We Stand Together – Then, Now, and Always !
Welcome to the CURRAHEE website! This site is dedicated to the Veterans and Active Duty members of the famous 506th Infantry Regiment and attached units from its creation during World War II to the present. The website is here to provide current and historical information about the regiment and those who served as well as to provide a central point of contact to connect all past and present Currahees.
NOTE: This website is in transition. Most historical documents and photographs are on our old, first website which can be accessed by clicking on the link near the bottom of this page, or typing: <http://old.506infantry.org/history.html>
The U.S. Army has finally recognized the contributions of combat veterans of the 101st Airborne and 1st Air Cavalry Divisions who developed the air assault tactics that are now an essential component of modern warfare. The 506th Association has had a commemorative "Air Assault Pioneer" coin struck. A limited number of these coins are available for sale. These are a very handsome keepsake and one you will be proud to have and display. The price is $20 each with all profits going to the charitable funds of the association.
Download the Commemorative Coin Order Form here: Coin Order Form
The Association' College Scholarships for Academic Year 2021 have been awarded - Winners for our 2021 College Scholarships are:
- Eric Vickers, Hanover College, the $2,000 John & Marcia Lally Service Award;
- Patrick McGloine, St. Michael's College, the $1,500 NAVILLUS Foundation Award;
- Daniel Schaefer, East Carolina University, the $1,500 SPC Edwin Roodhouse Memorial Award;
- Izabel Kane, UW at River Falls, the $1,000 CPT Luke Wullenwaber Memorial Award.
Regrettably, two of our scholarships (the Gene Overton Memorial
Scholarship and the Currahee Scholarship Award) went unclaimed
due to a lack of qualified applicants!
To be eligible to apply the applicant or the applicant's parent, grandparent, spouse, or sibling must have served with the 506th Infantry Regiment. Secondly, the applicant must be accepted at or already attending the institution to which this scholarship money will be sent. A scholarship application packet can be found by clicking on the "Programs/Giving" link above. Once there, click on "Charitable Programs Giving". Then click on "Scholarship Funds" and complete the application.
DMOR \ HMOR Induction Ceremony - The battalions of the 506th Infantry Regiment conducted a Distinguished and Honorary Member of the Regiment Induction Ceremony on June 23rd at the Currahee Memorial on Fort Campbell. General Brian Winski was the principal speaker at the ceremony. In his remarks, General Winski paid tribute to the Vietnam Veterans and the contribution they made to our nation’s defense and their pioneering work in airmobile & air assault tactics.
Prior to this event, the Charlie Company Veterans of 2nd Battalion, along with their families, held a dedication ceremony at the Currahee Memorial for the more than 100 pavers representing their brothers that were either killed or wounded in action, plus those who have died since Vietnam and those still with us. The ceremony was led by Colonel (Retired) Bob Seitz and Gary Gilliam.
The DMOR Honorees for 2021 were: Dennis Butler, John Schnarr, Dick Cable, Donald Kemp, John Beebe, James O'Brien, Richard Lombard, Mark Bailey, Craig Oglesby, James Owens, Patrick Stackpole, MAJ Louis Garcia, LTC Timothy Troyer, LTC Todd Tompkins, LTC David Brown, LTC James Bithorn, LTC Spencer Wallace, LTC Vincent Thomas, LTC Jeffrey Farmer, & CSM Leonard Zawisza.
The HMOR Honorees for 2021 were: LTC Joseph Da Silva & LTC Daniel Stuewe.
Dinner at Edward's Steakhouse - The Association held a no host dinner for the battalion commanders, command sergeants major, staffs and their guests. Linda and her staff at Edward's did an excellent job and everyone enjoyed the meal and chance to bond with each other. It was a very good evening. Also on that evening, the Charlie Co. vets hosted a memorial dinner at Valor Hall that included a presentation on the company's actions during Lam Son 719 by Dr. Ken Pitetti and Colonel Bob Seitz.
Pins, Patches & Decals - We have placed an order for 11 items to replenish the supply in our Quartermaster Store managed by Tina Daigle. Look for the update on our website around the end of August.
Currahee Military Weekend
The Stephens County Historical Society has confirmed October 1,2, and 3 as this year's Currahee Military Weekend. Available hotel rooms will fill up fast so get your reservations made soon. For information about the event please go to the museum's website at <www.toccoahistory.com>
AFTER ACTION REPORT - Honorary Air Assault Badge Ceremony
BY JOHN LALLY –
There were about 500 smiles evident at the pinning ceremony for the honorary air assault badge for Vietnam Veterans. For most of us the event was the culmination of a great Week of the Eagles at Fort Campbell. We spent the days getting to know the Active Duty troops and reconnecting with old friends. The division went all-out for the Veterans to make us feel welcome and honored.
On Wednesday, Major General (Retired) Brian Winski, former commander of the 101st Airborne Division was the principal speaker at the 506th Distinguished and Honorary Member of the Regiment ceremony. In his remarks, General Winski paid tribute to the Vietnam Veterans and the contribution they made to our nation’s defense and their pioneering work in airmobile & air assault tactics.
On Thursday, Major General JP McGee, the current division commander, amplified these observations at the air assault badge ceremony at Sabalauski Air Assault school. It was a very moving ceremony as Active Duty Soldiers “pinned” the Veterans with air assault badges. A good deal of emotion was evident on the faces of Veterans and their families.
During the ceremony General McGee acknowledged the contribution of the individuals who championed the recognition efforts. This included Generals Winski, Bob Clark and David Petraeus. Following the ceremony, honorees attended a barbecue sponsored by the Fort Campbell Historical Foundation.
Besides those in attendance, another 800+ veterans who were eligible for the honorary air assault badges but were unable to attend will receive their awards by mail. For those Vietnam Veterans who are eligible for the award but failed to submit their application, there will probably be a follow-on ceremony at some unknown time in the future.
Currahees In the News
New Books from LTC(R) Joel Hamby
America's longest set of conflicts produced another crop of advisors culled from the ranks of ordinary regular soldiers. The military never gathered their stories and wasn't interested in learning from what we experienced. Yet, if you know anyone who served in Iraq or Afghanistan during the Global War on Terror, they either were an advisor to Iraqi or Afghan forces, worked with an advisor team or they knew others who were advisors. We were everywhere and arguably the "war winning " strategy in a set of wars that seemed to have no end. As they told us often, we were the Tip of the Spear. The title of both volumes tell you how that felt. It will take you from selection and training all the way through to end of our tours as we lived with and advised our counterparts through tedium, innumerable cups of chai, and violent combat. This was our war. With personal interviews the author conducted and more than 150 others, this details advisors in lonely company’s fighting in high mountains or sewage filled streets to the highest level of those foreign military organizations and every level in-between. They were supposedly the war winning strategy but found themselves alone and unafraid, under supplied and under-appreciated making it up as they went along. They balanced their safety by staying close to their Iraqi and Afghan brothers and felt the nearer they were to those we advised, the safer they were. They were the underdogs. They did their jobs and this is their story. Available on kindle and paperback through Amazon. Volume I was released on 19 March 2021 and Volume II is set to release on 5 July 2021. Pre-order is available now.
The Author: J.E. Hamby is a retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel with over 27 years of military experience including three tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. He volunteered twice to lead Advisor Teams in both theaters for a total of 19 months in combat as an advisor.
New Book from Christopher Adams,
Co A, 3-506th, 1967-1968
Echoes from Vietnam ... Whispers of the Disposable Soldiers
is a 568-page, actual account by the disposable soldiers who served in war-torn Vietnam. This authoritative biography shares their stories in their own words. Raw and real, the horrors of the Vietnam War of the 60s are revealed in an unembellished prose that will enable the reader to grasp the reality of these disposable soldiers and the hell they survived . . . or didn’t. (Includes maps and photos.)
Endorsed by Mike Krawczyk, 3rd Battalion Veteran and Distinguished Member of the Regiment and Retired Colonel Joe Alexander, Past President and Chairman of the 101st Association
Available from Amazon
Uncommon Devotion
2013 --------------------------------------------------------------------2020
Marcel Jungbauer and his children have visited the American cemetery in Hamm/Luxemburg for many years – particularly to tend to the grave of Sgt. Gordon E. Mather, Company F, 506th Parachute Infantry who was KIA outside Bastogne, December 20, 1944. The 506th Airborne Infantry Association is proud and thankful for the Jungbauer family and privileged to call them friends. Marcel Jungbauer was awarded the title of Honorary Member of the Regiment in 2013 because of his families history of caring for our military KIA.
The Officers and Directors of the Association for the period of May, 2020 to May, 2022 are:
Chairman: Craig Oglesby (GWOT) President: MAJ(R) Tom Duckett (Vietnam)
Secretary: COL(R) Joe Johnson (Vietnam) Treasurer: Dave Vickers (GWOT)
Director: Fred May (Vietnam) Director: LTC(R) Joel Hamby (GWOT)
Director: LTC Dave Schulz (GWOT) Director: Wesley Bass (GWOT)
Director: SFC(R) Jim Daigle (GWOT) Director: Bob Leibecke (Vietnam)
Director: Jimmy Summer (GWOT) Director: Richard Keiser (Vietnam)
Chaplain: Dave Canter (Vietnam) Quartermaster Sales: Tina Daigle
This represents a changing of the guard. This is the first time that the predominance of the board is comprised of members from the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) era.
The Alpha 1-506 Men Donate New Benches
at their Ft Campbell KIA Memorial
A fund raiser, lead by Fred May, was successful in raising enough funds to remove the original, deteriorating concrete benches and replace them with brand new granite benches. The benches are located on either side of the reproduction of the memorial to the Alpha KIA's which sat outside the Alpha Company orderly room on Camp Evans, Vietnam.
UPDATE: 482 Pavers SOLD to date!
Currahee Memorial Paver Project
Order Your Paver Online at: WWW.ThatsMyBrick.com
Currently files are being transferred to the new website.
You can look for information on the old 506infantry website. Click here
The Association is recognized as a Tax Exempt Veterans Organization under IRS Code Section 501(c) (19). The Association offers a variety of services and programs in support of its members, including its Charitable Programs as outlined under Programs and Giving. For giving purposes, our FEIN is 91-2088108. We invite you to participate in supporting Association programs through your tax deductible contributions.
The website, the Association Facebook page and newsletter connect all Currahees as well as their families, friends, and supporters.
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