© Official Site Of 555th Parachute Infantry “Triple Nickle”. 2008
MAINTAINING AN IMPORTANT LEGACY
In
the
winter
of
1943-1944
twenty
young
African-American
enlisted
men
were
ordered
to
Fort
Benning,
Georgia
to
be
trained
as
parachutists.
These
young
men
were
pioneers
because,
never
before
in
the
segregated
military
system
then
prevalent,
were
“Coloreds”
considered
intelligent
enough
or
brave
enough
to
serve
in
combat
units
of
any
type
and
certainly not capable of being paratroopers.
In
early
1944
sixteen
of
these
young
men
completed
requisite
training,
in
spite
of
being
subjected
to
treatment
designed
to
make
them
fail,
and
were
awarded
the
silver
wings
of
qualified
parachutists.
Shortly
thereafter
an
additional
trooper,
having
been
delayed
by
a
family
emergency,
was
also
awarded
the
much
coveted
parachutist
badge.
These
men
were
led
by
former
First
Sergeant
Walter
Morris,
and
went
on
to
form
the
cadre
for
the
555th Parachute Infantry Company at Camp Mackall, North Carolina.
Several
weeks
after
the
“Test
Platoon”
graduated;
six
black
officers
also
completed
training
and
were
awarded
parachutists
badges.
Prominent
among
the
six
was
Second
Lieutenant
Bradley Biggs.
Now
that
the
gates
were
open,
a
veritable
flood
of
young
black
men
volunteered
for
parachute
training,
causing
the
rapid
evolvement
of
the
seventeen
enlisted
men
and
six
officers
into
the
555th
Parachute
Infantry
Company
and
the
555th
Parachute
Infantry
Battalion, which was attached to the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
On
a
cold
day
in
December,
1947,
teary
eyed
members
of
the
“Triple
Nickles”
Battalion
stood
in
mass
formation
as
this
proud,
one
of
a
kind
battalion
was
deactivated
and
reactivated
as
the
3rd
Battalion,
505th
Airborne
Infantry
Regiment,
82nd
Airborne
Division,
thus
becoming
the
first
black
unit
in
history
to
become
a
part
of
an
American
combat
division.
This
historic
milestone
was
presided
over
by
then
Major
General
James
M.
“Slim
Jim”
Gavin,
a
much
admired
and
respected
World
War
II
Commander.
General
Gavin,
because
of
his
effort
in
bringing
the
“Triple
Nickles”
into
the
mainstream,
will
always
be
revered by members of the 555th Parachute Infantry Association.
The
3rd
Battalion,
505th
Airborne
Infantry
Regiment
subsequently
provided
personnel
for
formation
of
the
503rd
Airborne
Anti-Aircraft
Battalion
and
the
80th
Airborne
Anti-Aircraft
Battalion.
The
three
Battalions
then
provided
personnel
for
the
3rd
Battalion,
188th
Airborne
Infantry
Regiment,
11th
Airborne
Division,
and
for
the
2nd
Airborne
Ranger
Company
which
became
the
first
black
unit
to
make
a
combat
jump
in
Korea
while
attached to the 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team.
Without
doubt,
the
courage
and
competency
of
black
members
of
the
units
herein
mentioned
paved
the
way
for
the
integrated
military
and
civilian
societies
that
all
Americans
enjoy
today.
The
555th
Parachute
Infantry
Association
was
formed
as
a
vehicle
designed
to
pay
homage
to
brave
troopers
who
have
preceded
us
and
to
maintain
their memory by doing good works for the society in which we live.
Joseph L. Murchison
National President
555th Parachute Infantry Association, Inc.
Trooper Harold S. Cole offers rare
insights into America's past by
highlighting the tumultuous and
triumphant history of the Buffalo
Soldier. Growing up in North Pelham,
New York, he started his military career
prior to the start of World War II, and
completed his service during the years
of the Vietnam War. We Can, We Will,
Ready and Forward are the tenets of the
famed 9th and 10th Cavalry respectively,
and served as Trooper Cole's motivation
in life. He is more than a military man,
he is a leader, disciplinarian, husband,
father, and served as President for the
Ninth and Tenth (Horse) Cavalry
Association from 1997 to 2001. His
commitment to community service and
youth development establishes a
foundation for future generations.