Paratrooper

Stories about fighting in all theaters of WWII. I ask that these be stories directly from veterans and not previously published material.
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armydriver
Brigadier General
Brigadier General
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Location: San Antonio, Texas

Paratrooper

Post by armydriver »

Lt. Colonel Robert George Cole, 101 st Airborne Division 502 PIR 2nd Battalion commander.

It was a sunny day in Southern England and the 2nd Battalion of the 502 PIR was out on a practice jump, just one of many they had done over the past three months in preparation for the big invasion of Fortress Europe. The March sky was still cold to the face of Colonel Cole as he stood in the door of the C47 . It was the colonel's 27th birthday and still full of choclate cake, cooked by battalion mess, he was now having to jump again.
The congenial Texan walked back towards the center of the men, all lined up with static lines attached and ready to jump, talking to them and patting them on the shoulder. He then turned and went back to the door, observing the red light still shining telling them the jump zone was still some time away.
As he walked to the door he looked back over his shoulder to take one more look at his troops and stumbled over some gear next to the door and suddenly fell out of the aircraft. His executive officer rushed to the door and saw the chute open and realized all was OK.
In two more minutes the green light came on and the paratroopers departed the green Douglas. Lt. Colonel Cole had jumped some 40 miles away from the drop zone.
After arriving back at their camp they took two jeeps and went out looking for the intreped colonel. They found him around 1700 hours carring the parachute under his arm walking down a dirt road . He had been walking for 5 hours trying to get back to his post. His anger had subsided somewhat and he sighed with relief as he settled into the passanger seat of the jeep. Sergeant Wilkins, his driver reached under his overcoat and produced a pint bottle of Irish whisky and offered it to his commander. " That a heck of a way to spend your birthday sir." he said smiling. Cole took a big long drink from the bottle , capped it, and just smiled at the sergeant as he handed the bottle back. " Happy birthday Robert", he said and closed his eyes.
52 M38 Willy's
Former owner and restorer of CCKW353 " Betty Boop"

proud father of a career Army officer/Blackhawk pilot/ War in Iraq veteran
Retired high school history teacher at Lt. Colonel Robert G. Cole CMH High School, Fort Sam Houston Texas
proud great grandson of four Confederate soldiers.
great great grandson of a War of 1812 veteran
great great great grandson of 2 American Revolutionary war veterans
armydriver
Brigadier General
Brigadier General
Posts: 2595
Joined: Thu Jun 08, 2006 1:10 am
Location: San Antonio, Texas

Post by armydriver »

Post script. Lt. Colonel Robert G. Cole never reached his 28th birthday. He was killed by a snipers bullet during the abortive Operation Market Garden fiasco. He had been awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for action during the D Day campaign, but he never lived to receive it.
52 M38 Willy's
Former owner and restorer of CCKW353 " Betty Boop"

proud father of a career Army officer/Blackhawk pilot/ War in Iraq veteran
Retired high school history teacher at Lt. Colonel Robert G. Cole CMH High School, Fort Sam Houston Texas
proud great grandson of four Confederate soldiers.
great great grandson of a War of 1812 veteran
great great great grandson of 2 American Revolutionary war veterans
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