The objective of this year's Veterans Day article is to honor those veterans who served with the 101st during WW II as depicted in Stephen Ambrose's book, "Band of Brothers", as well as the next generation of Currahees as depicted in our upcoming book, "They Called Us Currahees".

The following story was written by Jerry Berry, who was a paratrooper with the 3rd Battalion (Airborne), 506th Infantry (Currahees), 101st Airborne Division (Screaming Eagles) in Vietnam.  After arriving with his unit in Vietnam, he became the battalion combat photographer/reporter.  Berry was wounded twice during his tour of duty. 

BAND OF BROTHERS – THE NEXT GENERATION

     Thanks to the determination of Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks, the epic HBO miniseries, “Band of Brothers”, has opened another realistic window into World War II Europe through the eyes of the men of Easy Company, 506^th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101^st Airborne Division, depicting their war experience with unparalleled accuracy.  The overwhelming task of creating a purely factual account of the D-Day Invasion and the overall European Theater of Operations could not have been adequately accomplished without the many timeless hours of interviews with the men who actually fought the war—the surviving members of Easy Company, 506^th PIR—who are now getting on in age.

 

The miniseries itself is based on the book, “Band of Brothers”, written by Stephen Ambrose.  Ambrose, who wrote the historical biography of Dwight D. Eisenhower, has also written several other books about World War II.  Writing “Band of Brothers” was a particularly interesting project for Ambrose, because the material for the book came directly from the surviving members of Easy Company, who also had the opportunity to preview the manuscript before publication to ensure its historical accuracy.  Very few of the original “Band of Brothers” are still alive.  At the time “Band of Brothers” was published in 1992, the surviving Easy Company guys were in their mid 60s to late 80s.  Some of them actually served as advisors on the movie set of  “Band of Brothers” and contributed greatly to the accurate portrayal of themselves through the actors representing them as young paratroopers during World War II.

     The majority of surviving Easy Company guys are quite modest and certainly do not view themselves as heroes.  In their minds, they did what they had to do during a time of war when their country called on them to defend freedom in the world.  History has been kind to them—these brave soldiers who gave their all, parts of their bodies, their lives, and their youth to fight a war on foreign soil.  These fighting men of World War II are often referred to as “The Greatest Generation”, not only because of their patriotism and response to the call of duty to serve their country, but because of their dedication to duty and honor, their love of country, and the tremendous sacrifice they endured in order to ensure freedom for future generations.  Those who came home were welcomed as heroes by the open arms of the citizens of our country.  The Greatest Generation had saved the world from the terror of Nazism and the imperialistic advances of Japan.  They continued their lives in a free world—married, had families, developed successful careers—and always kept in touch with each other.  They had forged an indescribable bond during the three years they had been together—all the way from Toccoa, Georgia until the end of World War II in Europe.  It was at one of their many reunions since the end of the war that Stephen Ambrose first became acquainted with the men of Easy Company.

     The famed Screaming Eagles of the 101^st Airborne Division were cast into the spotlight with the release of the movie, “Saving Private Ryan”, in which Tom Hanks played the starring role as a Special Forces Officer who had been given the job of finding the only surviving son from a family of four brothers amid the chaos of the D-Day invasion of Normandy.  The story was actually based on the true story of Fritz Niland, who served with the 101^st Airborne Division during World War II.  His brother, Bob Niland, was killed on D-Day.  Another brother, a platoon leader in the 4^th Infantry Division, was also killed on D-Day at Utah Beach.  A third brother, who was a pilot, had been killed that same week in the China-Burma-India Theater of Operations.  Fritz was immediately sent home to be with his mother, who had received all three telegrams from the War Department concerning the deaths of her sons on the same day. 

    The legacy of the Screaming Eagles continued with the much-anticipated release of the HBO miniseries, “Band of Brothers”.  After viewing the final episode of the ten-part miniseries, I was left with an empty feeling—sad to see such a well made World War II story come to a close.  Yet, I wondered just how many viewers would be curious to know what happened to this famed Screaming Eagle unit and the 101^st Airborne Division after World War II ended.  Many Americans do not realize that another generation of Screaming Eagles would emerge to continue the legacy of their World War II predecessors and carry its tradition of pride and honor to the battlefields of South Vietnam.

     The men of Easy Company, 506^th PIR had celebrated VE Day (Victory in Europe Day) on May 8, 1945, shortly after their occupation of Berchtesgaden, Germany and their capture of Hitler’s mountain vacation retreat, the Adlershorst, or Eagle’s Nest.  Later on, Easy Company received news of the surrender of Japan on September 2, 1945.  World War II had ended, and the men of Easy Company began to rotate back home.  On November 30, 1945, their unit—the Screaming Eagles of the 101^st Airborne Division—was deactivated and the unit colors were encased and stored.  Easy Company ceased to exist.  In the words of Colonel W. O. Kinnard, who wrote the final daily bulletin for the 101^st Division,  “To those of you left to read this last daily bulletin—do not dwell on the disintegration of our great unit, but rather be proud that you are of the ‘old guard’ of the greatest division ever to fight for our country.  Carry with you the memory of its greatness wherever you may go being always assumed of respect when you say, ‘I served with the 101^st.’”

     Following World War II, the 101^st Airborne Division was activated and inactivated three times from 1945 until 1956, when the final home of the 101^st Airborne Division became Fort Campbell, Kentucky.  The Screaming Eagles were soaring once again when the division colors were unsheathed and presented at Fort Campbell on September 21, 1956.  In the years to follow, the 101^st continued to train paratroopers.  This new generation of Screaming Eagles would continue the proud legacy of  “The Battered Bastards of Bastogne”, as their World War II predecessors had been called since their heroic defense of Bastogne, Belgium in a month-long siege against the Germans during the winter of December-January, 1944-1945.  The next generation of Currahees would also answer the call to serve their country honorably in combat.  In July of 1965, the first element of the 101^st Airborne Division was deployed to the Republic of South Vietnam.  The remainder of the Division arrived in South Vietnam in October and November of 1967.

     In the words of Major General B. E. Powell, U. S. Army Division Commander in 1965, “The history of the 101^st Airborne Division was not to end, finally, with the triumph of American arms on the battlefields of WWII.  To meet the rising challenge of Communist imperialism, its colors were uncased and the best of a new generation of soldiers was chosen to fill its ranks again.  Today, ever ready to keep its ‘Rendezvous With Destiny’, the Division of that new generation does credit to the great heritage of Bastogne.  The place of the 101^st is secure in the annals of history; its exploits in combat will be remembered for as long as men honor the memory of valor.”

     In June of 1967, I had just completed my airborne training at Fort Benning, Georgia and was promptly assigned to the recently reactivated 3^rd Battalion, 506^th Airborne Infantry (Currahees).  It was quite an honor to be assigned to this old warhorse unit from WWII.  The new battalion commander, LTC John P. Geraci, was also a combat veteran of WWII, as well as Korea and Vietnam.  This prestigious commander was staffing his unit with the finest officers and NCOs that he could beg, borrow, or steal from other airborne units in the military.  It was rumored that the unit would train especially for a combat jump in South Vietnam.  News that this famous WWII battalion had reactivated for service in Vietnam as the fourth maneuver battalion to the 1^st Brigade, 101^st Airborne Division, spread rapidly through the military ranks, and paratroopers from other airborne units volunteered for the 3-506^th.  The remaining officers and enlisted men needed to fill the ranks came straight from Officer Candidate School and jump school—myself included.

     From the beginning, there was something special about being a member of the 3-506^th.  For the first six months following reactivation, the Currahees of the 3-506^th ate together, partied together, slept together, jumped together, and trained together in the Lands Between the Lakes, the swamps of Georgia, and the mountains of Tennessee.  Just as the original Easy Company men had trained together at Camp Toccoa, Georgia and Fort Benning, Georgia, my unit, the 3-506^th, trained together for our combat mission in Vietnam.  As our World War II predecessors, we learned to function not only as an elite team of soldiers, but also as a family—taking care of each other and forming a life-long bond.



     On October 2, 1967, our battalion deployed to Vietnam aboard the USNS General William Weigel.  Our trip to Southeast Asia took almost a month.  The men of Easy Company had also traveled to their destination by ship.  They sailed from New York City to Liverpool, England in September of 1943 on the troop ship, Samaria.  Their trip across the Atlantic Ocean took ten days.  Once in Europe, Easy Company trained in England for almost nine months in preparation for their D-Day jump into Normandy.  Our unit trained for only two weeks before being thrust into our first combat assault on November 11, 1967. (Exactly 34 years ago this Veterans Day)

     The American paratrooper is said to be the world’s finest soldier and toughest fighting man.  The hazardous nature of the duty involved requires initiative, determination, agility, strength, and top mental coordination.  A soldier is not automatically inducted into the airborne; he must volunteer.  The regular infantryman has to successfully complete eight weeks of basic training and eight weeks of advanced infantry training.  For those infantrymen wanting to become paratroopers, it’s just the beginning.  They must also complete Jump School, 21 days of the toughest physical training ever experienced.  During the time I attended Fort Benning Airborne Training School, a significant number of the men entering the training “washed out” in the first few days.  The same strenuous standards had to be met by the men of Easy Company as well.  According to statistics given in Ambrose’s book, “Band of Brothers”, only 148 men out of 500 officer volunteers were accepted into the Airborne; only 1,800 graduated from the training out of every 5,300 enlisted men.

     Each generation of Screaming Eagles fought in a different war and fought different enemies, but the common thread that binds them together is the fact that they were all Currahees and members of a special “Band of Brothers” who gave their lives, limbs, and youth for the cause of freedom.  There are striking similarities, as well as contrasting differences between the Screaming Eagles of the 506^th PIR who fought in WWII and the Screaming Eagles of the 506^th Airborne Infantry who fought in the Vietnam War.

     Both generations of Currahees had trained extensively for a specific objective.  Easy Company had trained for two years to parachute into Normandy on D-Day.  Our unit had trained for eight months specifically for guerrilla warfare and a proposed combat jump in South Vietnam.  Each generation of Currahees fought an aggressive, yet different enemy.  World War II paratroopers fought against a discernible uniformed German soldier.  The Vietnam War Currahees fought an elusive, not always identifiable Communist guerrilla, as well as the uniformed soldiers of the Communist North Vietnamese Army.   The French, Dutch, and other Europeans welcomed WWII Currahees and praised them as liberators.  Vietnam War Currahees passed through the villages and hamlets of South Vietnam, knowing that the same citizens they encountered by day could very well be their enemies by night.

The men of Easy Company, as well as their Vietnam counterparts, thwarted the advance of the enemy in decisive battles that made them famous.  It was the siege of Bastogne that made the Currahees famous in WWII.  The unit received Presidential Unit Citations for their gallantry in Europe.  The infamous TET Offensive of 1968 made history for the Currahees of the Vietnam War.  They were given a Valorous Unit Award for their courageous efforts in South Vietnam.  Many battle streamers have been added to the unit flag by both generations of Currahees; their legacy is long and proud.

     Just as their brave predecessors of World War II had served courageously in Europe, the next generation of Screaming Eagles of the 101^st Airborne Division served gallantly in the Republic of South Vietnam.  Unlike their World War II predecessors, the Screaming Eagles of Vietnam were not welcomed as heroes when they returned from war on foreign soil.  Their fellow Americans were indifferent towards them and expressed a negative view of their service to their country during an unpopular war.  History has not been kind to them.  The next generation of Screaming Eagles also fought, sacrificed, and died for the cause of freedom in the world and also met their “Rendezvous With Destiny” in the rice paddies and jungles of South Vietnam.  They are often referred to as “The Forgotten Generation”.

     Since the Vietnam War, several myths still continue to be accepted as the real truth about the war.  According to President Richard Nixon, “No event in American History is more misunderstood that the Vietnam War.  It was misreported then, and it is misremembered now.  Rarely have so many people been so wrong about so much.  Never have the consequences of their misunderstanding been so tragic.”  Some of the TRUE facts [Found in Statistics about the Vietnam War] are that 91% of Vietnam Veterans say they are glad they served, 74% said that they would serve again even knowing the outcome, 97% were discharged under honorable conditions, and 85% of these veterans made quite a successful transition to civilian life after service in South Vietnam.  The average age of the soldier killed in the Vietnam War was 20, compared to the average age of 26 for WWII veterans.  Thanks to the mobility of the helicopter, the average infantryman who served in South Vietnam experienced an average of 240 days of combat during his usual one-year tour of duty.  One out of every ten Americans who served in South Vietnam was a casualty.  The percent that gave their lives is similar to the losses in other wars, but amputations and crippling wounds were 300 percent higher than in WWII.  Many Americans believe that the United States lost the Vietnam War, but the truth is that by the time Saigon (Capitol of South Vietnam) fell to the North Vietnamese Army, the South Vietnamese were in complete control of their country—the last of the American troops had already been withdrawn two years before.  Others believe that the Vietnam conflict was a senseless war and that nothing was accomplished as a result of the thousands that gave their lives in South Vietnam, but the Vietnam War was the turning point for Communism.  Without U. S. commitment to stop the spread of Communism in Southeast Asia, Communism would have swept all the way to the very doorstep of the free world.

       The Screaming Eagles of the Vietnam War are also beginning to age.  Some thirty-plus years beyond the Vietnam Era, the next generation of Currahees are in their 50s, 60s, and some are in their 70s.  Their time is dwindling as well.  As one of these next generation Currahees, I have made it my personal quest to locate as many of the members from my former paratrooper unit, the 3^rd Battalion, 506^th Airborne Infantry, 101^st Airborne Division, as I possibly can.  I am currently in touch with over 300 former Currahees, and just as the men of Easy Company from WWII, we continue to hold annual reunions as well.  Hardly a day goes by in my life without thoughts of Vietnam and the many lives that touched mine.  A wealth of photographs, information, and personal experience came home with me over thirty years ago as a result of my service in South Vietnam as the Battalion Combat Photographer and Reporter.  Along with the personal input from my fellow Currahees, I hope to complete a factual account of our unit’s first year in South Vietnam.  The legacy we will leave for future generations will be set forth in picture and story between the covers of a book entitled, “They Called Us Currahees.”

     Just as our WWII predecessors, our “Band of Brothers” share a bond that cannot be comprehended or adequately explained to others outside our unit.  It is a bond that has withstood the perils of war, the loss of friends, and the painful memories of Vietnam.  True comradeship is achieved when each is ready and willing to give his life for his fellow soldier without hesitation or thought of personal peril.  Such is the true camaraderie of the Currahees—then and now.  

          At our last annual reunion of the 3-506^th in Kansas City, Kansas, I had the privilege of meeting and personally shaking the hand of an original Toccoa Easy Company paratrooper who served with the 506^th PIR during WWII—Paul C. Rogers.  In an interview with World War II Magazine prior to the release of the miniseries, “Band of Brothers”, Rogers remarked, “They keep telling us that we are the greatest generation, and we are not. . . I am proud of what I have done, . . .I wouldn’t have missed it.  We were just a bunch of ordinary Americans, damn good Americans.”  It was indeed a pleasure to talk with him, and I will always treasure the personal autograph he inscribed on the opening page of my copy of  “Band of Brothers” by Stephen Ambrose.  It reads—Paul Rogers, From Toccoa all of the way!  July 2001.  It is my hope that some day others will feel just as much pride in knowing a Currahee of the next generation.

Jerry Berry served with Joe Alexander and Sterling Chapman in Vietnam. Loren Herrick is the father of Bennett James Herrick, who was killed on March 25, 1968, while serving with the 3-506th in South Vietnam. Loren also lost his other son, Dennis Haldane Herrick, to the Vietnam War. After arriving with his unit in Vietnam, Berry became the battalion combat photographer/reporter. He is a retired U.S. Forest Service wildlife biologist and lives in Libby, Montana. The 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment (WW II) was featured in the Spielberg movie "Saving Private Ryan", and the recent ten-part mini-series, "Band of Brothers" also about the 506th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, during WW II, which is based on the novel "Band of Brothers" by Stephen E. Ambrose.