Jim:
There was a portion of
my comments regarding the C-82 Monorail System that was missing from the message
that I sent to you. Since you are going to use my experience with the C-82
Aircraft I thought it best to rewrite the entire message and include some
additional information about my experience with the C-82 that might be of
interest.
My introduction to the
C-82 began at Fort Bragg, NC in 1946 when the C-82 was first introduced to the
82nd Airborne Division. The setting was a Parachute Battalion Combat Team Exercise
on the Fort Bragg Military Reservation that was planned by Major General
Major General Jim Gavin, who was at that time still
the Commanding General of the 82nd Airborne Division. The 517th
Parachute Infantry Regiment, of which I was a member and commanded the 3rd
Battalion of that Regiment was deactivated in March of 1946 at Fort Bragg
and then redesignated as the Third Battalion of the 505th Parachute
Infantry Regiment. At this point in time the 101st Airborne Division had been
deactivated in Europe and a large number of its personnel assigned to the 82nd
Airborne Division at Fort Bragg. I was retained as the Battalion Commander and
the 3rd Battalion was reconstituted with WW II airborne veterans from the 517th
Parachute Infantry Regiment, the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment and the
deactivated 101st Airborne Division personnel. Almost all were WW
II combat veterans.
Major General Gavin
desired to test the new additions to the 82nd Airborne Division and to use the
new C-82 Aircraft in an actual tactical training operation. The new C-82
Aircraft had only recently been added to the USAAF Troop Carrier Units. The
Training Operation consisted of a realistic combat simulated Parachute Battalion
Combat Team Airborne Operation on the Normandy Parachute Drop Zone at Fort
Bragg in 1946. Due to the shortage of C-82 aircraft at the time they
were used only for the Combat Parachute Pack Field Artillery Battery that
was an integral part of the 3rd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry
Battalion Combat Team. The 3rd Parachute Infantry Battalion used the Curtis C-46
Commando aircraft for this jump and the Lead Serial of aircraft consisted
of the C-46 aircraft followed by the Second Serial of C-82
aircraft carrying the Parachute Field Artillery Battery. I jumped from
the leading aircraft and was on the Drop Zone when the Second Serial of C-82
aircraft arrived over the DZ. It was a memorable sight and the beginning of
a new method for the aerial delivery of our supporting artillery. It was a far
different and better method than what we used in our WW II Airborne
Operations.
My next experience with
the new C-82 was when a small group from the 505th Parachute Infantry
Regiment made the first night Parachute Jump from a C-82 made in the 82nd
Airborne Division. This group was led by Colonel Bill Ekman, Commanding Officer
of the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment and members of his Staff. I recall that
the position and construction of the C-82 cockpit was such that it was difficult
to tell when you were near and over the ground panels made up in the form
of a "T" to indicate the ground wind direction. It was necessary to pick up and
designate ground identification points/objects on the right and left side of the
cockpit and some distance and aligned with the ground panels in order to
properly time the exit over the panels. It was particularly difficult at
night when visibility was limited and ground lighting from various sources were
hard to home- on for the approach to the ground panels. The Fairchild C-119
which followed the C-82 had a far better cockpit arrangement that permitted
downward visibility as the aircraft approached the designated exit point for the
parachutists.
The C-82 had a unique
aerial delivery system. In addition to the capability to remove the rear clam
shell loading doors prior to flight for the discharge of heavy cargo it
had a Monorail System for discharging medium size cargo containers from a
conveyer belt arrangement contained in the interior of the aircraft. The
conveyer belt suspended the containers from an automatic release system at the
top of the cargo compartment which allowed the containers to drop through a
bomb bay type arrangement in the floor at the forward part of the cargo
compartment. It worked but required training to operate properly. This was
carried over to the later developed C-119 aircraft and then discontinued when
the new heavy equipment drop techniques were introduced and proved to be more
effective and made the monorail arrangement unnecessary. Additionally, there was
concern about using the monorail system at the same time parachutist were
jumping from both doors of the aircraft or with the rear clam shell doors
removed.
The most exciting flight
I ever took in a C-119 was with the Norwegian Air Force during NATO Maneuvers in
North Norway in 1965 .I asked the pilot if he would fly lower so we could
observe a herd of reindeer and he went down to
antler level and scattered reindeer for miles around. The C-119 had many uses
during its time but reindeer herding was not one of them.
I believe I am one
of the few airborne guys that went through the complete C-82-C-119 era. The C-119
came into the US Air Force and The US Army inventory at the right time and
place. It served us well.
Regards, Tom
Boom Boom
Alicki
Hi Ben!
Hope all is well with your
family and the rest of the Barrett clan.
Please change my
E-mail address to <newacct1088254@aol.com.
I, and many
many old timers like yourself appreciate wholeheartedly what you and Bob are
doing.
Shirley McCarey
Hi Ben ---- Haven't had a Mail Call in
ages. How I got off the list, I have no idea --- please put me back
on. Sure miss reading 'em.
Shirley McCarey
Friend of the 517th
Alex Fulle
Ben,
I had a great time at the Toccoa reunion this year,
as
always! I was glad to see a few 517th vets among the
guys coming
back this year. Got a bunch of pictures
of our living history guys going up
Currahee in HBTs if
you want me to pass on the pictures?
-Alex Fulle
Bucky Simmons
