Post by tmayer on Jul 26, 2013 7:46:04 GMT 8
I decided to create a new thread about the 503d’s participation in our Nations Memorial Day Parade held in Washington, D.C. in May 1942. As you may or may not recall, I had posted a series of photos from my grandfather’s collection from a trip he had made to Washington, D.C., while presumably in the army. These photos had real meaning after reading Three Winds of Death by Bennett M. Guthrie. These photos can be viewed under the thread “Three Winds of Death – is NOT out of print!”
So the story goes…
Do to crowded conditions at Fort Benning, the 503d and 504th parachute battalions were transferred to Fort Bragg, North Carolina in early 1942. On March 2, 1942, the 503d PIR was formed by uniting the 503d and 504th battalions. The 503d battalion became the 1st battalion and the 504th became the 2d battalion.
In early May 1942, while observing the 503d perform practice jumps, President Roosevelt requested that this unit of paratroopers participate in the Nations Memorial Day Parade in Washington DC. Later on in the month, the 2nd battalion was released for overseas duty in Europe and would later become the 509th battalion. This left the 1st battalion of the 503d all alone to participate in the parade festivities.
This was to be no ordinary parade. Tensions were high. This would be the first Memorial Day parade since the attack on Pearl Harbor. The US and its allies were still looking for a decisive victory in the Pacific and the much needed victory of “The Battle of Midway” was still a few days from happening. Photos of the parade remind of the way the Soviet Union would parade their perceived military might for the world to see during parades in Moscow in the mid-eighties. The parade consisted of US military troops from the various arm forces, tanks, planes, jeeps, bands, and the like.
By accident I came across this photo from the Library of Congress. The title of the photo is “Washington, D.C. Paratroopers at the Memorial Day Parade”. The photo was taken in May 1942 and is pictured below. It’s not the most detailed photo, but if you look closely, you can make out the uniforms.
Along with the above photo, I found a series of photos taken by LIFE Magazine photographer Thomas McAvoy. But before you see those images, I wanted to post an image of my grandfather, Richard E. Gruver. The photo is one of two photos taken within minutes apart. This photo is a side view image of my grandfather. The other photo is a frontal view. I had previously posted it under the thread “503d Company F Mortar Platoon”.
I have a theory behind these two photos of my grandfather. On the back of the two photos are printed June 1942 by the photo processing company. I think new uniforms and boots were issue to the 503d as a result of them being invited to participate in the Memorial Day Parade. The Army wanted it’s paratroopers to look their best while marching in the Capital in front of thousands of people. I’m sure the photo of my grandfather was taken to “show off” his new trooper uniform to his friends and family back home. It was probably the first combat uniform and boots the unit received and they were proud of them. The following photos show the troopers wearing the same nice “new” uniform and boots. So without further ado, may I present to you what I believe to be the 1st battalion of the 503d marching in the Memorial Day Parade in Washington, D.C., in May, 1942.
So the story goes…
Do to crowded conditions at Fort Benning, the 503d and 504th parachute battalions were transferred to Fort Bragg, North Carolina in early 1942. On March 2, 1942, the 503d PIR was formed by uniting the 503d and 504th battalions. The 503d battalion became the 1st battalion and the 504th became the 2d battalion.
In early May 1942, while observing the 503d perform practice jumps, President Roosevelt requested that this unit of paratroopers participate in the Nations Memorial Day Parade in Washington DC. Later on in the month, the 2nd battalion was released for overseas duty in Europe and would later become the 509th battalion. This left the 1st battalion of the 503d all alone to participate in the parade festivities.
This was to be no ordinary parade. Tensions were high. This would be the first Memorial Day parade since the attack on Pearl Harbor. The US and its allies were still looking for a decisive victory in the Pacific and the much needed victory of “The Battle of Midway” was still a few days from happening. Photos of the parade remind of the way the Soviet Union would parade their perceived military might for the world to see during parades in Moscow in the mid-eighties. The parade consisted of US military troops from the various arm forces, tanks, planes, jeeps, bands, and the like.
By accident I came across this photo from the Library of Congress. The title of the photo is “Washington, D.C. Paratroopers at the Memorial Day Parade”. The photo was taken in May 1942 and is pictured below. It’s not the most detailed photo, but if you look closely, you can make out the uniforms.
Along with the above photo, I found a series of photos taken by LIFE Magazine photographer Thomas McAvoy. But before you see those images, I wanted to post an image of my grandfather, Richard E. Gruver. The photo is one of two photos taken within minutes apart. This photo is a side view image of my grandfather. The other photo is a frontal view. I had previously posted it under the thread “503d Company F Mortar Platoon”.
I have a theory behind these two photos of my grandfather. On the back of the two photos are printed June 1942 by the photo processing company. I think new uniforms and boots were issue to the 503d as a result of them being invited to participate in the Memorial Day Parade. The Army wanted it’s paratroopers to look their best while marching in the Capital in front of thousands of people. I’m sure the photo of my grandfather was taken to “show off” his new trooper uniform to his friends and family back home. It was probably the first combat uniform and boots the unit received and they were proud of them. The following photos show the troopers wearing the same nice “new” uniform and boots. So without further ado, may I present to you what I believe to be the 1st battalion of the 503d marching in the Memorial Day Parade in Washington, D.C., in May, 1942.