La Scout Company du 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion tient ses origines à Oujda au Maroc, au printemps 1943, suite aux premières opérations aéroportées du bataillon en Afrique du Nord. Le Lt. Col. Doyle Yardley est alors en charge de l’unité et reçoit un grand nombre de remplaçant à tel point qu’il se trouve en sur effectif. Il décide de constituer une « Scout Company » en Mars 1943 – re-désigné Provisional Co. G en décembre 1943 et qui sera dissout en mars 1944. Il reçoit l’appui du Lieutenant Colonel Charles Billingslea, en charge de l’Airborne Training à Oujda.
On confie à cette Scout Company des missions d’études sur le concept des éclaireurs ‘Pathfinders’ chargé d’expérimenter avec l’Air Corps les techniques de reconnaissance au sol à l’aide de matériel britannique, principalement des signaux radios et à base de lampes puissantes, les fameuses lampes Aldis de l’US Navy. C’est le tout nouveau 52nd Troop Carrier Wings fraichement arrivé des US, sans formation au vol de nuit qui commence à travailler avec le 509th.
Cette Scout Company est commandé par le Lt. Charles « Chuck » Howland assisté du 1st Lt. Fred Perry. Composée de trois pelotons, chacun d’eux à deux escouades de huit hommes. La mission de la Parachute Scout Company, tel que prévu à ce moment, doit précéder la force aéroporté principale dans les zones d’atterrissages désignés et par l’utilisation de lampes Aldis (puissante lumières qui peuvent être vus à une distance considérable), des fusées éclairantes et des pots de fumigènes, de délimiter des zones d’atterrissage pour les parachutistes.
L’un de ces pelotons est spécialement entrainé à l’utilisation de l’équipement de balisage. Ce peloton réduit à neuf hommes en plus du Lt. Perry sautera à Avellino en septembre 1943, tandis que le reste de la compagnie participera aux raids sur la mer Tyrrhénienne.
The 509th Parachute Infantry’ Scout Company originally comes from Oujda in Morocco in the spring of 1943, following the first airborne operations of the battalion in North Africa. Lt. Col. Doyle Yardley is in charge of the unit and receives a large number of replacements to such an extent that it is out of on-going. He decided to create a « Scout Company » in March 1943 – re-appointed Provisional Co. G in December 1943 and dissolved in March 1944. He received the help of Lieutenant Colonel Charles Billingslea, in charge of the Airborne Training Center at Oujda.
This Scout Company is given the task of studying the concept of ‘Pathfinders’ in charge of experimenting with the Air Corps on ground reconnaissance techniques using British equipment, mainly radio and Lamps, the famous Aldis lamps of the US Navy. This is the all-new 52nd Troop Carrier Wings newly arrived from the US, with no night flight training which start to work with the 509th.
This Scout Company is commanded by Lt. Charles « Chuck » Howland with 1st Lt. Fred Perry acting as XO. Composed of three platoons, each of them with two squads of eight men. The Parachute Scout Company’s mission, as planned at that time, should precede the main airborne force in the designated landing areas and by the use of Aldis (powerful lights that can be seen at a considerable distance), Flares and smoke pots, to delineate landing zones for paratroopers.
One of these platoons is specially trained in the use of mark-up equipment. This platoon reduced to nine men in addition to Lt. Perry will jump to Avellino in September 1943, while the rest of the company will participate in raids on the Tyrrhenian Sea.
Capt. Charles C. W. « Chuck » Howland
Scout Company Commander © M. Katz
1st Lt. Wilbur B. McClintock
© Famille McClintock
Sgt. Francis A. Dean
© J. Dean
Scout Company
Oujda – French Morroco
Spring 1943
Sgt. Francis A. Dean
- Silver Star
1st Lt. Fred E. Perry
Scout Company Executif Officer
- Operation Torch
- Avellino
- Operation Dragoon
Capt. Charles C. W. "Chuck" Howland
Scout Company Company Commander
Awarded of the Silver Star medal and the Distinguished Service Cross. Killed in action at Born, Belgium.
- Operation Torch
- Raid sur la mer Tyrrhénienne
- Operation Dragoon
1st Lt. Kenneth R. Shaker
- Silver Star
- Raid on the Tyrrhenian Sea
In September 1943, Kenneth Shaker took part of little-known raid of Ventotene, a small island near Naples.
Nine years ago, at the age of 20, he participated in the Spanish Civil War.
August 23, 1944, on the heights of the San Peyre hill at la Napoule, Capt. Bud Siegel A/509 commander is wounded by a 88mm shell. Ken Shaker then take immediate command of the company until Siegel back between late November and early December 1944.
In 1994, for the 50th anniversary of the Normandy landing Kenneth Shaker was invited to attended a memorial parachute jump on Saint-Mère l'Eglise. He died in 2001 at the age of 83.
Only four troopers have been identified on this picture. Help us identify them !
Roster* of the Scout Company
Pvt. Leonard A. Armstrong
Pfc. David W. Ayres – Dragoon
Cpl. Clarence E. Babbitt
Cpl. James Cunningham
Pfc. Myles W. Darling
Cpl. Cecil P. Dawson
Sgt. Francis A. Dean
Pfc. Amos H. Dunlap
Pvt. Lewie H. Edkard
Capt. Alwyn A. Engleman
Pfc. Amarante Garcia
Pfc. John S. Gerk
Pvt. Lloyd E. Graber
Pfc. Ralph H. Hall
T/4 George L. Houston
Cpl. Robert L. Howard
T/5 Earl F. Judd
Pvt. Joseph Kubic
Pfc. Robert J. Maille
Pvt. John G. Manifis
Sgt. Tony J. Manzella
Pfc. John H. Matthews
Cpl. Milton E. McCaig
1st Lt. Wilbur B. McClintock
Pfc. Marion A. McGee
Pfc. FloydL. Moody
Pfc. Robert S. Moran
1st Sgt. Mike O’Brien
Sgt. Andrew P. Omasta
Pfc. Stanley E. Palaha
Pvt. Albert Paparella
Pfc. Alfred L. Paul
Sgt. Frank Pflugler
Sgt. Edwin Platt
SSgt. Harold D. Ramey
Pfc. Rudolph C. Rich
Pfc. John C. Robinson
Sgt. Carl E. Salisbury
Pfc. Phillip E. Scott
Pfc. Phenis C. Settlemyre
1st Lt. Kenneth R. Shaker
SSgt. Jesse A. Silva
Pfc. Robert B. Stapleton
Pfc. Tom W. Stevens
Pfc. William A. Tippins
Pvt. Dolphus R. Walker
T/4 Robert A. Warner
Pfc. Samuel Waters Jr.
Cpl. Henry E. Wilbur
Sgt. Curtis E. Zimmerman