Robert L. Corey

NAME: Robert L. Corey

ASN:

PLACE OF BIRTH:WV

DATE OF BIRTH:

DATES OF SERVICE:1938 - 1945

UNIT ASSIGNED: HHC 2nd Bn 509th PIR

HHC 508th PIR

CAMPAIGNS: Algeria-French Morocco, Tunisia, Naples-Foggia, Normandy, Ardennes-Alsace, Rhineland

AWARDS: Combat Infantryman Badge, Parachutist Badge with three combat jump stars, Purple Heart Medal (Undocumented), Good Conduct Medal, EAME Campaign Medal with arrowhead device and five bronze star devices, World War II Victory Medal

SUMMARY OF SERVICE:

1938 - Joined the West Virginia National Guard

00 Jan 1940 - Guard activated as the 150th Infantry at Camp Shelby, MS

1940 - Stationed in the Panama Canal Zone. His Guard unit had frequent contact with the 2nd Field Pack Artillery, a unit that had been in the PCZ since the building of the canal. They had a reputation for disrupting local liquor establishments when they came out of the mountains. The Zone was also used as a training facility for parachute training, which was in its infancy

00 Jan 1942 - Bob Cory asked for a reassignment to airborne and was sent to Fort Benning, GA

00 Jun 1942 - Shipped over to England as part of the 509th Parachute Battalion

00 Nov 1942 - Was possibly part of rear detachment

14 Sep 1943 - Participated in Avellino Jump (Unconfirmed, name not on manifest)Bob Corey found himself 50 miles behind enemy lines and scrounging for food and water among the Italian civilians for 30 days with a few other troopers. One of Bob’s men was wounded in one of their encounters with the German patrols. They carried him with them until he later died. Bob’s men finally got back to friendly lines in Salerno in October 1943. Total casualties for the 509th Battalion were 123 killed and captured including the 509th commander and his entire staff. According to Corey, he and the survivors of his last mission were going to be rolled into an infantry unit when their CO managed to keep their airborne status by having them reassigned to the 508th PIR, part of the 82nd in England.

06 Jun 1944 - Bob jumped with the 508th into Normandy. Their primary targets were Brienville and Beuzeville-la-Bastille. Clouds and heavy anti-aircraft fire caused the formations to break up and many of the planes to stray off course. The confusion was also compounded by the Wehrmacht’s presence in the drop zones. 508th troopers were widely scattered over the Normandy countryside but participated in battles at Saint Mare Eglise and Hill #30.

Bob returned to Nottingham, England

17 Sep 1944 - Operation MARKET GARDEN. Bob participated in action in Groesbeck and Nijmegen.

10 Nv 1944 - the 508th was relieved by a British Brigade. They immediately returned to Nijmegen

14 Nov 1944 - Returned to Camp Sissone, France

16 Dec 1944 - the entire 82nd Airborne was thrust into Ardennes Forest in the largest battle of World War II - The Battle of the Bulge. Bob and the 508th was ordered to Werbomont to pinch in the northern shoulder

19 Dec 1944 - the 508th set up positions in the vicinity of Chevron. The regiment held positions

03 Jan 1945 - 82nd Airborne Division counterattacked

07 Jan 1945 - Red Devil's launched an attack in the vicinity of Thier-du-Mont where it suffered heavy casualties. Bob Corey received a commendation for retrieving maps and intelligence information from enemy territory after his commander was wounded

22 Feb 1945 - The Regiment moved back to Camp Sissonne where it became part of SHAEF reserve. Bob then became part of General Eisenhower’s Honor Guard

Bob went on to college with the GI bill and became an engineer for General Electric.

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