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505th Parachute Infantry Regiment 82nd Airborne Division Living History Detachment Keeping Airborne History Alive By
The beginnings: CPT (later BG) William Ryder wears a T4 parachute, A8 Flying helmet, early type jump boots with buckle strap, and an early prototype jump suit. The idea of dropping troops from the sky was not new. In fact, Benjamin Franklin said, “No prince can afford to defend his country against 10,000 men descending from the clouds.” In reality, airborne warfare had its birth during World War II. Since the end of the Great War, aircraft and motorized vehicle development spawned many new forms of warfare that were established and improved during World War II. Modern, mechanized German military forces produced fear in the hearts of most Europeans as Nazi Germany terrorized From this small beginning, the US Army produced five full airborne divisions as well as several independent parachute regiments and battalions before the end of World War II. By the middle of WWII the
Photo: Cpl. Robert Brigham collection In one connection that the 82d Airborne Division has with South Carolina, the division’s 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment made the first regimental size mass jump on March 30, 1943, near Camden, South Carolina making US Army history. The event was a division training demonstration of an airfield seizure. The 505 jumped from C-47s in front of an audience that included British Prime Minister, Sir Winston Churchill and Chief of Staff of the Army, General George C. Marshall. The demonstration jump was a success but was soured by the death of three paratroopers when one of the C-47s lost power and passed through a stick (one plane load) of paratroopers. A monument to their honor stands near the site today.
Photo: 82d Airborne During the war, the 82nd Airborne Division was highly acclaimed as a fighting unit. Corps and Army commanders served by the division very reluctantly released them when the time came to prepare for the next airborne operation. After the The 505 may well have been one of the best-trained and most highly motivated regiments the Army had ever fielded. “They were awesome,” an 82nd Airborne Division staffer recalled. “Every man a clone of the CO, Gavin. Tough? God they were tough! Not just in the field, but twenty-four hours a day. Off duty they’d move into a bar in little groups and if everyone there didn’t get down on their knees in adoration, they’d simply tear the place up. Destroy it. And God help the ‘straight legs’ they came across.” Doc Eaton (division chief of staff) thought he had never seen such killers. They reminded him “of a pack of jackals.” This kind of behavior and attitude was a natural by product of creating the kind of elite, aggressive units necessary to help win a desperate war. As a devout Christian, 1st Lt. Waverly Wray of Company D, 505th Parachute Infantry regiment was not a hell raiser. In fact, Wray, whose nickname was “the Deacon”, was known to say “John Brown” when he was really angry. He was, however, one tough soldier. On the second day of the Normandy Invasion, Wray killed 10 Germans, including the opposing battalion commander, while on a solo reconnaissance mission. Lt. Wray was killed in
Photo: 82d Airborne The 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment was in combat intermittently over a period of 22 months from July 9, 1943 through May 8, 1945, during WWII. Its action earned six campaigns streamers, three recognized as assaults with an arrowhead device. Such a rich history must be preserved. Most of the youth of today, and some adults, are not aware of such vicious times past that required so much of our young men and women. All of American Society and business enterprise was in some way involved in the effort to defeat axis tyranny, for it was an all out war. We cannot allow the sacrifices and gallant service of this generation to be forgotten. It is to this end that the 82d Airborne Division Living History Detachment (LHD) strives to portray the brave men, who by their performance in battle, paved the way for and established the traditions of the modern airborne forces of the During May at While the primary focus of the LHD is on World War II history, some members also bring other time periods of the division’s history to life. The official mission statement of the organization is as follows: The 82d Living History Detachment mission is to preserve and interpret the history of the 82d Division from 1917 to 1980 in a living history format. The primary purpose of the detachment is education (training): To tell the military and civilian communities about the salient aspect of the history of the Division with period uniform interpretation.
Photo: 82d Airborne
Photo: Author The 82nd Airborne Division Living History detachment (LHD), headquartered at the 82nd Airborne Division War Memorial Museum, Ft. Bragg, NC, is composed of active duty and retired military as well as civilians, truly representing the All-American nature of the 82nd Airborne Division. Look for the troopers of the 82d Airborne Division Living History Detachment at an event near you and EXPERIENCE airborne history. Click the link below to view more historical photograhs from the 82d Airborne Division War Memorial Museum, Ft. Bragg, NC http://photobucket.com/albums/v464/ChallengeBlue/82d%20Museum%20Archives/ Also, view our WWII Airborne Veterans Photo Gallery by clicking on the following link. http://www.foxcompany505.org/gallery/main.php Home
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Training parachute jump in 1942
82d Paratrooper in 
82d Paratroopers prepare to jump in 
General Gavin decorates an airborne officer in 1945.
