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News MARCH 2006
Dear 508 Veterans, MORE 508 PIR BOOKS BY RALPH BOROUGHS MADE AVAILABLE RALPH "ZIG" BOROUGHS has decided to have another printing done of his latest book about the 508 PIR- -" The 508 connections." ZIG reports demand continues for the book, and he is expecting books to be ready for distribution by the last week of March, This printing will be hardcover only with a price of $45 per book, plus $5 for packaging and mailing. Additionally, ZIG reports he has distributed remaining copies of "The Devil's Tale" to Camp Blanding Museum Gift Shop, the 82nd Airborne Museum Gift Shop at Ft Bragg, North Carolina, and to STATIC LINE, where they are being made available for purchase.
THE INSPIRATION FOR SOLDIERS TO BECOME PARATROOPER I recently received the following e-mail from Lt G. B. WINSTON, 11th Airborne Division, 503rd "Rock" Regiment, 187 ARCT (Reactivated as the 101st ABN Division in 1956): "Dear BILL, I am writing to say that, while I was not in the 508 PIR, it was because of the 508 PIR that I came Airborne! On a visit to Ft Benning in the summer of 1953, I was in training in ROTC with the University of Wichita. We toured the 508th Airborne unit station there, and I was so impressed with the spit-shined boots on display that I decided then and there to become a Paratrooper! I had never seen boots or shoes that looked as though they had been dipped in glass!!! Thanks to the 508th for the inspiration to become Airborne!" MESSAGE FROM COL VICTOR PETRENKO. 4th BCT/508 PIR Members of the 508th PIR Chapter of the 82nd Airborne Association. It is a great pleasure and honor to be addressing you for the first time as the 82nd's 4th BCT/508th PIR Commander! As many of you are discovering, the Army's ongoing transformation resulted in the return of the storied 508th PIR to its origins here at Ft Bragg and the 82nd Airborne. While we are going through many changes during our transformation, I want to ensure you all that we intend on upholding the proud traditions that you have all established for this historical Regiment. The first of our many changes occurred on January 6, 2006 when the headquarters of the Brigade Combat Team (BCT) stood up from the former 82nd ABN Division Artillery (DIVARTY). During this ceremony, the 4th BCT accepted its first Infantry Battalion, its Brigade Support Battalion, and the Brigade Special Troops Battalion as well as standing up our new FA Battalion. Once our transformation is complete, the BCT will have added an additional Infantry Battalion as well as a Cavalry Squadron. This modular organization will create a more lethal, agile and effective Combat Team that will be able to conduct operations across the entire spectrum of modern warfare. In order to help in the understanding of this new organization, I have included a diagram that gives details on the composition of each battalion after our transformation is complete. I would also like to clarify here that the 3-325 AIR re-designated as the 2-508 PIR on January 6th and that the 3-504 PIR will re-designate as the 1-508 PIR at a future date. As many of you know, the 1-508 is currently serving on active duty in Italy. We will keep the Association addressed of this important event. Again, despite all of this change, we intend on maintaining the spirit of our Veteran paratroopers and we will strive to uphold the proud traditions of this Regiment. I look forward to continuing to communicate what your Regiment is doing. Fury from the Sky! COL VICTOR PETRENKO CONTRIBUTIONS FOR 508 WEBSITE
Those readers wishing to
contribute to the maintenance of the 508 website, 508PIR.org, may send
contributions to: DICK O'DONNELL760 Conestee Dr., West Melbourne, FL 32904
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