European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 6, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                R monday june 6,1994 a the stars and stripes Page 9paratroops thrilled to jump with 44 vets by Craig Martin Normandy Bureau Umfreville France for 50 members of the 3rd in 325th airborne in combat team out of Vicenza Italy sunday was a paratroopers dream. A it was a great Honor to jump where others jumped 50 years ago said 19-year-old pvt. 2 William Dukes of Princeton by. A it was a great Honor to follow in the footsteps of  Dukes was among approximately 500 paratroops who jumped into the Landing zone Here and marched into . Most of the soldiers came from the 82nd and 101st airborne divisions in the United states and they jumped shortly after a group of world War ii paratroops made a jump into the Umfreville drop zone. The drop zone is in a Farmers Field about three Miles from . Fifty years ago members of the two divisions parachuted into the surrounding Countryside some Landing in the heart of , where German soldiers gunned them out of the sky. For an airborne Soldier Landing in any drop zone is what the jobs All about. To Parachute with these veterans though made this one special. A being with the old Guys who were Here doing it 50 years ago doing it in the same area is a Heck of an Honor a said 1st it. Robert Underwood executive officer for the Vicenza units he co. A a it a a paratroopers dream you always hear about , the Home of the  sundays ump was a a Chance to be a part of history to jump with the old veterans who jumped Here a said pvt. 2 Glen Drewniak who at 18 is the youngest jumper of the Vicenza group. Underwood said the battalion had to devise ways to select those who would jump for the anniversary. A a lot of Effort went into this a lot of Competition a he explained. A one company had to write an essay about Why they  Here another company did squad competitions. Some of it was hard physical  the 50 jumpers have been brushing up on Normandy history since finding out they would be a part of the activities. A most people Are Reading books a Underwood said. A each company gave an overview report of each site. About 90 percent of those jumping had done some sort of  the soldiers also marched the route the veterans took 50 years ago from the drop zone to . A we just passed where the 325th fought at la Fiere a Underwood said during a water break on the March. A a it a amazing to walk this  As the troops marched to , they were greeted along the Road and at nearly every Crossroads with cheers and applause from local citizenry. At one Stop outside the town Underwood was asked to hold a family a daughter and pose for a picture. A a it a truly an Honor a Underwood said with a smile. T. A. Sas Oava Dudlo first it. Robert Underwood left of the 325th airborne in combat team in Vicenza Italy helps capt. Nelson Emmons 101st airborne div fort Campbell ky., with his jump equipment before taking off from Raf Alconbury England on sunday. The two men were part of a multinational group or paratroops re enacting a jump Over  teamst0.m$re-�glise jump unit Lor 3rd in 325th airborne combat team from Vicenza Italy m spec. Eric r. Acosta spec. Garvin e. Anton sgt Kenneth a. Baskian spec. Michael l Bocanegra sgt cart Brett spec. Richard m. Bryant spec. Morgan let Carlisle pfc. Angel Casiano staff sgt Charles k. Cowan sgt Darros l Daniels sgt James r. Dewberry pvt Glen l Drewniak pvt Hiam k. Dukes staff sgt John  pfc. Bryan p. Gardner spec. Peter Geiss pfc. Christopher Grimm staff sgt. William Hartsell spec. A ship e. Herndon spec. Randy Hettinger spec. Christopher Hicks spec. Jeffery s. Hughes spec. Gregory a. Lurker staff sgt. Christopher Martinez spec. Lawrence Mccullough spec. Michael c. Mecough spec. Franciaco Morales sgt Robert Nonweiler spec. James g. Peters sgt. John m. Peterson spec. Robert a. Philyan spec. David t. Powell sgt Eugene Rickenbacker spec. Stephen e. Rodgers sgt Leland Samuels staff sgt Timothy d. Sheldon sgt Ira w. Simon spec. Jason Smith sgt David i. Strouse. Spec. Brian  sgt 1st class Boyer r. Tones 1st it Robert e. Underwood spec. Alexander Vanderlinden sgt Christopher a a Asoka spec. John a Votovich spec. Tony Wainright pfc. Dale walk or. Spec. Chad Wertman spec. Vernon c. Willams a Toast to liberators be Nouvelle France up More than 1,300 Active Auty paratroops dropped into the Fields near Pegasus Bridge on sunday and the owner of the Pegasus cafe poured Champagne for veterans of the airborne assault that liberated the first property in France during the Normandy invasion. An estimated 30,000 people attended the ceremonies around the Pegasus cafe to Honor the glider pilots and airborne troops Given the task of securing the Bridge Over the Orne River and protecting the Eastern flank of the 1944 Allied push into German occur tried France. Cafe owner Arette Gondree was 4 when the troops landed. Her parents owned the cafe at the time. She said she was Quot deeply humbled that so Many voter ans returned sunday. A this is such a wonderful moment for me a she said As dozens of veterans clambered around her raising glasses of Champagne. A it is so important. A Jarc having a party and Well open All night. As Long As the boys Are Here i am not dosing. In a really  veterans of the  the Bridge 50 years ago proudly marched across its modern replacement to gather at the cafe where they and the rest of the crowd watched As More than 1,300 Active duty paratroops from Britain Canada France and Poland filled the skies in a coordinated drop. Several of the paratroops were Hurt during the Landing but the drop generally went Well with military forces jumping at half second intervals from c-130 Hercules military transport planes to float to Earth in Fields near b6nouvillc. But some of the veterans in the crowd said their memories were too painful to fully enjoy the Street celebrations. Quot last night i was so nervous i  Arink a cup of Coffee. 1 have lived the last 50 years with bad memories a said Marcel gout Leier who As a 17-Ycar-old Soldier landed at Juno Beach on a Day and on sunday huddled with four French and Canadian veterans off to the Side of the celebrations. Gout Leier said he landed at 6 30 . On a Day with 4,350 men and by noon there were Only 1,500 left fighting. A my heart is bleeding now Quot said gout Leier who now lives in Belgium. A i still done to know if i can face going to Bayeux for today a commemoration