Jack Falcone, Paddy's Gang 1961-1964

In late '08 and early '09, I spoke with Jack (LaPiana) Falcone. Here are some extracts from his memories of 1/39 Infantry's days down in Worms, on the Rhine -- which, as I know from first-hand experience, was a splendid place to have been posted:

I served with the 1/39th when they took over the 48th ID, the old Dragoons. I was in Worms from 1961 until 1964. I was in Company B for 1 year then in A Company. At first we had the Seven Steps to Hell patch [7th Army] and then the 8th patch. We trained as LRRPs for a year because our battalion was chosen to participate in that new program that the Army decided to start up. We went from APCs to helicopters in 1963. There were several buddies who died in training while I was there. Three buddies in my squad died in the APC while doing a river crossing and my last week there my pal Javier Alonzo died in a crossing.

I received an email from a buddy at Worms and he was talking about our times in river crossings in Oppenheim, that's where we did most crossings. . . . We had the old 113's gas operated twin Chrysler engines (one on each track) and when the water went in the engine you sank. There was a grate on top of the track where we stood to keep warm on winter nights at Graf.

The other guys were Frank Seeley, Glen Haney, Richard Warick, Ronald Testa, Thomas Howard, Sgt's. Savage, Dooley, Evans, Daniels and Ford. They were the greatest men I had ever met. Real soldiers from WWII, Korea and going to Vietnam.

I know Seeley, Howard and Glen Haney can tell you more.


Jack (Sp/4 Jack LaPiana) Falcone.

Jack, thanks for sharing those fascinating memories of Paddy's Gang, from a remarkable time in the unit's history. Thanks too for that giant list of names.

AAAO!


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Sgt Dennis J Paul, Alpha Co 1/39 Inf 1984-1985

Just briefly, a message from Dennis Paul, another 1/39 Infantry vet:

I was with Alpha Co. 6/84 to 12/85. I can be reached at dpaul943@yahoo.com

AAAO!

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Lane Watson, 1/39 Inf S-3 Shop 1967-1969

Here's belated news from Lane Watson, with whom I've shared a few emails over the years. This one got lost during the much-blogged computer nightmare of 2008. Anyway, I was very interested to learn that 1/39th Infantry was already engaged in Patton Day during the 1960s, but also had a gig with the British War College (which had stopped by the time I arrived in the mid-1980s).

I was drafted during the peak of the Vietnam era. I loved my tour in Germany, but reenlistment would have been a sure tour in Nam. As an 11B40 that wasn't very appealing. I went through my entire Army stint alongside a fellow from Indianapolis named Dale Snodgrass Jr. Although we traded Xmas cards for a decade or so, we finally lost contact. I've Googled his name to death, with no success. I'd be thrilled to find him again.

During my 1/39 tour, S-3 supported two major activities: an annual mechanized infantry field demonstration for the British War College, and the annual Patton Memorial Day celebration in Luxembourg. Each summer we'd spend a week with the people of Luxembourg, which provided us with an appreciation of how grateful western Europe was to the US for its participation in their liberation during WWII.

Lane Watson, SGT
S3, HHC, 1/39 Infantry
1967 - 1969

Thanks to Lane for writing in, and be sure to send in a message if you know him or his old pal Dale Snodgrass. I've got Lane's contact details here in 'the office'.

AAAO!


p.s. You can add your name to the roster now!

Didn't find what you were after? Try looking in the 'previous posts' over to the right, or use the search tool at the top left of this page.