2003 Camp Toccoa Paratroopers Reunion
September 25-28
Toccoa, GA


photos from Joe Rice
Welcome Display
Veterans who trained at Camp Toccoa in the 501st PIR, 506th PIR, 511th PIR,
and 517th PIR attended the 2003 Camp Toccoa Paratroopers Reunion.



Hospitality Room

Thursday, September 25 in the Reunion Hospitality Room at the Day's Inn in Toccoa

(L-R): Johan Vann Wart, Hink Van Zeldern, Mrs. Van Zeldern, and Mario J. Patruno
(F Co, 2nd BN, 506th PIR, 1942-1945)
. Hink was a young boy when Mario jumped in Holland on
Sunday, 17 September 1944, at 1200. Johan flew in from Amsterdam for the reunion. Hink
and his wife now live in the US.




Coil and Brami

(L-R): Don Coil [G Co, 3rd BN, 506th PIR, Sep 42-Feb 43; SV Co (Rigger), Feb 43-Nov 45] and Russel
Brami (517th PIR) in the Reunion Hospitality Room. Don Coil's brother had been a 2LT in the
517th PIR in WWII.

The newspaper article behind Brami on the display board concerns the Save the Stables project.




Pee Wee Martin
James H. "Pee Wee" Martin (G Co, 3rd BN, 506th PIR, 1942-1945)
at the Welcoming Banquet held in the Georgia Baptist Conference
Center on Thursday evening, September 25.



LTC Douglas Flhore
LTC Douglas Flhore (CO, 5th Ranger Training Battalion at Camp Frank D. Merrill) spoke
at the Welcoming Banquet. His ended his talk with "Rangers Lead The Way!"



Robert Izumi

Robert Izumi (G Co, 3rd BN, 506th PIR, 1944-1945) and
his wife at the Thursday evening Welcoming Banquet.

Bob joined the Army in WWII as a member of the
Japanese-American Nisei Battalion and saw action
in Italy before he voluntered for Paratrooper duty. He
was trucked in to Bastogne with the 506th PIR and
went on to make the Army a career, serving in Korea,
Vietnam and Panama.





SSG Jeffrey Mader
SSG Jeffrey Mader (Parachute Rigger, 1st BN, 507th Airborne Infantry,
US Army Training and Doctrine Command, Fort Benning, GA)
on target after
a freefall from 5,500 feet out of a Black Hawk Helicopter, chute opening
at 3,000 feet. Currahee Mountain is in background.




Jake and Rangers
(Back L-R): SSG Joe Frye, SFC Richard Button, SSG Paul Bailey, SFC Gary Carty
(Ranger Instructors, 4th Ranger Training Battalion)
; SFC Will Holden (Pathfinder and Instructor,
5th Ranger Training Battalion)
. (Front L-R): SSG Jeffrey Mader (Parachute Rigger, 507th
Airborne Infantry)
and Jake McNiece [HQ, REGT (acting SGT, Demolition "Filthy 13"),
506th PIR, 1942-1945]




SFC Gary Carty

SFC Gary Carty (Instructor, 4th Ranger Training Battalion) on target



Jake McNiece

(L): Jake McNiece [HQ, REGT (acting SGT, Demolition "Filthy 13"), 506th PIR, 1942-1945]
and author of the book The Filthy 13, from the Dustbowl to Hitler's Eagle's Nest, the
101st Airborne's Most Legendary Squad of Combat Paratroopers: the True Story of
"The Dirty Dozen"
all suited up. Although Jake did not actually jump, SFC Will Holden
had Jake sign the Jump Manifest.

(R): Jake's Parachutist Badge with 4 stars, one for each of his WWII combat jumps:
- Normandy
[HQ, REGT, 506th PIR (Demolition;"Filthy 13")]
- Holland (HQ, REGT, 506th PIR)
-
Resupply of Bastogne (Pathfinder, 101st Airborne Division)
- Operation Varsity, Germany
(Pathfinder; jumped with 17th Airborne Division)




Stephens County High School
Jake McNiece [HQ, REGT (acting SGT, Demolition "Filthy 13"), 506th PIR, 1942-1945] and
509th PIR re-enactor Tom "Bull" Henley speak at Stephens County High School.



Joe Beyrle
Joseph R. Beyrle, Sr. (I Co, 3rd BN, 506th PIR, 1942-1945) signs his book,
The Simple Sounds of Freedom/Behind Hitler's Lines, during the veterans
book signing held at the Cornerstone Antique Market on Friday, September 26.



Doc Lovy
Andrew "Doc" Lovy (HHC, 3rd BN Surgeon, 1967-1968)
at the veterans book signing in the Cornerstone Antique
Market. Doc was the winner, in his age group, of the
10K Currahee Challenge Road Race (which included
3 miles up to the top of Currahee Mountain and back
down), held on Saturday, September 27.



Jake and Martha McNiece
Jake McNiece [HQ, REGT (acting SGT, Demolition "Filthy 13"),
506th PIR, 1942-1945]
and his wife Martha stand beside the
road sign for the Jake McNiece Path.



Martin and Lovy
James H. "Pee Wee" Martin (G Co, 3rd BN, 506th PIR, 1942-1945)
and Andrew "Doc" Lovy (HHC, 3rd BN Surgeon, 1967-1968) at the
506th PIR Monument, part of the Camp Toccoa Memorial Walk.
The Regimental Monuments were dedicated at a ceremony on
Saturday morning, September 27.



Joe Alexander
LTC(R) Joe Alexander (A/E/HHC, 3rd BN, 1967-1968)
at the Saturday morning ceremonies


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