D-Day June 7-13, 2010 IMPROVEMENTS AT OMAHA & CAEN CONTINUE Improvements at the field are taking place in many locations but in particular at Omaha Beach and Caen. At Omaha the Wetworkz team helped install a new sound system for special effects. A new air and paint station is being put in at the bottom of the beach, and new ―dry‖ boats are the next priority. At Caen another 6-8 buildings have been built and sprayed with concrete. The look and feel is that of a real bombed out French town. The detail on the buildings is 1st class, with each new building being better than the last. More buildings are planned. The buildings sit on both sides of a new ―street‖ leading towards the new Sword Beach. The battle for Caen will be unlike any previous years. Photos of Caen are on page 4 Caen is starting to feel like an urban training, military MOUT site. If urban house to house fighting is your thing, the British/Canadian Commonwealth units are still open. Request them when you register. Drop in with their 6th Airborne, land with Infantry or Marines, or roll with their Armour.
„Unit Choice‟ Registration closes But requests for specific units still available The ability to register and automatically choose your unit has ended, but many units are still open. When you register, be sure you request the unit of your choice and every effort will be given to make that happen. It won’t last for forever, but in most cases you will still get the unit of your choice. Just don’t wait too long and lose your ability to get into ―your‖ unit
D-day Fever Outbreak Spreads OK D-Day Fever: The onset of the fever usually takes hold about 3 months before the D-Day event. Sometimes annoying to self and others. Your mind is D-Day, but can only be satisfied by being there. Symptoms: Packing 2 months or so in advance. Buying new paintball gear. Finding every excuse to get time off work to go. And a few others. Note: Fever usually caught after first exposure to event. Fever is not curable or fatal.
April Edition
Volume 5
2
82nd Airborne Division Misdrops: A Historical Reality nel Charles J Timmes was able to function as a team and began digging in around Cauquigny on the west bank of the Merderet River.
The 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment (PIR) was activated on July 20, 1942 at Camp Toccoa, Georgia which was located 175 miles north of Fort Benning adjacent to the Currahee Mountain. Lieutenant Colonel George V Millett Jr was given the command. After jump-training at Fort Benning the regiment deployed to the Army air base at Alliance, Nebraska and became part of the 1st Airborne Brigade. After arriving in North Ireland in December, 1943, the 507th was attached to the 82nd Airborne along with the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment. Still under the command of Colonel George V. Millett Jr, the 507th moved to Nottingham, England in March, 1944 to prepare for the Allied invasion of Europe.
Upon verification of Colonel Millett's capture, General Ridgway transferred the command of the 507th to Colonel Edson Raff, a veteran of the 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion during Operation Torch. Colonel Raff received this command after fighting his way through to General Ridgway at Les Forges. Colonel Raff would lead the 507th, "Raff's Ruffians" as they would become known, until the end of World War II. Throughout the confusion, the indomitable spirit of the paratroopers in the days and weeks following D-Day enabled the 82nd Airborne to seize La Fiere bridge and push westward to cut off the Cotentin Peninsula. After 33 days of continuous combat the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions returned to England aboard LSTs. D-Day – Wyandotte Oklahoma
Twenty Five 82nd Airborne Division Troops dropped behind enemy lines, greatly separated from the Division main body, fighting for survival to link D-Day - Operation Neptune The 507th PIR first saw combat during the up with their brothers in the All AmeriNormandy invasion - 6 June 1944. The can Division. This mission is a reality at 507th and the 508th PIRs were to be D-Day Adventure Park. Misdrops are dropped near the west bank of the Merderet just one of the exciting new challenges River. The objectives of both regiments was the 82nd Airborne will be faced with. No to establish defensive positions in those one knows who will be misdropped or areas and prepare to attack westward sealwhere or with who but once you are, be ing off the Cotentin Peninsula. prepared for the fight of your life. Join the 82nd Airborne now! In the predawn hours of D-Day the sporadic jump patterns of the 507th and 508th PIRs left troopers spread out over a twenty mile area. Some who overshot the Drop Zone (DZ) dropped into the Merderet River and its adjoining marshes. Many troopers who jumped with heavy equipment were unable to swim free and drowned. Others roamed the countryside until they encountered other units and joined their effort. Even Colonel Millett, the commanding officer of the 507th was unable to muster his troops and was captured three days after the drop in the vicinity of Amfreville. Only the 2nd Battalion under the command of Lieutenant Colo-
507th PIR Planned Drop Zones
While the links for specific units are closed, you can still request the 82nd Airborne as your unit of choice.
REQUEST THE 82ND Come join us
507th PIR Actual Drop Zones
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John "Jack" Agnew: Original member of “Filthy Thirteen” dies at age 88
Jake McNeice Returning? The Oklahoma D-day community has been fortunate the past 2 years in that Jake McNeice, and his wife Martha, have been able to attend the event. It doesn’t matter which side you’re playing on, because meeting Jake, listening to his stories, or buying his book is a great honor and privilege. Jake did 4 combat jumps in WW2, including D-day, Market Garden and Bastogne. He is the author of the book ―The Filthy Thirteen‖ and the inspiration for the movie ―The Dirty Dozen‖, Jake is a true World War Two legend and hero. He was the leader of the ―Filthy Thirteen‖ But we need your help in getting Jake and Martha back to the field. They live fairly close in Ponca City, Oklahoma but we still need to cover their expense for gas, food and lodging. There is a paypal site setup to allow easy donations (Thank you Eric Engler for setting this up) and every dollar helps. The link is Jake McNeice Donations Please take a minute and make a donation. It’s a great cause. If you’d like to see Jake again in 2010 we need your help . The Filthy Thirteen was the name given to a sub-unit of the regimental HQ of the 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne Division. This unit was trained to demolish enemy targets behind the lines. They were assigned to destroy a bridge over the Douve River during D-day, a mission that cost the lives of most of these men. This unit was well known for this famous photo which appeared in the original Stars and Stripes, showing two members wearing Indian-style "mohawks" and applying war paint to one another. The inspiration for this came from Jake who is part NativeAmerican. After a disciplinary incident while on leave, McNiece joined the "Pathfinders". Expected casualties were 80-90%. The pathfinders were dropped into the encircled city of Bastogne at the height of the Battle of the Bulge. Their equipment enabled them to guide in subsequent airdrops of supplies crucial to the continued resistance of the 101st Airborne Division. This unit was the inspiration for The Dirty Dozen. Unlike the Dirty Dozen, the Filthy Thirteen were not convicts; however, they were men prone to drinking and fighting and often spent time in the stockade. While there were similarities between the Filthy Thirteen and the Dirty Dozen, there were also many differences. The name "Filthy 13" referred to the fact that while training in England, they washed and shaved once a week and never cleaned their uniforms.
John "Jack" Agnew, one of the original members of a U.S. Army unit that operated behind enemy lines in World War II and is often credited with having loosely inspired the movie "The Dirty Dozen," has died at age 88. Agnew belonged to the Filthy Thirteen, an unofficial unit within the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division. He was pronounced dead Thursday at Abington Memorial Hospital. On D-Day, the Filthy Thirteen parachuted into France to take a bridge over the Douve River. It was "a mission that would cost most of the men their lives," according to an article in the winter 200809 edition of American Valour Quarterly, a publication of the nonprofit American Veterans Center. Before the Battle of the Bulge, Agnew and other members of the unit were requested for pathfinder duty and parachuted into Bastogne, which was besieged by German forces. Agnew operated a beacon to help guide in planes carrying badly needed supplies. Tales of the unit's exploits and a Stars and Stripes military newspaper photograph are said to have inspired "The Dirty Dozen," not because any of the unit's members were convicts like the movie's characters — they weren't — but because of their reputation for brawling, drinking and spending time in the stockade. In interviews, Agnew, a private first class, said that came directly from the unit's leader, Jake McNiece. "We weren't murderers or anything, we just didn't do everything we were supposed to do in some ways and did a whole lot more than they wanted us to do in other ways," he told the quarterly. "We were always in trouble." Agnew was among those interviewed in a documentary, "The Filthy Thirteen: Real Stories from Behind the Lines," that was included in a 2006 special edition DVD of "The Dirty Dozen."
Above: 101st AB Pathfinder Pfc. "Jack" Agnew kneels atop a brick pile within the Bastogne perimeter, as he activates a Eureka beacon to guide in the first wave of C47s during the re-supply mission on Dec 23, 1944.
The 1967 movie, about an Army major who has to train and lead 12 convicts into a mission targeting German officers, starred Lee Marvin, Ernest Borgnine, Charles Bronson, Telly Savalas, Donald Sutherland and Jim Brown. Maloney said her father told her about 30 percent of the movie was true. "And, actually, the scene where they captured the officers, Dad said that was true and he really coordinated that," she said Sunday. Two months ago, Maloney said, she accompanied her father to a military history convention in Louisville, Ky., where she met with three of the four surviving Filthy Thirteen members and three members of Easy Company, which was the focus of the HBO series "Band of Brothers."
"Dad, when we were little kids, he'd always say, 'I won the war; I know you don't believe me, but someday you'll know,'" she said. "We didn't really realize it until the 'Band of Brothers' came out." Agnew will be buried with full military honors at Forest Hills Cemetery in Huntingdon Valley, in the Philadelphia suburbs, where he and his wife, Elizabeth Agnew, lived for 56 years, Maloney said. RIP By RON TODT, Associated Press Writer Ron Todt, Associated Press Writer – Sun Apr 11
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New buildings at Caen
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13th/18th Royal Hussars (Queen Mary's Own Armour Unit) Land with the Royal Hussars at Sword Beach and secure a beachhead. Then eliminate German resistance and proceed inland to secure the city of Caen, the main artery for German Armored forces into the invasion area. It’s your task to secure and anchor the southern flank of the Allied invasion. G-3 (Operations) has you landing in the "Queen" and "Peter" sector of Sword Beach. You will also be landing in support of the British/Canadian 3rd Infantry Division and the Royal Marine No. 41 Commandos. Provide direct fire support for the infantry forces. Your mission is to penetrate German defenses and disrupt the advance of the German 21st Panzer. Use your Light Dragoon (Dismounted Infantry) teams to scout and protect your Armored Dragoons (Tanks) from enemy Anti-Tank teams as you advance. G-2 (Intelligence) reports you will face the German 716th Infantrie-Division, first at the fortifications of Sword Beach, and then in the urban environment of Caen. The area surrounding Caen is rugged and densely wooded. Be prepared to face ambushes, the full onslaught of the German 21st Panzer, and door-to-door fighting. G-2 also reports forces from the German 6th Airborne may be in the area. Once Sword Beach and Caen are secure, you will advance inland under the direction of the Allied Command to secure other objectives. Work with your Infantry and Commando forces to drive inland take the town of Caen then join up with British/Canadian 6th Airborne holding the Orne River Bridge (Pegasus Bridge)
Join the British / Canadian forces as they push inland from Sword Beach. Bring your tank or plane and be part of the armour forces in the 13/18th Hussars
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Where it all began
lantic Wall until the gates drop. Yet another intense knows that to say that you played Omaha Beach, is rush will be experienced as we, working closely to say that you are a player full of determination, together with the 238th, accomplish this task. stamina, and that you crave a challenge. And I The 1st ID. The Fighting First. The Big Red One. know none of us would have it any other way. We are the division that assaults Omaha Beach. It Then the assault up the hill comes next. This is by has many times been said, that all players who far the meat of our three course meal. This is what Currently, Omaha Beach is getting reworked from sign up to play at Oklahoma D-Day should try the separates the trench-stormers from the hillthe ground up. And we believe that it will be, this boat crossing into Omaha at least once. The rush huggers. You will be shot. You will be challenged. year more than ever, truly awesome to experience. of entering a paintball battle by that means is cur- You will be motivated. And you will have the time This is where it all began, with Dewayne Convirs' rently second to none in all of my personal paintof your paintballin' life as you attack an envision to honor his grandfather, Platoon Sergeant ball experiences. It is intense. It is memorable. And trenched, fortified, and effective resistance. Again, Enos Armstrongs' duty with the 238th Engineers. it is most likely the closest one can come to experi- very intense. Our main objectives are not one, but From that first encing what it was like, all those years ago during two anti-ship gun emplacements located side-byconcept in 1997, to Operation Overlord, to liberate Omaha Beach. And side worth points at 11am, noon, and 1pm. Whotoday being the that is just the beginning of our day. Allow me to ever has control of those guns at those times, worlds largest take you through a brief tour... takes the points. And, as it has in years past, it will paintball event, take all of us to take all of the points. And all of one can only be this is just the first half of our Saturday! humbled by who After crossing in the Landing Craft into Omaha, our each and every next immediate objective is to assist The 238th As you can see, The 1st ID has much to offer both one of us honor by Engineer Battalion in dropping the three gates lothe brand new first-time player, as well as the engaging in this cated on the Atlantic Wall. Historically, this was most seasoned paintball veteran. The one word epic scenario. Be a done with Bangalore torpedoes to blow a hole into that describes us the best is: Teamwork, first and part of history. See the vast and thick barbed-wire to exit the beachforemost. The reward of real accomplishment you at the top! head. At Oklahoma D-Day, the 238th Engineers awaits you with The Big Red One and the 238th use Bangalore poles with hooks on the end to, Engineers. If you are a true adrenalin junkie, then Captain Beach quite literally, drop the gates. It is critical to acyou will most definitely feel right at home with the Meat out. complish this, as we cannot advance past The AtFighting First. Anyone that has run with the 1st .
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WE NEED YOU TO JOIN US IN THE 1ST INFANTRY DIVISION The 1st ID will assault Omaha Beach again this year and we need you to join us. General Spike will be leading his troops against the entrenched German forces that will be defending this important piece of real estate. The 1st has worked hard to transform itself over the years and this year looks to be its best ever. It has become a motivated, hard charging unit that is looking for some pay back from last year. We hit the beach under covering fire from fleet support with off shore bombardment of enemy positions. The fight for Omaha Beach has always been important to the over all battle plan of the Allies. The Big Red One has been tasked over the years with taking the beach and it's never been easy. We are up against a very worthy opponent. The German 352nd has always been a tough unit to defeat and this year will not be any different. We hit the beach from one landing craft that travels over the pond and you will begin your assault once the ramp drops, fighting your way into the maelstrom of enemy fire raining down on you along with thick covering smoke. There are also 3 stationary landing craft where troops also attack from. All these boats are scheduled to be rebuilt by game day so come help us break them in. Our Uncle needs us to help him so pack your bag, check your gear and get those registrations sent in. We want you to join us for the ultimate paintball experience.
www.englerpaintballguns.com/
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PBWaterpod™ is simple solution to Hydration
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Thank you to the University of Oklahoma AME & Draganfly for their help and sponsorship with Project Flyover for the Allied Army. We are deeply grateful & extremely appreciative, and look forward to seeing it in action. This will bring a whole new dimension and technology to the event. We look forward to helping promote your products and designs, and being part of your post-graduate work. We all agree this project fits the AME mission of ―creative activity‖ and look forward to it’s implementation. It looks to be a huge success for all involved. ―The mission of the School of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering (AME) is to provide the best possible educational experience for our students through excellence in teaching, research and creative activity, and service to the state and society, nationally and internationally.‖ http://www.ou.edu/draganflyer Thanks for your support, time and efforts. The Draganflyer X6 is a remotely operated, unmanned, miniature helicopter designed to carry wireless video cameras and still cameras. Operate the Draganflyer X6 helicopter with the easy to use handheld controller while viewing what the helicopter sees through video glasses. The Draganflyer X6 helicopter uses a unique 6-rotor design refined from an original concept that has been under development since early 2006. Use the high definition motion video provided by the Draganflyer X6 helicopter for security, reconnaissance, inspection, damage assessment, research, real estate promotion, or advertising. It can be used for virtually anything. http:www.draganfly.com
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JOIN THE BRITISH AND CANADIAN
2010
COMMONWEALTH
TCAS 2010 D-day Specials And Features NEW
ICOM High-gain, long range VHF antenna
Connectors for most radio models - 2 year warranty
Longer range on transmit and receive Brand new in package $22.95 10.5” Injection molded
Union Jack
Pryme „behind-the-head‟ Tactical Headset
Perfect for extended wear. Outside ear design reduces fatigue Noise canceling boom microphone. Works with goggles, secure fit, Behind-the-head design, will not move Large, quick to find PPT
Hard to find, but exactly what our customers have been asking for to extend range and performance of Icom’s Land Mobile Commercial radios. No adapter required F3S F30G
Royal Air Force
NEW
F3161
F70
F3GS F50/V F3011 F3061
Icom F-3011 VHF or F-4011 UHF radio with desk top charger $159.95 2 year factory warranty 5 watt VHF 136-174 MHz (4 watt UHF) 16 Channels / Free programming Rugged Construction : built to take harsh use Tested to MIL-STD 810 specifications and IP54 rating for dust protection & water resistance. Lithium-Ion battery 2000 mAH
Canadian WW2 Flag USED
New Icom Replacement Batteries Prices vary by model
Li Ion NiCd NiMH AA Battery Cases Batteries available for other radio brands
Fits most Cobra, Icom, Maxon, Midland and Yaesu radios with 2-pin top mounted jack Heavy Duty - Professional Grade 3.5mm Earphone jack
$52.95 most models
Other models available for other radios
$8.95
Sawyer Permethrin Military Style Insect Repellent
Kills ticks, mosquitoes, chiggers, mites, and 55 other insects. Perfect for Oklahoma D-day’s woods and grasslands Effective minimum 6 washings or 6 weeks Treats clothing. Do not apply to skin $9.99 Use ad directed. Soak clothes for 2 hours
Pryme SPM-2100 Trooper Speaker Microphone
$25.95 most models
Kit Includes: One 6 oz bottle of Permethrin Solution 1 Resealable treatment bag, plastic gloves
Divisional shoulder flash of 6th Airbourne
New replacement batteries for all Icom radio models.
Pryme SPM-2100 Trooper Speaker Microphone
Tactical MOLLE Radio Pouch Olive Drab, used Padded protection for your radio Open top design for easy access Part of Eagle Industries DFLCS load carrying kit issued to USAF Security Forces and USAF Special Operations
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Observer Speaker Microphone Low Cost Lightweight and small High quality electrets condenser-style speaker microphone Quality audio on transmit and receive Spring loaded, 360 degree clothing clip 3.5mm earphone jack
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Rangers at Oklahoma D-Day
How I Became a Ranger
A few things you should know about the Rangers and their role on the battlefield. Just like the Rangers in WW2, we are a select group on individuals who push the pace of the fight, we’re always on the move, and willingly attack armies larger and better defended than we are. If you like to be in a smaller unit, where you can know almost everyone in the entire unit, and fight along side them all week- we've got a spot for you.
The story starts in Camp Taji, Iraq in early 2004. I was stationed there to help clean the camp for the incoming 1st CAV unit moving in. While there I stumbled across an Action Pursuit Games magazine with an article on the obstacle course. It talks about the pond, the log carry, and the run through the hills of Oklahoma. I thought ―I can handle this, I’m in the Army‖ Living only a few hours away I registered for 1st BN Rangers. When I got to the field on the Monday before the game, I started wondering around. Eventually I found my CO, Jason ―Grifter‖ White. I spent the rest of the week hanging out with him and his team, Wetworkz. Being a really new player they taught me a lot about paintball and introduced me to electronic markers.
If you want the opportunity to assault a beachhead with an Infantry Division, but don't exactly want to be there all day - we've got a spot for you. If you enjoy the thought of being called in, at a moment's notice, to where we're needed for the battle - we've got a spot for you. If you want to be part of a unit that repeatedly gets sent into the thick of battle, treated as expendable, yet expected to accomplish missions and overcome obstacles - we've got a spot for you. We are a small unit, but there are still spots remaining, mostly in the 2nd and 5th BN currently. All BN's are lead by experienced D-Day players We have a solid core of returning veterans with both D-Day and all types of military backgrounds.
That year the Rangers were tasked with assaulting Firebase Charlie (now Utah beach) with the 101st Airborne and 101st Pathfinders. We started east of FBC on top of the hill and proceeded to move through the northern wood line. Encountering small patches of resistance through the woods, we made our way to the west side of FBC and proceeded to enter FBC from the rear. The German army had no idea we were there and it made the fight for FBC over in short fashion. After taking FBC we stayed in the woods and worked our way up to the airfield and eventually, Omaha beach. I followed the Wetworkz team around on the field and we kept finding objectives to assault. It was a long day filled with plenty of targets but the Allied army pulled out the victory. That was the first of many D-Day’s for me. In the time since, I have moved up the chain of command and I now run the 1st BN Rangers as well as being a member of team Wetworkz. Jason Hill 1st BN Rangers
If this sounds like something you'd like to try, and you think you have what it takes to hang, give it a shot. We've got players of all ages, from 15 all the way to 60. But keep in mind, you will be in an EXTREMELY active unit on the field, and expected to travel over great distances, and/or very quickly. You will be *REQUIRED* to have some type of water with you at all times on the field. Types of markers, amount of paint - not a great concern. Use what you have and are familiar with, BUT- know this, you will be in very target-rich areas all day, shoot as much as you can afford. * Bribery time- our team also brings toys like XBOX 360 and projectors, for playing games and watching movies on the canopy walls & roof during the evening down times. Got a game or movie you'd like to bring, we'll try and work it in as well. Though the "official" unit choice closing date has passed, as long as there are openings you can try and request a specific unit. Just as long as the game balance remains where it was set.
REQUEST THE RANGERS WHEN REGISTERING FOR D-DAY. JUST DON‟T WAIT TOO LONG
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2nd Armor Group "Hell On Wheels "
Land at Utah Beach and support the 4th Infantry Division and provide covering fire support with your Tank Regiments and secure a beachhead. After securing Utah beach move inland with and secure Causeway #2. The 899th Tank Destroyer Battalion will force German forces into choke points to defeat any German Armor attempting counter attacks. You will be securing the northern flank of the invasion. SHAEF G-2 (Intelligence) reports Utah Beach is defended by German 709th Infatrie-Divison. SHAEF G-3 reports the French Resistance supported by the Free French No. 10 Commando unit will be seizing the town of St. Mere Eglise which is on your south eastern flank Bring your tank, plane or command vehicle and join the 2nd Armor Group. Or join the 2nd AG as part of their infantry support. The 2nd AG is a combined arms unit with Armor, Infantry and anti-tank support.
And they have the best R&R facilities of any unit Join Darren ―Tank‖ Weaver, Ken ―Punisher‖ Wade, and the rest of their teams as you wade ashore and crush the German forces waiting for them on Utah Beach.
Be sure to register your tank before you arrive: Here’s the registration form
Tank Registration Form And here’s how to get there. Go to the web site Click - Oklahoma D-Day 2010 Click - Rules and regulations Click - Tank & AT ......scroll all the way to the bottom.
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USO NIGHT at OK D-day Come swing back to the 40s on Wednesday evening starting at 7PM, June 9th. Gather round the vendor's area during this year's Oklahoma D-Day USO Show Event. Listen to the lovely vocals by the likes of the Andrews Sisters and Marlene Dietrich and jitterbug to the sounds of the big bands from the 40s. Got a skit, comic routine or other talent, take to the stage and show us what you can do. Special appearances by several of our own talented performers will highlight an evening that's sure to have you jumping and jiving the night away WW II military uniforms or period civilian dress encouraged but not required. Lets all pitch in and make this a night to remember!
Andrew Sisters
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Why I Am in the 4th
beach, so we looked at seaborne infantry and decided, hmm maybe the 1st I.D. Using my knowledge of what happened on that beach on June 6th 1944 and how accurate this game is me and my guys decided that wouldn’t be such a good idea. Then we found the 4th I.D. The unit’s description was almost every thing we could have wanted. It was unanimous we were going to be in the 4th.
was I got promoted several hours before the night By Caleb Farris. game and soon found out my CO It all started out a few months before D-day 2008 and 1st serwhen I discovered this event while searching on the geant were internet. I was astonished by the description of it About 7 months later me and my guys couldn’t consaving paint right away. How I wanted to go so bad, but had a tain our excitement for this event of epic proportions. for Saturday previous engagement during the time, so I would have to wait. It was about two months after my sum- We left our home of Norman, Oklahoma, to the front and didn’t lines of Wyandotte, Oklahoma. When we arrived that come. mer break and all that was on my mind was D-day. Sunday before the first event, we all wondered; Me and my buds planned on being axis but with a ―where the hell is everybody?‖ I found out later that change of heart we decided we should do Allies first guys don’t usually get there until Monday. I was now in charge of Victor Company. After our then Axis then Allies etc… what division to be in bloody and hard fight with the German forces ended, though? At our camp grounds we staked our claims and Victor Company had held their positions the whole st pitched our tents while making new friends. 1 misgame and accomplished their mission. sion; everything was kind of hectic but larger than We searched reading the descriptions of each unit any thing I had ever been to. Due to my actions that trying to get a picture in our minds of what it was first mission I was assigned to tango company by Friday after the storm it was well… Still storming but going to be like. Originally I wanted to be CommonHitman. we had a cook out!!!! wealth forces since my great uncle fought in the Canadian military during World War Two. But one of my Later though I was pulled out by our command sergeant major because he ―didn’t want to separate me friends didn’t want to be as he described a ―leaf Saturday,‖ the day of days‖, when we would storm from my group‖. this was odd but then me and my head‖ which my friends and I didn’t quite get. We up that beach and defeat the German forces. Bang, guys were put into Victor company, since they only searched some more, and we thought, ― hey what had a hand full of guys. I fit right in with Victor Com- the pyrotechnics went off, we dropped the ramp and about airborne‖, but it was already set in our hearts pany. After about two missions with my company my stormed up the beach. Victor company guarded the that we wanted to feel the rush of running up that beach, then me and my 1st sergeant flanked right into captain promoted me to staff sergeant. Funny thing the steep woods and shot a German sniper while he was relieving him self in the woods. So far the 4th ID had kicked ass all the way up to Coleville but in the end we were unable to take that god forsaken city. At heart though, I thought we won the fight. After D-day my friends and I talked and were definitely not going to be on the German side next year. I realized that I had so much fun in the 4th that I was going to stay. From my experiences in the 4th I decided there is no other division quite like the 4th, it doesn’t have requirements, its not special forces, the 4th ID are just pure ground pounders, able to do almost any thing. Caleb Farris
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Allied Tactical Operations Center (TOC) gears up for 2010. Planning has started for the Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Forces (SHAEF) TOC for 2010. The TOC has played a key role since it’s creation 3 years ago. Positions are available in the TOC, and in supporting roles. It’s the perfect opportunity to be an active participant in the Oklahoma D-day event even if you or a family member can’t take the field as a player. It’s a fun, exciting way to be at the heart of the event. Many different roles and positions are available. There are positions for all levels of experience, and it’s a great way to get involved. Contact us at adosai@aol.com or come visit us at the field.
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SHAEF shoulder patch
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Bill Mauldin stamp honors grunts' hero. The post office gets a lot of criticism. Always has, always will. And with the renewed push to get rid of Saturday mail delivery, expect complaints to intensify. But the United States Postal Service deserves a standing ovation for something that's going to happen this month: Bill Mauldin is getting his own postage stamp. Mauldin died at age 81 in the early days of 2003. The end of his life had been rugged. He had been scalded in a bathtub, which led to terrible injuries and infections; Alzheimer's disease was inflicting its cruelties. Unable to care for himself after the scalding, he became a resident of a California nursing home, his health and spirits in rapid decline. He was not forgotten, though. Mauldin, and his work, meant so much to the millions of Americans who fought in World War II, and to those who had waited for them to come home. He was a kid cartoonist for Stars and Stripes, the military newspaper; Mauldin's drawings of his muddy, exhausted, whisker-stubbled infantrymen Willie and Joe were the voice of truth about what it was like on the front lines. Mauldin was an enlisted man just like the soldiers he drew for; his gripes were their gripes, his laughs were their laughs, his heartaches were their heartaches. He was one of them. They loved him. He never held back. Sometimes, when his cartoons cut too close for comfort, his superior officers tried to tone him down. In one memorable incident, he enraged Gen. George S. Patton, and Patton informed Mauldin he wanted the pointed cartoons celebrating the fighting men, lampooning the high-ranking officers to stop, Now! The news passed from soldier to soldier. How was Sgt. Bill Mauldin going to stand up to Gen. Patton? It seemed impossible. Not quite. Mauldin, it turned out, had an ardent fan: Five-star Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, supreme commander of the Allied forces in Europe. Ike put out the word: Mauldin draws what Mauldin wants. Mauldin won. Patton lost. If, in your line of work, you've ever considered yourself a young hotshot, or if you've ever known anyone who has felt that way about himself or herself, the story of Mauldin's young manhood will humble you. Here is what, by the time he was 23 years old, Mauldin had accomplished: He'd won the Pulitzer Prize. He was featured on the cover of Time Magazine. His book "Up Front" was the No. 1 best-seller in the United States . All of that at 23. Yet when he returned to civilian life and he grew older, he never lost that boyish Mauldin grin, he never outgrew his excitement about doing his job, he never big-shotted or high-hatted the people with whom he worked every day. I was lucky enough to be one of them; Mauldin roamed the hallways of the Chicago Sun-Times in the late 1960s and early 1970s with no more officiousness or air of haughtiness than if he was a copyboy. That impish look on his face remained. He had achieved so much. He had won a second Pulitzer Prize, and he should have won a third, for what may be the single greatest editorial cartoon in the history of the craft: his deadline rendering, on the day President John F. Kennedy was assassinated, of the statue at the Lincoln Memorial slumped in grief, its head cradled in its hands. But he never acted as if he was better than the people he met. He was still Mauldin the enlisted man. During the late summer of 2002, as Mauldin lay in that California nursing home, some of the old World War II infantry guys caught wind of it. They didn't want Mauldin to go out that way. They thought he should know that he was still their hero. Gordon Dillow, a columnist for the Orange County Register, put out the call in Southern California for people in the area to send their best wishes to Mauldin; I joined Dillow in the effort, helping to spread the appeal nationally so that Bill would not feel so alone. Soon more than 10,000 letters and cards had arrived at Mauldin's bedside. Even better than that, the old soldiers began to show up just to sit with Mauldin, to let him know that they were there for him, as he, long ago, had been there for them. So many volunteered to visit Bill that there was a waiting list. Here is how Todd DePastino, in the first paragraph of his wonderful biography of Mauldin, described it: "Almost every day in the summer and fall of 2002 they came to Park Superior nursing home in Newport Beach , California , to honor Army Sergeant, Technician Third Grade, Bill Mauldin. They came bearing relics of their youth: medals, insignia, photographs, and carefully folded newspaper clippings. Some wore old garrison caps. Others arrived resplendent in uniforms over a half century old. Almost all of them wept as they filed down the corridor like pilgrims fulfilling some long neglected obligation." One of the veterans explained to me why it was so important: "You would have to be part of a combat infantry unit to appreciate what moments of relief Bill gave us. You had to be reading a soaking wet Stars and Stripes in a water-filled foxhole and then see one of his cartoons." Mauldin is buried in Arlington National Cemetery . This month, the kid cartoonist makes it onto a first-class postage stamp. It's an honor that most generals and admirals never receive. What Mauldin would have loved most, I believe, is the sight of the two guys who are keeping him company on that stamp. Take a look at it. There's Willie. There's Joe. And there, to the side, drawing them and smiling that shy, quietly observant smile, is Mauldin himself. With his buddies, right where he belongs. Forever. Written by: Bob Greene
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Join the Marquis French Resistance The Marquis of the Free French were the predominantly rural guerilla bands of the French Resistance. The word comes from the area of France where the armed resistance hid from the Germans before carrying out attacks. Members of the groups were called maquisards, an honorific term that meant ―armed resistance fighter‖. Using hit and run tactics, they caused the German Army immense loses of troops, vehicles and supplies. The same will happen at D-day 2010
On May 10th 1940 the Germans invaded France, Belgium , Luxembourg and the Netherlands . The British and French Armies attempted to halt the German Army in Belgium while using the static line of defense, known as the Maginot Line between France and Germany, to defend against the invading Army. The Germans use a new tactic called Blitzkrieg, or lighting warfare, where a combined force of air power and ground troops smash the defenders. The defenders fell to the German Army Group B. 338,000 French and British troops were encircled in the north of France with the Germans on one side and the English Channel on the other. 338,000 Allied troops were evacuated from the area around Dunkirk in Operation Dynamo across the English Channel. On June 10th, 1940 Italy joined the war and attacked France from the south. Germans troops continued the attack from the north. France and Germany signed an armistice on June 22, 1940. This led to a direct German occupation force and a neutral, but pro-German, state headquarters in the southeast for France know as Vichy France. Out of this German conquest of France a Resistance movement arose, this movement is normally referred to as the "Marquis". The Marquis were normally groups of armed men and women which build escape networks that helped Allied soldiers. Later these groups began working with Allied secret services for providing intelligence on the Atlantic Wall being built by the Germans. These brave resistance fighters started coordinating sabotage along with other actions that would contribute to the success of Operation Overlord. This unit at Oklahoma D-Day is the only Allied unit to start in possession of it‟s objectives. The Free French start in possession of St Mere Eglise and the Merderet Bridget. They are tasked with holding this key, historic town and bridge. Expect German tanks and elite units to try and remove you from the town. It‟s perfect for groups and families that want to stay together but don‟t want a beach unit or airborne unit. Join the Resistance! They are Armed Civilian ―Rabble‖ who take up arms against the Germans, to help out the Allied forces on the "day of days". Mostly untrained and illequipped, this group specializes in unconventional warfare, improvised weapons. Tactics are learned quickly and with devastating effect; including actual resistance tactics, road-side ambushes of enemy troops and many others. Join the Free French Marquis and have the paintball experience of a lifetime! Request the French when registering for D-day
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The 899th Black Cats Tank Destroyers The real 899th Tank Destroyer Battalion were formed in 1941 with the purpose of providing the American army a way to neutralize the German army’s armor advantage by training and equipping units with the sole purpose of tank destruction. They were dubbed "The Black Cats" and their battle cry was "Seek, Strike, Destroy". On the morning of June 6th, 1944, Able and Charlie companies from the "Black Cats" came ashore at Utah Beach. They had a single purpose...to defeat the German army by destroying the Germans most powerful weapon, their tanks. With resolute courage, ingenuity and sheer tenacity, the 899th succeeded at Utah Beach and continued to fight all the way across Europe even into the heart of Germany. The Oklahoma D-day 899th, aka the Black Cats, are a unit at OK D-day whose goal is to enjoy ourselves and to remember the great accomplishments of the actual men and women who served their county during World War II. A little history about the Black Cats, the 899th was formed on July 22nd, 2006 by Supreme Allied Commander General Ken ―The Hippie‖ ―Psycho‖ Moore as his second official action announced the formation of a new unit for the Allies – The 899th Tank Destroyer Battalion. Juan ―beatle‖ Parke to become the commanding officer and on that summer day the Black Cats were born. Once the CO was selected, General Psycho gave a direct and simple order ―make a unit that will do us proud‖ and from there then Lt. Col. Beatle now General Beatle started working with all players of the battalion to form the Black Cats in to a unit that has become vital to the success of the Allied army. The 899th is the major anti-tank, anti-aircraft, and bunker busting element of the Allied army. We land on a beach and from there we are all over the field wreaking havoc on the Axis army. The Black Cats enjoy the best of OK D-day with a beach landing and then special operations the remainder of the day. We places for leadership all the way from the team level to the battalion level and are always looking for new players and leaders. The chance to lead in the 899th is just a matter of effort. We are the only unit that requires leadership rotation thus giving players the chance to lead. The 899th has a good time and excels both on in off the field. When in camp we have daily meetings, battalion meal, training exercises, and some part of the unit plays in all the mini-scenarios. But with all the things we do as a unit the most important thing we do is have fun as a unit. Some details about Black Cats: Come from all over the country from as far away as California or as close as Wyandotte, OK. Our age range in 2008 was from 11-54. We have both men and women and boys and girls as players Have many parents and grandparents who play with their children and grand children. This is a particular specialty of the 899th as we understand the particular challenges of playing alongside your children and make every possible effort to accommodate. Have former military from all branches. You name it The Black Cats has it! So if you want to play hard, have fun, and experience a bit more out of OK D-day then the 899th is for you and we welcome you! We, the members of the 899th Tank Destroyer Battalion of Oklahoma D-Day, pay homage to those that serve in our nations armed forces, both then and today.
Come and join us as we destroy German Armor once again.
Request the 899th Black Cats when you register
Above: German Panther Tank destroyed near Normandy June 1944 Below: Other destroyed German armor