Photo By Capt. David Hoy | The U.S. Military Academy hosted the Greater Hartford Chapter of the 82nd Airborne...... read more read more
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The U.S. Military Academy hosted the Greater Hartford Chapter of the 82nd Airborne Division Association to honor Lt. Gen. James “Jumpin’ Jim” Gavin on the 79th anniversary of the D-Day invasion June 6 at the West Point Cemetery.
The ceremony included dozens of paratroopers from the 2nd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment who are stationed at Fort Liberty, North Carolina, who are currently the task force supporting West Point’s Cadet Summer Training. The 82nd Abn. Div. Task Force command team led by Lt. Col. David Yu and Command Sgt. Maj. Benjamin Boyce, along with Jeremiah Cain of the Greater Hartford Chapter of the 82nd Abn. Div., placed a wreath at Gavin’s grave.
“On behalf of the 82nd Airborne Division, we are proud to honor the memory of Lt. Gen. James M. Gavin, his contributions to the airborne community, and especially his impact on the people of Nijmegen during and after Operation Market Garden,” Yu said. “‘Jumpin’ Jim’ was the only American general officer who made four combat jumps during World War II, and he is an inspiration to all paratroopers.”
This year’s ceremony is special not just because the 2-504 PIR stands here today having an integral role in remembering Gavin, but the unit also fought valiantly under him in the Netherlands when he was the division commander during Operation Market Garden. Gavin later ensured relief aid made it to Nijmegen, a town the 82nd Abn. Div. fought in under his command.
"The 2nd Batt., 504th PIR, ran the gauntlet across the Waal River to seize the Nijmegen bridges,” said Col. Theodore Kleisner, commander of the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Abn. Div. “Later, Maj. Gen. Gavin rallied the city of Albany, New York, to provide a shipment of relief goods and building materials to the citizens of Nijmegen, Netherlands. This action helped relieve the citizens of the deprivations of the war, and the cities of Albany and Nijmegen have had a sister-city relationship since 1947.”
Gavin was an exceptional Soldier. At age 34, he was the youngest general in either the Allied or Axis forces and remains the U.S. Army’s youngest three-star general officer in history. He is the only general officer to make four combat jumps in the history of the Army.
“Gavin is indeed a credit to West Point, the Long Gray Line and the service members who proudly wear the 82nd Airborne Division patch,” said Capt. Kevin Scruggs, the master of ceremonies for today’s event, West Point instructor and a former paratrooper in the 82nd Abn. Div.
Scruggs deployed as a staff officer to Afghanistan and then commanded Alpha Company, 127th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team upon returning to Fort Liberty.
“West Point truly opened the door to Lt. Gen. Gavin’s future, one full of possibilities and adventure that only his service in the Army could provide,” Scruggs said.
After helping place the wreath at the grave site, Cain said it’s important for members of the 82nd Abn. Div. to honor the legacy of Gavin and not forget history. Last year, Cain parachuted into Normandy, but this year he could not return to Normandy, saying, “If I can’t be in Normandy, I can’t think of a better place to be than here at West Point where Gavin is laid to rest.”
Although he is no longer with us today, Gavin’s memory lives on in those who don the maroon beret because, after all, paratroopers never truly die; they just slip away.
| Date Taken: | 06.07.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 06.07.2023 10:02 |
| Story ID: | 446407 |
| Location: | WEST POINT, NEW YORK, US |
| Web Views: | 650 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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