KASTAUFFER Posted March 21, 2017 Share #1 Posted March 21, 2017 This group was recently acquired from a local family. They felt that it was better that it be in the hands of someone who appreciated it and would preserve it. Cpl Everett was one of the original members of the 513th Parachute Infantry. On Jan 4, 1945 he and a number of the members of Co B were captured or killed. He was captured and survived the war in a German prisoner of war camp. He was wounded at the time of his capture and again in April 1945 while a POW. The group includes his officially small machine engraved Purple Heart medal that was awarded to him after he was released from the prison camp. The original engraving order from the Philadelphia Quartermaster Depot is also included. It helps document the time frame of the engraving. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted March 21, 2017 Author Share #2 Posted March 21, 2017 This book shows all of his qualifying training jumps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted March 21, 2017 Author Share #3 Posted March 21, 2017 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted March 21, 2017 Author Share #4 Posted March 21, 2017 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted March 21, 2017 Author Share #5 Posted March 21, 2017 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted March 21, 2017 Author Share #6 Posted March 21, 2017 Co B 513th Parachute Infantry, 17th Airborne Division. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted March 21, 2017 Author Share #7 Posted March 21, 2017 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BILL THE PATCH Posted March 21, 2017 Share #8 Posted March 21, 2017 Now that's a group!, I think 17th Abn groups are very underated, or very uncommon. Congrats Sent from my XT1031 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BEAST Posted March 21, 2017 Share #9 Posted March 21, 2017 Great group! I enjoyed reading the comments in his jump log. Good sense of humor! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
decwriter Posted March 21, 2017 Share #10 Posted March 21, 2017 Very nice Kurt! The engraving letter is nice to see with this PH group. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blacksmith Posted March 21, 2017 Share #11 Posted March 21, 2017 Really nice grouping Kurt. I agree with Beast, the jump log is awesome. I liked the "if they are all like this I will quit worrying", directly followed by "kinda hard on the head". Drat, I spoke too soon... . The PH is really exceptional. So minty it's still frosty. Wow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Lerenfort Posted March 21, 2017 Share #12 Posted March 21, 2017 Superb find Kurt, thanks for sharing. Good to know it has a good home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katieony Posted March 21, 2017 Share #13 Posted March 21, 2017 Kurt, A very historic group...thank you for sharing the images and his story! Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted March 21, 2017 Author Share #14 Posted March 21, 2017 Thanks for the comments! I am glad you guys enjoyed seeing this.This is from his obit:He was a paratrooper during World War II and was captured during the "Battle of Bulge" near Bastogne, on Christmas Eve, 1944. He and many other captured soldiers were forced to march for days in freezing weather, ultimately ending up in Stalag 4B in Eastern Germany, where he spent the next four months, nearly starving to death (he went from a 205-pound "very fit" 19-year-old to a "skeleton" weighing only 115 pounds). The Russians freed the POW camp, and Stan and a few buddies walked out of Germany, eventually reaching Paris to rejoin U.S. troops.Received for his service was a Bronze Star; Purple Heart; POW Medal; American Campaign Medal; European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with three bronze stars; World War II Victory Medal; Army of Occupation Medal World War II with Germany clasp; Combative Infantryman Badge 1st Award; Expert Infantryman Badge and Honorable Service Lapel Button World War II. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kadet Posted March 21, 2017 Share #15 Posted March 21, 2017 Very nice group! Interesting to note that he was given credit for participation in the Central Europe campaign. He was captured before the eligibility period began, so the credit was based on service while a POW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank_Smith Posted March 21, 2017 Share #16 Posted March 21, 2017 Kurt - That is a very nice group. I know you will give it a good home and Corporal Everett's service and sacrifice will always be remembered. Frank Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cw1979 Posted March 21, 2017 Share #17 Posted March 21, 2017 Very nice group! Interesting to note that he was given credit for participation in the Central Europe campaign. He was captured before the eligibility period began, so the credit was based on service while a POW I have noticed several POWs who were liberated in February 1945 in Manila, PI were given credit for the Luzon campaign on the AP Campaign Medal similar to this man being given Central Europe campaign credit. Do you think this could have based on the idea they returned to US control and were attached to the unit that liberated them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted March 21, 2017 Author Share #18 Posted March 21, 2017 I have noticed several POWs who were liberated in February 1945 in Manila, PI were given credit for the Luzon campaign on the AP Campaign Medal similar to this man being given Central Europe campaign credit. Do you think this could have based on the idea they returned to US control and were attached to the unit that liberated them? As a matter of practice in both Europe and the Pacific, POWs were not assimilated into the units that liberated them. In the case of the POWs in the PI, they were sent to the 27th Replacement Depot for processing and given time to gain some weight before being sent back to the USA. Hospital cases were sent to the appropriate facilities. Kurt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cw1979 Posted March 22, 2017 Share #19 Posted March 22, 2017 I didn't know how that worked. Thanks for the information. I knew they didn't rejoin the fighting; I mean the liberation unit or units took care of them until they were removed to a rear area. Perhaps their Luzon campaign credit came from the unit you listed instead of the liberation unit. Thanks again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TFH Posted March 23, 2017 Share #20 Posted March 23, 2017 Great grouping ! I love it This is additional info I have writted on my blog about fightings of January 04 : http://17th-airborne-in-the-bulge.eklablog.com/then-and-now-c19092655 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWIIDADS Posted March 23, 2017 Share #21 Posted March 23, 2017 How cool is that engraving cert!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigJohn#3RD Posted March 27, 2017 Share #22 Posted March 27, 2017 Great Group Kurt, Thanks for posting. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teamski Posted March 28, 2017 Share #23 Posted March 28, 2017 A very belated WOW!!! -Ski Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDK Posted March 29, 2017 Share #24 Posted March 29, 2017 Very Nice set Kurt. Thanks for sharing this group and his story. JD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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