew near. A wing, a shape, a whole C-130 appeared for one brief moment
and the first two jumpers cleared the doors to the cheers and applause
of the spectators.
The clouds continued to obscure the craft, but the rainfall of combat
ready paratroopers was as steady and sure as the other rain had been
earlier.
After it was all over, the men talked in small groups, joked about
getting their boots on again and jumping, but you could see their pride,
their confidence in the way they stood, the way they talked about the
jump.[section missing]
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Mackall where they toured the area in which
they underwent basic training in 1942. They had a barbecue picnic at
the camping lodge there and returned to the Inn where they held a dinner
and dance, with a speech by their former commander retired Major General
Roy Lindquist. Through many conversations, one thing stood
out - that these men, the veterans, no matter how much they admired
the present day paratrooper -- they felt that they were special, that
they were drawn together as a band of brothers to meet a special need
in a dangerous time, and that their like will never be seen again.
A proposal came up at their business meeting, where they were planning
other reunions and a trip to Europe, to provide for associate members
of their organization perhaps to allow into it some who had not been
in during the period from 1942 to '46.
The president. O.B. Hill, spoke [illegible] would keep in touch with
the organization, and when it got down to just one man - he would write
out a check on whatever funds were left to some worthy cause."
He smiled and continued. "I wonder if we would want to depart from that
original resolve?"
The proposal was defeated. The men of the World War II 508th will continue
to cherish their memories and tighten their circle as their numbers
fall to the shades of this long night. They will stand unique to the
last man.[Paraglide - Sept 15, 1977]
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