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Soldiers from the 508th Military Police Battalion held a casing ceremony at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan after serving in Afghanistan on a 12 month deployment. (U.S. Army Photo by Sgt. 1st Class David Wheeler, USFOR-A Public Affairs)
top left background is my father
Robert J GASS first reunion he went to -1982-
They all jumped on D-Day
A UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter flies during an air assult mission supporting 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division at Camp Lejeune, N.C., March 7, 2016. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Anthony Hewitt/Released)
Soldiers of the 595th Military Police Company, 508th Military Police Battalion, participated in Riot Control Training during their Certification Training Exercise held on January 12-15, at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
Paratroopers from B Company, 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division moves out on patrol into the Ghorak Valley of the Helmand Province in Southern Afghanistan during "Operation Achilles March 6. Photo by Spc. Matthew T. Littel, U.S. Army
A Paratrooper assigned to 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team disconnects sling load hoist attachments during a light vehicle sling load training exercise at Monroe pick-up zone on Fort Bragg, N.C., Dec. 1.
Maj. Gen. David N. Blackledge, commanding general of the U.S. Army Civil Affairs & Psychological Operations Command (Airborne), leads the paratroopers of Task Force Normandy into St. Mere-Eglise behind three veterans of the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment who parachuted on June 5 and 6, 1944 and fought in the area. Task Force Normandy is made up of U.S., U.K., French, and German paratroopers combined to celebrate the 67th Anniversary of the D-Day operations. (U.S. Army photo by Lt. Col. Gerald Ostlund)
Soldiers of the 595th Military Police Company, 508th Military Police Battalion, participated in Riot Control Training during their Certification Training Exercise held on January 12-15, at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
photo by Dawn Elizabeth Pandoliano/Paraglide
Sgt. Sheree Vannoy, HHC 508th Special Troops Brigade, left, and Sgt. Sarah Kinsey, with C Company, 782 Brigade Support Battalion, right, demonstrate the correct way to put on the jump harness with DeeDee Clark, center, one of the spouses participating in the Military Spouses Day Conference.
Bravo Company of 1st Battalion 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment conducting live fire training with Nato allies at range PL1 in Estonia today 11 May 2021. (U.S. Army Photo by: Staff Sgt. Dustin Miller)
LTC Zane Jones, CDR, 508th MP Bn, 42d MP Bde, Ft Lewis, WA (our Military Police Customs successor unit) presenting Diane and I with our 42d MP Bde Challenge Coins
Spc. Sean M. Noel, an infantryman from Company C, 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment 82nd Airborne Division, practices launching the Raven Unmanned Aerial Vehicle from a moving vehicle. Noel was assisted by Cpl. Erick J. Rodas, a light-wheel vehicle mechanic, who is also the Raven Master Trainer for the 173rd Airborne Brigade. photo by 2nd Lt. Monika Comeaux/173rd Brigade Support Battalion
071018 UNPUBLISHED, horizontal, launch, UAV, training
Staff Sgt. Carlos Mercado (center, left), a Delta Company, 1st Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team paratrooper, and Staff Sgt. Christopher Hart (center, right), a Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team paratrooper, cross the finish line of the Final Buddy Run event during the 2018 Best Ranger Competition at Fort Benning, Georgia, on April 15. The Final Buddy Run was the third event of day three and final event of the competition. Mercado and Hart finished the 2018 BRC in 14th place.
Soldiers from the 508th Military Police Battalion held a casing ceremony at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan after serving in Afghanistan on a 12 month deployment. (U.S. Army Photo by Sgt. 1st Class David Wheeler, USFOR-A Public Affairs)
Paratroopers assigned to 1-508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, move from the wood line to load onto a UH-60 black hawk assigned to the 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade, during a training exercise part of Operation Red Fury which the Paratroopers will be infil to their objective. The training helped to increase the unit’s interoperability between the ground and aviation units. (U.S. Army Photo by Capt. Adan Cazarez)
A Paratrooper assigned to Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division moves through a breached wire obstacle during a live-fire exercise at Camp Lejeune, N.C., March 7, 2016. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Anthony Hewit/Released)
24th QM's Clive Edwards (2) battles for a rebound with 508th MPB's Michael Perrin, left, and Dometrio Myers, middle, March 20 during the JBLM Intramural Basketball Championship game at Soldiers Field House on JBLM Lewis Main. 24th QM defeated 508th MPB 61-48.
Sky Soldiers of the 1-508th/173rd ABCT returned to Caserma Ederle, Vicenza, Italy and were welcomed home by Family and friends Feb. 11. Learn more about events and activities in Vicenza on www.usag.vicenza.army.mil or www.facebook.com/USAGVicenza.Photo by Grant Sattler, USAG Vicenza PAO.
A Paratrooper assigned to 4th Platoon, Delta Company, 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division is positioned as the truck commander during a mounted live-fire exercise at Camp Lejeune, N.C., March 3, 2016. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Anthony Hewitt/Released)
Aerial view of Winkton Airfield from 1946, the airfield having closed in July 1944. The outlines of the pierced steel planking perimeter track are still evident on the land, with it being returned to agricultural use. Source: Royal Ordinance Survey. Crown Copyright expired in 1996, 50 years after the photograph taken.
Royal Air Force Winkton or more simply RAF Winkton is a former Royal Air Force Advanced Landing Ground previously in Hampshire but now, due to County boundary changes, in Dorset, England. The airfield is located approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) north of Christchurch; and is named after the nearby hamlet of Winkton.
Although complete by September 1943 Winkton opened in March 1944 with Sommerfeld Mesh runways and pierced steel planking perimeter tracks, and was the prototype for the type of temporary Advanced Landing Ground type airfield that would be built in France after D-Day, when the need for advanced landing fields would become urgent as the Allied forces moved east across France and Germany. It was used by British and the United States Army Air Forces. It was closed in July 1944, when the mesh runways were lifted for use on the Continent, and immediately returned to agriculture.
Today the airfield is a mixture of agricultural fields with no recognizable remains.
While under USAAF control, Winkton was known as USAAF Station AAF-414 for security reasons, and by which it was referred to instead of location. Its Station-ID was "WT", Radio-Callsign "Drainsink". RAF Winkton saw the arrival of the USAAF 404th Fighter Group on 4 April 1944, the group arriving from Myrtle Beach AAF, South Carolina. The 404th had the following operational squadrons:
506th Fighter Squadron (4K)
507th Fighter Squadron (Y8)
508th Fighter Squadron (7J)
The 404th was a group of Ninth Air Force's 84th Fighter Wing, IX Tactical Air Command. It flew the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt. On 6 July the 404th moved across the Channel to its Advanced Landing Ground at Chippelle (ALG A-5), France. With the Americans moving to France, Winkton airfield was closed down and returned to agricultural use in July 1944. In January 1945, the airfield was officially closed. Today, the land is unrecognizable as a former airfield, and can only be located by comparing the road network on aerial photographs taken when the airfield was active to the current network. In 2009, there exists a private grass runway owned by Mr.I.C.Reid, who hangars his Tiger Moth biplane there.
Soldiers of the 595th Military Police Company, 508th Military Police Battalion, participated in Riot Control Training during their Certification Training Exercise held on January 12-15, at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
A Paratrooper assigned to 3rd Platoon, Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division engage targets with a machine gun during a live fire exercise at Camp Lejeune, N.C., March 2, 2016. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Anthony Hewitt)
Pvt. Matthew Reed, Company A, 508th Special Troops Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division, keeps his eye on the cargo container while helping Pvt. Walter Ciucevich (not pictured) align the lift of a rough terrain container handler to the container during their RTCH training Nov. 20.
photo by Lucille Anne Newman/Paraglide
Aerial view of Winkton Airfield from January 1947, the airfield having closed in July 1944. The outlines of the pierced steel planking perimeter track are still evident on the land, with it being returned to agricultural use. Source: Royal Ordinance Survey. Crown Copyright expired in 1997, 50 years after the photograph taken.
In late 1942 farmers of the land between Sopley, Winkton and Bransgore were visited by reconnaissance surveyors of the Air Ministry. Land from Sopley Farm, Parsonage Farm, and both lower and upper or higher Clockhouse Farms would be lost to the war effort. In the summer of 1943 4768 Flight of 5004 Airfield Construction Squadron RAF arrived to prepare the land to accommodate an advanced landing ground. The airfield was ready for September 1943. In January an advance party arrived from the United States Army’s Ninth Airforce to prepare the facilities required for the 1000 Airmen and seventy-five P-47 Thunderbolt aircraft of the 404th Fighter Group. The party included American Airfield Engineers and Ninth Airforce Service Corps personnel. The engineers reinforced the two mile-long runways with pieced steel planking and the corners of intersections between taxiways with tar reinforced burlap. The Service Corps constructed the camp facilities. The airfield was known to the USAAF as Station 414.
In early April 1944 the 404th Fighter Group personnel arrived from Christchurch railway station by truck and by mid-April their aircraft had started to arrive. Following intensive training and preparation the 404th went operational on May 1st. The three squadrons in the Group (506th, 507th and 508th Fighter Squadron) flew dive bombing, armed reconnaissance and escort missions over occupied Europe. On D Day 6th of June the whole group flew four beach protection patrols over the invasion fleet and beaches, the first at dawn, the last in the late evening. The 404th continued to fly an intensive programme of operations from Winkton until early July 1944 when they moved to Normandy. Winkton airfield closed and was returned to agriculture in August 1944.
Soldiers from the 508th Military Police Battalion held a casing ceremony at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan after serving in Afghanistan on a 12 month deployment. (U.S. Army Photo by Sgt. 1st Class David Wheeler, USFOR-A Public Affairs)
Soldiers of the 595th Military Police Company, 508th Military Police Battalion, participated in Riot Control Training during their Certification Training Exercise held on January 12-15, at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
International Security Assistance Force Command Sergeant Major, U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Michael Hall went on patrol and visited with Soldiers from the 1-508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division in and around Kandahar City on June 28, 2010 during his battlefield circulation.
(Photo by U.S. Army SFC Matthew Chlosta, ISAF PAO)
Sainte-Mère-Eglise, le jour le plus long du 505th.
Bien qu’une heure du matin soit passée en ce 6 juin 1944, les habitants du village de Sainte-Mère-Eglise se pressent sur la place de l’église. Malgré le couvre-feu et alertés par le tocsin, ils ont découvert la maison en feu de Julia Pommier et s’affairent le long d’une chaîne humaine afin de circonscrire l’incendie. Encadrés par les soldats allemands du Grenadier-Régiment 1058, 91. Infanterie-Division, les normands perçoivent un bruit au loin. Depuis 23h, ce vrombissement se fait entendre, mais là , le bruit s’amplifie.
Puis dans la nuit, les civils sont médusés : des avions passent en formation. Une première vague, puis une deuxième venant de l’Ouest survole la péninsule du Cotentin. Les habitants, comme l’occupant allemand, sentaient que quelque chose se préparait, que les alliés allaient bientôt tenter de percer ce Mur de l’Atlantique. Mais ils ignoraient où et quand ?
Il est 1h15 (heure française) et la troisième vague se présente au-dessus de Sainte-Mère-Eglise. Soudain, les C-47 crachent leurs volées de parachutistes, pris pour cibles par les rafales allemandes. Les hommes de la 82nd US Airborne Division s’élancent vers le sol de France, au Nord-Ouest du futur secteur Utah Beach. Le Jour J, les régiments de la division aéroportée ont 3 missions principales :
•Le 505th Parachute Infantry Régiment doit s’emparer de Sainte-Mère-Eglise, codé Brooklyn pour les alliés, et de son réseau de communications stratégiques sur la RN13. Le 505th doit également capturer et tenir deux ponts sur le Merderet, à La Fière et Chef-du-Pont. Puis les paras devront signaler et sécuriser la Landing Zone W pour les planeurs.
•Le 507th PIR doit cloisonner le secteur à l’Ouest du Merderet et soutenir le 505th pour la défense des ponts.
•Le 508th PIR doit détruire les ponts de Beuzeville et former la réserve de la division.
Cependant les tirs de la Flak ennemie et le stress des pilotes de C-47 rendent les largages des parachutistes difficiles. Devant être droppés plus au Sud, vers Sainte-Marie-du-Mont, des membres de la 101st US Airborne Division se retrouvent largués avec leurs camarades de la 82nd Airborne.
Il est 1h15, et ce sont d'abord les boys des 502nd et 506th PIR, 101st US Airborne, qui se balancent au-dessus du bourg de Sainte-Mère-Eglise. Le maire Alexandre Renaud enjoint ses administrés à se rendre aux abris. La F Compagny du 505th arrive ensuite sur le guêpier de la place du village. Les allemands ouvrent le feu sur les corolles flottant au vent. Alfred Van Holsbeck se dirige vers les flammes de la maison Pommier. Il hurle, puis péri dans le brasier. Destinée cruelle, des hommes meurent avant d'avoir touché le sol. Six parachutistes pendent aux arbres, tués dans leurs harnais.
L’institutrice va aux toilettes quand une ombre imposante apparait. Robert Murphy vient de toucher terre à vingt mètres d’elle. Les arbres de la place de l’église reçoivent la visite du para Blanchard, qui pour se dégager et échapper à la tuerie, sectionne ses sangles et un de ses deux pouces sans s’en apercevoir. Cliff Maughan atterrit dans le jardin de Mr Monnier, le vétérinaire, et est mis en joue par Werner, un officier allemand. Mais ce dernier, comprenant l’importance du largage américain, se rend à son tour au soldat Maughan.
Au coin Nord-Ouest de l’église, John M. Steele reste accroché par son parachute à l’édifice. Quant à Kenneth Russel, sa toile se prend au toit du transept Nord. En essayant de prendre son poignard, Steele le fait maladroitement tomber à proximité d’un allemand. Le feldgrau lève la tête et ouvre le feu sur le para, le blessant au pied. Steele se résout alors à faire le mort pendant deux à trois heures, malmené par le bruyant tumulte des cloches. Positionné dans le clocher, Rudolf May agrippe le parachute de Steele et hisse l’américain hors du vide (fait prisonnier, Steele parviendra à s’échapper deux ou trois jours plus tard. Il souffrira plusieurs semaines de surdité, mais réalisera son quatrième saut de combat lors de l’opération Market Garden en Hollande en septembre 1944).
Aux alentours, des éléments du 505th PIR ont atterri et se sont regroupés pour donner l’assaut. Dans le même temps les allemands sont perplexes face aux évènements. Ils quittent le bourg et partent en direction du Sud vers le château de Fauville.
Le 3/505th avance prudemment dans les rues de la commune, bientôt rejoint par le Lieutenant-Colonel Krause et 158 hommes. Vers 5h, Sainte-Mère-Eglise est aux mains des américains, et pour quelques minutes à 6h30, le drapeau étoilé flotte sur l’hôtel de ville. Vers 9h, 360 paras du 3/505th tiennent le village, retranchés derrière 7 barrages routiers.
Néanmoins, les paras du Général Ridgway doivent empêcher les contre-attaques dans le secteur. Le 2/505th se met en position défensive au Nord, à Neuville-au-Plain. Leur commandant, le Lieutenant-Colonel Vandervoort se déplace dans une remorque à munition, la cheville gauche brisée lors de son atterrissage. Son supérieur, le Colonel Ekman, n’arrivait pas à joindre le 3rd battalion. Inquiet, il a donc ordonné à Vandervoort de rejoindre le groupe de Krause.
Les américains doivent encaisser les nombreux assauts des allemands, déterminés à reprendre possession du village et de son nœud routier. Dès 9h30, les combats sont acharnés et les Sainte-Mère-Eglisais paient un lourd tribut pour leur libération. Blessé trois fois dans la journée, Le Lieutenant-Colonel Krause laisse la place à Vandervoort et au Major Hagan. Au crépuscule du D-Day, Sainte-Mère-Eglise est un bastion isolé. Les parachutistes accusent de lourdes pertes et le moral est bas. Le 7 juin, même sans nouvelles du VIIth US Corps débarqué la veille sur Utah Beach, ils doivent tenir leur avantage. Car à 9h, l’artillerie allemande fracasse l’entrée Nord du village. Des blindés s’approchent sur la RN13, mais les paras neutralisent la menace. Enfin, vers 15h, le contact est établi avec des GI’s du 8th Infantry Régiment, 4th US Infantry Division. Après l’emploi d’autres tirs d’artillerie, les allemands relâchent peu à peu leur pression dans la soirée. Après 40 heures de combats, les habitants peuvent souffler et savourer la fin de l’Occupation.
Pour les hommes de la 82nd US Airborne Division, la Bataille de Normandie commence, Sainte-Mère-Eglise n’étant que la première étape d’une campagne qui durera 35 jours.
L'ultime tir du Sergent Ray
Le Jour J, le Sergent John P. Ray (photo ci-contre) est membre de la Fox Compagny du 505th PIR. Il glisse avec son parachute le long du toit de l’église de Sainte-Mère-Eglise puis chute lourdement. Un autre para de sa compagnie, John Steele, voit sa toile s’accrocher au clocher. Il n'est pas seul, car Kenneth Russel est également en mauvaise posture, lui-aussi resté suspendu un peu plus bas contre le transept de l'église. Un allemand assiste à ces péripéties. Cependant ce dernier remarque aussi au sol le Sgt Ray et fait d’abord feu sur lui, le touchant mortellement à l'estomac. Puis l’allemand vise John Steele et Kenneth Russel. Soudain, le Sgt Ray se redresse et abat son agresseur dans un ultime effort. Il sauve ainsi la vie de ses camarades mais succombe ensuite. Sa tombe se trouve au cimetière militaire américain de Colleville-sur-mer, plot E, rangée 26, tombe 36.
Devant l’église est aujourd'hui placé un monument qui rappelle la libération de la commune par les paras américains. A l’intérieur du bâtiment religieux deux vitraux rendent hommage aux hommes de la 82nd US Airborne Division, et un mannequin placé sur le clocher envoi un clin d’oeil à l’odyssée de John Steele (décédé le 16 mai 1969). Des impacts sont encore visibles sur la façade, car les troupes aéroportées ont dû tirer sur le clocher pour déloger des vigies allemandes.
Rendez-vous à l'Airborne Muséum, à droite de la place de l’église. Trois bâtiments, dont la première pierre fut posée par le Général Gavin en 1962, vous propose de revivre et comprendre les préparatifs et l’action des 82nd et 101st US Airborne Divisions. L’un abrite un planeur Waco, le seul d’Europe. On y voit notamment une réplique d’un rupert, ces mannequins largués lors de l'opération Titanic pour leurrer l’ennemi allemand. L’autre abrite un C-47, et des bornes présentent une riche documentation sur la libération du village. Deux films racontent les évènements de l’opération Overlord.
Une extension a été inaugurée en mai 2014 et permet aux visiteurs de s'immerger dans l'épopée des paras américains aux premières heures de la Libération de la France. Devant l’accueil (ou se trouvait la fameuse maison en flammes), un Char américain Sherman et un canon sont exposés.
A l’intérieur du village une dizaine de panneaux jalonnent les rues et racontent les évènements passés. La commune regroupe également plusieurs magasins de militaria, qui font le bonheur des amateurs de tous horizons.
Sainte-Mère-Eglise abrita le premier cimetière américain de la Libération et regroupait 13 000 dépouilles (photos ci-dessous). En 1948, les corps furent rapatriés soit aux Etats-Unis, ou déposés aux cimetières de Saint-James et Colleville-sur-mer. Une stèle commémorative près du complexe sportif marque depuis l’emplacement ou il se trouvait auparavant (voir l'article Les cimetières provisoires américains de Sainte-Mère-Eglise).
FORT BRAGG, N.C.—Spc. Robert Czarnecki, a Paratrooper assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, throws a simulated hand grenade during testing for the coveted Expert Infantry Badge Feb. 12, here. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Joe Armas, 4th BCT, 82nd Airborne Division Public Affairs)
Paratroopers assigned to Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division fire their weapons through the din and smoke of a combined arms live fire exercise at Fort Bragg, N.C., Sept. 17, 2015. The CALFX was the culmination of months of training the company has undertaken to prepare itself for its upcoming support to 1st BCT, 82nd Abn. Div. during a Joint Readiness Training Center rotation at Fort Polk, La. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Anthony Hewitt/Released)
Paratroopers assigned to 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd
Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division assist partnered paratroopers from
the 3rd Royal Canadian Regiment, Canadian army while completing the Basic
Airborne Refresher course at Fort Bragg, Sept. 13.
Bravo Company of 1st Battalion 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment conducting live fire training with Nato allies at range PL1 in Estonia today 11 May 2021. (U.S. Army Photo by: Staff Sgt. Dustin Miller)
24th QM's Clive Edwards (2) shoots over 508th MPB's Jeremy Burks, left, Marcus Wilson, middle, and Ladonte Vaughn March 20 during the JBLM Intramural Basketball Championship game at Soldiers Field House on JBLM Lewis Main. 24th QM defeated 508th MPB 61-48.
Side with lightning bolts -- the "Double Firebolts" designating 508th PIR, 2nd Battalion.
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Members of 24th QM celebrate March 20 after winning the JBLM Intramural Basketball Championship over 508th MPB at Soldiers Field House on JBLM Lewis Main.
Another day another team workout done. The 508TH BOSS Strong team did an intense interval and core workout with the Battalion Commander, LTC Jemmott. #BOSSStrong #508TH #ItStartsWithMe
Paratroopers assigned with 1-508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, move with their gear to board a UH-60 black hawk assigned to the 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade, during Operation Red Fury. The 1-508th PIR will conduct an air assault into their objective. The training helped to increase the unit’s interoperability between the ground and aviation units, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, August 4. (U.S. Army Photo by Capt. Adan Cazarez)
090128-A-2388D-64 Sgt. Louis Adams (fourth from left) of Hartford Ind., is reenlisted by his commander, Capt. Brad McCoy (second from left), while a mortar team fires a live round for each of the five years of Adams' reenlistment Jan. 28 on Fort Bragg. Adams served as the medic for the Mortar Platoon of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, during the unit's deployment to Afghanistan, and wanted to involve the platoon in his reenlistment ceremony. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Stephen Decatur)
24th QM's Kejuan Mapp (1) and teammate Terrance Hilton (23) battle for a rebound with 508th MPB's Ladonte Vaughn, middle, March 20 during the JBLM Intramural Basketball Championship game at Soldiers Field House on JBLM Lewis Main. 24th QM defeated 508th MPB 61-48.