2002 Currahee Veterans Memorial Jump
Easy Company and WWII Reenactors
August 15, 2002 - Chambersburg, PA


photos and captions by Doug Jordan
[son of LT C. H. Jordan (K Co, 47th Infantry Regiment, 9th Infantry Division, 1942-1945)]
506th Flags

Richard D. Winters (E/HQ, 2nd BN, 506th PIR, 1942-1945) admires the 506th Regimental
Flag with its 31 Battle Streamers (from both WWII and Vietnam). To the right is the
Association Flag of The 506th Airborne Infantry Regiment Association (Airmobile-
Air Assault).

This was the first time since WWII that Winters had seen a 506th Regimental Flag. After
seeing Winters' reaction to the flag, Easy Company veteran SFC(R) Clancy Lyall immedi-
ately began raising money for a 506th Regimental Flag and WWII Battle Streamers to give
to Winters on his 85th birthday.



Barnum, Winters, Palmer, Lyall, & Nemeth
(L-R): Burnice Barnum (C Co, 1st BN, 1967-1968)
Richard D. Winters (E/HQ, 2nd BN, 506th PIR, 1942-1945)
Stick Leader/Jump Organizer George Palmer [E Co (Recon), 1st BN, 1968-1969]
SFC(R) Clancy Lyall (E Co, 2nd BN, 506th PIR, 1944-1945; 1st ABG, 1956-1958)
Stick Leader/Jump Organizer Jim Nemeth (B Co, 3rd BN, 1970).

Gary Hardy Gearing Up

WWII Airborne Demonstration Team member ENS Gary W. Hardy, II
[1st BN (AASLT) 506th, ROK; US Army & US Navy] getting geared up by an 82nd
Airborne vet while three WWII veteran paratroopers [unknown (17th Airborne);
Forrest Guth (E Co, 506th PIR, 1942-1945); and Paul R. Miller (Surgical Medic,
REGT HQ, 506th PIR, 1942-1945)] give advice.

Gary was chosen to be the WWII reenactor to jump with the original para-
trooper helmet and parachute. Most of the other reenactors wore WWII
uniforms, but had modern skydiver helmets with radios and modern steerable
chutes.


Dave Deshler

Dave Deshler [nephew of Antonio Garcia (E Co, 2nd BN, 506th PIR, 1945)] with the WWII
paratrooper reenactor stick. Dave had his uncle's dog tags and jump boots, which his uncle
had sent to him for the jump.

Currahee Vietnam veterans Gary "Flint" Purcell (A/E Co, 3rd BN, 1967-1968); Lewis John
Oswald (A Co, 3rd BN, 1967-1968); and Andrew "Doc" Lovy (HHC, 3rd BN Surgeon, 1967-
1968) can be seen in the far right background.



WWII Reenactor Team
WWII Reenactor Team

Paul Miller
(L) photo by Doug Jordan; (R) photo from Ronald Helwig (B Co, 1st ABG, 1960-1962)
These were Memorial Jumps, just a couple of days before Airborne Day, in memory
of Currahees, both living and deceased. (L): Paul R. Miller (Surgical Medic, REGT HQ,
506th PIR, 1942-1945) carried a sign made by Dave Deshler [nephew of Antonio
Garcia (E Co, 2nd BN, 506th PIR, 1945)]. (R): Paul was the Stick Leader for the WWII
Reenactor Team.


photos from Ronald Helwig (B Co, 1st ABG, 1960-1962)
WWII Canopy
ENS Gary W. Hardy, II [1st BN (AASLT) 506th, ROK; US Army & US Navy]
dropping with a WWII canopy missing some of its panels. Gary's gear in-
cluded an entrenching tool, Mae West, and musette bag, but no leg bag.


ENS Gary Hardy
ENS Gary Hardy was the first person of the day to jump, but because his WWII
canopy parachute was not as manueverable, he landed somewhat downwind of the
target, was dragged 300 feet in a corn field, lost his entrenching tool, and had to be
trucked back to the airport.


Tonia, Guth, and Winters
photo from Tonia Miller of the 193rd Rifles Division, RKKA Reenacting Group
(L-R): Forrest Guth (E Co, 2nd BN, 506th PIR, 1942-1945); Tonia Miller;
Ethel Winters; Harriet Guth; and Richard Winters (E/HQ, 2nd BN,
506th PIR, 1942-1945). Tonia worked as a volunteer for the various jump
events, including the Jump Welcome Table.

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