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Formation of 506th E-Company
E-Company was formed on July 1st, 1942 at Camp Taccoa in Taccoa, GA. This is were they wend through basic training. It included 132 enlisted men and eight officers. This is a photo of me standing at the entrance of the old camp when I visited there in June of 2014. The only thing left at the main camp is the old mess hall. There is also a musium in the town of Taccoa dedicated to the camp. -
Jump School
E-Company attended Fort Benning, GA to for jump school. Because of the excellent physical conditioning, which resulted from the Toccoa training, they were able to skip the first stage of jump school, which consisted of physical conditioning. This photo was made at the beginning of 1943, just as Easy Co. 506th members were graduating from jump school. Left to right: Johnny Martin, Angelo Dukelis, Albert Blithe, Bill Guarnere, and Burton Pat Christenson-photo courtesy of the Christenson family -
More Training at Camp Marckall
E-Company was moved to Camp Mackall for further train and planning for the up coming invasion. Easy Company at Camp Mackall, 1943, photo courtesy Jake Powers -
Became part of 101st Airborne Division
On June 10th of 1943 the 506th E-Company become part of the 101st Airborne Divison at Camp Mackall. -
Moved to Aldebourne, England
On Sept. 15th of 1943 E-Company arrived at England via the troop ship S.S. Samaria for more jump and tactical training, and get ready for the Europe invasion. 5,000 troops were packed on the Samaria, but the ship was built for only 1,000 passengers. -
Moved to Uppothery
E-Company was moved to Uppothery to what was called the Marshalling area and Airfields to begin getting ready for the D-Day invasion. The picture with this is the actual stables that some of the E-Company stayed in that is in the musium in Taccoa, GA -
Normandy Invasion
At 23:00hrs, E-Company takes off from Aldebourne and head to Normandy. Picture is of Easy Company on the plane before jumping on D-Day -
Carentan
From June 6-10th of 1944 E-Comey was involved in heavy fighting taking the town of Caretan. The picture is troops running through the street of Carentan. -
D-Day, Brecourt Manor Assault
At 01:10 E-Company jumps into Nomandy. Missing the landing zone. First mission was to take out a battery of German troops shotting at the Utah Beach. A group of 11 men assaulted and captured the battery. Picture is of E-Company on D-Day plus 1 after taking the battery and regrouping. -
Operation Market Garden
E-Company jumped into Holland to secure the road crossing the major water way "Rhine River," and allow the U.S. troops to cross into Germany. 154 men jumped but only 132 men lived when they were relieved. The picture is of troops jumping into Holland for Operation Market Garden -
The Island Stand
E-Company held the defense line in Holland known as "The Island" between Oct 2- November 25. E-Company consisted of 130 men to hold the line at the beginning of the operation and only 98 men finished it. They held the 3 km or 1.8 mile line. The picture is of a U. S. Army Paratrooper from the 101st Airborne (Screaming Eagles), on patrol near a windmill on the Island, Heteren, Holland, in October 1944. (S. L. A. Marshall Collection) -
Battle of the Bulge
From December 17th to January 15th of 1944 E-Company was moved into Belgium to Bastogne. This was the worst winter on recorted. E-Company had minimal weapons, food, water, or winter clothing. They were dug in in the area of Bastogne and Foy road. -
SNOW
12 inches of snow fell on E-Company during Battle of the Bulge. -
Relief
On December 26th 1944, the 3rd Army broke through and was able to offer relief to Easy Company with supplies, food, and winter gear. The picture is just troops holding or standing at the Bastogne city sign. -
Mourmelon France
E-Company was moved to Moumelon France. Here they were able to eat, shower, and sleep on cots for the first time since December 17th, 1944. Eisenhower personally awarded the 101st Airborne Division the Presidential Distinguished Unit Citation, which was awarded for first time in Army history to an entire division. The picture is General Dwight D, Eisenhower, inspecting men of the US, 101st Airborne which he presented with the Presidental Citation Unit for the heroic stand at Bastogne -
Liberation of Concentration Camp
In April of 1945 E-Company liberated a concentraion camp in Landsberg. It is one of the small camps attached to the Dachau camps. The picture is of the memorial at Landsberg. -
Eagle's Nest
Toward the end of the war, Easy Company was assigned to occupation duty in Germany, specifically to Berchtesgaden, which was home to Adolf Hitler’s famous Eagle’s Nest. Following Berchtesgaden, Easy Company moved in to Austria for further occupation duty. The company mostly attended to various patrols, awaiting the end of the war. -
V-E Day in Europe
Victory in Europe was declared. -
Easy Company Deactivated
Easy Company was deactivated on this day in 1945. May lives were lost in Europe. The picture is the memorial in Normandy and lists the casualties from the D-Day invasion.
