505th Parachute Infantry Regiment | laststandonzombieisland

C-130J Invasion Stripes

Posted on September 18, 2023 by laststandonzombieisland Leave a comment

Invasion stripes on C-47 SN 43-30652, circa September 1944, of the 36th Troop Carrier Squadron during Operation Market Garden

First off: Happy 76th Birthday, USAF.

Now, the news.

A half-dozen advanced C-130J Super Hercules aircraft of the “Blue Tail Flies” of the historic 37th Airlift Squadron, based at Germany’s Ramstein Air Base recently received a special paint job and decals that the unit plans to show off over the beaches of Normandy, France, on the 80th anniversary of the Operation Overlord D-Day landings next June.

Maintainers of the 86th Maintenance Squadron painted black-and-white “Invasion stripes” on the C-130s as a throwback to those sported by Allied aircraft during the landings.

Importantly, the first Allied aircraft to cross the line on D-Day, carrying personnel of the 82nd Airborne Division’s 3rd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment and the 456th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion to a drop zone near Sainte-Mère-Église in occupied France, was Douglas C-47 Skytrain 43-30652, dubbed “Whiskey Seven” (W7), of the 37th Troop Carrier Squadron, now the 37th Airlift, so the historical tie is solid.

U.S. Air Force Airman Quinten Cooper, 86th Maintenance Squadron Aircraft Structural Maintenance apprentice, paints a C-130J Super Hercules aircraft at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Aug. 1, 2023. The 86th MXS ASM flight painted stripes on six of the 37th Airlift Squadrons C-130s as a way to pay homage to the C-47 Skytrain aircraft that flew over Normandy during the Invasion of Europe on June 6, 1944. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Thomas Karol)

Gavin’s D-Day jacket

Posted on July 9, 2023 by laststandonzombieisland Leave a comment

Below is the M1942 Paratrooper jacket that Brig. Gen. James Maurice “Jumpin’ Jim” Gavin (USMA 1925) wore on the drop by the 82nd Airborne into Normandy, courtesy of the West Point Museum.

Of note, 80 years ago today, on 9 July 1943, then-Colonel Gavin was the first man out of his plane as the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment (Airborne) became the first Army regiment to execute a combat jump as part of Operation Husky. He also completed more jumps in combat than any other Army officer in WWII, parachuting into Sicily (twice), Normandy, and Holland.

On 9 July 1943, at an airfield outside Kairouan, Tunisia, standing left is Col. James Gavin, CO of 505th PIR, briefing his sky soldiers prior to their boarding C-47 transports.

Husky was the first brigade-sized U.S. airborne operation in history and the largest American combat jump to date.

During the Torch landings the previous fall, the 509 PIB made smaller jumps to seize airfields at Tafaraoui, Morocco (8 November) and Youks les Bains, Algeria (15 November), but they were battalion-sized jumps with no more than 556 paratroopers were involved.

Husky was much bigger, involving six times as many troops jumping from aircraft on Day 1 alone. On 9 July, some 226 C-47 transports were required to lift the regiment and its attached units (3 Bn, 504 PIR; 505 PIR; 456 PFA; 307th Para Eng) over Sicily, with 3,407 men stepping out the door.

The next day, Husky II would see another 2,304 paratroopers (of 1 & 2 Bn, 504 PIR; 376 PFA) drop in as reinforcements.