1. Spring 1973 - Pvt. John “Philly Abn.” and Pvt. Warren Kitchell in Lourdes, France during the Multi-Nation Airborne gathering.
2. Armor at Lee Barracks, Mainz-Gonsenheim, Germany. This is where the 509th was before going to Italy. At this time the 509th was a full Brigade. In Italy it was a reinforced Battalion.
3. Pete Clary (company clerk), John Silva, Warren Kitchell, and Pearson (Company Armorer) fix the door to Headquarters room in Lee Barracks before leaving for Rhein Kaserne.
4. Jul 1973 - View out the 3rd floor window at Rhein Kaserne. Bravo Co. was here for the month of July while its numbers were filled out and all company materials were inventoried and packed before shipping down to Italy.
5. Jul 1973 - Taurus Mountains during our last exercise in Germany before transferring the company to Italy.
6. Jump during the Taunus Mountains Exercise.
7. 1973 - Phil Graybill in St. Marks Cathedral, Venice, Italy during our first outing there after arriving with the rest of Bravo Company.
8. PFC Warren Kitchell (with helmet) at the airport.
9. Summer 1973 - Pvt. Loperena (who couldn’t swim) makes his way across the during river crossing exercises.
10. Lt. Drach (1st Platoon Ldr.) gets towed by rope across the river.
11. Sep 1973 - Sgt. Osborne (with camera), Sgt. Brown, Lt. Drach (with cap) and Sgt. Girkins. Picture on board a boat on Lake Garda, Italy. The officers arranged several day trips to places near Vicenza for the men of Bravo Company to visit and see the area near where we were stationed.
12. Sep 1973 - “Kato” Katorkas and Jim Noone on the bow of the boat.
13. Sep 1973 - (L - R) Warren “Kitch” Mitchell, Sgt. Thomas Baldwin (white shirt), Sgt. Girkins (with drink) and Lt. Drach. on boat at Lake Garda.
14. Sep 1973 - “Buc” “Crazy T” (this nickname was because he climbed the Matterhorn in winter. He had also gone to Swiss Army Mountaineering School and won the Edelweiss Award.) Taylor and John Siva in the hallway outside the Bravo Company office.
15. Sep 1973 - 3/509 becomes the 1/509.
16. Sep 1973 - LTC LeHardy (Battalion Commander) and staff at the changeover parade.
17. PFC Scholten under a full canopy. (Unknown Photographer.)
18. Sep 1973 - Lt. Floyd Whitney in the Dolomites. (Another arranged trip. This site was where the Italians had dug emplacements in WW2 into the rock of the Dolomite Mountains.)
19. Sep 1973 - The Dolomites.
20. Sep 1973 - Cannon from one of the emplacements now on display.
21. Sep 1973 - Inside of on of the emplacements looking out. These “rooms” were quite large with very thick walls to the outside. Really man made caves.
22. Dec 1973 - Clockwise from left. Bachelor party for Sgt. John Van Arb. Murray, Art Walker, Steve Sherman, Todd Neel, Phil Graybill, Warren Kitchell, John Silva, George “Pete” Clary, “Crazy T” Taylor, Don Hood, Steve Dienhart.
23. Sgt. John Van Arb (L) and future brother in law Sgt. Paul Ayers.
24. Left to Right - SSgt. Trongo, Mrs. and 1st Lt. Helms (Co. B XO),Mrs. & Sgt. Wilkins (not facing camera) in Lobby during the trip to Rome Christmas 1973.
25. Feb 1974 - Pvt. Alcorn and Lobo the company mascot at river training area. Lobo earned his wings by making 5 jumps in a kit bag.
26. Feb 1974 - Pvt. James “Irish” Noone and Lobo.
27. Feb 1974 - Pvt. Alcorn in CO’s tent before the arrival of battalion commanders, Col. LeHardy, visit to have “lunch” in the field.
28. Feb 1974 - Pfc. “Buc” “Crazy T” Taylor Capt. Spencer’s jeep driver taking photo of Lobo. All of Lobo’s jumps were taken with Taylor.
29. Feb 1974 - Lt. Davis, Sfc. "Heavy 7" Aikens, “Lt. "Pink" Floyd Whitney, Lt. John O’Connor.
30. Feb 1974 - Pfc. Pete Scholten holding the company team trophy for winning the Camp Eberle basketball championship. The team went on to win the All SETAF championship as well.
31. May 1974 - Lt. Joe Drach and Lt. Rick Helms at the reception after Sgt. Jeff Moons’ wedding.
32. May 1974 - Pfc. Gary Gurule (far right) on board Belgian ship during maneuvers in that country. Picture just prior to making a beach assault during the training.
33. May 1974 - Practice on the raft.
34. May 1974 - Pvt. Bob Lambert ready for the beach assault.
35. May 1974 - Company medic “Doc” Chapman on the beach after the raft trip in during the beach assault maneuvers.
36. Jun 1974 - Company clerk Pfc. John Paul Rodrigues taking a break at Belgian Jump School where the whole company earned Belgian Wings. Only trooper I ever knew with a perfect GT score.
37. Jun 1974 - Rapelling at Belgian Commando School.
38. Jun 1974 - Pfc. Gary Masotti on rope bridge at the Obstacle Course.
39. Jun 1974 - Pfc. Masotti on rope swing.
40. Jun 1974 - SSgt. Wayne Purkeypyle on the “trapeze” as part of the obstacle course training.
41. Jun 1974 - Pfc. Steve Dienhart followed by Capt. John Spencer, the company commander, going through the obstacle course.
42. Oct 1974 - Lt. Joseph Drach and new wife Cindy (Commanding Post General’s daughter.) Driver is Spec. 4 James Noone (newly promoted.)
43. Oct 1974 - Lt. Joseph Drach and new wife Cindy (Commanding Post General’s daughter.) Driver is Spec. 4 James Noone (newly promoted.)
44. Oct 1974 - Part of the wedding party (going counter clock wise.) Lt. Paul J. Davis, SSgt. Karabelski, and wife, Mrs. Helms, Mrs. Davis, Capt. Rick Helms (also newly promoted.)
45. Nov 1974 - Familiar site to all of the 509th. Chopper jump at Vicenza airport.
46. Nov 1974 - Sgt. Jim Mathias driving kids around for a tractor ride during the annual summer canrnival.
47. Nov 1974 - Spec 4 Jim Noone and Bravo Company football team.
48. Nov 1974 - Sfc. “Hawkeye” Hawkins former member of the Golden Knights makes a half-time jump.
49. Mar 1975 - Sgt. Jeff Moon and Company B after making their jumps.
50. Mar 1975 - Dean Haberkamp aka “the Kraut” after his jump.
51. Spring 1975 - Sgt. Jeff Moon. One of many Special Forces and Ranger Qualified members of the 509th who had spent time in Vietnam.
52. Mar 1975 - Steve Dienhart signs out for the last time his enlistment over.
53. Mar 1975 - Dean Haberkamp at Ski School in Berchtesgaden, Germany. Hitler’s Eagles Nest is at the top of the mountain.
56. Apr 1975 - Peter Scholten, ready to jump even after the malfunction.
57. Jul 1975 - Officers standing at Aviano Air Base during the week the battalion stayed there during the Apollo - Soyuz hookup. This is where I spent my 21st birthday that year.
58. Jul 1975 - Lt. Parker reading at Aviano Air Base. With a week just waiting there was not much else to do but read and play cards.
59. Summer 1975 - Another 1st for Bravo Company the Superstars Competition. Participants competed in 10 sports and the total score determined the company winner. Dale Kline on left (2nd in Bowling, Phil Wright (3rd place overall individual and winner of the Bicycle Race and Obstacle Course and 2nd in the swim), the new Company Commander Cpt. Raines, Mike Prugger (2nd place overall individual and winner in the javelin and Discus as well as two 3rd places), Pete Scholten (2nd in Hurdles and a 3rd in Discus.)
60. 3rd Platoon’s finest (from left) Dave Asher, Pfc Marting, Mike Prugger (in civvies because he had the day off for being the CO’s “soldier of the day.” Not an unusual event for him.) Pvt. Wain, ?,?.
61. Summer 1975 - Sgt. James (JT) Gandy (glasses borrowed from photographer) sniper school qualified. During exercises in Turkey.
62. Summer 1975 - Gas mask rifle qualifications.
63. Summer 1975 - Accident in Turkey in a troop convoy. There were lots of accidents in Turkey as they insisted that all vehicles be driven by Turkish drivers. This one several troops were injured, in another a large portion of our water supply was lost and we were on one canteen per day rationing ( The CO even suspended the shaving requirements.) The British were upset because they lost their Class 6 (liquor supply) in another accident. We had one day and two troopers from another company were poisoned drinking coffee at a restaurant.
64. Summer 1975 - In the sunflower fields of Turkey.
65. Summer 1975 - Foxhole, camouflage, and mortars on the hill. Turkey.
66. Summer 1975 - C5A Galaxy being loaded with vehicles after the exercised in Turkey.
67. Summer 1975 - Members of 3rd platoon waiting at the airport after our first shower, field shower with cold water (and shave) after a month in Turkey waiting to go back to Vicenza.
68. Oct 1975 - RTO’s Haberkamp & Simmons with the C.O. on early morning recon.
69. Oct 1975 - Rappelling from Huey.
70. PFC Dan Thompson and PFC Alexander cleaning the M60 machine gun after all the rain on the Salisbury Plain.
71. PFC Thompson and PFC Alexander outside our covered foxhole that helped us survive the miserable conditions.
72. SFC Svetlick 3rd Platoon Sgt. on the Salisbury Plain. Another highly decorated Vietnam Vet.
73. Sgt. Mike Norris after the exercises in England were over. All packed up in all the gear we had to carry. He was as exemplary, hard core and “Strack" as one could ever expect. A great example of what all paratroopers should be. I am extremely proud to have been part of the 509th the best the Army ever had. AIRBORNE!!!
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