Photo By Command Sgt. Maj. Ryan Matson | German Army Sgt. Maj. Heiko Haas, Noncommissioned Officer In Charge for Range Control...... read more read more
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American and German paratroopers gathered for a ceremony to commemorate the 45th anniversary of two fallen paratroopers on Hammelburg Training Area, Germany, July 15, 2021.
Sgt. Michael Rohrer and Spc. Charles Capps, paratroopers with the 509th Infantry Regiment, died during an airborne training operation near Range 19 on Hammelburg, Germany, July 15, 1976.
“The paratroopers made contact at some point during the operation and due to parachute malfunction we suffered a catastrophic loss,” said U.S. Army 1st Sgt. John Parsons, 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade. “The German Soldiers took a lot of time and effort to put this together. We really appreciate their hard work to recognize our fallen paratroopers.”
A memorial was constructed on the dropzone site in 1978. German Soldiers stationed at the Hammelburg Training Area have held an annual remembrance, but this is the first year that U.S. Soldiers participated.
“Our idea was to get into contact with American airborne troops to have a joint memorial event,” said German Army Sgt. Maj. Heiko Haas, Noncommissioned Officer In Charge for Range Control. “We are all Soldiers and it is important to keep our shared history alive.”
Haas and his fellow Soldiers reached out to the nearest airborne unit from the Grafenwoehr Training Area-based battalions of the 173rd Airborne Brigade, who had trained at Hammelburg previously.
U.S. Army 1st Sgt. Brandon Hilker, 1st Sqdn., 91st Cav. Regt., 173rd Abn. Bde., and former Geronimo, was the American guest speaker during the ceremony.
“I think the actions of the 509th on that day tell us exactly what we need to do,” he said during his remarks, speaking to the continuation of the exercise despite the death of two paratroopers.
“The 509th did what they could, put their rucks back on and marched 22 miles. When they made it to their destination they didn’t stop. They rigged up their equipment and jumped into the same dropzone in less than 24 hours.”
The paratroopers were conducting the exercise from their home station in Vicenza, Italy. There are currently two battalions of the 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment in the U.S. Army. The 1st Battalion serves as the Opposing Force at the Joint Readiness Center at Fort Polk, La.; the 3rd Battalion is assigned to the 4th Brigade (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division at Fort Richardson, Alaska.
The 509th conducted the Army’s first-ever combat jump when it parachuted from England to seize the Tafaruay airport in Oran, Alergia during World War II, one of five combat jumps made during the war.
“When the days are long, we're tired, we're hungry, and we're in a hurry, we don't take a knee. We tighten up our straps, and we keep moving. I think that's the best way to honor these paratroopers, these Geronimos,” said Hilker.
The 173rd Abn. Bde. is the Army’s only airborne brigade stationed outside of the United States, and serves as the Army Contingency Response for the U.S. Europe, Africa and Central Commands areas of responsibility.
| Date Taken: | 07.15.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 07.21.2021 03:11 |
| Story ID: | 401287 |
| Location: | HAMMELBURG, BAYERN, DE |
| Web Views: | 691 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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