Article Image Alt Text

Local man recalls his WWII paratrooper training days

LAUREL — Each veteran’s service experience is unique from one another, this is true for Wilbur Rath.

Rath is one of four siblings raised on a farm outside of Coleridge. After completing eighth grade, he began working on the family’s farm.

In December of 1944, Rath received his military physical and was drafted in March of 1945, he would be almost 20 years old when he was drafted. Both he and his older brother were drafted with Rath attending Camp Maxey in Texas for basic training.

Prior to being in the army, Rath always thought about being a paratrooper. Rath would be able to do just that and was transported to Fort Benning, GA where he became a paratrooper.

Rath completed 10 jumps as a paratrooper with two of these jumps while he was stationed in Germany.

Each morning, the paratrooper trainees were expected to do calisthenics, helping them to get stronger and ensuring the trainees were committed to becoming paratroopers.

The trainees were expected to pack their own parachutes for the jumps. The men would work together to pack each chute, and the back up chute.

The men began practicing by jumping from a tower, then graduated to a plane. Several of Rath’s jumps were completed in a C-470, according to Rath. The plane would make two passes for the 20 or so soldiers in the plane to make their jump. Each pass would be eight seconds long for half the company to jump.

Rath was the gunner, his gun would be dropped prior to his jump.

The jumper would not be responsible for pulling the primary chute, only the back up if the primary failed to open. The cord of the primary chute would be released once the soldier had jumped from the plane.

Rath was told “Chances are you’ll be jumping in Japan,” during his training. The atomic bombs would be dropped and the war would come to an end before this materialized for him.

When Rath was shipped out, he and his company landed in France. The company would make it to Germany by way of railroad cars. The cars did not have any seats, many of the soldiers would sit on their luggage.

Rath would be stationed near Frankfurt, Germany for 10 months.

“He was a good guy,” said Rath in regards to being part of the Honor Guard who greeted General Eisenhower. Eisenhower would later become the 34th president of the United States.

Upon returning to the United States, Rath and a cousin traveled to Chicago to attend a diesel mechanic school, the school lasted approximately five months. From there, he returned to the area and farmed.

He met his wife Dorothy through a friend following his service. The couple had four children, two boys and two girls. His wife passed away at a young age, he would later remarry Joyce Galvin.

Rath has had the honor to be part of one of the Honor Flights.  Honor Flights are flights that fly veterans to Washington, D.C. to see the war memorials.

Northeast Nebraska News Company

102 W. Main
Hartington NE 68739
402-254-3997