2nd Bn 509th PIR First Combat Jump
Date: 8 November 1942
Unit: 2nd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment
Operation: VILLIAN - the Airborne Operation, TORCH - the overall Operation
Troopers: 556
Country: Algeria
Dropzone: Tafaraoui, La Senia
Lt Col Edson Raff recalls his speech to the battalion on the night of 01 November, “Officers and men of the 2nd Battalion! You remember way back when I took this outfit over, I called you together to tell you that if I had my way about it we’d get into action first of all paratroopers, that I wanted to make a fighting reputation for parachutists to replace the one they have in the States of being good jumpers but poor in ground combat. Well, our chance has come. You all know of course, you’re going on a mission. Some of you may have guessed where it is. It’s not Leningrad, although that city is approximately the same distance we’re going to fly to reach Oran, North Africa. We’re going to have a difficult job because some people down there will want to fight us and some won’t. If they welcome us, and some authorities say they will, we won’t fire a round. If they don’t, you have your orders! One last thing: those who participate in the first jumps in North Africa may be able to wear a gold tipped parachute insigne some day. I’m going to try to sell the idea to the War Department. It’s the best way I know for Uncle Sam to recognize the first American paratroopers going into action for our country!” “Are there any questions? Good luck, and let’s give three ‘San Antones’ for the 2nd Battalion, 503rd Parachute Infantry.” “San Antone, San Antone, San Antone! (This cheer had been invented by someone in the battalion, during the first days of its existence, and used on special occasions ever after.)
At 0300 on 02 Nov 1942 the battalion departed the holding area at Great Torrington in British Lorries and moved to their respective airfields. Headquarters and D Company to St. Eval and E and F Companies to Predannack. Parachutes, ammunition, weapons and most equipment had previously been arranged to be moved later by aircraft to the departure airfields. Aircraft were also directed to move to the airfields however bad weather and aircraft modifications delayed this. According to Col. William Bentley the Air Mission Commander, only 4 of the 39 aircraft were mission capable. The rest of the aircraft were still at the Center for Overhaul and Engineering at RAF Burtonwood, Cheshire.
Unknown to the paratroopers, orders were published in the US directing that the 2nd Bn, 503rd PIR be reorganized and redesignated as the 2nd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment as of 02 November 1942 while in England per AG 320.2 (11-3 42) This message would reach the rear detachment still at Hungerford but would not get to the rest of the battalion until later in North Africa.
For the next few days the remaining C-47s arrived carrying in the parachutes, arms, ammunition and equipment containers. Paratroopers were handed gauze American Flags to sew onto the left shoulder of their jump jackets. The last C-47 arrived on 06 November and Col Bentley briefed the aircrews soon afterwards.
On the morning of 07 November 1942 aircrews and paratroopers woke up to favorable weather for the long day ahead. Preparations and final checks of aircraft and equipment went on throughout the day. At 1300 British Airborne General F. A. M. Browning landed at the airfield and wished all “Goodbye and Godspeed”. He also announced that he had made the American parachute battalion Honorary Red Devils.
Lt Col Raff describes, “An hour before dark we changed to jump suits. Then everyone checked ammunition, loaded clips in carbines, Tommy guns, or Garand rifles, safety taped grenades before putting them in the lower jacket pockets, settled two days of K-rations in pouches of the trousers, and arranged parachutes in the planes to form a pillow to lean against. We hoped blankets already spread on the floor of the C-47’s would encourage men to sleep on the journey.”
All aircrew and paratroopers were ready by their aircraft and waiting on the message from Gibraltar. If the coded message “ADVANCE NAPOLEON” came then the War Plan would be in effect and Americans could expect a fight from the Vichy French. C-47s would launch at 1700 from Predannack Airfield and 1720 from St. Eval Airfield so that aircraft arrived over the Drop Zone vicinity of Ogacz at 0100 08 November under the cover of darkness guided in by a Mark I Eureka Set positioned by the OSS.
At 1625 Col Bentley received the message “ADVANCE ALEXIS” which was the coded message notifying that the Peace Plan was in effect, the Vichy French would not fight the Americans. All personnel would stand down for four hours. C-47s would launch at 2100 from Predannack Airfield and 2120 from St. Eval Airfield so that aircraft could land at LaSenia and Tafaraoui Airdromes in Algeria at 0500 08 November at sunrise.
At 2050 at the airfields in England a flare goes up signaling all to load up and start engines. At the same time, the OSS Agent in Oran, Gordon Browne is listening to the BBC with his family when the coded message comes across “Attention, Yankee, Attention Franklin, Attention Lincoln Robert Arrive” Yankee = Algiers, Franklin = Oran, Lincoln = Casablanca, Robert = Operation Torch. He jumped to his feet and said “Tonight is the big night” and began gathering equipment for the nights mission. Soon two French ambulances pull up. “Eureka balanced on my knee, Sten in my hands, we bounced over bumpy roads to the appointed place (x), and I was relieved to find that the good looking French girl driving the ambulance had a map with (x) on the same place as mine. We were stopped a couple of times by French patrols, but passed safely, the second time after some argument with a French Sergeant, handled by our girl driver. At these stops, and when passing lights, we all crowed down on the floor, ready to shoot it out if necessary. After what seemed a long, long time, we stopped, got out, found our direction by compass, and were left in the inky black night as the ambulances drove off.” “We walked our 1000 paces, then our 1500, and there we were at (x). I had been told by Radio Tangier to start Eureka going at 2330, and that the planes were due at 0100 GMT. Eureka all set up, connections checked five times, hook up checked up, we waited for 2330.”
After the flare goes up Lt Col. Raff races from plane to plane in a jeep shouting “Okay, load ‘em up! Next stop North Africa!” “Men, you know what to do, If the bastards open fire, give’em hell!”
Lt Col Raff describes, “In a few minutes movement of the C-47 was perceived. The feel of a heavily loaded plane is discernible even to passengers. There is a slowing up of the reaction to a bump on the field, a lumbering more like the walk of a bear than the step of a beast of burden naturally light footed; a heavier call on the horsepower stored up in the engines is needed to get the beloved beast moving, it’s different alright. The takeoff felt different too. After a last warming up check, which caused a quiver to run through the fuselage and one loose piece of metal somewhere near the third window on the port side to rattle, everything was quiet for a moment. It was as if we all took a deep breath: plane, pilots, crew, and paratroopers. Then the power was applied again until forward motion became apparent. Slowly, slowly the brute picked up speed, the lights on the runway, dashing by the window, picked up speed. Major Oberdorff pushed forward on the control wheel ever so lightly in an effort to lift the tail. No, not ready yet. Down, down, down the runway we ran faster, ever faster. Faster flew the lights by the window. The tail was up now. Everyone seemed to be holding his breath the better to sense the instant of takeoff. Then off, perceptibly off. Slowly, slowly into the night air the heavy ship climbed. Then it made a shallow bank and a gentle, ever so gentle, turn to the left. The lights of stars over England replaced the lights in the runway below.”
Col Bentley describes the problems that immediately arose, “Inexperienced at formation assembly and formation flying at night, this assembly proved to be difficult to achieve and many collisions were narrowly missed. This was further exacerbated by poor weather conditions, poor radio communications and the failure of many navigation lights which meant that maintaining a close proximity all the way to the destination was virtually impossible.”
Lt Col Raff describes seeing the forming up of aircraft at night, “Blue, red, green, and white running lights on the planes intermingled with the stars. At first, it was hard to tell one from another. A few earth bound lights of the otherwise blacked out countryside appeared far, far below. It was as if we were circling in a huge planetarium with universes all around, as if we had flown from a planet of one of those universes and were circling to find a haven on the land there below.”
Lt Col Raff continues, “Then, quite suddenly, the circling stopped. The engines were throttled back slightly and the steady throbbing drone of synchronized motors began. Everyone in the cabin relaxed against the chutes, alternate men facing each other. Gum was passed around to discourage those with a tendency toward that bane of airborne men, air sickness. The act was one of anticipation only, for as yet there was no motion from “bumps.” Outside, stars and blue lights were all that could be seen. Listening, we could hear the steady slap, slap of the prop blast passing over the big metal wings and fuselage which sounds like, and some airmen insist is, water being thrown by gremlins to retard flight. Odd thoughts pass through one’s mind in the air. Since we were flying under the Peace plan I wondered what kind of greeting we would receive not at La Senia, which, now, was certain to be friendly, but at Bone, where our next day’s flight would terminate. It was just as well that somewhere in those thoughts I, like my Soldiers, fell asleep.”
Initial flight was 500 to 1000 feet out to the Scilly Islands before turning south toward Spain. Pilots would begin a climb to 10,000 feet prior to reaching the neutral Spanish coast.
While enroute and unknown to the paratroopers and aircrew Marshall Petain issued orders for troops in North Africa “resist the invaders with every means at your disposal.” Robert Murphy in Algeria notifies Gen. Eisenhower at Gibraltar that French are now again preparing to fight. General Eisenhower orders paratroopers to be informed that Plan War is now in effect, but not to fire unless the French fire first. The HMS Alynbank frantically transmits into the blind repeatedly on 440 kilocycles “Play Ball, Play Ball” in attempt to inform the Airborne Task Force that War Plan is back in effect. Paratroop Task Force was on 460 kilocycles. Few if any of the aircraft receive the message.
At 2330 - Gordon Browne with the Eureka continues, “It finally arrived, zero hour plus one and one half hours and Eureka was turned on, 2400 arrived, 0030, 0100. Nothing stirred except bicycle patrols and they didn’t come near. It was very quite, a few snipe or plover called, and there was the faint hum of the Eureka. Zero hour arrived – nothing happened- 0200, 0230, 0300, nothing happened. Then the coastal guns opened up – heavy stuff – and big naval guns – colored lights shot up in the distance all around us. No planes – we got jittery. It was quite a feeling to be the focal point of the spearhead attack – to know that for the moment I was of great importance. The heavy guns fluctuated in their firing – moving further away. Marcel and I looked at each other with a great and overwhelming despair. We found that we were all thinking the same thing – the invasion had failed, that the fleet had been intercepted and knocked down, and we had no orders. False dawn was approaching: the sky was getting gray in the East. Never again in my life time will I feel as low as I did then, I am sure. Five o’clock no buzzing in the skys, only the Eureka percolating with a faint hum like a plane in the distance. We shook our hands with our Spaniards, and told them to scatter, everyone for himself, and to keep their months shut. They were brave men.” At 0500 with daylight approaching and no planes in sight Gordon Browne destroys the Eureka Set and heads home.”
At 0400 C-47s began to cross the southern coast of Spain and head out over the Mediterranean. Many experience flak while crossing the southern coast of Spain, none were hit. Aircraft then began to descend to 5,000 to 6,000 feet. Cabin lights came on and canned rations containing crackers, meat, and candy were passed around.
As daylight begins to break at 0500 aircrews find themselves scattered in small groups or alone approaching the North African coast. Most are not able to pick up the signal from the HMS Alynbank which had been positioned off the coast as a beacon ship to guide them in. Aircrews many without maps have to estimate their position and make their best guess as to how to proceed.
Lt Light (Plane 12) lands in an open field near Ain Aicha, French Morocco. Aircrew and paratroopers are captured by 200 Goumi Frontier Guards and taken to Tournati and questioned.
Lt Beck (Plane 28) describes, “About 5:15 I could see the coast of Africa and identified our position as being directly north of Oran. We could see fires on the beaches so I altered course to pass about four miles east of the dock at 5000ft. We could see no ground activity of any sort. I set course towards La Senia airdrome but it was partially obscured by low cloud and smoke, so I headed for Tafaraoui. When we were about three miles north of the field medium flak opened up on us, but the fire was very erratic. I immediately took evasive action and dived west along the Sebkra.”
Lt Evans records in his after action report, “At the end of that time it was 06:06hrs with light fast beginning to come. We picked up the boat at X in good shape, but absolutely no other C-47s were to be seen. We circled for ten minutes and in one sweep came within range of three of our own sea transports next to the beach west of Oran. They gave us a warm reception with tracers falling way short of us. We then entered the dry lake (Sebkra) area with intentions of proceeding to our landing field. It was soon evident that there was plenty of trouble on the ground. Gun flashes all along the northern slopes of the area. Upon approaching within three miles of Tafaraoui Airdrome, we were greeted with some genuine ack ack, unpleasantly close. We turned 180 degrees and poured it on. Some second later we spotted a second ship, Major Galligan. I told him the general situation on C channel but got no reply. Suddenly from above and behind, all hell seemed to break loose. Tracers were cutting through us like mad. Then the Frenchie went shooting by, climbing for another run on us. We were then at about 7,000ft climbing. I cut power, half rolled and dove for the ground, leveling out at over the air speed indicator’s range just above the ground. Frenchie came in again as I leveled off. I pulled up sharply and directly towards him. He wheeled off without getting a shot home. Again I dove calling for wheels at the same time. We were on the ground indicating 165 in no time. We slowed and I ground looped so as to get a view of Frenchie again. He was some distance out turning in for another run. Everybody was out of the ship before he opened fire this time, but Ryerson, the Engineer, was wounded twice in the arm and got some explosive fragments near one eye. Frenchie made one more pass on us after that, finishing off the ship in pretty good shape.”
As navigation was so drastically hampered, Colonel Bentley together with the few aircraft that had been able to maintain contact circled off the coast of Spanish Morocco near Melilla until daylight when each aircraft tried to match their actual position to maps of the area. In the case of Colonel Bentley, he was forced to land and ask some local Arabs their exact position only to discover that they were several hundred miles off-course. Once their position was identified, each aircraft set a revised course headed for their destination South of Oran, Algeria.
Lt Beck (Plane 28) describes his encounter, “I saw another of our ships down on the north side of the Sebkra about five miles west of La Senia and circled him to see if I could land and join him, but I could see that this ship had gone into the hubs. While I was circling, a French pursuit attacked us. I fired a Very (Signal) Pistol because he looked like a Spitfire. This seemed to confuse him for he contented himself with merely shooting warning bursts near us and did not seem to be trying to hit us. I put my wheels down immediately and landed just south of the Sebkra. The pursuit went away without strafing us.”
Low on gas C-47s in the area began to land on the northwest corner of the Sebkra (Dry Lake Bed) near the town of Lourmel and reported to others passing in the area about the antiaircraft fire encountered at the airfields.
Lt Col Raff describes the jump, “In the air six planes including ours, circled preparing to land near the others. Just then, an excited voice cried over the radio, “The troops on the ground are digging in! They are being pinned down by fire from those armored cars on the road!” We looked down. Sure enough, on the road there were armored cars partially obscured by palm trees. Yet no flash of weapons being fired could be seen. Turning to Major Oberdorff I said quickly, “Well Ober, this is it! We’re going to jump to knock out the armor and give the troops on the ground a chance to do something. Pick out a drop zone north of the road and ring the bell when you’re ready. It’ll take us a few minutes to get our chutes on. Radio the other five planes to have jumpmasters get their men set.” Back in the cabin I ordered, OK, let’s get going! Chutes on!” The men who up till now had been idly watching the proceedings, went into action. In no time, equipment, chutes, and helmets were on, each paratrooper helping the man nearest him. The crew chief detached the plane’s cargo door and stowed it out of the way. On the ground no change had taken place. There was little movement either by the armor or by our personnel on the Sebkra. My next order was, “Hook up!” Each paratrooper hooked his static line to the anchor cable and automatically checked the parachute of the man next to him. Then the last man scheduled to jump sang out, “fourteen OK!”; then the next, “thirteen OK”; then, “twelve OK!” and down to me, “One OK!” The plane was slowing down now. Major Oberdorff was approaching the drop zone he’d selected. The crew chief, on his back, waited to give the equipment container a hefty shove with his feet. “Stand in the door!” I commanded over my shoulder. The men in the rear of the plane moved up until all of us were in lockstep. The bell started ringing in short dots, brring, brring, brring. We were almost at the drop point. Then the dots ceased and a steady long brring replaced them. I nodded my head to the crew chief, out went the container. Close behind it. I jumped, the others following me, one after another.”
Nine of the ten aircraft dropped their paratroopers on the drop zone north of the road at 0800. One was unable to get the jump door off so it landed and off loaded its paratroopers. Eight of the C-47s then land on the Sebkra next to the others. Col Bentley (Plane 1) remains in the air and flies east to assess the situation.
Lt Beck (Plane 28) who had landed at a different location earlier describes what happened next, “The paratroopers on my ship had broken their equipment rolls on landing and so could not make a jump, so I loaded back onto my C-47 and headed for the west end of the Sebkra to join the other ships that were supposed to be there. I could see a large group of C-47s circling there when I took off, so I called the leader by radio and reported what I had seen. The ships on the ground were already being sniped at from the road north of the Sebkra and the ships in the air began discussing discussed dropping the paratroopers behind the snipers, so I went in and landed as my troops could not jump.”
Lt Col Raff describes his landing, “An abrupt jerk on my shoulders told me the silk was open so I looked up and around. On one side, the red equipment chute, with its container underneath, floated some yards away. On the other side were my companion paratroopers. We were beating the container to the earth. As the ground came up it seemed strewn with sizeable rocks, and not at all the smooth surface it had appeared from the plane. Then, whomp, the earth stopped my descent. Some distance away, the last man in our plane was landing on the hillside. Paratroopers in the five troop carriers following us were jumping now, until all had disgorged their loads. The air seemed filled with white silk, the paratroopers underneath twisting, turning and striving to make a safe landing. On the ground, others, already disengaged from their equipment, were springing at the containers and dragging out musette bags, extra ammunition, and anti-tank guns. But something had happened to me in the ‘Whomp’. A rock or piece of equipment, or something else, had struck into my lower ribs. With some effort and spitting of blood I moved my carcass sufficiently to undo the harness. Captain Morrow and Lieutenant Birkner assembled their units behind a rock wall. Then, with anti-tank men leading, the assembled paratroopers moved out using approved methods of creeping and crawling. It was slow going. Closer to the road they advanced. In half an hour, the foremost anti-tank man stopped, stood up, and yelled back in a disappointed voice, “Those vehicles have stars! They’re American!” It was true, They were part of the American Armored Force which had broken through early that morning. Well, at least we were among friends. But what an un-dramatic ending to the first combat jump!”
Lt Col Raff states, “In case other plans failed to click, our mission was to seize Tafaraoui Aerodrome. The shortest route to that field was across the Sebkra, then east along its southern shore, a total distance of thirty five miles. On foot, without hindrance, we estimated we could complete the journey the following day. If our Armored Forces hadn’t seized the aerodrome by that time we could help them take it.”
Maj Yarborough continues, “In about an hour, the battalion was moving slowly across the Sebkra. Each step was a task in itself. Just under the dry upper crust of the lake’s surface was a type of plastic mud that would have immobilized a dinosaur. Our feet picked the stuff up until each shoe felt like it weighed fifteen pounds. Raff, looking green around the gills, inched past us in the jeep. Distances in North Africa are deceptive to the eye. The Sebkra was at least eight miles wide.”
Around 1230 Maj Yarborough describes what happened next, “We were tired when we reached the south shore. One of our communications sergeants showed me a message he had picked up. It came from a friendly airman who had just landed at Tafaraoui. He asked us to send paratroops as soon as we could. He said that there were a few enemy machine guns still firing, and that our tanks had rounded up a lot of prisoners which someone was going to have to guard. I showed the message to Raff. “How about it Ed, if you give me the OK, I can slip a company in there.” “The planes are out of gas.” “Not all of them. Ours may have half an hour left even though she reads empty. If I could get three ships, we could haul about eighty men.” “OK, go ahead.” He spat a blob of blood. “Let me know by radio when you get there.”
Maj Yarborough who was designated by Lt Col Raff to lead the advanced party describes, “Lieutenant Joe Beck led the three transports over and set them down near us. We had taken quite a long time to get across the Sebkra, and it was getting late in the afternoon. Everybody wanted to go on the mission. Raff picked Captain Berry’s E Company and some of the Battalion Headquarters men. The ships were jam packed. We were going to fly too low to use parachutes, so the number of people in the plane didn’t matter so much. Considerable weight leeway was allowed by the lack of gasoline. We took off heavily and soon were hurtling along toward Tafaraoui at a hundred feet of altitude.”
Lt Beck (Plane 28) records, “Capt Gibson, Lt Titsworth and myself flew across to the south side of the Sebkra to Col Raff’s Headquarters, while some other ships went further up the Sebkra to pick up some other paratroopers who had landed there. We reported to Maj Yarborough and while the ships were loading, we got a radio report that the field at Tafaraoui was being bombed. I contacted Maj Wanamaker by radio and he told me that he was on his way to Tafaraoui and would report to us what he saw. He said that the other ships had gone in and landed and that he was going to land. After that, we heard no more from him. While we were waiting on the ground for permission from Col Raff to proceed, a flight of twenty Spitfires passed over headed east towards Tafaraoui. We figured that they would take care of any bombing attack that might be going on, so we prepared for take-off.”
Capt. Nigro (Plane 18) and Lt. McColl (Plane 37) stop at Capt. Evans (Plane 22) and pick up 21 Paratroopers each. They also salvage parts from his aircraft. While on the ground the other three volunteers led by Lt Beck (Plane 28) fly overhead.
Maj Yarborough describes what happened next, “I was standing just in back of Lieutenant Joe Beck, the pilot, in order to point out the spot on the airdrome on which I wished to land. Suddenly a movement in the air to the right front caught the corner of my eye. “What kind of planes are those, Joe?” Joe didn’t answer; he became a whirlwind. He slid into a steep bank and cut the motors. The copilot pumped the flaps down, throwing the shudders through the whole ship. My heart jumped into my throat and stayed there. I could feel the impact as the Vichy machine gun bullets hit our ship broadside. The fuselage began to leak light as the rounds poured into the defenseless mass of men seated on the floor. The noise was deafening. Each shot cracked so loud that I had the sensation of feeling it as well as of hearing it. I made my body as thin as I could by pressing my back against the bulkhead. I would remember to be afraid later. We smashed into the ground going 130 miles per hour and slewed around to a violent halt. Again and again the murderous fire jabbed through the fuselage. As the ship stopped, I made a rush for the open door, stepping on prostrate bodies as I did so. I made a desperate dive into the ground and crawled away from the damaged airplane toward a small knoll. The enemy planes were still in the vicinity and I could see the gleam of the late afternoon sun on their canopies as they banked for another us at us. As paratroops, we knew that we could expect no mercy. We got none. The noise of the machine gun fire was coupled with the shrill sounds of the airplane motors as the attackers swooped over us again. I buried my face in the sand. The pattering like deadly hail around us. I lay face downward on the ground for a full minute after the last airplane screamed over. Cautiously, I raised my head and looked around me. The three transport airplanes looked like ghosts. A paratrooper was hanging head down from the open door of our ship. Blood was slowly dripping from the ends of his fingers onto the sand. A trooper staggered toward me with his hands stretched out like a blind man’s. His face was so covered in blood I could not recognize him. I called to him to lie down and I began to shout for the aid man. The wounded man lay down near me. After I had called for the aid man two or three times, the wounded Soldier told me that he was the aid man. Then I noticed his brassard and his medical pouch. I took a tourniquet from his pouch and put it on his arm at the elbow. I twisted the tourniquet as tightly as I could, but the blood continued to spurt from a jagged wound in his wrist. I sprinkled some sulfanilamide powder into the wound, and placed a wad of cotton on top of it. The tourniquet needed something under it to exert more pressure on the arteries in the hollow of the trooper’s elbow. I searched around in his pouch for such an object. Not finding one, I picked up a smooth stone from the desert floor and placed it under the tourniquet. Captain (Doc) Moir was holding his hand against the side of his head. The blood was oozing from between his fingers and trickling down his elbow. “How do you feel, Doc?” I knew was a foolish question. “I think I’m hit pretty badly,” the parachute doctor replied calmly. “I have two in the head and one through the shoulder. The one in my shoulder stings like hell.” Sergeant Joseph was sitting dejectedly on the sand. His shin had been grazed by a machine gun bullet. “They got Lieutenant Kunkle,” he grated through clenched teeth. He pointed toward the ship. “Look at Lieutenant Beck. He was up on top of that wing trying to check his antenna even before that last strafing run hit us.” Doc Moir was already beginning to work on the wounded in spite of the two wounds in his head and the crease in his shoulder. A paratrooper was holding another’s hands above his head while a third ripped open the right side of his shirt. I could see the red gashes where the bullets had struck him. The sun was beginning to set. Captain Berry was sobbing with rage. Lieutenant Crosby crawled painfully from the door of one of the other transports. Some of the lightly wounded men were making the others more comfortable with opened parachutes to ward off the last rays of the sun.”
At 1630 Capt Nigro (Plane 18) and Lt. McColl (Plane 37) each with 21 paratroopers from Lt Evans (Plane 22) take off. They arrive at Tafaraoui at 1700 without incident.
At sunset the main body with Lt Col Raff continues to march through the night toward Tafaraoui.
Lt Beck (Plane 28) describes the situation, “The remaining paratroopers started out for Tafaraoui to attack it and left us with the wounded and the dead. Three paratroopers were killed outright on my ship, ten were wounded, my radioman Sgt Leon Stipe was severely wounded and subsequently died; my Navigator Lt Bjorn Ahlin was hit in the foot by shrapnel and my Crew Chief T/Sgt Floyd W Grolemund broke his elbow when he jumped out of the baggage door. When the paratroopers left us, I took command of the situation and had the less severely wounded men assist Capt Moir, the paratrooper Doctor, to treat the badly wounded. We gathered supplies from the planes, organized a guard for the night and did what we could to make the wounded comfortable. Some natives arrived from St Josephs, one of the paratroopers who could speak French, asked them to get water for us.”
Maj Yarborough states, “This encounter with the Vichy French fighters left my force with seven dead and twenty wounded. I decided to leave the dead and wounded under the care of our gallant paratroop doctor Bill Moir and to press on toward our objective. Before the sun went down, I counted sixty men in my little task force. They were a grim and angry looking crew. Some of them were resolved to complete the combat mission in spite of wounds, I did not try to dissuade them. I took a careful reading on my compass. From our terrain models in London, we could place the ground picture together pretty thoroughly. We were in the Sebkra d’Oran some fifteen or twenty miles southwest of Valmy. If we could march east until we hit the Valmy-St. Barbe de Tlelat Road, we could find Tafaraoui Airdrome fairly easily. We set out in a column. The fatigue of the day’s events, the long flight from England, the march across the Sebkra, the emotional strain of our baptism of fire began to tell. The North African night fell like a velvet curtain, without warning. There was no moon. Men grunted with the effort as they quickened their steps to catch up after weariness had caused them to lag behind a step or two. Every trooper was carrying some items of equipment. Men silently passed machine guns when a bearer would stumble or falter.“
Maj Yarborough continues, “With the help of our Arab guide, we had reached the vicinity of Tafaraoui just as dawn was coming up. As we approached the northwest edge of the installation. We were sure of our target. The scale model we had studied so carefully in England had been accurate in every respect. Even in the thin morning light, an “L” shaped clump of trees told us exactly where we were. I called for six tommy gun men and sent them ahead as a point. We moved cautiously toward the trees. Anticipation of action made us forget some of our fatigue. The point came to a paved highway running toward the southwest. They halted and I hurried up to look the situation over. This would be the road running toward Sidi Bel Abbes and Tlemcen south of the Sebkra. We were sure of our position now. The column of troopers moved across the road and into the ditch on the far side. It was still too dark to see any distance, but day light was not far off. I called Berry for a hasty consultation. We got down into the ditch to talk. I thought I heard the sound of an airplane motor. Berry said he heard it too. We stopped talking. The sound of the motors became louder and louder. It seemed as though the ship was going to pass over the very spot where we were halted. “I hope that’s one of our guys. If I never see another Dewoitine Fighter, it will be too soon.” Berry’s voice was drowned out by a sudden long burst of heavy machine gun fire. The guns were not three hundred yards from where we were. A mass of tracers streamed upward like comets, arching toward the airplane which was now dimly visible. The ship banked and dove off to the left. “Godalmighty.” The voice came from behind me. “If that isn’t American flak…but you know, I’m just damn near too tired to care.” There was no time to lose. This was Tafaraoui, all right, and we were going to force the issue now or never. Across the road and about 100 yards distant, was a farmhouse with a few trees in front it. I sent the bulk of the troopers across to take up a position facing toward the direction from which the flak had risen. Their orders were to open fire if our advance party ran into any opposition. I put a round in the chamber of my carbine and crawled down the ditch after the advance guard. It was getting quite light by now. A paratroop sergeant was kneeling in the ditch ahead looking along the barrel of his rifle at something across the road. “What do you see, Sergeant?” “I’m not so sure, sir. There are some guys in those holes over there, but they aren’t American and they aren’t talking American.” Yes, I could see them too. In front of a group of white mud buildings was an entrenched area. Some of the red caps were visible in the trenches. “I wonder why they don’t fire.” “I don’t know sergeant, but this ought to swing the deal.” I filled my lungs and called out the password. “Heigh ho si-ilver.” Then I ducked down into the ditch. Nothing happened. A little more boldly now, I poked my head above the ditch, and cautiously stood up. Still nothing moved. I climbed onto the road, holding my carbine at high port, and started toward the position. A remarkable thing happened. The holes and trenches began to disgorge red-hatted native troops, their hands in the air. “What the hell is this, a trap?” The sergeant eyed the group suspiciously. “Some of our guys must be there already, sergeant, let’s go!” We stepped over the fence and picked our way through the barbed wire. The native troops stood aside to let us pass.
Maj Yarborough describes, “A mud and oil-stained American armored force Soldier was leaning against one of the huts rolling a cigarette. He had a two day’s growth of beard on his face. A tommy gun hung from his shoulder. He regarded us without surprise or interest. “Any fighting here?” I asked. “Yes sir, a little. We got about fifteen hundred prisoners around here and no place to put them.” He licked the paper on his cigarette and placed in in the corner of his mouth. “Oh yes,” he remembered, “The Foreign Legion is on its way up here from Sidi Bel Abbes. The Air Corps spotted them a few minutes ago just south of the field.” The Foreign Legion! And that gang could fight too. We had seen enough movies to be damned sure on that point. I hurried down to the air control tower. Machine gun bullets from the air had chipped great chunks from the walls. Shattered windows showed how violent the attack had been. A group of about one hundred French sailors was lined up in front of the Operations Office. I walked in. Some of our airmen were asleep on the concrete floor. Colonel Schofield sat with his chair tilted back, and his feet on the table. “Ah, the paratroops, I presume.” I was too tired to quip back. “How the hell about this Foreign Legion bunch?” “Oh it will be an hour or more before they show up. Besides, our fighters are beginning to come in.” “The Spitfires will take care of them.” I had a lot of faith in Spitfires, but Tafaraoui was originally a Paratroop baby. Besides, I wasn’t at all sure that the decision as to the ownership of the airdrome had already been reached with the enemy. In front of the Operations Office, I ran into Captain Medlin. He had succeeded in sneaking a group of parachutist into the eastern end of the airdrome at dusk after we had been shot down. His troopers had guarded that end of the field throughout the night. I told him where our dead and wounded were and directed him to get help on the way. By the time the Legion arrived within striking range, Paratroops had manned fox holes and slit trenches at a dozen points around the entire airdrome. I could see considerable tank activity to the south. Some of the vehicles were our own light tanks, the others farther to the south were too far away to identify. I knew they were not all ours, as a considerable volume of firing was coming from that direction.”
Doc Alden hearing the situation of the wounded acquired four trucks and moved out to recover the dead and wounded. Heading back for Tafaraoui, the convoy was strafed by a Spitfire fortunately no one was hit. One of the more seriously wounded was Private John Thomas ‘Tommy’ Mackall. He had been shot in the stomach and was in deep agony. Knowing that the youth was in need of prompt surgery, Captain Alden located a plane which flew Tommy Mackall to Gibraltar. The young paratrooper died of his wounds four days later. Mackall was buried on Gibraltar. Not until long after his death did his comrades learn of Tommy Mackall’s closely guarded secret; the young man had a badly deformed hand. Knowing that his crippled hand would keep from being accepted by the Army, he managed to hide his deformity from examining physicians. Again, when he volunteered for the paratroops, the young soldier conspired to conceal his physical ailment. On 01 May 1943 a new airborne training center, Camp Mackall, was named in the paratroopers honor.
Maj Yarborough describes the French Foreign Legion attack, “The Foreign Legion’s first calling card came whistling over at about 1000, and burst in an oily black puff about 100 yards from a group of our airplanes on one of the runways. The field exploded into activity. Ground crews ran for the shelter trenches and another then another shell burst, each one coming closer and closer to the ships. The Legion artillery was ranging in. and would soon begin its deadly “fire for effect’. Even while the shells were whistling through the air and detonating with brilliant flashes on the airdrome, a half dozen Spitfire pilots were running for their airplanes. They were in the air in seconds, it seemed, streaking toward the olive grove to the south from which the Legion battery was firing. The Foreign Legion’s artillery shells were beginning to land steadily among the planes now. Unless the Spits got there soon. Ten or twelve light tanks burst suddenly from cover along the Oran road and started across the open stretch toward the Legion position. They were going fast as they could, bouncing along like antelopes. “Look there, Major. What the hell is he going to do?” The Soldier next to me in the trench was following a Spitfire with his finger. The Spit was going into a power dive toward the tanks. Down he came closer and closer to the racing vehicles. His machine guns began to blaze. Tracers almost obscured the tanks, striking the ground around them and ricocheting off into the distance. Clouds of dust arose from the impact of the projectiles. The Spit zoomed into the blue and banked for another run at the target. We were too astounded at this development to even talk. The tanks were American! The Spit pilot evidently didn’t know the difference between our tanks and the enemy’s. He was coming in for a second run at the madly racing little tanks. Again the vehicles were obscured by tracers and dust. A second Spitfire, seeing the action, approached, then a third. One by one they peeled off and rained tracers down upon the struggling vehicles. We shouted at the top of our lungs. “Go it, tankers, get in the woods before those bastards knock you out – go it, tanks!” The tanks finally made the woods, and vanished. We could not tell what casualties they had suffered, but they certainly had caught a point blank strafing. To the south, four or five fighter airplanes were diving at something on the ground. We could see their tracers dart down, but the target was obscured from us by the intervening terrain. Our Spits headed for the scene of the action. Presently, a huge detonation came from the direction of the Legion attack. A column of smoke and debris mushroomed into the air, and the battery which had been firing at our airfield was silent. I was suddenly very tired. I stumbled back to the Operations Office and wandered in. One of our Allied Underground agents was there with a whole pouch full of francs. He was paying off the young Arab who had acted as our guide during the night. I was too tired to talk. I lay down on the concrete and slept. Somehow the situation at Tafaraoui was brought under control. It was one not covered in any of the field manuals I had read. After finally agreeing to surrender, the French Garrison, predominantly Navy Air personnel, immediately put up a clamor about displaying the French flag over the bullet riddled operations building. There was much acrimonious argument among types who a few hours before had been trying to kill each other, before it was wisely decided that both flags had to be flown, and they were!”
Lt Col Raff describes, “About noontime our route of march joined the main road. In a short time Major Yardley had started a bus service deluxe to Tafaraoui. He first rode to the airport in a civilian car, then commandeered a bus to take all the paratroopers there. Using gasoline its innards had not likely felt before, 100 octane, ‘requisitioned’ from the Spitfire dump, with bullying persuasion the aging charabanc lasted four trips. At Tafaraoui everyone felt the worst was over. News trickled through that Algers had fallen, that Casablanca and Oran were more or less ready to capitulate. Spitfires at the airfield had been doing a bang up job on enemy tanks and installations. But try as they might they could not locate the French 75mm gun which persisted in lobbing shells on the aerodrome itself. Since Colonel Waters and his tanks were preparing for the final assault on La Senia and Oran, it fell to the paratroopers’ lot to defend the aerodrome and to provide security for General Doolittle and his staff who were operating thereon. Despite the fact that a battle was taking place only ten miles away, planes were flying off Tafaraoui’s unfinished runways in ever increasing numbers. Fighters circled overhead ready to strike the enemy on the ground or in the air. The little Naval dispensary on the aerodrome became crowded with wounded Americans collected there prior to being sent to Gibraltar by plane. All of a sudden Oran fell. Johnny Waters, with his tanks assisting the rest of the American armor, had crashed through. Already our thoughts turned to the east and Tunis.”
1st Lt David C Kunkle KIA 8 Nov. E Co Platoon Leader shot is abdomen while attempting to set up LMG in door C-47
Cpl Wilbert R Sprenkle KIA 8 Nov. E Co Radio Operator
Pvt Ira L Brookins KIA 8 Nov. E Co Rifleman
2nd Lt James G Surges KIA 8 Nov. Co-Pilot
Sgt Leon D Stipe KIA 8 Nov. Radio Operator
Pvt John T Mackall WIA/DOW 8 – 12 Nov E Co Rifleman
Pvt Edward A. LeRoy WIA / DOW 8 – 11 Nov F Co Rifleman
25 others Wounded In Action
2/509th PIR conducts jumpmaster inspections in final preparation for Operation VILLIAN (TORCH)
Current only 502 Paratroopers have been confirmed to have participated in the operation.
| RANK | FIRST | MI | LAST |
| Sgt. | Robert | P. | Akers |
| Pvt. | Houston | C. | Akins |
| Pvt. | John | L. | Albert |
| Capt. | Carlos | C. | Alden |
| Pfc. | John | F. | Alexander |
| T5 | Charles | R. | Allen |
| Pvt. | Jack | Alongi | |
| Pvt. | Leroy | E. | Ande |
| 1st Sgt. | James | C. | Anderson |
| Pvt. | Lyman (Hyman) | W. | Anderson |
| Pfc. | Joseph | J. | Anslow |
| T5 | Keith | Argraves | |
| T5 | William | D. | Ates |
| Pvt. | Harley | Atkinson | |
| Pfc. | Charles | A. | Audet |
| Pvt. | William | B. | Azline |
| Cpl. | Harold | A. | Bachman |
| Pvt. | Jesse | W. | Bacon |
| Pvt. | Harry | F. | Bailey |
| Sgt. | Edward | T. | Balcom |
| Pvt. | James | H. | Ballentine |
| Sgt. | Michael | Baranek | |
| Cpl. | William | E. | Barker |
| Pfc. | Roy | R. | Barlow |
| Pfc. | Alphard | L. | Barnett |
| Sgt. | Elwood | Barnhardt | |
| Pfc. | Robert | M. | Barnthouse |
| Pvt. | Joseph | Barressi | |
| Pfc. | Lester | F. | Barrett |
| Sgt. | Kelly | C. | Barth |
| Pvt. | Vernon | L. | Bass |
| Pfc. | James | W. | Bates |
| Pvt. | Joseph | Bauer | |
| Pfc. | Stanley | Beatham Jr. | |
| Pvt. | Albert | A. | Beauchesne |
| Pvt. | Joseph | A. | Bernado (DID NOT JUMP) |
| Capt. | John | T. | Berry |
| Pfc. | John | L. | Betts |
| Pvt. | John | A. | Bickle |
| Sgt. | Carl | E. | Bigham |
| Sgt. | John | L. | Billingsley |
| 2nd Lt. | Archie | G. | Birkner |
| TSgt. | Ellis | L. | Bishop |
| Pvt. | Ross | E. | Bittinger |
| Sgt. | Lloyd | K. | Bjelland |
| Capt. | Erven | E. | Boettner |
| Pfc. | Charles | Boisvert | |
| Pfc. | Burl | E. | Bolesta |
| Pvt. | Walter | T. | Borowiak |
| T5 | Ernest | Boudoin | |
| Pfc. | Lloyd | P. | Bourn |
| Sgt. | Ralph | R. | Bourn |
| Pfc. | Johnny | N. | Boyce |
| Pfc. | Lorenzo | Boyd | |
| T5 | James | R. | Boyle |
| Pfc. | Clyde | S. | Branthover |
| Pvt. | Woodrow | W. | Braowder (Browder) |
| Pvt. | Franklin | L. | Breidegam (Briedegan) |
| Pvt. | Daniel | Brenner | |
| Cpl. | Eugene | Brewer | |
| Pvt. | James | M. | Broadway |
| Pfc. | Raymond | L. | Brockman |
| Pvt. | George | J. | Brodrick |
| Pvt. | Ira | L. | Brookins |
| Pfc. | Albert | E. | Brown |
| Sgt. | William | C. | Bryson |
| Sgt. | Joseph | L. | Buchanan |
| Pvt. | Louis | C. | Burdsel |
| Sgt. | Dwight | Burns | |
| Pfc. | Edward | Burns | |
| Pfc. | James | W. | Bussey |
| Pvt. | Robert | T. | Byrom |
| Pvt. | James | E. | Cabe |
| Sgt. | Ray | Cagle | |
| T5 | Robert | B. | Cakes |
| Pvt. | George | W. | Caldwell |
| Pfc. | Floyd | W. | Calhoun |
| Sgt. | Clarence | G. | Callahen |
| Pfc. | Hugh | D. | Camp |
| Pfc. | John | E. | Campbell |
| SSgt. | William | Campbell | |
| Cpl. | Elmer | T. | Cardwell |
| SSgt. | Maynard | L. | Carp |
| Pvt. | Ray | Carr | |
| Pvt. | Peter | Carsetti | |
| 1st Sgt. | Vernon | T. | Cartnay |
| Pvt. | Leonard | S. | Caruso |
| Pvt. | Louis | J. | Catizone |
| Pvt. | Harold | T. | Caulfield |
| Pvt. | Joseph | W. | Cernak |
| Pvt. | George | B. | Chaffin |
| SSgt. | Brad | Chalkor | |
| Cpl. | Loren (Loran) | E. | Chambers |
| Pvt. | Walter | A. | Cherry |
| Sgt. | Roderick | Childs | |
| Pfc. | Lenwood | R. | Choquette |
| Cpl. | Paul | Chorniak | |
| Pvt. | Charles | C. | Christensen |
| Pvt. | Charles | Cipy | |
| Sgt. | James | W. | Clance |
| Pvt. | Carl | R. | Clegg |
| Cpl. | Ross | W. | Clem |
| Pvt. | Herbert | M. | Coberty |
| Pvt. | Charles | L. | Coffell |
| Pfc. | Richard | H. | Coleman |
| Sgt. | James | W. | Collins |
| Pfc. | Percy | R. | Collins |
| Pfc. | W. | C. | Collins |
| Pfc. | Ralph | E. | Colwell |
| Pvt. | Russell | P. | Cook |
| Pvt. | Ivan | A. | Cooper |
| Pvt. | William | Cooper | |
| Sgt. | John | F. | Costello |
| T4 | Thomas | J. | Crane |
| Pvt. | Martin | W. | Crites |
| Sgt. | Elton (Alton) | H. | Crocker |
| 2nd Lt. | Albert | V. | Crosby |
| Pfc. | John | H. | Cross |
| Pvt. | William | D. | Cross |
| Pvt. | Edward | H. | Crowther |
| Pfc. | Henry | G. | Cuethle |
| 2nd Lt. | Casper | E. | Curtis |
| 2nd Lt. | Stuart | G. | Cutler |
| Pfc. | Rosaire (Rosarie) | E. | Cyr |
| Pfc. | Thadeous | Czolgosz | |
| Pvt. | Thaddeus | J. | Dabrowski |
| Pvt. | Albert | Dager | |
| Sgt. | Edward | Danish | |
| Pvt. | Robert | D. | Daves |
| Sgt. | Robert | B. | David |
| Sgt. | Donald | E. | Davis |
| Pvt. | William | H. | Davis |
| Pvt. | Clarence | G. | Dawkins |
| 2nd Lt. | Hugh | C. | De Lury |
| Pfc. | Kenneth | De Wald | |
| Pvt. | Barney | O. | Debray |
| Pfc. | Roger | P. | Derringer |
| Pfc. | Walter | J. | Derrow (Darrow) |
| Sgt. | Arthur | E. | Dickerson |
| Pvt. | Augustine | M. | Digiovanni |
| 2nd Lt. | Carl | E. | Dittman |
| Pvt. | Bert | E. | Dockins |
| Pfc. | Le Roy (Leroy) | E. | Dokey |
| Pfc. | Raymond | J. | Donovan |
| Pvt. | Robert | L. | Doyle |
| Pvt. | Daniel | H. | Drumbeater |
| Pvt. | Milford | L. | Dugan |
| Sgt. | Woodrow | F. | Dunlap |
| Pfc. | Thomas | E. (F.) | Dunlavey |
| Pvt. | Roger | W. | Durant |
| Pfc. | Wallace | H. | Eaker |
| Pvt. | William | I. | Eckroth |
| Pfc. | John | D. | Egri |
| Pfc. | John | F. | Eichhorn |
| Pvt. | Otto | Ekman | |
| Pvt. | Donald | B. | Ellis |
| Pfc. | Ord | E. | Elmore |
| Pfc. | Walter | Endlich | |
| Pfc. | Demont | S. | Erland |
| Pfc. | Clifford | E. | Fain |
| Cpl. | Henry | C. | Faircloth |
| Pvt. | Clifford | B. | Faulkner |
| Pvt. | Eugene | J. | Felippelli |
| Pfc. | Herbert | Ferguson | |
| ? | Richard | D. | Fisco |
| Cpl. | Burnett | H. | Fite |
| Cpl. | Samuel | M. | Flagler |
| Cpl. | Wiley | J. | Flohr |
| Pvt. | Andrew | J. | Floyd Jr. |
| Cpl. | George | G. | Fontanesi |
| Pvt. | John | V. | Forni |
| T5 | Ora | A. | Foster |
| Pvt. | Leigh | F. | Fox |
| Sgt. | Leverne | S. | Fox |
| SSgt. | Lowell | W. | Frank |
| Pvt. | Adolph | Fuessel | |
| Sgt. | Charlie | B. | Fuller |
| Pfc. | Adolph | Gennarelli | |
| Pfc. | Fred | R. | Gerber |
| Pvt. | Stanley | B. | Gillman |
| T5 | Mifflin | G. | Glenn |
| SSgt. | Anthony | J. | Gorshe |
| Sgt. | Eugene | R. | Grafe |
| Sgt. | Harold | C. (O.) | Graff |
| Pfc. | Hilton | E. | Graham |
| Pvt. | Johnnie | Graham | |
| Pvt. | Arlie | K | Graley |
| Pvt. | Clare | F. | Granbit |
| Pfc. | Walter | E. | Graska |
| Pvt. | Robert | H. | Green |
| SSgt. | Jack | V. | Greene |
| Pfc. | Kenneth | Gridley | |
| Pfc. | Alfred | R. | Groom |
| Pfc. | Wesley | E. | Gunderson |
| Cpl. | Eugene | R. | Hall |
| Pfc. | Everett | J. | Hall |
| Pvt. | Franklin | J. | Hall |
| Pvt. | Henry | Hamilton | |
| Pfc. | James | R. | Hammonds |
| Sgt. | Fred | E. | Harding |
| 1st Lt. | James | H. | Hardy |
| Pfc. | Russell | G. | Harvey |
| 2nd Lt. | Seldon | D. | Harvey |
| T5 | John | T. | Hayes |
| SSgt. | Lyless (Uyless) | V. | Haynes (Haymes) |
| Pvt. | John | E. | Hendricks |
| Pvt. | Richard | P. | Hendricks |
| Sgt. | William | J. | Herb |
| Pvt. | Harold | L. | Herbert |
| T5 | Howard | H. | Herr Jr. |
| Cpl. | Don | W. | Herrin |
| Pvt. | Edwin | C. | Hicks |
| Pvt. | Haskel | Hill | |
| Pvt. | Gerald | T. | Hogan |
| 2nd Lt. | Hugh | G. | Hogan |
| Pvt. | Romas | E. | Holder |
| Pvt. | Edward | C. | Holley |
| Cpl. | Charles | O. | Holmes |
| Pvt. | William | J. | Holtz |
| Pvt. | Louis | Homoki | |
| Sgt. | Charles | W. | Hood |
| SSgt. | William | L. | Hooker |
| Cpl. | Leland | R. | Hottun |
| T4 | George | L. | Houston |
| 2nd Lt. | Charles | W. | Howland |
| T5 | William | D. | Hubbard |
| Pvt. | Paul | B. | Huff |
| Cpl. | James | C. | Hughes |
| Cpl. | Romaine | W. | Hutchings |
| Cpl. | Leo | C. | Inglesby |
| 1st Sgt. | Frank | Jackson | |
| T5 | William | R. | Jameson |
| Pfc. | Guy | W. | Jeanes |
| 2nd Lt. | John | V. | Jennings |
| Pfc. | Dixie | C. | Johnson |
| Pfc. | Robert | L. | Johnson |
| Pfc. | Lewis | L. | Jones |
| T5 | Robert | L. | Jones |
| SSgt. | Alain | Joseph | |
| Pvt. | Donald | H. | Kammer |
| Pvt. | Robert | F. | Kealen |
| Pfc. | Francis | L. | Keane |
| Sgt. | Arthur (Artrur) | L. | Kellar |
| Pvt. | William | J. | Kerney |
| Pvt. | Clifford | C. | King |
| Sgt. | William | H. | King |
| Pfc. | Vincent | J. | Kleysteuber |
| 1st Sgt. | John | G. (J.) | Klish |
| Sgt. | Ernest | R. | Komula |
| Pvt. | Theodore | J. | Kotlowski |
| Pvt. | Marcus | Kukee | |
| 2nd Lt. | Dave | C. | Kunkle |
| 2nd Lt. | Charles | W. | Kurtz |
| Cpl. | Richard | La Forge | |
| T5 | Howard | E. | Laudwig |
| Pfc. | Julius | Le Blanc | |
| Pfc. | Edward | R. | Le Carpentier |
| SSgt. | Leman (Lehman) | Le Compt Jr. | |
| Cpl. | Robert | E. | League |
| Cpl. | William | H. | Leatherwood |
| Cpl. | Joseph | W. | Lee |
| Sgt. | Wesley | Lee | |
| Pvt. | Paul | E. | Legg |
| Pvt. | Ocko | F. | Leonard |
| Pvt. | Charles | J. | Lovday |
| Pfc. | Jessee | J. | Luczyk |
| ? | Thomas | F. | Lustrtitz |
| 2nd Lt. | Robert | C. | Mac Lane |
| Pvt. | John | Mackall | |
| T4 | Leonard | C. | Maenbout |
| Sgt. | Ralph | Maerz | |
| Cpl. | Chester | Majchrazak | |
| Pvt. | Lorenz | C. | Malberg |
| Pvt. | Carmine | J. | Manente |
| Sgt. | Tony | J. | Manzella |
| Pvt. | Felix | B. | Marsh |
| Pvt. | William | T. | Marshall |
| Pfc. | Archie | O. | Martin |
| Pfc. | James | M. | Martin |
| 2nd Lt. | John | R. | Martin |
| Cpl. | John | T. | Martin |
| Pvt. | Leo | W. | Martin |
| Pvt. | Warren | F. | Martin |
| Sgt. | Wilbur | D. | Martin |
| Pvt. | Charles | B. | Mask |
| Pfc. | George | A. | Matson |
| T5 | Elmer | R. | Maurer |
| T5 | Howard | N. | Mc Clean (Macleon) |
| 2nd Lt. | Wilber | B. | Mc Clintock |
| Sgt. | Walter | L. | Mc Cook |
| T5 | Tracey | L. | Mc Cue |
| Cpl. | Elzie | B. | Mc Cullough |
| Pfc. | Edward | K | Mc Gaffick |
| Cpl. | John | W. | Mc Gee |
| Pvt. | James | E. | Mc Grath |
| Pvt. | Robert | W. | Mc Hale |
| TSgt. | Lester | C. | Mc Laney |
| SSgt. | Paul | E. | Mc Rill |
| Pvt. | James | C. | Meachum |
| Pfc. | Walter | E. | Mechowski |
| Capt. | William | A. | Medling Jr. (Medlin) |
| Pfc. | George | W. | Michael |
| Sgt. | Edward | R. | Miller |
| Sgt. | Lincoln | Miller | |
| Pfc. | Robert | W. | Miller |
| 2nd Lt. | Ralph | R. | Miller Jr. |
| T5 | Edgar | F. | Millisite |
| Pfc. | Leroy | Mills | |
| Pfc. | Marshall | E. | Mitchell |
| Pvt. | Joseph | S. | Moffo |
| Capt. | William | P. | Moir |
| T5 | Dorsey | W. | Moody |
| T4 | Joseph | H. | Moore |
| Pvt. | Lester | L. | Moore |
| Pvt. | Russell | L. (C.) | Morris |
| Capt. | William | J. | Morrow |
| Sgt. | William | E. | Moses |
| Pvt. | Pete | Mrvosh | |
| Pfc. | Charles | L. | Murdoch |
| Pfc. | Harold | H. | Murren |
| Pvt. | Earnest | E. | Nelson |
| Pfc. | James | E. (C.) | Nesmith |
| ? | Russell | T. | Neview |
| T5 | James | H. | Nixon |
| Pvt. | Roman | L. | Njewienglowski |
| Pvt. | Kenneth | M. | Nolte |
| Pfc. | Steven | Nowakowski | |
| Pvt. | James | W. | Nunn |
| Pvt. | J. | J. | O'Brien |
| 1st Sgt. | Mike | O'Brien | |
| SSgt. | Tom | W. | Odom |
| ? | George | Olesh Jr. | |
| Sgt. | Andrew | P. | Omasta |
| Sgt. | Ortagus | ||
| Pfc. | Stanley | T. | Orzell |
| Pfc. | Alexander | W. | Osmond |
| Pvt. | Charles | J. | Otzel |
| Pvt. | Joseph | W. | Owens |
| SSgt. | Cyrus | C. | Paks |
| Pfc. | William | E. | Paley |
| Pvt. | Andrew | Panusko | |
| Cpl. | Henry | R. | Pardleck |
| 2nd Lt. | Robert | W. | Parker |
| Pvt. | Charles | E. | Parten |
| Cpl. | Robert | V. | Patsch |
| Sgt. | Walter | R. | Patterson |
| Pvt. | John | R. | Patton |
| SSgt. | Robert | H. | Paudert |
| T5 | Harvey | G. | Peace |
| 2nd Lt. | Fred | E. | Perry |
| Pfc. | John | J. | Perry |
| Pvt. | Arden | O. | Peterson |
| Pfc. | George | Petrisko | |
| Sgt. | Frank | Pflugler | |
| Pfc. | Harry | Phillips | |
| Pvt. | John | T. | Pierce |
| SSgt. | Jack | Pogue | |
| Pfc. | William | B. | Poole |
| Sgt. | William | E. | Powell |
| Pfc. | William | C. | Price |
| Pvt. | James | R. | Prince Jr. |
| Pvt. | Merse | J. | Process |
| T5 | Carroll | C. | Proctor |
| Cpl. | Elhem | Puckett | |
| Pvt. | John | E. | Pumphrey (Pumphey) |
| T4 | Claude | A. | Purvis |
| Lt. Col. | Edson | D. | Raff |
| T5 | Joseph | R. | Rambin |
| Cpl. | Harold | D. | Ramey |
| T5 | John | W. | Ramsden |
| Cpl. | James | R. (B.) | Ray |
| Pvt. | Daniel | B. | Reardon |
| Pfc. | Richard | J. | Reuschling |
| Pvt. | Richard | G. | Rhoads |
| SSgt. | Walter | Rice | |
| Pvt. | Charles | W. | Richards |
| Cpl. | Samuel | M. | Richards |
| Pfc. | Carl | D. | Riley |
| Pvt. | Bernard | L. | Roberts |
| SSgt. | Douglas | T. | Robinson |
| Pvt. | John | F. | Robinson |
| Pvt. | James | L. | Rogers |
| Pvt. | George | Russ | |
| Sgt. | Carl | E. | Salisbury |
| Sgt. | Jackson | T. | Sapp |
| Pvt. | Marshall | R. | Savell |
| Cpl. | Clyde | W. | Scarbrough (Scarborough) |
| Pfc. | Winfield | Schadman | |
| Pfc. | George | F. | Schaffer |
| Pvt. | C. | A. | Schenk |
| Capt. | William | J. | Schloth |
| Pfc. | Bernard | B. | Schwarm |
| Pvt. | Harold | Seay | |
| Pfc. | Avery | Sellers | |
| Pvt. | Michael | Sembrat | |
| Pvt. | Lincoln | S. | Sennett |
| Pfc. | Marion | W. | Shade |
| Pfc. | Harold | I. | Shantle |
| Cpl. | Merle | L. | Shearer |
| Pvt. | George | J. | Sheridan |
| T4 | William | Sherman | |
| 2nd Lt. | William | M. | Sherman |
| Pfc. | Adger | S. | Shirley |
| Sgt. | Varna | C. | Shrewsberry (Shresberry) |
| Pvt. | Laverne | G. | Shulion |
| Pvt. | Thomas | L. | Silas Jr. |
| SSgt. | Jesse | A. | Silva |
| Sgt. | William | H. | Simmons |
| Pfc. | Clifford | E. | Simonds |
| Pvt. | William | Simons | |
| Pfc. | Stanley | D. | Sjostrom |
| Pfc. | Charlie | A. | Smith |
| Pfc. | John | F. | Smith |
| Cpl. | Needham | S. | Smith |
| Pfc. | Robert | H. | Soden |
| Pfc. | WIlliam | A. | Soska |
| Pvt. | William | Southerland | |
| 2nd Lt. | C. | E. | Spires |
| Pfc. | Leon | P. | Sporish |
| Cpl. | Wilbert | E. | Sprenkle |
| SSgt. | Allen | W. | Stafford |
| Cpl. | Leo | E. | Stambaugh |
| Pfc. | Edwin | M. | Stapleton |
| Sgt. | Robert | T. | Stier |
| Pvt. | Alcus | Stokes | |
| Pvt. | Horace | Stringfellow III | |
| Pfc. | Robert | G. | Suarez |
| Cpl. | William | W. | Sullivan |
| T4 | Donald | L. | Sutton |
| 1st Sgt. | Jim | Swain | |
| Pfc. | Leonard | Swatsenbarg | |
| Sgt. | Charles | M. | Talbott |
| 2nd Lt. | John | W. | Teasley |
| Pfc. | C. | L. | Thomas |
| T5 | Chester | A. | Thomas |
| Sgt. | Clarence | H. | Thomas |
| Pfc. | Marion | W. | Thomas |
| Pvt. | Robert | L. | Thomas |
| Pfc. | James | E. | Thomason |
| Sgt. | Arthur | R. | Thompson |
| Pfc. | Kalmer | G. | Thompson |
| Pfc. | Clyde | Thornton | |
| Sgt. | Ralph | D. | Thornton |
| 2nd Lt. | William | F. | Threkheld |
| Pfc. | Carey | L. | Tidwell Jr. |
| T5 | Frank | Tilton | |
| Lt. | John | Timothy British (Paratooper Liaison Officer) | |
| Capt. | Henry | C. | Tipton |
| Pvt. | Frances | Tocci | |
| 2nd Lt. | Edmund | J. | Tomasik |
| Pvt. | Joseph | M. | Torpey |
| Pfc. | Harry | E. | Tracey Jr. |
| Pfc. | Murphy | J. | Trahan (Trahen) |
| Pfc. | Alvin | L. | Trumbull |
| Cpl. | Martin | L. | Ullicny |
| Pvt. | David | R. | Vail |
| T5 | Aureline (Aureliano) | S. | Valdez |
| Pvt. | Lloyd | G. | Van Guilder |
| Pvt. | William | Vandenburg | |
| Pfc. | Royden | V. | Vandervort |
| T5 | Guadalupe | Vasquez | |
| SSgt. | Joseph | Viteritto Jr. | |
| Pfc. | George | Voleta | |
| Pvt. | Arthur | W. | Von Essen |
| T5 | Jack | A. | Wagers |
| Pvt. | Vernon | O. | Walker |
| Pvt. | Robert | B. | Waller |
| Cpl. | Odus | M. | Wardlow |
| Pvt. | Pete | Way | |
| Pfc. | Carl | R. | Weaver |
| SSgt. | Orval | W. | Webb |
| Sgt. | Soloman (Sol) | B. | Weber |
| Sgt. | Roland | Weeks | |
| Cpl. | Edwin | G. | Wegner |
| Pvt. | John | Westerlund | |
| Pvt. | James | S. | Whitacre |
| Pvt. | Jack | L. | White |
| Pfc. | Marvin | E. | White |
| Pvt. | Curtis | N. (M.) | Whitehead |
| SSgt. | James | C. | Whittington |
| Pvt. | Henry | G. | Wilburn |
| Pvt. | Amos | W. | Wilder |
| Pvt. | Woodruff | F. | Wilkerson |
| Pvt. | Curtis | C. | Williams |
| Pfc. | Robert | J. (G.) | Williams |
| Pvt. | Earl | M. | Williamson |
| T5 | Monroe | E. | Wills |
| 2nd Lt. | Lloyd | G. | Wilson |
| T4 | Paul | V. | Wilson |
| Pvt. | Thomas | S. | Wimberly |
| Sgt. | Dillard | T. | Winkler |
| 2nd Lt. | Joseph | J. | Winsko |
| Pfc. | William | F. | Withem |
| Pfc. | Chester | J. | Witkowski |
| Pvt. | Franklin | W. | Wolfe |
| SSgt. | Silas | A. | Worley |
| Pvt. | William | O. | Wright |
| Pvt. | Charles | C. | Yanush |
| Maj. | William | P. | Yarborough |
| Capt. | Doyle | R. | Yardley |
| Cpl. | Roger (Rodger) | B. | Zeigler |
| Pvt. | Alphonso (Alphonse) | A. | Zoucha |
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