NAME: Charles H. Audet
ASN: 31025044
PLACE OF BIRTH: Fitchburg, Mass
DATE OF BIRTH: ?? ??? 1918
DATES OF SERVICE: 07 Dec 1941 - ?? Jun 1945
UNIT ASSIGNED:
HHC 2nd Bn 503rd PIR
HHC 2nd Bn 509th PIR
HHC 509th PIB
I Company 505th PIR
CAMPAIGNS: Algeria - French Morroco, Tunisia, Naples - Foggia, Anzio, Rome - Arno, Southern France, Ardennes - Alsace, Rhineland
AWARDS: Combat Infantryman Badge, Parachutist Badge with three combat jump stars, Purple Heart Medal, Good Conduct Medal, EAME Campaign Medal with arrowhead and seven bronze campaign stars, WWII Victory Medal, Distinguished (Presidential) Unit Citation with oak leaf cluster, French 3rd Zouaves Regiment Badge, Order of Geronimo
SUMMARY OF SERVICE: T/5
11 Mar 1941 - Enlisted at Worchester, Mass - NARA Enlistment Record
| ARMY SERIAL NUMBER | 31025044 | 31025044 |
| NAME | AUDET#CHARLES#H######### | AUDET#CHARLES#H######### |
| RESIDENCE: STATE | 13 | MASSACHUSETTS |
| RESIDENCE: COUNTY | 027 | WORCESTER |
| PLACE OF ENLISTMENT | 1392 | WORCESTER MASSACHUSETTS |
| DATE OF ENLISTMENT DAY | 11 | 11 |
| DATE OF ENLISTMENT MONTH | 03 | 03 |
| DATE OF ENLISTMENT YEAR | 41 | 41 |
| GRADE: ALPHA DESIGNATION | PVT# | Private |
| GRADE: CODE | 8 | Private |
| BRANCH: ALPHA DESIGNATION | BI# | Branch Immaterial - Warrant Officers, USA |
| BRANCH: CODE | 00 | Branch Immaterial - Warrant Officers, USA |
| FIELD USE AS DESIRED | # | # |
| TERM OF ENLISTMENT | 0 | Undefined Code |
| LONGEVITY | ### | ### |
| SOURCE OF ARMY PERSONNEL | 0 | Civil Life |
| NATIVITY | K9 | BRITISH NORTH AMERICA or CANADA or LABRADOR or NEWFOUNDLAND |
| YEAR OF BIRTH | 18 | 18 |
| RACE AND CITIZENSHIP | 1 | White, citizen |
| EDUCATION | 4 | 4 years of high school |
| CIVILIAN OCCUPATION | 222 | Bellmen and related occupations |
| MARITAL STATUS | 6 | Single, without dependents |
| COMPONENT OF THE ARMY | 7 | Selectees (Enlisted Men) |
| CARD NUMBER | # | # |
| BOX NUMBER | 0385 | 0385 |
| FILM REEL NUMBER | 3.106 | 3.106 |
Volunteered for the paratroops
Attended The Parachute School at Fort Benning, GA
29 Mar 1942 - 2nd Bn 503rd PIR moves from Fort Benning, GA to Fort Bragg, SC
01 Jun 1942 - 2nd Bn 503rd PIR moves from Fort Bragg, SC to Fort Dix, NJ
03 Jun 1942 - 2nd Bn 503rd PIR moves from Fort Dix, NJ to Cunard Line Docks to board the Queen Elizabeth
04 Jun 1942 - Departed US for European Theater of Operations (ETO) on board the Queen Elizabeth
10 Jun 1942 - Arrived in ETO - Glasgow, Scotland. Is transported ashore by ferry in the river Clyde
10 Jun 1942 - 1550 hrs - Arrived at the rail station
10 Jun 1942 - 1750 hrs - train departs south bound
10 Jun 1942 - 2100 hrs - train pulls into Edinburgh for a two hour layover
11 Jun 1942 - 1430 hrs - train arrives at Hungerford, Berkshire and the battalion is greeted by British Major General F.A.M. Browning then were trucked the two miles to Chilton Foliat
16 Jun 1942 - Major General F.A.M. Browning visits the battalion and addresses them
04 Jul 1942 - 2nd Bn 503rd PIR celebrated Independence Day by conducting a 23 mile march
20 Jul 1942 - 2nd Bn 503rd PIR received orders to move out to the Combat training Area at Mortehoe
21 Jul 1942 - 0530 hrs - 2nd Bn 503rd PIR departed by train for Tauton
21 Jul 1942 - 0930 hrs - 2nd Bn 503rd PIR off loaded from the train and met Lt Col. Raff who proceeded to lead them on a march to Mortehoe (45 miles)
21 Jul 1942 - 2230 hrs - Raff stopped the battalion to allow them to rest for the night after marching 35 miles
22 Jul 1942 - 2nd Bn 503rd PIR marched the rest of the way to Mortehoe
30 Jul 1942 - 2-503rd PIR completes training by going through the British Assault Course at Woolacombe with its live machine fire over the barbed wire and exploding pits it scared the hell out of the Soldiers but gave them an experience that was the closest thing to real combat. That afternoon they went through the British Confidence Course. With training complete, Captain Doris Simpson of the A.T.S. arranged a well-deserved party for the Americans.
05 Aug 1942 - Returned to Chilton Foliat this time on trucks and were warmly welcomed by the locals.
00 Aug 1942 - Pfc. Charlie H. Audet 31025044, Admission Place: Quarters: Battalion or Regimental Aid Station Unit, Diagnosis: Infection of wound; Qualifying Term: Moderately severe; Location: Great toe; Location: Right; CausativeAgent: Drilling: marching; Diagnosis: Blister, Injured in Line of Duty: In line of duty Type of Discharge: Returned to Duty, Discharge Date: Aug 1942
17-30 Aug 1942 - Day and night jumps were conducted in preparation for future mass tactical field training exercises with the British.
Pfc. Charlie Audet stated that he was on the aircraft when the low altitude jump was performed. He was first stick, sixth jumper. He describes that the C-47 banked sharply over t he DZ and the Jumpmaster exited the aircraft, the next four made it out the door assuming that it was time to jump. The fifth jumper fell down in the aircraft blocking Charlies exit resulting in the rest of the stick not jumping. It was later determined that the Jumpmaster accidently fell out
01 Sep 1942 - Al Jolson USO Show
00 Oct 1942 - First Lady Elenor Roosevelt visits the 2nd Battalion 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment at Chilton Foliat
02 Nov 1942 - 2nd Battalion, 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment redesignated as the 2nd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment while in England per AG 320.2 (11-3 42)
08 Nov 1942 - Pfc. Charles H. Audet 31025044 HHC, 2nd Bn, 509th PIR Fitchburg, Mass, participated in Operation TORCH (VILLIAN) the airborne invasion of Oran, North Africa on Plane: 2 Seat: 3 Combat Weight: 245 lbs. Plane lands and paratroopers are off loaded on the Sebkra
15 Nov 1942 - Pfc Charles Audet conducts combat jump at Youks les Baines securing the airfield for Allied operations
Pfc. Charlie Audet states that he was put on duty with about 20 to 25 other 509th Soldiers to guard General Eisenhowers HQ for two weeks. It was thought that German Paratroopers might be used to attack the HQ
06 Dec 1942 - Pfc. Charles Audet 31025044, HHC, 2nd Bn, 509th PIR from duty to hospital (NLD ATP 35-1440)
23 Dec 1942 - Pfc. Charles Audet 31025044, HHC, 2nd Bn, 509th PIR from hospital to absent sick 48th Evacuation Hospital, Oran
04 Jan 1943 - Pfc. Charles Audet 31025044, HHC, 2nd Bn, 509th PIR transferred to Det. of Patients 48th Evacuation Hospital, Oran
19 Jan 1943 - Pfc. Charles Audet 31025044, HHC, 2nd Bn, 509th PIR assigned to HQ Company (returned from hosiptal)
15 Jul 1943 - T5 Charles H. Audet 31025044 HHC, 2nd Bn, 509th PIR 07 Dec 1941 to 15 Jul 1943 GO8 Awarded Good Conduct Medal, 1yr Svc
14 Sep 1943 - Tech 5 Charles H. Audet 31025044 2nd Bn, 509th PIR, participates in Operation GIANT III the airborne invasion of Avellino, Italy. Lands with unit 20 miles behind enemy lines and spends several weeks fighting and evading Germans until friendly lines advanced to their position. The purpose of the operation was to support Operation AVALANCHE the 5th Army invasion of Salerno which was threatened with being pushed back into the sea. The Germans had an infantry regiment in reserve that would have to pass through Avellino to get to the beaches and reinforce the German assault. The 509th drop was a delaying action which caused the Germans to divert the infantry regiment in reserve to anti-parachute operations. The Germans mistakenly believed an entire Airborne Regiment or Division had landed in the area due to the scattered drop. This gave time for the 5th Army to reinforce the Salerno beachhead with the 82nd Airborne Division and ultimately stop the German assault.
Tech 5 Charlie Audet was with Tomasik and the group that went and blew the bridge. Later group was guided to friendly lines by an Italian
30 Sep 1943 - The first paratroopers from the Avellino drop begin to make it through to friendly lines
09 Nov 1943 - 509th PIB conducts combat operations vicinity Venafro, Italy
Tech 5 Charles Audet 31025044 2nd Bn, 509th PIR wounded at Venafro after making it up three quarters of the way to the top of the mountain. Sent to Hospital in Naples
14 Dec 1943 - 509th PIB comes off the line at Venafro, Italy goes to Naples, Italy for R&R
09 Jan 1944 - Boarded the ship Winchester Castle as part of the amphibious invasion of Anzio, Italy. 509th PIB was attached to 6615th Ranger Force
22 Jan 1944 - Tech 5 Charles H. Audet 31025044 2nd Bn, 509th PIR participates in Operation SHINGLE the amphibious invasion of Anzio, Italy, lands at Beach XRAY/YELLOW
27 Jan 1944 - 509th PIB ordered to hold road junction in vicinity of Padiglione, Italy
29 Feb 1944 - Tech 5 Charles H. Audet 31025044 2nd Bn, 509th PIR is with the 509th PIB when the unit takes positions at Carano Italy and is present during the action in which the 509th earned the Presidential Unit Citation for Carano
10 Apr 1944 - T/5 Charles H. Audet 31025044 HHC, 509th PIB GO 5 The following named Officers and Enlisted Men of Companies indicated having fulfilled all requirements as set forth in Par #3. a and b, Section I, WD Circular #269, dated 27 October 1943, are hereby announced as Combat Infantrymen and are entitled to wear the badge as specified in WD Circular above.
00 Apr 1944 - T/5 Charles H. Audet 31025044 Diagnosis: Pneumococcal lobar, Type of Discharge: Returned to Duty
15 Aug 1944 - Participated Combat Jump in Operation DRAGOON (RUGBY FORCE) the airborne invasion of LeMuy, Southern France
00 Jan 1945 - Wounded in Action in Belgium in left arm from shrapnel
00 Jan 1945 - T/5 Charles H. Audet 31025044 Diagnosis: Wound(s), abraded (includes friction burns); Location: Forearm; CausativeAgent: Artillery Shell, Fragments, Afoot or unspecified. Type of Injury: InjuryType: Battle casualty; Medical treatment: Penicillin therapy (treatment with penicillin)
00 Feb 1945 - Discharged from hosital, Type of Discharge: Returned to Duty, Discharge Place: Portable Surgical, Evacuation, or T/O Convalescent Hospital
Uncle Charlies War by Linda H. Davis (click to read)
1945 - was assigned to I Company 505th PIR, 82nd Airborne Division after recovering from shrapnel wound.
00 Jun 1945 - Honorably discharged
18 Jul 1948 - Listed on the 509th Reunion List A
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