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Static Line - Three Winds of Death

August 1992
By the time you read these words the most recent of the 503rd PRCT reunions will have joined the pages of history. I hope that a lot of you were there to help celebrate the 50th anniversary of the forming of the 503rd Parachute Regiment.
 
I'm going to start this month's column with a letter from Frank J. Day, who lives In Denver, CO, and was a former member of "D" Co. 

Frank writes: 

"Hi, Buddy, The old write-ups in the Static Line by Burgess from the 11th ABN. in 1944 get me a little ruffled.  The 11th was not there.  The 158th and 503rd were combat teams and not with the 11th.  Found a picture I had of the jump made on Kamiri airstrip on Noemfoor, either 1st or 3rd Bn.  As you know, the 2nd came in on the beach at Namber airstrip, guarded by a company of the 158th."

"The other picture is of Colonel Postlethwait. He was a commander of the 34th infantry on Corregidor (My words — The 3rd Bn. of the 34th Inf landed by assault boat on the west shore of Corregidor seized and held the north slope of Malinta Hill and effectively cut the island of Corregidor into two parts),   later joined the  Airborne and was Colonel in the 503rd of the 11th Airborne in  Munich, Germany. His picture shows him in 1958 when he commanded the 503rd Battle Group at Warner Kaserne in Munich Germany. Got to sign off now. Hope no one thinks that the 503rd was in the llth Airborne in 1944. Closing, Frank Day.” 

Always glad to hear from you, Frank. 

Got a call from Hugh Breslin who passed on the information that the guys from LCI-625 (The Rock) will be having their reunion in Columbus, Ohio at the Woodson Suites Motel from 15-17 September. Anyone interested in attending this gettogether can call Clancy Baux at (301) 464-9757. 

Adding to the pieces of this little part of history I had reported in the April issue of the Static Line that some of the troopers from the 503rd remained in the memory of the crew of LCI-625. One such 503rd trooper, who wore a red bandana, carried the nickname of "Moose," Got a letter from Andy Amaty of Howard Beach, New York, and Andy writes. "Hi, John. A while back you asked questions concerning   "Moose" Elder. He was from Maine and was a guide. The late Henry Cook (A Co.) and his friends used "Moose" a few times on their late fall safaris. "Moose" was "A" Co. 503rd 3rd Bn. in ’41 and was in the Southern California desert with “A” Co. 503rd Bn. in '41 and was in the Southern California desert with "A" Co. for their training. A terrific rifleman with a large hat and equally large mustache. He later transferred to the 2nd Bn. — survived the service but passed on in a nursing home in Connecticut. He was one of our better troopers who ALSO never garnered any honest recognition except by the men who served with him. My words — So, Clancy, you and the guys can "raise one" to the memory of "Moose." 

Andy also reported on the Corregidor Dinner held by the Northeast Chapter of the 503rd PRCT on March 7, 1992. Seventy-two members and guests were in attendance, and there were three "first-timers" with their wives. They were Tom and Adele Annetto, Al and Shirley Oakley, and Mike and Charlotte Parello. Everyone enjoyed a tasteful afternoon buffet in the hospitality room, and an evening sit-down dinner followed by dancing. At the business meeting, Ken LyIe was elected Chapter President and Andy Amaty was elected Secretary/Treasurer. Ken and Emilie LyIe have already secured Stoufler's King of Prussia Valley Forge for the 1993 Corregidor mini-reunion, which will be held on Friday and Saturday, March 5th and 6th. 

I was also a sender of a letter. It went to the Department of the Army, The Institute of Heraldry United States Army. Cameron Station, Alexandria, VA. and was as follows: 

"Dear Director Luchino, I wish to comment on your fact sheet, as printed in the April 1992 issue of the Static Line, discussing the correct placement of the stars on the parachute badge. The description was very comprehensive and informative. However, three separate times in the text the term "shroud lines” is used. THIS TERM IS A REAL AIRBORNE NO-NO! The line between the canopy and the connectors are suspension lines — not shroud lines. A shroud is something a person is buried in. You owe us 25 push-ups, the Airborne penalty in jump school for the use of the word "shroud." Hopefully, your fact sheet will be corrected to replace the word "shroud" with the word "suspension." A fact sheet should use the proper terminology." 

Always anxious to hear from any of you and will welcome any input you have to the column. After all, it is your column. So call or write. And may you always have a canopy above your head. 

John D. Reynolds
"D" Co. 503rd PRCT 
718 Towne Center Drive, Joppa, MD 21085 
PH (410) 679-8979
Static Line - Three Winds of Death

InThe503rd.org

503rd PRCT Paratrooper Database, WWII

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