MEMBERSHIP OF THE 505th REGIMENTAL COMBAT TEAM ASSOCIATION

The Search For Members Who Served In The

505th Parachute Infantry

Regimental Combat Team

1942 - 1945

A Combat Team

of the 82nd Airborne Division

in World War II

consisting of:

The 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment

Company B,307th Airborne Engineer Battalion

The 456th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion

The 80th Airborne Anti-Aircraft Battalion

The 307th Airborne Medical Company

BACKGROUND AND INTRODUCTION

The 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 82nd Airborne Division was in combat intermittently over a period of 22 months from July 9, 1943 through May 8, 1945, during WWII.  Its action earned six campaigns stars, three recognized as initial invasions with an arrowhead on the campaign ribbon.  The regiment was supported by specialized support groups which, along with the 505th,  made up a regimental combat team.

During these actions special bonds were established between friends as well as mutual feelings of respect between  “units” that supported each other.  In 1986, forty years after most men had left their units,  an association was formed so that old friends could renew contact.  That association was named “The 505th Parachute Infantry Regimental Combat Team Association, Inc”. Criteria for membership was service in units of the 505th Parachute Infantry Regimental Combat Team during the years 1942-1945, including training, during combat action or as "Americas Guard of Honor" during the occupation of Berlin. Following the first meeting of several hundred whose whereabouts  were known to each other, a search was initiated to identify and find those still living who might wish to re-unite with old friends in the 505th RCT association. 

The search was started by James J. “Joe” Meyers (D Co.), who developed the procedures and the basis for continued work.  Robert W. “Bob” Gillette (HHC) assumed the task in 1992 and carried it forward to this date. The association has had active reunions from 1986 forward but in 2004 as its memorial projects approached completion and it is archiving its historical material, including this record.

The original RCT totaled about 3,300 when at full strength; replacements more than doubled that number.  There are known omissions and there may be some names included by mistake.  Some fraudulent claims were discovered and they were deleted from the list.

Some units have active organizations and have been helpful. Many of those responding to our search did not choose to become active members in the Association, but they are all included herein. While our criteria for RCT membership included service to the end of 1945, limited effort was expended to find those who came into the RCT units after May 1945; many of those came from other units with a combat history and comradeship of their own.

DISCLAIMER FOR 505 RCT ROSTER

This tabulation is the by-product of that search conducted from 1986 to the present for those who served in units of the 505th Parachute Infantry Regimental Combat Team during the years 1942-1945, including training, during combat action and as “America’s Guard of Honor” during the occupation of Berlin.  Over 7,000 names have been tabulated.  Much of the data collected was from valid “research” sources but its mission did not require documentation normally expected of a research project.

Sources were  Special and General Orders from army archives,  assistance from the Veterans Administration, Social Security records, lists from attached units carrying on their own searches and from the Static Line.  Anomalies include a number of deaths recorded during combat periods but not listed as KIA, DOW or NBC (non-battle casualty).

Our mission was to locate living members but in so doing we collected information of interest to others, and presumably to their descendants.  It can neither be considered as complete nor without inaccuracies,  but might be used as a starting point for those seeking more complete history on an individual or unit.  Some names reported to be missing from this list could not be verified.