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Camp Forrest
On March 27, 1944, the unit was transferred at Camp Forrest near Tulahoma, just south of Nashville, Tennessee. It was a better place that Camp MacKall.
In May, General Miley proposed to all his soldiers to obtain the paratrooper qualification if they wanted. A great part of the men agreed this proposition and started a very exacting formation during 3 weeks. The physical training was still more difficult but the men of the 193rd Glider Infantry Regiment were well prepared. Initially the men learned the jump on a tower, slipping down along a cable and at the end they must realized five real jumps (four by day and one by night).
Charles Thomas (E Co) remembers very well the motivation that pushed all that young boys to obtain their paratrooper qualification. The paratroopers were volunteers and so they received fifty dollars by month more than glider men and a pair of famous jump boots! It was mainly for this reason that all the men of his squad won the so prestigious qualification! Donald Canfield (E Co) tells the day begun by a nine miles run before the breakfast! The instructors practiced a real physical and mental harassing all around the day. He said this hard education had certainly forged his mental.
Finally it was between 2150 and 2500 Gliders that won so there parachute certificate on June 4, 1944.
This is example of double qualification. Private First Class Merlin L BUCK (ASN 37668572) from Company HQI was qualifed Glider on December 20, 1943 (Camp McKall) and Parachutist on June 17, 1944 (Camp Forrest) (TFH collection).
It is during the time spent at Camp Forrest that the 17th Airborne Division edited its first book "17th AIRBORNE DIVISION VOLUME 1". The follow 193rd GIR's photos come from this book.
This particular exemple was given to me by Robert McGlasson ASN 35700278 - HQ II Co (TFH collection).
HEADQUARTERS & HEADQUARTERS COMPANY
First Platoon.
Second Platoon.
Third Platoon. First row 9th from left : 1st Lieutnant Joseph V Drulis (ASN O-1289561) Communication Platoon's leader. 10th from left : Captain Frank T Hancock (ASN O-1283763).
SERVICE COMPANY
MEDICAL DETACHMENT
HEADQUARTERS & HEADQUARTERS COMPANY - 1st Battalion
COMPANY "A" - 1st Battalion
COMPANY "B" - 1st Battalion
COMPANY "C" - 1st Battalion
HEAQUARTERS COMPANY - 2nd Battalion
First Platoon : .30 caliber Machine Gun Platoon.
Second Platoon : "Heavy Mortar (81mm) Platoon. Third row 3rd from left : Philip F Snow (ASN 32756836), 4th from left : Private Robert McGlasson (ASN 35700278).
Third Platoon : HQ Platoon.
COMPANY "D" - 2nd Battalion
COMPANY "E" - 2nd Battalion
First Platoon. First row 5th from left : 1st Lieutnant Arne C Christiansen (ASN O-1313571). Second row 1st from the right : Anthony Heigl.
Second Platoon. Fourth row from left 3rd : Allen W Myers (ASN 33719164), 5th : Warren E Lilly (ASN 33621796).
Third Platoon. First row 5th from left : Leslie H Telesca, 6th : Charles E Juckes, 7th : Floyd L Oenning. Third row 5th from left : Nestor T Donald (ASN 33720321), 6th from left : Melvin M Lagoon (ASN 37558014).
COMPANY "F" - 2nd Battalion
This is other photos of the 193rd GIR troopers realised at Camp Forrest :
These two photos show members of the Headquarters & Headquarters Company. On the second one we recognize First Lieutnant Joseph V Drulis (TFH collection). Note the combination of shows : infantry service shoes with M-38 leggins, M-42 parachute jumper boots and new M-43 combat service boots ("buckle boots"). First row 2nd from left : the man wears the Paratrooper qualification badge.
The next eleven unpublished photos came from Robert McGlasson (ASN 35700278) Headquarters Company 2nd Battalion. All were realised at Camp Forrest (with courtesy of Bob McGlasson).
1. "Home" of Headquarters 2nd BN. 193rd GLIDER INFANTRY !
2. From left 3rd : Paul F Brand Jr (ASN 33676800), 7th : Philip F Snow (ASN 32756836).
3. First row : Paul F Brand Jr (ASN 33676800). Second row from left : Charles B "Bonner" Ruff (ASN 37518578), Claude L Johndrow (ASN 37610962), unknown and Joseph J Dubsky (ASN 35058503).
5. Private Robert McGlasson with .30 M1C carabine.
6. Robert McGlasson.
8. From left 3rd : Eugene Herrmann (ASN 35058337).
9. Robert McGlasson and Andrew C Marella (ASN 32930047).
Allen W Myers (ASN 33719164) COMPANY "E" at Camp Forrest - circa 1944. Note the "wings" (parachutist qualification badge) and the jump boots typical of the airborne troops (unpublished photo - with courtesy of Allen Myers).
Other troopers of COMPANY "E" after paratrooper qualification (after June 4, 1944). From left to right : Chester E Freshwater (ASN 35752908), Harold W Woolslayer (ASN 33669872) and Donald B Canfield (ASN 33621791)? Harold and Donald wear their new "wings" (unpublished photo - with courtesy of Donald Canfield).