Currahee Packages Project 2004-2005

While the 1st Battalion of the 506th was deployed to Iraq (from Korea) as part of the 2nd BCT, 2nd Infantry Division Task Force Currahee, August 2004-July 2005, the 506th Association implemented a special project to send packages to each Company in the Battalion [plus packages to each of the companies supporting the 506th: A Co (Apache), 2-72nd Armor and C Co (Charlie Rock Sappers), 44th Engineer Battalion] while the 506th was participating in Operation Iraqi Freedom. At the beginning of 2005, another support unit was added to the task force: B Battery (Bushwhackers), 5th Battalion, 5th Air Defense Artillery (equipped with M2A2 Bradley Stinger Fighting Vehicles), so the 506th Association also sent Currahee Packages to this new unit.

View the list of those who contributed to the 2004-2005 Currahee Packages Project.

Alfred M. May (1st Platoon Leader and XO, A Co, 1st BN, 1970-1971) was Chairman of the Currahee
Packages Committee and purchased various items, packing boxes, and shipping packages.
Fred included a letter of introduction in the initial boxes to each Company of the 1-506th to let
the active-duty troops know about the 506th Association and its mission/vision.

The 506th Association donated nine Currahee Flags to the troops in Iraq: one to each
of the 1-506th companies (HHC, A, B, C, and D); one to the 1st Battalion Commander,
LTC David L. Clark; and one to each of the companies supporting the 506th: A Co, 2-72nd
Armor; C Co, 44th Engineers; and B Btry, 5-5th ADA. The Currahee Flag that Fred pur-
chased for himself is hanging on the back wall. Anyone may purchase one of these flags from
the 506th Association via US Mail.

On October 6, 2004 the first Currahee Package was mailed to A Company, 1-506th
and was received by SGT Steven Parshall on November 1, 2004. Fred received
thank-you letters and eMails from the battalion and company COs.

Fred used the apple boxes stacked along the wall as packing boxes because they have a
water-resistant coating and are very strong. He acquired these boxes free from his local
supermarket. Fred's wife Sabina also helped with the packages. Their pool table became
"Currahee Packing Central."

(Right): Ron Helwig (B Co, 1st ABG, 1960-1962), 506th Association Quartermaster and also
Currahee Packages Project Committee member, took over the purchasing, packaging,
and shipping for 3 months, beginning in January 2005, when Fred went on his winter
vacation. Thanks also to Ron for proposing and designing the Currahee Flags that were so
popular with the troops in Iraq!

Donations to the Currahee Packages Project were generous enough that Fred was able
to purchase and ship more expensive personal-product-type items in addition to snack
foods. The 506th Association continued shipping 3 Currahee Packages a week to
the 506th soldiers until June 22, 2005 when mail to the 506th was cut off due to their
pending relocation to Fort Carson, CO.

Gift labels were placed on the more durable items. The labels read:

Gift From
The 506th Airborne Infantry Regiment Association
(Airmobile-Air Assault)
We Stand Together - Then, Now, and Always

All of these items can be put in a 1-bushel apple box.
Each Currahee Package contained more than 20 pounds of items.

Fred and Ron shipped 3 Currahee Package boxes per week to the troops in Iraq.
As of June 22, 2005 (when the last package was mailed), 111 boxes had been
shipped, totaling over 3,500 pounds of snacks, magazines, personal products and
other requested items

These pages are maintained the
506th Airborne Infantry Regiment Association (Airmobile - Air Assault)
This page updated 04/06/13