Air Force makes a stable move

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman David Atchison
  • 94th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
DOBBINS AIR RESERVE BASE Ga.(AFPN) --  It is the only one of its kind left, a physical testament to sacrifices made by the greatest generation of our nation. It is a piece of history forever linking future generations of Americans to an era unlike any other in history. It is a priceless artifact of World War II.

It is a horse stable.

“It was 1944 and the allied forces were gathering in south England for Operation Overlord,” said Brenda Owens, president of the Stephens County Historical Society in Toccoa, Ga. “Servicemen from dozens of nations, including more than a 1.5 million Americans were sent to England in support the war effort.”

As troop build up increased, the most immediate problem facing allied planners became housing, said Ms. Owens. At this point, nearly all available structures were already being used. Troops were living in prefabricated structures, old barracks, schools and even the homes of British citizens. After the available housing options were exhausted, the allied planners were forced to improvise.

“With no where else to house the troops, the higher ups were forced to place soldiers in horse stables,” said Ray Ward, historical society volunteer. “The troops called them ‘war stables’.”

Among the regiments that called a war stable home were the Soldiers of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, better known as the Band of Brothers, as well as members of the 501st, 327th and the 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiments.

Among the men billeted in a war stable was 101st Airborne paratrooper Donald Burgett, the author of five novels detailing aspects of World War II. He described the Aldbourne, England, war stable as, "the best (housing) I have ever been in; neat, comfortable and yet large enough for four men to live in and have a certain small amount of privacy, something almost unknown in the service.”

Many of the men housed in the stables came to really appreciate their temporary home, said Mr. Ward. It was within these stables service members mentally prepared themselves for what was to come, for D-Day. Sadly, a stable was the last place many of them would call home.

And now, some 60 years later, a piece of history was about to be lost.

“We were contacted (more than) 14 months ago by Chris Anderson, editor of World War II magazine,” said Ms. Owens. “He informed us the last of the war stables, the temporary home of the 506th, was in danger of being demolished.”

The historical society proposed the stable be dismantled and shipped to Camp Toccoa, Ga. where the 506th first trained. Shipping the stable from England to the United States would involve the cooperation of the U.S. Air Force and the Royal Air Force. It would also require $35,000 to have the stable deconstructed and packaged. With their work cut out for them, the historical society set to work raising the funds to save the stable.

“We started a ‘Save the Stable’ campaign to raise the funds to ship the stable here,” said Ms. Owens. People from around the world sent donations to help the historical society, including actor Tom Hanks.

“Preserving the stable is a matter of pride for the people of Toccoa,” said Ken Davis, Toccoa commissioner. “It’s our way of showing thanks to the men and women who are no longer with us, a way to preserve their memory.”

With the money for the move accrued, the only thing left was getting the stable to Georgia. An Air National Guard C-17 Globemaster III from the 172nd Airlift Wing at Allen C. Thompson Field, Miss., got the call.

“It took us nearly three hours to load it and 10 hours fly the stable to Dobbins,” said Senior Master Sgt. Jim Hansford, a loadmaster with the 172nd AW. “I really enjoyed this mission. With the war on terror being foremost on everyone’s agenda, it’s nice to have the opportunity to participate in something like this.”

The stable was unloaded here and soon it would be shipped to its new home in Toccoa.

“We plan to reconstruct the stable on the grounds of the Stephens County Historical Society's home at the Toccoa train station,” said Ms. Owens, “the station where 506th recruits first reported for duty back in 1942.”

The stable will be used to house Camp Toccoa and 506th Parachute Infantry artifacts. Once completed, the project will serve as a memorial to all the men of the 506th Parachute Infantry who served during World War II.