Michael (Mike) Wargo – Private to Private First Class.

Served with distinction in the Hq1 81mm Mortar Platoon Mortar Platoon from October 20, 1942 to December 1945. 

Michael Wargo served 20 years in the  Army. He retired as a Sergeant First Class in 1963.

Mike Wargo’s military service and post-retirement accomplishments qualify him as a distinguished member of the “Greatest of the Greatest Generation.”  

Mike was born July 14, 1924 in Hellertown, PA a suburb of Philadelphia. In October 1942, Mike enlisted in the Army at Allentown, PA, and volunteered for parachutist training. 

Mike was sent to Camp Blanding, Starke, Florida where the 508^th Para-chute Infantry Regiment (508^th PIR) was activated October 20, 1942. 

The 508^th PIR had been selected to test the feasibility of training entire units at the Parachute School in Fort Benning, Georgia, rather than training individual men and assigning those that qualified as parachutists to airborne units.

When the regiment was activated it consisted of a cadre of parachute-qualified officers and noncommissioned officers, and only enough men for a regimental headquarters company, a service company, and a battalion comprised of four companies.

Mike was assigned to the Headquarters Company (Hq1) 81mm Mortar Platoon and served therein throughout World War II. 

Mike had volunteered for parachutist training, and was sent directly from the reception center to Camp Blanding without the benefit of “basic” training, i.e., the School of the Soldier. Therefore, he was required to complete the prescribed basic soldier training program, and concurrently complete the arduous pre-parachute school physical training program.

The latter program was dedicated to insuring that every man sent to the parachute school was prepared physically and mentally for the role envisaged for US Army parachutists.

As a result, Mike and the men of the 508^th PIR spent months training at Camp Blanding. They ran and marched countless miles, performed hundreds and hundreds of push-ups, and learned hand-to-hand combat. Additionally, they mastering the basic soldier skills of close order drill, marksmanship, and crew served weapons training.