CHARLES H. ROGERS: D-DAY PATHFINDER

[beef]

Here is a page from the official 82nd Airborne AAR for Operation Market that describes the plan for the Pathfinder insertion 10 minutes before the arrival of the first a/c of the main lift.

[beef]

Here is a description of the actual drop. It says the 505th inserted at 1300, immediately after the Pathfinders. Also from the official 82nd AAR. The 508th later. The AAR contains a daily narrative until Sept. 22, 1944. Nothing specifically about Oct. 1, when Charles Rogers was KIA.

[kammo-man]

In December 1943, the 508^th left Camp Mackall and sailed to Ireland. From there the 508^th began their training in Great Britain, preparing for the invasion of France.

 

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Great Northern Irish maps.

 

owen

[BEAST]

Great Northern Irish maps.

 

owen

 

Thanks Owen. It would be nice to go there and use them.

 

[BEAST]

Great thread, Beast! The Pathfinders then were a kind of fluid organization. Just because you where a pathfinder on the D Day drop didn't mean that you were in Holland. Some guys opted out. Others, like Jake McNeese opted in later.

 

Plus, for instance, the 101st used 11 sticks of Pathfinders for the D Day drop, but only four for the Holland jump. The daylight drop was less "labor/personnel" intensive, since VFR could be used. So not all the Pathfinder trained guys were needed.

 

Your jump wings have one star for the Normandy jump. Robert Cooper (my A Co. 505th KIA Grouping, he was with E Co. 505 in Holland) has two stars and an arrowhead for Sicily, Salerno and Normandy. Sadly, neither of these guys lived to add the star for Holland.

 

I have a local connection that can get flowers placed on Rogers' grave from time to time if you like.?

 

Thanks for the response Beef. When I first began researching Rogers, I was trying to wrap my head around the idea that D-Day Pathfinders would not be necessarily used during Market Garden. Of course it makes sense with jump conditions being different as you mentioned.

 

If your friend could place flowers at Rogers' grave that would be very nice. I'm still in contact with some of his family and it would be nice to be able to show them that he is not forgotten.

[kammo-man]

Are those maps marked in anyway ?

With grease pens showing training routes etc ?

There was loads of local folklore of US training runs and camps with an AFTER THE BATTLE issue on the US bases in NI etc.

The Antrim map would show the scenery thats featured in a lot of the GAME OF THRONES if you happen to know that show.

Its a pretty place to be stationed but a bit damp at the best of times.

During the war My mother was evacuated there during the early part of the war and rembered the Luftwaffe using the coast line as a map to find Belfast to bomb it, I think they were coming from the base in Norway.

Fun stuff.

[BEAST]

Are those maps marked in anyway ?

With grease pens showing training routes etc ?

There was loads of local folklore of US training runs and camps with an AFTER THE BATTLE issue on the US bases in NI etc.

The Antrim map would show the scenery thats featured in a lot of the GAME OF THRONES if you happen to know that show.

Its a pretty place to be stationed but a bit damp at the best of times.

During the war My mother was evacuated there during the early part of the war and rembered the Luftwaffe using the coast line as a map to find Belfast to bomb it, I think they were coming from the base in Norway.

Fun stuff.

Hey Owen,

 

Thanks for the post, unfortunately, none of the maps were marked.

[BEAST]

Back to the top in remembrance of the anniversary of his and his family's sacrifice.

[Larry L. Burnside]

Charles H. Rogers was my father's 1st cousin. His mother was Edith Phebus, Rogers. From the photos that my grandmother gave me Charles and my father were childhood friends and buddies. 

[BEAST]

On 3/13/2021 at 8:23 AM, Larry L. Burnside said:

Charles H. Rogers was my father's 1st cousin. His mother was Edith Phebus, Rogers. From the photos that my grandmother gave me Charles and my father were childhood friends and buddies. 

Thank you for posting these!