Charles D. Turley – Private First Class.

Served with distinction in the Hq1 Light Machine Gun Platoon from September 26, 1944 to November 24, 1946. 

Charles Turley was an outstanding soldier, a team worker, a dependable comrade, and a cherished friend. He is a distinguished member of the “Great-est of the Greatest Generation.” 

Charles Turley was born November 7, 1925 in Mineral Springs, Ark. He was raised on a farm in Howard County near Nashville, Ark., and attend-ed a one-room schoolhouse, and the Nashville High School.

Charles Turley was the third of five boys; and most of them went off to war by the time their sister was growing up. Like many of his generation. Charles Turley was “drafted” before he could complete high school.

When Charles entered the Army in 1943, two of his brothers were al-ready in the service. He completed basic infantry training and volunteered for airborne training.

On July 15, 1944, Charles Turley qualified as a parachutist, and was authorized to wear the distinguished silver wings, and highly polished brown boots. He was assigned to the 508^th Parachute Infantry Regiment (508^th PIR) rear echelon in Nottingham, England.

Shortly after he was issued equipment,  he was on the way to Sisson-ne, France to join the regiment.  Charles was assigned to the Hq1 Light Machine Gun Platoon.

He vividly remembers that while the Hq1 men were orienting him and doing some training,  all he thought about was an exciting Christmas in Sissonne. It was not to be!

On December 17, the Germans made a desperate surprise attack penetrating deep into the Ardennes. The German’s incursion developed a huge bulge in the allied area, thus the campaign was named “Battle of the Bulge.”

On December 18, 1944, a bitter cold morning. The 508^th PIR joined an 82nd Airborne Division convoy and traveled to Werbomont, Belgium. That night, the regiment established a perimeter defense and prepared to stop the advancing German forces.

Charles Turley remembers two memorable events that occurred during the Battle of the Bulge. “A friendly aircraft dropped a bomb on us, and I almost captured a Tiger tank!”