Join 11th Airborne Division historian Jeremy C. Holm as we dive into the 511th PIR's Battle of the Stone Courtyard during the Battle for Manila in World War II!

As the 11th Airborne Division pressed north towards Manila, the Angels discovered that the main bridge over the Imus river had been blown by the Japanese. To secure a secondary crossing that was critical to the division's drive into the city, Company D of the 511th PIR was sent to Imus to prevent Japanese forces from destroying this remaining crossing. 

When told of their new mission, Platoon Leader 1LT Andrew Carrico said his squad leaders all asked, "Why do we get all the dirty jobs?!”

1st Platoon would lead the assault against an estimated 100 Japanese defenders and what followed was a harrowing, small-unit assault on a reinforced defensive position that led was viewed by and impressed General Robert L. Eichelberger himself who would later say of the Angels, "No one could have asked for finer fighting men."

Listen as Jeremy recounts D Company's 100-yard-dash across open ground full of spider holes and other enemy positions to assault the main fortified structure which controlled access to their objective, the Isabell II Bridge. 

Included in this story is the inspiring actions of TSGT Robert C. Steele who climbed on top of the structure's roof while under fire to burn out the enemy defenders. Bob was given a battlefield promotion for his courage and leadership, but was tragically killed a few days later during the Battle for Nichols Field. 

D-511's CPL William Walter said of his good friend Bob, "He was the kind of man that everybody would like to be."

To learn more about the 511th PIR, the Band of Brothers of the Pacific, you can purchase one of Jeremy's acclaimed books on the 11th Airborne Division in World War II here: https://www.11thairbornestore.com/books 

To support our channel, please visit our online store full of 11th Airborne merch: https://11thairborne.comstore

If you'd like to donate to help us create even more videos on the 11th Airborne Division, you can do so here: https://11thairbornestore.square.site/product/donate-and-support/47

Join us on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/11thairbornediv 

You can read Manuel's bio here: https://511pir.com/enlisted-biographies/269-pfc-perez-manuel

To watch our full video on the story of Private Elmer Fryar, please click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSrTQxc3Lik

If you'd like to reach out to Jeremy, you can email him at [email protected].

Down From Heaven Comes Eleven! Airborne All the Way!

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For more information, visit www.511pir.com or www.11thairborne.com today, or you can email jeremy at [email protected].

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Down From Heaven Comes Eleven! Airborne All the Way!

Join 11th Airborne Division historian Jeremy C. Holm for this special presentation originally given during the dinner banquet for Toccoa, Georgia's famous 2023 World War II Weekend. Jeremy was invited to speak on the impact that Camp Toccoa had on both the airborne and the outcome of the war. 

Attending the dinner were several Children of Currahee, descendants of original Toccoa Men who trained at the camp, including children of the 506th PIR's famous "Band of Brothers". Additionally, the audience included numerous veterans and airborne enthusiasts. 

Jeremy said, "It was an honor to get to speak at the dinner banquet. What a privilege it was to tell the story of the Toccoa Men who went on to fight in Europe, Africa, and the South Pacific. They truly were 'the best there ever was.'"

This episode is a re-recording of Jeremy's original speech since we were all so excited to hear his presentation that we forgot to press the Record button!

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Down From Heaven Comes Eleven! Airborne All the Way!

Join 11th Airborne Division historian Jeremy C. Holm as we discover the story of Private First Class Manuel Pérez, a Paratrooper from the 511th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 11th Airborne Division, whose incredible actions on February 13, 1945 would earn this Angel the Medal of Honor.

As one newspaper put it, "he fought with the strength of one hundred supermen."

Manuel's story has never been fully told like this before and it is an honor and our privilege to do so. It is the story of a first-generation Mexican American who displayed a devotion to duty that inspired the nation.   

After Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor, Manuel was inducted into the United States Army in January of 1943 and he immediately volunteered for parachute duty. He was assigned to the new 511th Parachute Infantry forming at Camp Toccoa, Georgia which would later join America's new 11th Airborne Division at Camp Mackall later that year.

It was during the 11th Airborne's campaign to liberate Luzon that Manuel would single-handedly eliminate twelve enemy defensive positions along with 75 of the Japanese defenders.

“He was always out front,” said A Company’s Private Donald Noel of Coal Center, Pennsylvania. “He seemed unaware of anything but the job of killing (the Japanese).”

One month later, this incredible paratrooper would give his life outside Santo Tomas.

To learn more about Manuel Pérez, you can purchase one of Jeremy's acclaimed books here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C83KT18D

To support our channel, please visit https://11thairborne.com/store

You can read Manuel's bio here: https://511pir.com/enlisted-biographi...

You can email us at [email protected].

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For more information, visit www.511pir.com or www.11thairborne.com today, or you can email jeremy at [email protected].

You can follow Jeremy on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/11thairbornediv

To purchase copies of Jeremy's books on the 11th Airborne Division, please visit:

https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B00G3TNO0A/allbooks?ingress=0&visitId=c7baae52-e150-4caf-86b1-990b2ef40772

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Down From Heaven Comes Eleven! Airborne All the Way!

Join 11th Airborne Division historian Jeremy C. Holm as we discover the story of Private Elmer Fryar, a Paratrooper from the 511th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 11th Airborne Division, whose incredible actions on December 8, 1944 would earn this former Marine the Medal of Honor.

Elmer's story has never been fully told like this before and it is an honor and our privilege to do so. 

This is the story of a national hero, a story that deserves to be told and retold. 

Elmer Edward Fryar was born near Denver, Colorado in 1914 and after serving in the United States Marine Corps, including in the historic 1st Defense Battalion, he would go on to enlist in the United States Army following Imperial Japan's surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. Elmer would volunteer for America's new airborne arm and was assigned to Company E of the 511th PIR at Camp Toccoa, Georgia in January of 1943 under Lieutenant Colonel Orin D. "Hardrock" Haugen.

Elmer and the 511th PIR would then head to Camp Mackall, North Carolina to join the newly forming 11th Airborne Division, "The Angels", under the command of Major General Joseph May Swing. After over a year of intense stateside training, the 11th Airborne headed for New Guinea for theater training and acclimatization. 

Then, in November of 1944 The Angels sailed for Leyte where they would first face the soldiers of Imperial Japan's 16th and 26th Infantry Divisions in the island's mountains. 

It was here that on December 8, 1944, Private Elmer Fryar went into action, calling in mortar fire and directing the platoon's machine guns before running into enemy fire to rescue a wounded comrade. Then when a group of between 40-50 enemy soldiers moved to flank their position, Elmer Fryar raced to the top of a nearby ridge, alone, and eliminated over 20 of the Japanese with his rifle before being wounded himself. 

Elmer then returned to his help his comrades withdraw when a lone enemy sniper jumped from a group of bushes and leveled his rifle at Fryar's commanding officer. Without hesitating, Private Elmer Fryar leapt in front of the lieutenant and took the full brunt of the enemy's fire. With his last grasp of strength, Elmer pulled a pin on a grenade and threw it at the enemy. 

Private Fryar then asked his fellow Angels to tell his family that he "got a mess of the (Japanese) before they got me."

And he said it with a smile. 

To learn more about Elmer Fryar, you can purchase one of Jeremy's acclaimed books on the 11th Airborne Division in World War II here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C83KT18D

To support our channel, please visit our online store full of 11th Airborne merch: https://11thairborne.com/store

Join us on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/11thairbornediv

If you'd like to reach out to Jeremy, you can email him at [email protected].

Down From Heaven Comes Eleven! Airborne All the Way!

PS - We are aware that there were some audio technical glitches in this video and did our best to edit them out and hope they never undermine the story of this great American Paratrooper. We do have a new m

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For more information, visit www.511pir.com or www.11thairborne.com today, or you can email jeremy at [email protected].

You can follow Jeremy on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/11thairbornediv

To purchase copies of Jeremy's books on the 11th Airborne Division, please visit:

https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B00G3TNO0A/allbooks?ingress=0&visitId=c7baae52-e150-4caf-86b1-990b2ef40772

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Down From Heaven Comes Eleven! Airborne All the Way!

In this episode, show host and 11th Airborne Division historian Jeremy C. Holm delves into the life of Major General Joseph May Swing, the Father of the 11th Airborne Division. Known as "Jumping Joe" to his men, General Swing is a legend in America's airborne history and this episode will cover the first half of his military service, including his experiences in Mexico during the Punitive Expedition against Pancho Villa and in France during World War I. 

We'll also follow young Joe Swing's career as an aide to General Peyton C. March, his early run-ins with General Douglas MacArthur and his accomplishments on the polo field, in the field artillery and the airborne, as well as his initial impacts on both of those branches of the United States military. 

General Joseph May Swing's name deserves to be remembered in the same class as James Gavin, Maxwell Taylor, William Miley and Matthew Ridgeway.

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For more information, visit www.511pir.com or www.11thairborne.com today, or you can email jeremy at [email protected].

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To purchase copies of Jeremy's books on the 11th Airborne Division, please visit:

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Down From Heaven Comes Eleven! Airborne All the Way!

This speech was given by 11th Airborne Division historian and author Jeremy C. Holm on September 14, 2023 at the 2023 11th Airborne Division Association Reunion held at Sam's Town Gambling Hall and Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Jeremy was honored to address the 11th Airborne Division Angels from WWII to today in attendance, as well as their wives, families and airborne supporters. 

In this speech, Jeremy touches on the legacy of the 11th Airborne Division from 1943 through today and explains for every Angel, and the world, just how impactful their military service, and legacy, has been to the United States of America.

Jeremy said later, "It was a powerful experience for me to address this company of heroes. I was a bit embarrassed by the standing ovation they gave when I was finished, but I will treasure the memory of knowing that I touched their hearts and honored their buddies who have 'made the final jump', whether that was in combat or after a long life."

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To purchase copies of Jeremy's books on the 11th Airborne Division, please visit:

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Down From Heaven Comes Eleven! Airborne All the Way!

This episode is a recording of a lecture on the 11th Airborne Division in World War II given by show host, historian and author Jeremy C. Holm in Roanoke, Virginia in 2021. Jeremy's grandmother lives in Roanoke and the lecture was given for her community to honor her efforts to preserve the history of the Angels from World War II through today. 

In this lecture you'll learn fascinating details about the origins of the 11th Airborne Division, with a focus on the 511th Parachute Infantry Regiment, "The Band of Brothers of the Pacific". Follow the 11th Airborne through their stateside training to New Guinea in the Pacific Theater before the Angels first saw combat on Leyte during the winter of 1944. The 11th Airborne then participated in the liberation of Luzon during 1945 before they became the first full Allied unit to land on Japan in August of 1945. 

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For more information, visit www.511pir.com or www.11thairborne.com today, or you can email jeremy at [email protected].

You can follow Jeremy on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/11thairbornediv

To purchase copies of Jeremy's books on the 11th Airborne Division, please visit:

https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B00G3TNO0A/allbooks?ingress=0&visitId=c7baae52-e150-4caf-86b1-990b2ef40772

Or to visit our full 11th Airborne Division online store, please visit:

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Down From Heaven Comes Eleven! Airborne All the Way!

In this episode, show host and historian Jeremy C. Holm shares the first interview he ever performed with one of the 11th Airborne Division Angels, his own grandfather 1LT Andrew Carrico of Company D, 511th Parachute Infantry Regiment.

Originally recorded on September 30, 2010,  Jeremy sat down with "Andy" to discuss his early days in the United States Army before Pearl Harbor when he served in the 1st and 5th Armored Divisions. Growing "tired" of the armored life, Andy decided that the Paratroopers were more his speed and he soon found himself fighting with the 11th Airborne in the Pacific Theater.

Trained at Fort Benning, Andy transferred to the 511th at Camp Mackall then participated in the Louisiana Maneuvers before heading to Camp Stoneman, California. After sailing to New Guinea, the 511th trained at Dobodura until they sailed to Leyte where they fought a brutal campaign across the island's jungle-covered mountains.

After Leyte, Andy and the 511th jumped on Tagaytay Ridge, Luzon, then fought north to liberate Manila, including the famous rescue operation at Los Baños of 2,147 internees. After Luzon was declared secure, the regiment prepared for the invasion of Japan, but Japan surrendered and Andy's 11th Airborne provided the Honor Guard for General Douglas MacArthur aboard the USS Missouri and was the first full regiment to land on Japan.

But before all that, Andy was wounded and nearly killed on Luzon at the Battle of Mt. Bijang on March 13, 1945. He lived a long, wonderful life as a father, husband and grandfather, passing away on October 13, 2016 at age 98.

To read more of Andy's story as well as those of his comrades in the 511th PIR, please click here - http://www.511pir.com/videos

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To purchase copies of Jeremy's books on the 11th Airborne Division, please visit:

https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B00G3TNO0A/allbooks?ingress=0&visitId=c7baae52-e150-4caf-86b1-990b2ef40772

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Down From Heaven Comes Eleven! Airborne All the Way!

In this episode, show host and 11th Airborne historian Jeremy C. Holm honors PVT Delbert "Bob" Hayes of Valparaiso, Indiana. Private Hayes served in the 11th Airborne Division in Company D of the 511th Parachute Infantry Regiment before he was killed on August 12, 1945 at Lipa, Luzon during World War II.

Valparaiso's VFW Post 988 is named after this young American who gave his life in the service of his country and Jeremy recorded this episode for VFW Post 988's members and Bob's family.  

Bob was a Paratrooper fought with The Angels on Luzon from February to August of 1945, participating in the liberation of Manila as well as southern Luzon. 

Bob's awards and decorations include:

The Presidential Unit Citation
Two Purple Hearts with oak leaf cluster 
The Parachutists badge
Expert badges with rifle, Carbine and 57 MM bar
Asiatic-Pacific theater ribbon with devices: New Guinea, Leyte, and Luzon campaign stars
The World War II Victory ribbon 
Philippine Liberation ribbon with bronze star
Good Conduct medal
American theater ribbon

Bob was killed in a plane crash at the Lipa Airstrip West on August 12, 1945. He was just 21. As his obituary states, "Private Hayes was not only a son and a soldier but was loved and held in high esteem by everyone who knew him.”

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For more information, visit www.511pir.com or www.11thairborne.com today, or you can email jeremy at [email protected].

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To purchase copies of Jeremy's books on the 11th Airborne Division, please visit:

https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B00G3TNO0A/allbooks?ingress=0&visitId=c7baae52-e150-4caf-86b1-990b2ef40772

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Down From Heaven Comes Eleven! Airborne All the Way!

In this episode, show host and 11th Airborne Division historian Jeremy C. Holm discusses the final Allied airborne operation of World War II, Task Force Gypsy.

Jeremy is excited to share with you the history of this often-overlooked airborne operation from June of 1945.  In this video you'll learn about the 11th Airborne Division's mission to seal off Luzon's Cagayan Valley in an effort to prevent Japanese forces from moving towards Aparri for a potential "Dunkirk" rescue. 

After watching the 11th Airborne Division's Angels in action, US Sixth Army's General Walter Krueger said they were "the fightingest outfit I have ever seen!"

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For more information, visit www.511pir.com or www.11thairborne.com today, or you can email jeremy at [email protected].

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To purchase copies of Jeremy's books on the 11th Airborne Division, please visit:

https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B00G3TNO0A/allbooks?ingress=0&visitId=c7baae52-e150-4caf-86b1-990b2ef40772

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Down From Heaven Comes Eleven! Airborne All the Way!