Airborne Training of
the 84th
Infantry Division at Camp Claiborne, LA

by James E.
Mrazek

In late July 1944, I was ordered to
conduct the airborne training of the 84th Infantry Division at Camp Claiborne,
Louisiana. I was told to choose a cadre of some 40 officers and men from the
88th Glider Infantry Regiment who were experts in the subject to accompany me.

I arrived at Camp
Claiborne about the 25th of July. I found that the last of the training area
construction under way. There I found ready for me a vast training area. On
either side of one half of the area were two rows of CG-4A glider mockups.
These mockups were wooden frames resembling the fuselages of gliders. A nose
frame could be opened and raised for loading as would a glider's. A
photographs of one is on page 113 in my book FIGHTING
GLIDERS. Each contained four removable benches comparable to those found
in a glider. As I recall, there were about 100 mockups, comparable to the
number of gliders it would take to carry one battalion of infantry.

The other half
contained several rows of C-46 and C-47 mockups.. Between these two areas was
a tall structure from which to control the training, and several loading and
lashing platforms with tie down rings on which we used to tie artillery
pieces, jeeps and other demonstration equipment in the manner in which such
equipment would be tied in gliders or airplanes. Somewhere in the area there
were fence-like structures on which men were to practice knots and
lashings.

Adjacent to this area
an air strip had been constructed that was to be used for glider landings.
Adjacent to the strip were long bleachers from which those being trained could
listen to the instructor explain the structure of the CG-4A glider. We did not
have a "whole" glider, unfortunately. We did have a "stripped" down, rather
battered frame without wings. According to plan I was to have a real glider
which could be used to show those being trained, and occasionally have it
towed off in demonstration flights. When the pilots flew it in, they were
unable to brake it sufficiently, and over ran the airstrip, or, better, missed
it, as I recall, and plowed into a lightly wooded area where the trees tore
off the wings and most of the fuselage fabric. In a way, this "glider" served
a good purpose in that I had it placed in front of the bleachers where it
became an excellent training aid since those in the bleachers could look right
through the metal framework into the interior of the glider as it was being
described by one of my instructors.

In coordination with,
and with the heartiest cooperation of General Alexander Bolling, commander of
the 84th Division and his staff, I began an airlanding training program for
the whole division, and as I recall, some of its supporting units. Battalions,
and improvised battalion size units, consisting of separate companies and the
like, battalion by battalion appeared at 8:00 AM each morning and went through
the training program, until after a month we had processed perhaps more than
25 battalions, a heretofore unrecorded, but rather prodigious feat, as I see
it.

On days prior to their
appearing at the site, each battalion had orientation lectures and training
films in the post theater presented by my instructors.

I thought that the
month went well except for one somewhat embarrassing incident. I arranged for
the Army Air Force to put on a glider landing demonstration for the whole
division. General Bolling had the division some 15,000 or more men assemble
close to the landing strip. It took quite a bit of time and effort get them
into position. The plane with the glider in tow appeared overhead. I was at
the microphone describing the event. At the time prescribed, the plane did not
release the glider. I had the Air Force liaison officer radio the pilot to
quit circling and release the glider. I could hear the conversation between
them. No amount of cajoling convinced the pilot to release. They flew off, and
the division left, not having the opportunity to witness what was to be the
main event.

Although disappointed,
I was not surprised. I had constant difficulty getting the Air Force to
cooperate in common ventures. This part of the Air Force was unreliable.
Frequently, an operation was ordered, and I was told to load in aircraft that
would be at the field ready at a certain time. Invariably the gliders,
airplanes, or both, were not ready for loading on time, and usually, I did not
have the number promised. It meant hours of waiting until the aircraft and
pilots appeared, or cancellation of the operation. This affected the morale of
my troops. I wish that I could say something better for that branch of our
armed forces' performance for me, but I cannot. I think that the failure of
the pilot to release the glider was his fear of having to land on what may
have appeared from the air as an inadequate landing strip, or a lack of
discipline, or both. From what I know of the capabilities of what good pilots
can do, and what I know of what they had to do when towing and releasing
gliders in combat, the pilot in this case should have released. To me there
was no excuse that this did not happen.

Colonel Dalby, then the
Chief of Staff of the Airborne Command, appeared unannounced at the site
briefly one afternoon. I did not know him from Adam, and had to ask who he was
and who he represented. He was the only person from the command to appear
during the month of airborne training.

General Bolling and his
Chief of Staff, Colonel Louis Truman, treated me well and met every request
with amazing energy and speed. When the training was nearing its close,
Colonel Truman asked me if General Bolling could have me transferred to the
84th Division. Colonel Truman told me that if I came to the 84th, General
Bolling would give me a command. I turned down the offer since the 13th was
then about to go overseas, and I wanted to be with it when it did. General
Bolling wrote a letter of commendation to General Chapman concerning the
training and my performance.

James E.
Mrazek

Colonel, USA
(Ret.)

Colonel Mrazek
commanded a battalion in the 326th Glider Infantry Regiment in the 13th during
World War II and towards the end of the war commanded the regiment for several
months. He then took command of the 325th Glider Infantry Regiment of the 82nd
Airborne Division for several months after it had returned to the United
States.  PKO

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Copyright © 1997 Patrick O'Donnell