E Company 506th was constituted July 1, 1942 at Camp
Toccoa, GA. At the time it was the first Parachute Infantry
Regiment that would complete basic training and parachute training as a
unit. E company was comprised of 132 enlisted men and eight
officers. It had three platoons and a headquarter section. These
were subdivided into three 12 men rifle squads as well as a 6 men
mortar squad in each platoon.
E Company landed in England aboard the troop ship Samaria on September
15, 1943. While in England, E Company and the 101st would train
and hone their skills. At the end of May, E Company moved to
Uppottery (their marshalling area and their airfield for the invasion
of Europe). From this point onward missions were rehearsed to the point
of every man from General to Private knew their entire mission forward
and back. At 2300 hours on June 5, E Company 506th rolled down the
runway, formed up with other Airborne troops and began its journey to
Normandy.
June 6, 1944 E Company crossed the French coast. Their formation
passed into a cloudbank thus scattering them. Between this and
the flack it was a wonder any of them were able to come even close to
their DZ's. By morning the best E Company could pull together were nine
rifleman, two officers, two light machine guns, one bazooka and a 60 mm
mortar. Eleven men assaulted and captured an entire battery and
scattered their supporting infantry. The battery was being zeroed by
forward observer on Utah beach calling the shots onto the 4th Infantry
Division on Utah beach. By seizing the initiative the young
paratroopers saved countless lives that day.
The next drop zone was in Holland. The name of the operation was
"Market-Garden" - Market for the airborne portion and Garden for the
ground portion. It was a beautiful day September 17th 1944 when E
Company made their jump. With little resistance the airborne armada
placed E Company en mass and on target. Bitter fighting lay ahead
for the company. For nearly ten days E company fought not only for
their lives but the lives of the other paratroopers up the road from
them. The company was out manned and outgunned from the outset. The
Company jumped into Holland with 157 men. When they were relieved ten
days later they had suffered 22 killed. On November 25, 1944 E Company
was pulled off line and sent to Mourmelon in France for rest and refit.
On December 17, 1944 E Company and the rest of 101st were "truck
lifted" in a miracle of logistics into and around a small town called
Bastogne. Few winter uniforms were issued along with ammunition. E
Company dug into the woods to the east side of the road that ran from
Bastogne to Foy-Noville. The Company was in familiar territory,
short of ammo, food and completely surrounded. Twelve days of the
bitterest fighting in the history of the US Army lay ahead for the men
of E Company. As if to mock the surrounded paratroopers on
December 21, 1944 it started snowing and stopped only after 12 inches
had fallen. The cold and trench foot did as much damage as the
Germans. On December 22, the Germans offered to accept the
surrender of the 101st. The famous rally cry and moral raising saying
of "Nuts" was sent back to the German lines. Finally on December
26 Patton's 3rd Army broke through to the "battered bastards of
Bastogne" to effect relief and resupply. Unfortunately for E
Company, a manpower shortage befell the US Army and they were put on
the offensive. E Company came to Bastogne with 121 men, the
company held less than 100 on New Years Day of 1945. E company would
fight to regain ground around Bastogne for over two weeks into January
of 1945. The 506th would finally be moved to regimental reserves.
On 25 February 1945 the 506th PIR were pulled off the line and shipped
by rail to Mourmelon, France. For the first time since Bastogne, they
were able to shower and sleep in cots instead of washing out of their
helmets and sleeping in their foxholes. It was during this break
Gen. Eisenhower personally awarded the 101st Airborne the Presidential
Distinguished Unit Citation. It was the first time in Army history that
an entire division would be given this award.
When E Company entered the war on June 6, 1944, it had 139 men in its
ranks. At wars end 48 E Company men would have given the ultimate
sacrifice and more than 100 would be wounded, some several times. In
their honor, we portray these men so their memory and sacrifice can be
displayed for all to see. Currahee! Which means, "Stands Alone", E
Company 506th PIR definitely stands alone. We will never forget what
they did for us!
Source:
"History of 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment".
