509th PIB prior to Torch jump

[king802]

Those are fantastic pictures of the 509. I must get up to Chilton to have a look round one day.

 

All 3 of the airborne Album books are still available to buy - i just found all 3 searching one site.

 

Rich

[J_Andrews]

I have no specific info on the bayonet. IIRC it was designed by Raff personally and more than one (but less than six or so) were fabricated. I have seen a sergeant named as the man who made them or had them made, and IIRC one of the local "cottage industry" shops near the 509th base did the metalworking. That is all I know.

[BEAR]

This jump picture took place at Ft. Benning early in the war. The drop zone is Lawson Airfield. The river in the background is the Chattahoochee and it framed the western side of the airfield. I made many runs around that airfield in my younger days.

Some of you guys might remember the Chattahoochee river in the movie "Deliverance" but that part of the river was filmed in North Georgia.

[J_Andrews]

Re Yarborough: He was an Army brat. His father was, among other things, the S-2 of the US Army Siberian Expedition, Vladivostok, 1918-1919.

 

Re the Chattahoochee River pic: that is Alabama across the river, possibly including a piece of Fort/Camp Mitchell, which was a training area for Benning. Spent too many NIGHTs over there, on night navigation and night patrolling fun. The insects over there seemed hungrier and angrier than their Georgia kin.