US AIRBORNE

Many thank you to Don Burgettfor taking his valuable time giving me help and answered my questions. Thank you to Helen for me to translate into English.

Donald “Don” R. Burgett was born on April 5, 1925 in Detroit, Michigan. It was during the “Great Depression” years. His dad, Elmer Wilson Burgett was a police officer in Detroit. His mom, Lillian Mae Burgett was a housewive. Don was the second of a family of 4 children. He had two brothers and a sister. As a young student, he began studies at Mackenzie High School.

 “Those studies, I finished them in 1982 at 57 years old. When America entered the War, almost each patriot man and woman rushed to join the army. At 16 years old, I was among this group, but as I was too young, I was not allowed. But my parents did not want me to sign up, they thought I was too young.”

It was a period of crisis, and at 7 or 8 years old, he started to hunt to bring a meal for the family. Rabbits and pheasants which he used to catch with a sling. At 12 years, he got a rifle and he started hunting more and more rabbits and deers.  In 1942, his older brother joined the paratroopers.

 “My older brother, Elmer, joined the army at the beginning of winter 1942 and joined the newly formed paratroopers, the 11th Airborne, 511 Rgt. That inspired me to join the paratroopers”

His brother, Ralph, who was even younger, joined the merchant navy.

 “He delivered military material to the Allied at 15 years old.”

Donald Burgett worked during two years as a carpenter for the roadworks.

 “I joined the parachutists for my 18th birthday, on April 5^th, 1943 in Detroit, Michigan. I joined in the paratroopers.”

But the army made a mistake. They sent Donald Burgett at Fort Riley, Kansas. In order to join the last Unit of the Horse Cavalry still running. He thus did his basic training with the 2nd Regiment of the 1st Horse Cavalry. When he ended his basic training, he was transferred to the Army Paratroops at Fort Benning. He got a parachutist training.

“I wanted to be a Paratrooper like my brother.”

Don Burgett got trained with the 541st PIR at Fort Benning. His very first jump did not happen well. He landed heavily on the ground and broke a leg. Not lucky, not that sure, few days later while the last jump of qualification, his roommates all disappeared during their C-47 crash. On February 5, 1944, he left the United States. He travelled through Ireland, Scotland before arriving in England. He joined the 101st Airborne in Aldbourne, England in February 1944.

 “I was assigned to A Company, of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne. But before this assignment, I was at the HQ Company of the 541st PIR.”

This company would be confined in stables in Aldbourne almost 1 year, before and after D-Day. Donald remained there in a box for horses with 4 other paratroopers, carrying N°13 sign.  Donald Burgett took part in the 4 campaigns with the 101st Airborne, Normandy, Holland, Belgium and Germany. He carried out two combat jumps over Normandy and Holland. He was wounded 3 times.

The C-47 carrying the stick of Don Burgett left England on June 5^th. He jumped on June 6^th at 1:14 a.m. nearby Ravenoville.

 “In Normandy, I was the 6th to jump. Our main mission was to capture and hold 4 exits of the beaches of Utah Beach. The gathered troop in the darkness was under the orders of my platoon’s leader, 2nd Lt Bill Muir. With some other men and with some of the 82nd Airborne,we have attacked and released Ravenoville at dusk, the first village of Europe of WWII to be released. The 82nd Airborne released Ste Mere Eglise, the first city being released in Normandy during the night of June 6, 1944.”

“We were only isolated one day. On June 7, the 4th Infantry Division had joined us in Ravenoville. »

A few days later, Don Burgett took part in the release of Carentan.

“I was wounded twice, on June 13, 44, while attacking with my Bayonet in southern Carentan. We were attacking positions held by the 17th SS and 6th German Paratroopers.”

The first wound happened during the explosion of a German grenade while Don was crossing the field running slowly, with bayonets hung on the guns. A German threw a grenade close to the hedge where he was, he wanted to throw him it back when it exploded. Don was projected in the air. Luckily, he was shaken, but the explosion would give him a temporary deafness. Then, he was sent by an officer of the 501st PIR with a written order (as he was deaf) to tell their presences, to give to his company. At the time of the journey, a shell fell close to him. A projectile crossed his forearm.

 “I also felt a glare of shell in my belly”

To end, a jeep stopped by and embarked him. After a stop at a first aid station, Don Burgett returned to England on board of a LST.

 “In Normandy, I was Private First Class.”

He was directly sent to a military hospital where he was cured.

 “I’ve been told I got an artery belonging to someone who was dead. A transplant… I do not know if it is true or not. »

Then, after a time of rest and cure, Don Burgett took part in the jump over Holland for the operation Market Garden.

“In Holland, I was number 7 on the stick. Our mission was to capture the bridge above Wilhelmina canal in Zon.”

He took part in the attempt of the catch of the bridge in Zon, but the Germans exploded it before.

 “During the 72 days of combat, I was not wounded. I was still a PFC.”

In Koevering, Don Burgett would make his first German prisoner.

 “He could have killed me with him pointing his Schmieser gun on me while I was two metres from him and as we were just the two of us.  He gave me the choice.  "If I surrender, do you promise me not to kill me?"  I said "Yes” and he moved his Schmieser gun away and then we walked side by side towards men who were digging holes for another assault. I owe this man my life. He trusted me and he knew I would not kill him, that’s it. He was right that time my answer was meaning the world to me. This man was not a Nazi" 
The 506th first fought in Zon then in Eindhoven then Koevering and Opheusden then in Driel on other side of Arnhem.

“From there we were moved to Mourmelon, France. Three weeks after arriving in Mourmelon the Battle of the Bulge started. We were rushed by open cattle trucks to Bastogne. ”

“I dug my machine gun position nearby the Railroad which lead to Luzery. With my squad I walked in the deep snow on a part of the road which led from the railroad to the houses of Luzery. 
When we got back to the barn of a farm on that road a jeep drove up with two men in it. We went into the farm to warm ourselves over the Kitchen stove. The two men that followed us into the farm were General McAuliffe and Lt. Starette but we couldn't tell in the darkness. We were frozen when General McAuliffe and his driver Lt. Starette walked in behind us on the “attention” position. General McAuliffe said "At Ease." It was in that kitchen General McAuliffe told us about the Germans surrendered demand and his answer, "NUTS."”

 “I was wounded for the third time during the 'Battle of Bois Jacques' by rifle fire but stayed in combat until we were relieved.

I was hit by a rifle bullet which nearly crossed in my right hip but I was able to remove the bullet myself with a knife.

I also survived mostly by sheer luck but also because I developed an instinct entering the army.”

After Bastogne, in the middle of the winter, his unit was sent in Alsace. Don Burgett led a patrol on the other side of the Moder River. On April 2, 1945, they were sent in the Ruhr valley. There, Don’s A Company crossed the Rhine River in boats for a night attack against the town of Himmelgiest. At last, the division was sent to Mourmelon to rest.  Then, the regiment was sent on the way to Hitler’s“eagle nest”,  Berchtesgaden, Germany on the Austria border. Then, the unit was sent like occupation troop to Bruck in Austria. It is during this period that Donald Burgett was finally named Sergeant.

“My Sergeant rank did not come up in until we were in Bruck, Austria.  I was appointed squad leader of the 2nd squad after our battle in Bois Jaques but it seemed everyone was too busy to get issues with the paperwork at that time.

When we returned to France and billeted in tents in Mourmelon le Petit I was in charge of the 2nd squad of the 2nd platoon then were on the road again.  I did ask about my stripes during that time but again nothing happened and I was doing the work of a squad leader.  It wasn't the stripes I was interested in, it was the four dollars per stripe which meant the extra twelve dollars per month I was not being paid for the three stripe job I was doing. ” 

Don had to wait to be in Bruck Austria to officially become a Sergeant. In Bruck, the men adding up 85 points or more were demobilized and could return home. Don Burgett refused. He had gained 90 points but he preferred to remain with his comrades and to visit the countries paid by the government. Don Burgett’s unit remained a few months like occupation troop in Austria before being sent to Joigny in France. They were informed that they were going to take part in the invasion of Japan.

“We were supposed to jump behind the enemy lines on the Japanese continent in order to attack it during the initial attack. I began to get my equipment ready when I went to the hospital because of the Trench Mouth syndrome where I was cured while there the Atomic bombs were dropped over ending the war.  Our mission in Japan was cancelled.

"Trench mouth and Trench foot," are both infectious diseases suffered by most infantrymen fighting in the trenches of WWI and were so named by the infantrymen of that war.  They too did not have the medical treatment at that time as we have today.  In my case we did not receive proper medical treatment because we were fighting behind enemy lines where even food was scarce at times. ” 

With the end of the war announced, Don took a longer permission in England and in Paris. When he returned to Joigny, the 101st was on the departure to get back home.

“I was afraid all along the war. A man who is not afraid dies in first. We are always afraid. It is necessary to be able to control it.”

Donald Burgett was returned to the civil life on December 31, 1945 at Atterbury Camp, Indiana. He was 20 year old.

“I went back home on January 1, 1946, in Detroit, Michigan. I could not vote, nor to buy car or to drink beer. At 20 years old, I was not legally 21 years old. I was under 21 years old on April 5, 1946.”

Don was also found of flying, and in September 1947 he got his pilot's licence. At that time as he did not work, he visited all the States with his plane. Donald Burgett got married with Twyla M Austin in 1953. They had 5 children. At the present time, they have 11 grand children and 16 grand grand children.

He worked as a carpenter and as a house builder, he took his retirement at 62 years old.

Donald Burgett wrote 4 books on his memories. One was regarded as the best book about the Second War: “currahee” about Normandy which was written in 1962 and was published in 1967. This book was approved by General Eisenhower himself and was published in 14 countries and also French.

His other books are: “The Road to Arnhem” about Holland, “Seven roads to Hell” about Bastogne and “Beyond the Rhine” about Germany. He also did several documentaries for the television and some others for the papers like “The New Yorker” or “Life”. His last realization is a DVD: An Eagle Returns part1 : Normandy.

“From now I am taking some time off to catch up on work around the house that I have neglected while I was book signing and doing lectures.”