Unit History

 Former and Current Commanders 508 PIR 1942 to 2010

1. Colonel Roy E. Lindquist                                           October 1942 – December 1945

2. LTC Otho E. Holmes                                                  December 1945 – April 1946

3. Colonel Albert H. Dickerson                                      April 1946 – November 1946 ( Deactivated )

4. Colonel Joseph P. Cleland                                        May 1951 – September 1951 ( Activated )

5. Colonel Joseph S. Lawrie                                          September 1951 – June 1952

6. Colonel George O. Pearson                                      July 1952 – October 1953

7. Colonel Glen J. McGowen                                          October 1953 – January 1954

8. Colonel Norman E. Tipton                                           January 1954 – July 1955

9. B.G. Teddy A. Sanford                                                July 1955 – July 1956

10. Colonel James J. Hatch                                              July 1956 – March 1957 (Deactivated )

11. Colonel Victor Petrenko                                              January 2006 -   ( Activation )

12. Colonel Martin P. Schweitzer                                      June 2006 – July 2008

13. Colonel Brian M. Drinkwine                                         July 2008 – September 2010

14. Colonel Brian Mennes                                                  September – 2010 -

Source:  CSM (Retired) “Rock” Merritt, original member of the WW-II 508 PIR
 

508TH HISTORY IS NEWSWORTHY

Drew Brooks: 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment has complex history

May 22, 2016

All American Week is part reunion, part homecoming.

It brings veterans of all 82nd Airborne units, past and present, together for a week-long celebration of paratroopers.

For some of those veterans, however, their old units no longer exist. Or they have been folded into other commands.

Then there's the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, which has a complex history in and out of the 82nd Airborne, to say the least.

Formed as part of the build up of the division during World War II, the 508th served in the division through Vietnam and Grenada.

But after those conflicts, the regiment's name and history made a tour of sorts with the Army around the globe.

The regiment became part of the 193rd Infantry Brigade in Panama and then part of the 173rd Airborne Brigade in Italy.

That's where it served until 2006, when the unit's 1st and 2nd battalions were reflagged at Fort Bragg as part of the activation of the 4th Brigade Combat Team.

That brigade was short lived, lasting less than a decade, but it made a huge impact, earning the nickname "Deployment Brigade" for its near constant missions to Iraq and Afghanistan.

Today, the regiment is split between the 2nd and 3rd Brigade Combat Teams in the 82nd Airborne.

But a growing group of veterans like Chris Harris is doing all it can to keep the history together.

Harris is part of the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment Association, a relatively young veterans group celebrating its 10th anniversary later this year.

Harris said many of the association's members will be on hand for All American Week.

And their visit is more than just a walk down memory lane.

Harris said the association, which strives to preserve, honor and educate others on the regiment's history, is working to ensure all fallen 508th paratroopers are included on battalion memorials on Fort Bragg.

Meanwhile, he said the group was growing, up to about 550 members, and gathering a mix of veterans and active duty.

Harris said he hopes All American Week can be a stepping stone to more growth and a successful reunion later this year in Charleston, South Carolina.

For more information on the group or the upcoming reunion, go to 508pir.org.

Military editor Drew Brooks can be reached at brooksd@fayobserver.com or 486-3567.

History of the 508th P.I.R. (Hank Lefebvre work)

The 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment
Unit History

The 508th PIR adopted the Red Devil emblem (right) and the battle cry "Diablo" when they moved to Fort Benning, Georgia for parachute training during February, 1943.

n 20 October 1942, at Camp Blanding, Florida, the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment was activated with Major Roy E. Lindquist (left) in command. The regiment primarily came from the 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment and the 26th Infantry Division. By mid-December, the 508th PIR reached full strength. The next month the 508th was moved to Camp Mackall, North Carolina, where they trained until December.

On 28 December 1943, the regiment boarded the U.S. Army Transport James Parker and set out to join the convoy across the Atlantic for the war in Europe. Twelve days later, on 9 January 1944, the James Parker docked at Belfast, Ireland and the 508th commenced training throughout Great Britain.

Operation Neptune - D-Day
Operation "Neptune" was an all-important airborne phase of Overlord, the name given to the massive plan for D-Day invasion of Europe. The 82nd Airborne was an integral part of Operation Neptune. Because the 504th PIR ranks had been depleted due to the Italian Campaigns the 507th and the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiments were attached  to the 82nd for this operation.

The 82nd's mission was to destroy vital German supply bridges and capture causeways leading inland across the flooded areas behind the Normandy beaches where seaborne forces would land to gain control of roads and communications. More than 10,000 All-Americans landed by parachute and glider on June 6, 1944 - D-Day - as part of the greatest airborne assault in history.

The 508th was responsible for the Southwest portion of the 82d Airborne Division sector in Normandy.Their primary targets were bridges over the Douve River, located at 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 Wehrmarcht's presence in the scheduled drop zones. This prevented the pathfinders from marking them and consequently delayed many pilots from flashing the jump lights until they had overshot the drop zones as they frantically searched for the markers. Consequently, both the 507th and 508th troopers were widely scattered over the Normandy countryside.

Landing in the swamp lands along the river the heavily laden troopers hurriedly scrambled to assemble into fighting units. Because of the confusion they were unable to muster their forces into enough strength to occupy the west bank of the Douve River in force. Instead the troopers assembled along the embankment of the main railroad from Cherbourg to Carentan, both because it was high ground and because it was a recognizable terrain feature. After regrouping into small units, the 508th began executing their daunting task to seize the bridge over the Douve River, at Pont L' Abbe.

However, one unit under the command of Lt.Col Thomas J.B.Shanley, (pictured right [Photo is a still frame from 8mm movie shot by Capt William Nation, Rgt S-1 508th PIR]) commanding officer of the 2d Battalion, encountered a large contingent of German infantry (Battalion strength) before reaching the town. The Germans were pushing eastward in this area most of the day under orders to counterattack and wipe out the American insertion west of the Merderet. Lt. Col. Shanley immediately realized that they were vastly out numbered, and withdrew to Hill 30. He ordered his unit to dig in. For two days, he and his men fought off repeated German attempts to overrun the main paratrooper landings and contributed substantially to establishing the Merderet bridgehead. This action has been considered decisive in helping the airborne meet its objectives at Normandy.

Cited for their bravery during this action were CPL Ernest T. Roberts, PVT Otto K. Zwingman, and PVT John A. Lockwood. They observed the formation of a German counterattack by an estimated battalion of infantry with tank support while on outpost duty in a building at Haut Gueutteville. Remaining at their posts these troopers held off the enemy attack for two hours allowing the main body of Lt Col Shanley's force to establish an all-around defense at Hill 30.

The 508th continued their ferocious fight as infantrymen for 33 days after landing at Normandy. They had choked off reinforcements for the Axis forces defending the French coast. On 13 July 1944, the Red Devils returned to England after suffering 1,061 casualties out of 2,056 paratroopers of which 307 were Killed-In-Action (KIA). Included among the KIA was Lt.Col Batcheller, (pictured left) commanding officer of the 1st Battalion. For the remainder of WW II the 508th would remain attached to the 82nd Airborne Division.

Operation Market Garden
On 9 September 1944 Field-Marshal Montgomery proposed a plan, called Operation Market Garden, to secure a bridgegehead across the Rhine. The operation called for a combined armor and airborne assault to seize and hold key bridges and roads deep behind German lines in Holland. The airborne phase of the operation consisted of capturing five bridges ahead of the armored force. The 504th now back at full strength rejoined the 82nd, while the 507th went to the 17th Airborne Division.

At approximately 1330 hours on 17 September 1944, the Red Devils jumped into Holland as part of Operation Market Garden. Although initial resistance was light, heavy fighting ensued for days.

On September 18, 1SG Leonard A. Funk, Jr., led elements of Co. C in a fierce counterattack to clear the LZ of attacking Wehrmacht infantry and anti-aircraft artillery to allow the landing of reinforcing gliderborne troopers and artillery of the 319th, 320th and 456th FA Battalions. For his actions, 1SG Funk received the Distinguished Service Cross.

The 508th established and maintained a defensive position along the main line of resistance which measured over twelve thousand yards in length against heavy German resistance. The regiment then seized Bridge #10 and prevented its destruction by destroying the apparatus for the demolition of the Nijmegen Bridge across the Waal River. This action contributed to the successful completion of the 82nd Airborne's mission.

Meanwhile, the regiment also seized, occupied, and defended the Berg EN Dalkamp Hill mass terrain which controlled the Groesbeek-Nijmegen area. They cut Highway K, preventing the movement of enemy reserves, or escape of enemy along this important international route.

Finally, the regiment withstood and repulsed the major enemy efforts at Wyler and Beek to penetrate the Division position and assault units to the north. While accomplishing these missions, the regiment captured 483 prisoners. During this period of combat the regiment suffered 139 KIA, 479 WIA, and 178 MIA. No Red Devils were captured by the enemy.

In November 10, the 508th was relieved by a British Brigade. They immediately retuned to Nijmegen and eventually to Camp Sissone, France on November 14th.

Battle of the Bulge - The Ardennes Offensive
On 16 December 1944 the entire 82nd Airborne was thrust into Ardennes Forest in the largest battle of World War II - Battle of the Bulge

The Germans smashed through the thin US screen in the Ardennes. SHAEF reserve forces were alerted. The 101st Airborne was sent into Bastogne to try and hold the southern shoulder of the penetration while the 82d was ordered to Werbomont to pinch in the northern shoulder.

On December the 18th the 508th moved and by the 19th had set up positions in the vicinity of Chevron. The regiment held positions against the Germans until the 24th at which time they were ordered to withdraw to establish a new line of resistance. The regiment held it position until January 3, 1945 when the 82nd Airborne Division counterattack.

On January 7th the Red Devil's launched an attack with the 504th in the vicinity of Thier-du-Mont where it suffered heavy casualties. Again, the regiment was withdrawn from the line and placed in reserve until January 21st when it replaced elements of the 2d Infantry Division.

On January 24th the regiment was placed in Corp reserve, but was quickly back in action on January 26th.

On January 29, 1945 First Sergeant Leonard Funk, Jr., (pictured right receiving CMH from President Truman) of Braddock Township, Pennsylvania, Company C, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment received the Medal of Honor (CMH) for action at Holzheim, Belgium. After leading his unit and capturing 80 Germans, the enemy, by means of a ruse, captured the four American guards, freed the prisoners and prepared to attack the understrength Americans. Funk, walking around a building into their midst, had a machine pistol thrust into his stomach by a German officer. Pretending to comply with a surrender demand, he slowly unslung his Thompson submachine gun and with lightning fast motion, riddled the officer and led his men in resisting the enemy, killing 21 in the process.

On February 22, The Regiment moved back to Camp Sissonne where it became part of SHAEF reserve. The regiment performed maintenance, trained and refitted.

On April 5 the regiment was relieved from attachment to the 82d Airborne Division and placed under the direct control of First Allied Airborne Army. The regiment moved to Chartres with a contingency mission to liberate POW camps in Germany by airborne assault if the situation demanded. The 508th remained at Chartres until late May, 1945. After a brief stay at Sissonne, the 508th was moved to Frankfort-Am-Main for occupation duty and served as guard to General Eisenhower's SHAEF Headquarters. In December 1945, LTC Otho E. Holmes assumed command of the regiment.

508TH PARACHUTE INFANTRY REGIMENT

508th PIR EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

508TH PIR ENDURES AND IS RE-ORGANIZED INTO A BRIGADE COMBAT TEAM

AN OLD FRIEND SHOWS UP ON eBAY (sent by historian Dave Berry)

January 19, 2006 -
Greetings!!

This is Dave Berry writing from Dayton, OH.  I have unbelievable news for the 508!

For about a year-and-a-half there has been a C-47 for sale on eBay.  It is painted OD (Olive Drab) Green and carries Invasion stripes.  It was [used after the war as] a freight hauler in Burlington, VT and Charlotte, NC. 

It has just passed to a new owner.

The tail number is 42-93096.

This plane flew with the Pathfinder Group on Operation VARSITY (507); the resupply mission to the 101st at Bastogne; and carried 506 Pathfinders into Holland for Market-Garden.

This morning I spoke with the wartime Pathfinder pilot of plane 096 and he CONFIRMED that he flew the same plane all through the war --- INCLUDING NORMANDY.

He was co-pilot on Normandy flying Pathfinder Chalk #17.  Chalk 17 (Plane 096) was the PF [Pathfinder] plane for 2/508 and carried Elbert F. Hamilton and Lloyd Pollette.

This aircraft is still going strong and will be maintained (and restored) by the new owners in it's pathfinder configuration and toured around the country on the air show circuit.

I've known the story of the men aboard CHALK 17 for 25 years --- but I never knew until this morning that Chalk 17 was "096".

Just fantastic!
Dave Berry
Pathfinder Historian