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Static Line - Three Winds of Death

March 1991
The long Airborne arm of comradery is truly mind-boggling in its ability to cut across both time and space. Much of this month's column is going to deal with just such a topic. The time frame covered will range from the mid-1940s to the present and the space will range from the Philippines to Saudi Arabia. A while back my mail included a letter from a member of the 82nd Airborne Division on duty in Saudi Arabia. The trooper's name is Joe Shackleford, who had no doubt read this column in a previous edition of the Static Line. Joe Shackleford was asking for information as to the whereabouts of his uncle, Joe Heidt, who had been a member of the 503rd PRCT in WW II. Parts of Joe Shackleford's letter follow: 15 Dec. '90 -Dear Mr. Reynolds, Greetings and salutations from the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Pardon the sloppiness of this letter but I am writing on a URE box in my lap. You don’t know me, but I thought you might be able to help me find someone. His name is Joe Heidt. He was with the 503rd and jumped on the Rock. Joe Heidt was from Georgia. He is my mother’s uncle and the main one I was named for.  I met him once when I was little.  We visited him in Oklahoma. He showed me a trophy-statue plaque he was given for helping round up people for a 503rd reunion.

“In 1986 I went to jump school.  While sitting and waiting for my first jump I saw a picture of the jump on the Rock. It reminded me of my uncle Joe… I saw y’alls article in the Static Line and thought that maybe you might know him or someone who might.  I’d appreciate his address because I’d like to write to him again.  I’ve tried to find him but to no avail.”

He sent me a copy of a National Geographic with an article about Corregidor. One of the pictures was circled and he had written. "That’s me in there." He was proud of being Airborne. "If you could help me find him, I would appreciate it. Please send anything you can to SPC Shackleford, 257490986, A Co 3/504 PIR, 82nd ABN Div., APO NY 09656. Thanks again Airborne, All the way! Sincerely, Joe Shackleford" 

I was able, thankfully, to send Joe Shackleford, now in Saudi Arabia, quite a bit of information about his uncle, Joe Heidt, who fought on The Rock. Joe Heidt’s picture can be found with the Georgia contingent in Harold Templeman's book, "The Return to Corregidor." Joe Heidt is standing in the back row and appears to be a long drink of water, being the tallest trooper in the row. Pvt. Joseph R. Heidt, Jr. is also listed in Templeman's book as having been on the rosier of Battery "D" of the 462nd Parachute Field Artillery. What is even better! — Joe Heidt is a member of the 503rd PRCT Association and I was able to send his mailing address to his nephew, Joe Shackleford in Saudi Arabia. I hope by this time that the two of them are corresponding. Perhaps some of you other guys might want to take the time to pen a few lines to Joe Shackleford or even to any of the people who are now serving in the Middle East, which a few days before putting together this column has become the Middle East theatre of operations. I am certain that Joe Shackleford would like to hear from other members of his Airborne family, a family whose comradery crosses through long periods of time and travels over great distances of space. Who can predict what great deeds of heroism are going to be performed by the Airborne troopers of today which will add to that heritage of heroism passed to them from the Airborne of five decades ago and was enhanced by those who fought in Korea and Vietnam? Just keep in mind — you are never a FORMER member of the Airborne — once Airborne, you are always Airborne. 

The Mid-Atlantic Chapter Bulletin included the information that their Corregidor Anniversary Rally will be held in Raleigh, N. C, on 15, 16, and 17 March 1991. I include this in the column with the realization that many of you may not read It until the affair is a "de facto" event, but some of you may receive the Static Line in time and may want to attend. If you want more information concerning this get-together, please contact LeRoy F. Tolson at (803) 347-3903. My main purpose for including this item is to bring home, once again, the point that I also have a deadline to meet in sending this column into the Static Line. This column is being put together on 21 January for publication in the March issue of the Static Line, which some of you may not receive until the middle or even the second half of March depending on how the postal service in your area handles the delivery of bulk mail. So, information on June events should be coming to me now for publication in the May issue of the Static Line. 

JOHN D. REYNOLDS 
"D" Co. 503rd PRCT
718 Towne Center Drive 
Joppa, MD 21085
Static Line - Three Winds of Death

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503rd PRCT Paratrooper Database, WWII

503rd PIR * 462nd PFAB * 161st PEC
