Above is the first monument to the 509th. The dedication ceremony on May 1, 1943, by General Order Number 6 dated February 8, 1943 which named Camp MacKall in honor of Pvt. John Thomas MacKall who died of wounds received on November 8. 1942. Left to right: Col. Olsmith, Camp Commander; Gen. Chapman, Commander - Airborne Command; Ms. MacKall, Mother; June MacKall, Sister; Pvt. Gerald MacKall, Brother KIA July 7, 1944 near St. Lo, France; Pvt. Robert MacKall, Brother.
CAMP MACKALL
HOFFMAN, NORTH CAROLINA
NAMED IN HONOR OF
JOHN THOMAS MACKALL
PRIVATE COMPANY E 2ND BATTALION (LATER REDESIGNATED 509TH
PARACHUTE INFANTRY) 503RD PARACHUTE INFANTRY REGIMENT WHO WAS
WOUNDED IN ACTION NOVEMBER 8, 1942. WHEN THE PLANE IN WHICH HE
AND HIS COMRADES WERE BEING TRANSPORTED WAS ATTACKED NEAR ORAN,
ALGERIA BY THREE ENEMY FIGHTER PLANES. HE WAS FLOWN TO GIBRALTAR
WHERE ON NOVEMBER 12, 1942 HE GAVE HIS LIFE FOR HIS COUNTRY.
(Monument is located at the site of Camp MacKall in Hoffman, North Carolina)
Back in 1973, when we ol'509ers came down from Germany to Vicenza. There was only one statue on Caserma Ederle and it belonged to the 559th Artillery Group. And so naturally, we 509th Airborners didn't like this "LEG" statue. And so someone, some NCO finally came up with an idea and started collecting money so we could have our own statue built and dedicated to us - 509th Airborne Battalion Combat Team. After this one NCO and some others started collecting money is when some 509th officers got involved and started helping out with it too. Soon this collection of money kept growing and growing and growing until we had more than enough needed to have our Saint Michael statue built. And the rumor was.. which was probably true.. the 509th wanted a much bigger, larger, better, taller, statue than the 559th (LEG) Artillery statute. But the idea was reportedly shot down by the SETAF Commanding General. And he supposedly told our battalion commander if we wanted a statue of our own, it had to be the same size as the 559th statue. So what you see today in front of 173rd Abn Bde HQs is what we ol'509ers all chipped in and paid for to have built back in 1974 without any financial assistance from the Army nor the SETAF command. And the photo you see was taken at the unveiling dedication ceremony with the Commanding General standing alongside our 509th Battalion Commander, LTC. Ward M. Le Hardy. (images and caption provided by "Ranger Rick" F. Tscherne, US Army, Retired, 1972-93)
509th Parachute
Infantry Battalion
1942 - 1946
(Monument is located at the Airborne and Special Operations Museum at Fayetteville, North Carolina)
Photo courtesy of Joe Fite/509th/WWII
(Members of the 509th at the Tomb of the Unknown participate in the wreath-laying ceremony and dedication of unit plaque placed inside the Memorial Display Room at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia in January 2000)
TO THE SCARED MEMORY OF OUR
GALLANT WARRIOR COMRADES
KNOWN ONLY TO GOD
509TH PARACHUTE INFANTRY BATTALION
ASSOCIATION
(Plaque is located inside the memorial display room at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia)
Photo courtesy of W. A. Tippins/509th/WWII
To the memory of the GIs' and of the
civil victims, Victor Fairon
and Emile Dropsy who fell at
Sadzot
on the night of December 27th to 28th, 1944
during the offensive of the Ardennes.
The savage and desperate attack
of the 2nd and
12th SS Panzer divisions
shot death and desolation into this
peaceful village.
We pay homage to the courage
and determination of the
American units:
Detachment of the 3rd Armored Division
509th Parachute Infantry Battalion
Company B of the 87th Mortar Battalion
289th Regiment of the 75th Infantry Division
(Monument located in Sadzot, Belgium)
Photo courtesy of Hurbert J. Vaes
AUX COMBATTANTS
(TO THE COMBATANTS)
DE DECEMBRE 1944
(OF DECEMBER 1944)
AUX LIBERATEURS
(TO THE LIBERATORS)
DU 3 ORNVIER 1945
(OF JANUARY 3 1945)
83E D.I. ET 3E D.B.
(83rd ID and 3rd AD)
MALEMPRE RECONNAISSANT
(MALEMPRE IS GRATEFUL)
(Monument located in Malempre, Belgium. 3rd AD added another plaque to the left)
Photo courtesy of Hubert J. Vaes, Belgium
(In the courtyard of the church at the border of Cap D'Ail, France and Principality of Monaco commemorating the liberation of the area by Co. C. 509th PIB. The plaque on left was placed on the church wall on Sept. 1945. The plaque on the right was added during the celebration of the 40th Anniversary in 1984.)
Photo courtesy of Richard D. Fisco/509th/WWII
Left Plaque
Here, on September 3, 1944
after 5 days of combat
the volunteers of the Saint Just Brigade
[FTPS Company Cyrano]
and the advance American elements
of Captain Walls
sustained by the batteries of the Royal Navy
constrained the retreating German forces
forces which were abandoning
their wounded and prisoners
Dedicated 3 September 1945
Right Plaque
Company C 509th
Parachute Infantry Battalion (U.S. Army)
In homage to the anti-facist Italians
of the group M.O.I (main d'oeuvre immigree')
To its resistance to its deportees in Italy and
in Germany to its interns
To the batteries of the Royal Navy which came from
the Edgard Quintet (English crew)
3 September 1984 40th anniversary
Top:
509TH PARACHUTE INFANTRY
BATTALION
IN MEMORY OF
OUR FRIENDS WHO FELL HERE
Photo courtesy of Rémi Martin
(Plaque located in Le Muy, France)
Photo courtesy of Richard D. Fisco/509th/WWII
Here at dawn on August 15,1944, on board one of the
numerous C-47's, 17 parachutists of Company B of the
509th Battalion jumped into the waters of the
Gulf of Saint-Tropez to liberate France.
Not one of them was ever found.
Cpt. Ralph R. Miller Jr. - Ohio
Tec4 Eugene C Beckner - Minnesota
Pvt. Ira J. Butler - Illinois
Pfc. Frank Campos - California
Sgt. Oscar F. Crevilling - New York
S.Sgt. Robert B. David - Florida
T5 Albert T. Dawson - Indiana
1stSgt. Anthony J. Dorsa - Texas
Pfc. Jonnie C. Fort - Georgia
Pvt. Julius Garcia - New York
T4 Marvin N. Gillman - Michigan
Pfc. George R. Lynch - New York
Pvt. Thomas W. Pennebaker - Pennsylvania
Pvt. Alfred Pipino Jr. - Pennsylvania
Pfc. Leon V. Potter - Missouri
T5 George W. Reid - New York
Sgt. William A. Sutherland - South Carolina
(Monument located in Saint-Tropez, France)
Photo courtesy of Richard D. Fisco/509th/WWII
French Renactors portraying the 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion annually honor the men on Plane 16 who were lost at sea on 15 August 1944.
Photo courtesy of Rémi Martin
Photo courtesy of Rémi Martin
French renactors portraying the 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion honoring all the Soldiers who participated in Operation Dragoon. They wish to express to the Veterans their gratitude for the liberation of France.
Photo courtesy of Rémi Martin
Left plaque, The city of Saint-Tropez
in grateful thanks to the pilots and crew
of the Army of the Air and the Allied Forces
on 15 August 1944.
Landings in Provence
Right plaque, The city of Saint-Tropez
in homage to the American parachutists
of the
509th Battalion of Airborne Infantry
who liberated the city
with the aid
of the local resistance
"Maures Brigade"
on 15 August 1944
Landings in Provence
(Monument located in Saint-Tropez, France within the walls of the Citadel)
Photo courtesy of Richard D. Fisco/509th/WWII
Photo courtesy of Richard D. Fisco/509th/WWII
Honor and glory to the American, British, and French Marines who, on August 15,1944, participated in the landing in Provence. Grateful thanks from the city of Saint-Tropez to the allied combatants who contributed to our liberation
(Monument located in Saint-Tropez, France)
Photo courtesy of Richard D. Fisco/509th/WWII
PREMIERE TERRE PROVENCALE LIBEREE
(The provencial land liberated)
A L'AUBE DU 15 AOUT 1944
(at dawn on August 15, 1944)
PAR LES F.F.I. BRIGADE DES MAURES
(by the Maures Brigade of the French Forces of the Interior)
ET DES PARACHUTISTES
(and by the Parachutists)
DE LA 7ME ARMEE AMERICAINE
(of the 7th American Army)
QUI Y ONT OPERE LEUR JONCTION
(who joined operations there)
(Plaque Located in Southern France)
Photo courtesy of Richard D. Fisco/509th/WWII
From 23 to 24 August 1944 on this ridge, the paratroopers of the 509th PIB, were taken to task for 24 hours by the heavy fires of the units of the Wehrmacht entrenched at the Castle Agecroft and in the railway tunnels.
29 brave Soldiers fell on these rocks. Their sacrifice contributed to the liberation of Mandelieu-la Napoule. Passers-by, have a moment of contemplation in their memory.
This place of remembrance was inaugurated on August 23, 2015 by Henri LEROY, Mayor of Mandelieu-La Napoule, Vice President of the Couseil Departemental des Alpes Maritimes and of the Community of Agglomeration "Les Pays de Lerins", Knight of the Legion of Honor.
The names of the Soldiers were united and serious for the commemorative ceremony of 23 August 2020, chaired by Sebastien LEROY, Mayor of Mandelieu-La Napoule, 1st Vice-President of the Agglomeration Cannes Lerins.
(Left to Right: John Devaine, Charlie Doyle [standing], 'Bud' Seigel, Harvey Sutherland, Nick DeGata. picture was taken in Plymouth, Massachusetts. The plaque was hand carried by George Fontanesi to The Allied Museum, Nettuno, Italy.)
CAMPAIGNS..............WWII EAME
Algeria-French Morocco (with Arrowhead)
Tunisia (with Arrowhead)
Naples - Foggia (with Arrowhead)
Anzio (with Arrowhead)
Rome - Arno
Southern France (with Arrowhead)
Rhineland
Ardennes - Alsace
DECORATIONS
Presidential Unit Citation (ARMY) Streamer Embroidered CARINO, ITALY
Presidential Unit Citation (ARMY) Streamer Embroidered CARINO, ITALY
Presidential Unit Citation (ARMY) Streamer Embroidered LIEGE, BELGIUM
French Croix de Guerre with Silver Star, Streamer Embroidered MUY EN PROVENCE
Cited in the Order of the Day of the Belgium Army for action in the ARDENNES
Cited in the Order of the Day of the Belgium for action in ST. VITH
Personnel authorized to wear the insignia of the French 3rd Zouaves Regiment
BY ORDER OF THE SECRETARY OF THE ARMY
(Plaque located in the Allied Museum at Nettuno, Italy)
Photo courtesy of George Fontanesi/509th/WWII
Monument erected in 1978 in Hamberg, Germany to SPC Charles Capps and SGT Michael Rohrer who died as a result of a parachute jump where the two jumpers collided on 15 July 1976.
DEDICATED TO ALL MEN AND WOMEN
WOUNDED IN ALL OUR WARS
COMBAT WOUNDED VETERANS
MILITARY ORDER OF THE PURPLE HEART
MY STONE IS RED FOR
THE BLOOD THEY SHED
THE MEDAL I BEAR
IS MY COUNTRY'S WAY
TO SHOW THEY CARE
IF I COULD BE SEEN
BY ALL MANKIND
MAYBE PEACE WILL
COME IN MY LIFETIME
ERECTED BY CHAPTER OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
MILITARY ORDER OF THE PURPLE HEART
(Monument located at Boscawen National Cemetery in Boscawen, New Hampshire. Veteran Harvey S. Sutherland participated in the dedication)
THE AIRBORNE WALK
A TRIBUTE TO EVERY PERSON WHO HAS
BEEN OR WILL BE AIRBORNE QUALIFIED
DEDICATED
APRIL 17, 1986
BY
SECRETARY OF THE ARMY
JOHN O. MARSH, JR
(Monument located on the Airborne Walk at Fort Benning in Columbus, Georgia)
Photo courtesy of Dennis L. Smith/509th/3rd Ranger Bn
509TH PARACHUTE
INFANTRY BATTALION
(Monument located on the Airborne Walk at Fort Benning in Columbus, Georgia)
Photo courtesy of Dennis L. Smith/509th/3rd Ranger Bn
HONORING
ALL PARATROOPERS
PAST - PRESENT - FUTURE
(Monument located on the Airborne Walk at Fort Benning in Columbus, Georgia)
Photo courtesy of Dennis L. Smith/509th/3rd Ranger Bn
AVELLINO DROP ZONE
IN HONOR OF THE
509TH PARACHUTE INFANTRY'S
COMBAT PARACHUTE ASSAULT INTO
AVELLINO, ITALY ON 14 SEPTEMBER 1943
GERONIMO
(Monument located on Pearson Ridge Training Area at Fort Polk, Louisiana)
GERONIMO MONUMENT
NAMED IN HONOR TO ALL THE 509TH
PARATROOPERS PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE
27 JUNE 1996
(Monument located at the Joint Readiness Training Center, 1st BN, 509th PIR at Fort Polk, Louisiana)
(Soldiers of the 1st Battalion, 509th PIR stationed at Fort Polk, LA execute a flawless parachute operation from two C-47s onto the newly dedicated General William P. Yarborough Drop Zone at Wright-Patterson AFB, Dayton, Ohio in 2006 before an audience of World War II Veterans attending the 509th PIA Reunion.)
(Soldiers of the 1st Battalion, 509th PIR stationed at Fort Polk, LA march off the newly dedicated General William P. Yarborough Drop Zone at Wright-Patterson AFB, Dayton, Ohio in 2006 before an audience of World War II Veterans attending the 509th PIA Reunion.)
(Bob Erikson and Lloyd Belford August 2006)
(Monument located at Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Annapolis, Minnesota. Erected in 2006)
(Original artist design)
Monument to the fallen of OEF 12 - 13 Task Force Spartan
(Monument located at the Joint Readiness Training Center, 1st BN, 509th PIR at Fort Polk, Louisiana)
GERONIMO
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