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Stare Master
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| I will be traveling down to Ft. Polk next month for a visit. The 1st and 3rd Battalions of the 509th will be holding a low key ceremony the evening of August 25th at Huff Hall in Battalion HQ. I will be one of two Association officers present. Besides, it's been three months since I've been around active Paratroopers in person and I need to get my fix. 
Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you, Jesus Christ and the American GI. One died for your soul, the other for your freedom.
"History teaches that when you become indifferent and lose the will to fight someone who has the will to fight will take over." COLONEL BULL SIMONS
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JR's Chick
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Fortress Polk! Enjoy the August heat!
Blacksmith Six
"I'm normally not a praying man, but if you're up there, please save me Superman!" -Homer Simpson
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Stare Master
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In addition to living in Alabama, I was stationed at Ft. Stewart for a year. I know how to hydrate.
Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you, Jesus Christ and the American GI. One died for your soul, the other for your freedom.
"History teaches that when you become indifferent and lose the will to fight someone who has the will to fight will take over." COLONEL BULL SIMONS
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Combat Veteran
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| Looking forward to your visit! 1st round is on me! Muddy!!!
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Stare Master
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| Returned from Ft. Polk yesterday. I got talked to Muddy on the phone but did not get a chance to hook up(hope your grass looks better with the rain for the two days I was there). I spent most of Friday with the 1st Batt. In addition to myself our Association VP was there(a veteran of Anzio and the combat jump into Southern France) and our honorary Brit G-Man. We had breakfast at the Warrior Brigade D-Fac and sat in on the jumpmaster update. We also toured the company areas where our VP had the opportunity to handle the infantry weapons currently in the inventory. We also had a chance to head out to the airfield and take a look at the OPFOR aircraft, and I had chance to get inside the AN-2 Colt. Friday night at the Showboat Theater there was an informal ceremony with the 1st and 3rd Batts. A video from the rotation was shown and beer and food provided. Afterward the 3rd Batt was presented with the original WWII Charlie Company guidon with unit citations. I had the opportunity to present them with a Geronimo flag on behalf of the Association for their Battalion HQ. I was told that they will be taking it to Iraq with them. I will be posting more about the trip over the next couple of weeks.
Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you, Jesus Christ and the American GI. One died for your soul, the other for your freedom.
"History teaches that when you become indifferent and lose the will to fight someone who has the will to fight will take over." COLONEL BULL SIMONS
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Stare Master
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WWII legacy passed on to new generation
By Melanie Crownover
For The Town Talk
FORT POLK -- Members of the 1st and 3rd Battalion (Airborne) from the 509th Infantry made history Friday night at their Geronimo Social as a company heirloom was passed to the new generation. Lt. Col. John King and Sgt. Maj. Kevin Sharkey presented the original C Company 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion Guidon from World War II to the 3rd Battalion.  ADVERTISEMENT
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"That company was founded in 1940 as the first paratroopers to jump into combat in North Africa," Sharkey said. "After the Battle of the Bulge they were disbanded." The guidon was not unrolled again until 1963 in Germany. Since then it has been transferred to a few more locations before landing in the hands of this band of soldiers. The 3rd Battalion recently was activated in Alaska and assigned the history of the WWII company as its lineage. "It's important to look back on our history and heroes that laid the foundation of our lineage for inspiration to continue the traditions they started," Sharkey said. The event drew veterans from as far back as the guidon's beginnings. John L. Rimer, 83, an original member of Bravo Company, said he gave up rank and a job training the 2nd Armor Division under Gen. George S. Patton to become a paratrooper and see battle. "We didn't know the word 'heroes'," he told the group. "We were just a bunch of damned good boys that turned men quick to do a job we was sent to do." In holding with that tradition, the 3rd Battalion was presented with a Geronimo flag to fly in its camp during the group's upcoming deployment to Iraq. 'They came to JRTC in preparation for deployment so our opposing force here could show them how it's done. Now our sister battalion is getting ready to go into harm's way and write the next chapter in our rich history," Sharkey said. "This (gathering) is a first, and who knows when we'll have this chance again." Originally published August 26, 2006 |
Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you, Jesus Christ and the American GI. One died for your soul, the other for your freedom.
"History teaches that when you become indifferent and lose the will to fight someone who has the will to fight will take over." COLONEL BULL SIMONS
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Stare Master
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Trooper
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| Outstanding! Thanks Barry for the update and the link to the article.
"American Parachutists...devils in baggy pants...are less than 100 meters from my outpost line. I can't sleep at night; they pop up from nowhere and we never know when or how they will strike next. Seems like the black-hearted devils are everywhere..."
(An entry in a German officer's diary found after the Battle of Anzio)
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