PIR in the pacific ?

[Screamingeagles101]

In ww2 did US paratroopers ever jump in the paific theater ?

I've heard that the 11th did. Is this true ?

Was it hard for them to jump because of all the jungles ?

 

[R Michael]

Yes they did. elements of the 11th jumped at tangatay ridge (sp) and the 503rd jumpes on the ROCK. I have a great photo of the jump on Tangatay Rdg. in my collection that I can post.

 

Mike

[RustyCanteen]

Yes,

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raid_at_Los_Ba%C3%B1os

 

http://rockforce.org/

 

http://corregidor.org/

 

This is an excellent source of discussion that should have a few threads to interest you: http://corregidor.proboards.com/

[Jim Baker]

Google is your friend......

[Screamingeagles101]

Yes they did. elements of the 11th jumped at tangatay ridge (sp) and the 503rd jumpes on the ROCK. I have a great photo of the jump on Tangatay Rdg. in my collection that I can post.

 

Mike

 

I would love to see the photo can you please post it ?

[one50]

I'm a moderator on the Corregidor proboards....let me tell you....so serious knowledge on that board.

The 503rd made the first jump in the Pacific @ Nadzab in 43, very successfully too. That jump probably saved the American Airborne program...(but I am A little biased

Then Noemfoor island in 44, and finally the 503rds most famous jump on Corregidor in 45.

 

Here are a some fun facts about the 503rd that most people tend to mess up.

The 503rd was NOT part of the 11th Airborne, they were an independent Regiment.

While the 503rd made 3 jumps in the Pacific Theater, they technically only had 1 combat jump, thus 503rd men from WWII should only have 1 bronze star on their jump wings.

And not all the 503rd Jumped on Corregidor, some were brought in by boat the next day, thus not all 503rd Corregidor Vets have the bronze star on their jump wings.

I could go on and on

 

Dan

[one50]

Picture of the Markham Valley Jump AKA Nadzab.

[one50]

Pictures of the Corregidor jump.

[RustyCanteen]

I'm a moderator on the Corregidor proboards....let me tell you....so serious knowledge on that board.

 

 

Dan

 

I agree, a fine place for Corregidor and Bataan related information.

 

RC

[Screamingeagles101]

Very cool pics, I like the one where you can see the wing of the c47

[Redleg13a]

My great uncle jumped on Corregidor. Unfortunately, he passed away several years ago so I can't ask him about his service. My dad has his jump wings and T-5 rank, though.

[J_Andrews]

The 503rd was ATTACHED to the 11th, during Occupation in Japan, until Dec 45.

[one50]

J,

The 503rd was never attached to the 11th.

The 503rd was never in Japan.

 

The 503rd was on Negros Island during the surrender in early Sept. 45.

After which they basically hung out and did police duty until early Nov. when the Senior men (with plenty of points) went home and the Jr. Men (not enough points to go home) were sent to the 11th and did occupation duty.

The 503rd was disbanded on Dec 24, 45. but by early Nov, 45 they were cleaning up and shrinking in numbers...they basically didn't exist by mid Nov. 45.

 

if you have info stating they were attached to the 11th, please let me know. I would like to see the source.

Dan

[Jumpin Jack]

In ww2 did US paratroopers ever jump in the paific theater ?

I've heard that the 11th did. Is this true ?

Was it hard for them to jump because of all the jungles ?

 

Subsequent posts will confirm that US Paratroopers did, in fact, jump in the Pacific Theatre. However, your point about the jungles raises an interesting bit of history. The highly trained Paramarines never made a single combat jump in the Pacific for this very reason! All of their insertions were via beach assaults. When the Paramarines were disbanded, many went to the Marine Vth Division, only to suffer heavy losses on Iwo Jima. Jack Angolia

[J_Andrews]

Re Post #13: MY ERROR ! I went off half-cocked and did not check refs. I guess what I had in mind was a photo of a MAJ in the 11th wearing the Rock patch as a combat patch, Oct 45.

 

Now that I bother to check, my second Abn Album says: "(in March 1945)...the 503rd sailed back to Mindoro and was alerted for another combat jump. This assist to the 40th Infantry Division's landings on Negros Island was cancelled when resistance proved weak, and once again the unit waded ashore for light infantry service. Hunting down stragglers continued until the end of hostilities, a processing thousands of surrendering Japanese then became the task. THOUGH THE COLORS OF THE %0503RD PIR WERE NOT OFFICIALLY RETIRED UNTIL THEY WERE STATESIDE ON CHRISTMAS EVE. MOST OF ITS SOLDIERS HAD BY THEN BEEN SNET HOME FOR DISCHARGE OR TRANSFERRED TO THE 11TH AIRBORNE DIVISION".

[Torch03]

GREAT pics one50!! Thanks for posting them!

[one50]

J,

 

Thanks for looking into that.

You'll find plenty of photos of men with 11th and "cat patches" one. That's simply the Jr.s finishing up their time.

 

Here is a photo of James (he's a good guy) on his wedding day. He has the 11th patch on, but if you ask him, he'll say he belonged to the 503rd. He jumped on Corregidor and finished his time with the 11th.

That's common.

[one50]

Torch, they are greater in person...You should see the originals....I have other photos that would knock you socks off....some photos no 503rd buff has ever seen.

[agate hunter]

just found this thread. I previously posted another similar thread but mainly as to what a paratrooper in the pacific would have carried, so I could perhaps build an impression around that. so if anyone has info for me that would be great. thanks.

[Awheeler]

Please... read books man. I know there is no such thing as a stupid question when you are learning, and its perfectly fine to ask questions, but go to the library and check out some books. I grew up around them. I was always attracted to the pictures. Then I got into the text. Check out some history books, leaf through them. That is just the easiest thing to do, and then you will be able to participate more here on the forum.

[patches]

Major General Swing, CO of the 11th Airborne Division at one point wanted to incorporate the 503rd into the 11th Airborne Division to give the division two Parachute Infantry Regiments, General MacArthur said no, he wanted the 503rd remain seperate under the direct control of GHQ as a fire brigade.

 

Came across this, the bio of the 503rd CO George M.Jones.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_M._Jones

[one50]

The 503rd was affectionately know as "MacArthur's Boys". I think MacArthur liked having them in his back pocket thus keeping the 503rd under direct control.

[patches]

The 503rd was affectionately know as "MacArthur's Boys". I think MacArthur liked having them in his back pocket thus keeping the 503rd under direct control.

 

 

That they didn't go up to Japan was odd wouldn't you say? given the genuine affinity for the 503rd that MacArthur had, one would think it would of been given a premiere role in Tokyo during the occupation period, almost to the point of keeping it on active duty way past the time it was actually inactivated, possibly with it never being inactivated, with it segueing into the early Korean War period.

[one50]

Kruger had looked after the 503rd well, but had fallen out of favor, relative to Eichelberger by the time the Battle of Manila had ended. The 503rd was not yet back at full strength (the 1st Bn had been all but destroyed at Monkey Pt. on Corregidor) when it was transferred under Eichelberger, who sent the rest of the 503rd to Negros. Eichelberger had no "history" with the 503rd, and allowed them to be utilized in what was essentially a campaign which should have been given to a more heavily armed infantry regiment. The 503rd was essentially gutted in Negros, and by the time of the surrender had been filled with a large number of low-point replacements. It became an all too easy thing to roll them into the 11th Airborne, an action the veterans of the 503rd never forgave the Army for, not even today.

[Patriot]

I've posted this before on the forum, but I will do so again. This is my M1942 jump jacket that belonged to a 503rd veteran. The front slant pocket has the 503rd parachuting cat painted on it, and the back has a set of hand-inked jump wings and "11th Airborne". Those troopers that lacked sufficient points to go home were transferred to the 11th Airborne Division.