Walter Marlowe, 101st Airborne Division

glad you got to home for christmas that year

 

i too am interested in reading mr marlowes experiences

 

Ladies and Gentelmen:

I returned from leave in January 1944. The Army Ground Forces personelle Office had laid out a program for me. I would first go to Ft. Bennin,GA. to select my Infantry people and an Acting First Sergeant for my company. Then I would prceede to Ft. Sill,OK to select my artillerymen and then return to Washington. My last selection would be made at the Engineering School and the Signal Corp. School that were in drivivg distance of Washington. The program was to have the selection process compleated by the end of Feburary so that we could sail for UK in March 1944.

I caught the courier plane to Ft. Benning and in about a weel I had made a selection infantrymen,mostly parachute qualified, as our need list proclaimed. I then got a ride in an A 20 to Ft. Sill,OK. There the selection of Artillerymen was made, the majority were glider qualified. When we finished at Ft. Sill I returne to Washington and had three days off.

I then made motor tips tp the Engineerig School at Ft. Belvoie, VA to select engineers the most of were parachut qualified. Late went to the Signal Corp School with my list of skills needed. I got to Washinton and turned in my list.

I was informed that I would go to the Port of Embarkation to take command of Company C of GP 180. Our unit designation. When arriving I would recieve Secret Orders from the Commanding General of the New York Port of Embarkation. They has reason believe that we would be on very fast ship to the UK.

I had a final week end in Washington and caught the Train to P.O.E. Upon arrival the office of the Commanding General issued My Sealed Secred Orders. They have been long been declassified. They told my Officialy that I was Command Company C of GP 180 and that my unit would man the light antiaircraft guns aboard ship.This meant any weapons 50mm in bore. The ship had 40mm Bofers and 20mm Olikerons in steel gun tubs.

I Assenbled my officers and we went over to the barrack and muster the company. My acting First Sergeant had forme the company into four(4) platoons. I assigned 1 office to command each platoon andkept one officer to act as executative officer.

The next day everyone got their final physical exam and were kept in holding area until the train ride to board ship. We took the train down to the dock and were ferried over to our ship. When got to the ship we were met by the ships Gunnery Officer, a Royal Navy Reserve Lt He intoduced himself as Brutus which preferred to his Cristian Name. So for the Voyage I call him Lt. or Brutus. He explaine that sice we were sailig the Atlantic alone that we were onvery fast shit.. Her name was the Athelone Castle and she had been part of the Union Castle Steamship Company. SHE A New PUT SERVICE

 

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She was a new ship put in service to be the Royal Mail ship between Southhampton and Capetown. She was also designated a Royal Mail ship.

We left NY at sundown and after we pased the lightship the engines were full ahead. We turned to action stations just before dawn and this became our routine all the way acros on the fifth evening we turnrd sourh into the Irish Sea and the next mornind we docked in Liverpool.

Must pause,
As Ever,

Walter L. Marlowe
( Airborne all the Way)

 

ladies and gentelmen:

Please accept my apology at my unseem absence. My dental and automotive problems have absorbed most of my enegie for the last six weeks. I will endeavor to contine my story in the near future.

As Ever,

Walter L. Marlowe

( Airborne all the Way)

 

Welcome back sir. I think I speak for all of us in saying that we are absolutely delighted to hear that you are in sound health and is back with us.

 

glad to see you're back

 

If I may, Mr. Marlowe, what about the German soldier's skill that most impressed you? What was his least impressive trait?

 

Ladies and Gentelman:

The German soldiers I observed most were members FG R6. These paratroopers were the pick of the German Armed Forces. Their conduct of the battlefield was exempary and I considered them opponents of the first order,

They certainly understood warfare and soldiely duties as did my men. At this late date and much reflection I have assumed that they and I had a lot in common. They all ways had my respect.

Whatever time they have left they have my best wishes.

As Ever,

Walter L. Marlowe

( AQirborne All the Way)

 

Ladies and Gentelmen:\

When I arrived back at the regiment I was retuned to my assignment as commander of the 1st platoon of E Company. The S-3 of the regiment told me that I and two officers and six enlisted men were to go to Ilfachrombe to take a course in enhanced chemical warfare defence.

We got the full treatment for 10 days. I understood that they did not epect the Germans to use chemical warefare during the invasion but they wanted to ready in case.

We were taken down to Slapton Sands for joint training with the 4th Divisions 22nd Infantry Regiment land from the sea. We were disbursed from the trucks as it was from planes. After a false start we made our way to beach landing area.

Dawn came and no 22nd we were told to assem,ble on the road and the trucks picked us up. We were returned us to Welford. The officers were sword to secrecy and we were told that German E Boats had gotten among the landing craft and sunk some of them. We were told that medical people had treated the suvivors and the dead were buried in small cemetary near by.

The next time we went Slapton we worked with 8th Infantry Regiment. They wer our D Day Regiment. We then made a nighttime no moon jump with full combat loads.


As Ever,

Walter L. Marlowe

( Airborne all the Way)

 

Sir,

This is your thread and you are the story teller. Would it be appropriate if I ask you questions in this thread, or should we open another one for questions? I would love hear about your ecounter with the FJR 6, as well as how the paratrooper's organization and equipment in action.

 

My cousin sent me a web site from the Denver Newspaper celebrating the 65th Anniversary of D-Day. This was one of the pictures posted.

 

ladies and gentelmen:

I would guess that this photo was taken during a practice jump made May 1944. On D Day our faces were blackend and our jump boots were not polished as they had been chemically treated to withstand gas attack.

Most officers had been able to obtain Thompsons by D Day. We had been issued pistols in May 1944 and I carried mine for the rest of the war.

GREAT PHOTO.

As Ever,

Walter L. Marlowe

( Airborne all the Way)

 

Hello Walter Marlowe,
The picture of the paratroopers came with this caption from the Denver Post.
"American paratroopers, heavily armed, sit inside a military plane as they soar over the English Channel en route to the Normandy French coast for the Allied D-Day invasion of the German stronghold during World War II, June 6, 1944. (AP Photo)"

 

Another shot from the Denver Post 65th Anniversary of D-Day.
U.S. paratroopers fix their static lines before a jump before dawn over Normandy on D-Day June 6, 1944, in France. The decision to launch the airborne attack in darkness instead of waiting for first light was probably one of the few Allied missteps on June 6, and there was much to criticize both in the training and equipment given to paratroopers and glider-borne troops of the 82nd and 101st airborne divisions. Improvements were called for after the invasion; the hard-won knowledge would be used to advantage later. (AP Photo/Army Signal Corps)