Many
of the men who served in the 503d have this feeling of a family relationship.
We have a closeness and a camaraderie that is shared by only a scant few in
a national population of 250 million. Like all families, we have a lineage consisting
of ancestors and progeny. The 503d Parachute Infantry Regiment and the 503d
Parachute Regimental Combat Team were both just a historical segment of the
503d lineage. They were neither the Alpha nor the Omega - the beginning or the
end. In the development and the discussion of a family lineage one usually
works from the present back to the past - from the foliage to the roots. And
the 503d has a current foliage carrying on the name of the 503d. They
are the 1st
Battalion, 503d Infantry assigned to the 2nd Infantry Division in Korea, and
the 2d Battalion, 503d Airborne Infantry assigned to the 173d Airborne
Brigade in Vicenza, Italy. Their lineage is of THE ROCK REGIMENT.
It
had been suggested to me that many of you might be interested in the 503d
lineage, interested in your 503d family.
John D. Reynolds
"D" Co. 503d PRCT
|