AIR FORCE HISTORY AND HERITAGE

April 1, 1954 -- President Eisenhower signed into law a bill creating

the Air Force Academy.

April 1, 1972 -- Air Training Command activated the Community College of

the Air Force at Randolph AFB, Texas.

April 3, 1967 -- Chief Master Sgt. Paul W. Airey became the first chief

master sergeant of the Air Force.

April 6, 1924 -- Four specially built Douglas World Cruisers -- each

with a crew of two men -- set off for the first flight around the world.

April 6, 1949 -- The X-1 rocket plane flew at 1,000 mph, an unofficial

world-record speed for piloted planes.

April 6, 1959 -- NASA announced that seven pilots from the U.S. armed

services are chosen for the Mercury astronaut program. Those Airmen

selected are Capts. L. Gordon Cooper Jr., Virgil I. Grissom and Donald

K. Slayton.

April 10, 1959 -- First flight of the Northrop T-38 Talon

April 12, 1966 -- Strategic Air Command B-52 bombers struck targets in

North Vietnam for the first time. They hit a supply route in the Mu Gia

Pass about 85 miles north of the border.

April 14, 1986 -- U.S. forces launched Operation Eldorado Canyon, a

retaliatory bombing raid in response to terrorist activities supported

by Libyan leader Muammar Qadhafi.

April 18, 1942 -- Lt. Col. James Doolittle led 16 B-25 Mitchell bombers

on a Tokyo bombing raid.

April 18, 1975 -- The Strategic Air Command began transferring air

refueling wings to the Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard. AFRES

and ANG tanker units will support SAC alert operations.

April 19, 1967 -- Maj. Leo K. Thorsness was awarded the Medal of Honor

for protecting the rescue of downed airmen in North Vietnam. Flying an

F-105 Thunderchief critically low on fuel, Major Thorsness shoots down

one MiG-17, damages another, and drives off three more.

April 19, 1995 -- A bomb exploded at a federal building in Oklahoma

City, killing 169 people and injuring more than 400 others. The Air

Force provides airlift of firefighters, search and rescue teams,

investigators and medical personnel.

April 26, 1948 -- The U.S. Air Force became the first service to plan

for racial integration, anticipating President Truman's executive order

to be issued in July 1948.

April 29, 1918 -- Lt. Edward V. Rickenbacker downed his first enemy

aircraft

A close friend of mine, Harry Kenton, now aged 91, has a great personal story relating to WW2.

HARRY A. KENTON, USMC, BRIEF BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH:

Harry A. Kenton was born in 1914 in Chicago and enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1934. After undergoing his initial training at Parris Island, he was assigned first to Haiti and then in 1935 to Tiensing, China, as a consular Guard.

Pvt. Harry A. Kenton, USMC -- 1934

The consular personnel were withdrawn due to the advancing Japanese Imperial army and he was transferred to Coascula, Balboa, in Panama.

Sgt. Harry A. Kenton, USMC -- 1939

Following Pearl Harbor now Sgt. Kenton was transfered to E. Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Regiment, 1st. Marine Division and was assigned to Tutuila, Pago Pago (Pango Pango), Samoa in order to help train the Marine invasion force for Guadalcanal.

Sgt. Harry A. Kenton, USMC -- Samoa, 1942

They were shelled by Japanese submarines and had to prepare a defensive perimeter. During the Guadalcanal landing and fight in 1942 Sgt. Kenton contracted Mosquito borne elephantitis and was transferred to a field hospital. He spent much of the remainder of the war recovering in hospital.

At the end of WW2 now G/Sgt Kenton was assigned to Oahu, Hawaii, as a section NCOIC of small arms battlefield recovery and salvage. G/Sgt Kenton went on to serve in the Korean War and retired as a Chief Warrant Officer (Gunner) in 1957.

HARRY A. KENTON'S 1903 SPRINGFIELD RIFLE:

Private Harry Kenton, new USMC enlistee, was issued (as were all US Marines at that time) a 1903 Springfield rifle, serial number 1207769, on 10 April 1934.

Pvt. Harry A. Kenton, USMC -- original issue slip for 1903 Springfield rifle

SN 1207769, 10 April 1934

After the Guadalcanal operation in 1942 the US Marine Corps switched to the US Rifle, cal 30, M1 (Garand). Sgt Kenton (now in the hospital) had previously turned in his Springfield rifle. One day during his tenure as a section NCOIC of small arms battlefield recovery and salvage in Oahu, Hawaii, following the end of the war, a list of recovered rifle serial numbers -- mostly Garands, but including some 1903 Springfields -- came across his desk. Among them was 1903 Springfield rifle number 1207769 -- the very rifle he had been issued in 1934! He immediately sent a crew out to look for it -- and they found it! There was no record of its history during the war. He applied to the USMC for permission to purchase the rifle and was eventually allowed to for $25 (in 1954).

CWO Harry A. Kenton, USMC -- Receipt for purchase of 1903 Springfield rifle

SN1207769 from the USMC

The battered stock was reconditioned and it was eventually fitted with an inscription plate bearing his name and "Guadalcanal 1942" when he retired.

CWO Harry A. Kenton, USMC -- Inscription plate on 1903 Springfield rifle

SN1207769

CWO Harry A. Kenton, USMC -- Serial number on 1903 Springfield rifle

SN1207769

CWO Harry A. Kenton, USMC -- Retirement - 1957

It is now displayed on the wall of his house with a retrofitted bayonet and sling. I am sure there are not many veterans who own the actual rifle they were issued and carried in battle!

CWO Harry A. Kenton, USMC, Retired, -- Photo of the "Gunner" , aged 91, holding his 1903 Springfield rifle, SN 1207769 -- taken in his backyard by me on 30 March 2005

157 COMBAT ENGINEER BATTALION - 60TH REUNION

SEPT 14 TH - 16 TH, 2005

ATLANTIC CITY, NEW JERSEY

HOLIDAY INN BOARDWALK

MEMBERS, FAMILIES AND FRIENDS

CONTACT QUESTIONS

CALL MICKEY GLASSMAN 1-856-456-5862

Thanks, Harold Whiting

Just pointing out some of the same territory that the 82nd Airborne shared with the VI Corps Engineers. Please note this is a very brief overview. I hope to tie in details as I uncover info for my book and the site.

Sicily - Operation Husky

Colonel James Gavin's 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment (PIR) and the 3rd Battalion of the 504th PIR parachuted to take the high ground near Ponte Olivo airfield northeast of Gela, Sicily on July 9,1943. Despite the wide scattering of the assault, the objectives were seized and the units linked up with the 1st Infantry Division the next day.

On July 11, 1943, the remaining Battalions of the 504th PIR were dropped in the vicinity of Gela with heavy losses from both the German and Allied (friendly fire) antiaircraft fire. Despite the heavy losses the division was moved up to the front by motor and reinforced by the 39th Infantry Division on July 12, 1943. The crossings of Fiume delle Canno were secured on July 18, 1943 and the division pushed along the coastal highway, seizing the Marsala-Trapani area of Sicily's western coast by July 23rd.

Salerno - The Oil Drum Drop

The Division's second combat operation was a night parachute drop onto the Salerno beachhead on September 13, 1943 in support of General Mark Clark's 5th Army which was in danger of being pushed back into the sea.

The 504th PIR was parachuted south of the Sele River near Salerno on September 13, 1943. In order to guide the C-47 pilots to the shrinking dropzone, oil drums filled with gasoline soaked sand were ignited every 50 yards when signaled. 1300 troopers landed that night infusing a new sense of confidence to the beleaguered soldiers of the 5th Army. The 505th PIR was dropped the following night near the same dropzone to reinforce the air assault. On September 15th the 325th Glider Infantry Regiment (GIR) was brought into the beachhead amphibiously to join the rest of the division.

Once the beachhead was secured, the 504th PIR & the 376th PFAB began an attack to recover Altavilla on September 16, 1943 and the division fought towards Naples which it reached on October 1, 1943 and moved in to the next day for security duty.

"Leg Infantry"

After Naples, the 504th PIR & the 376th PFAB were detached from the 82nd Airborne temporarily and fought as "leg infantry" through the hills of southern Italy as part of the 36th Infantry Division. On October 29th they capture Gallo. They then battled in the Winter Line commencing with attacks up Hill 687 on December 15th, 1943.

On 9 December 1943 Colonel Gavin was promoted to Brigadier General and assumed the duties of the Assistant Division Commander of the 82nd Airborne while Lt Col Herbert Batchellor assumed command of the 505th. During the early months of 1944, units of the Division were moved to England as the allies were preparing for the assault on Western Europe. The 505th PIR again changed commanders on 22 March 1944 when Lt Col William Ekman assumed command. He would lead the 505th through the remainder of the war.

Anzio - Operation Shingle

On January 22nd &23rd 1944, the 504th PIR, landed on the beach at Anzio and participated in heavy combat along the Mussolini Canal. It was their fierce fighting during this defensive engagement that earned the 504th PIR the nickname "Devils in Baggy Pants." The nickname was taken from an entry made in a German officer's diary.

Received this today and will doing some research for him:

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Looking for the location where my uncle was killed in battle WWII. Is it possible to know the whereabouts of his unit on September 22, 1944?

Staff Sergeant Herman J. Foehrer

Co. H 36th Armored Infantry Regiment

Return address also included APO # 253, if that is useful.

Thanks you for any help you can provide.