USAF Grey Beret Association

06/20/2026

If you know... You know...

06/17/2026

~ OTD - 17 June 1945

OSS Pilot Mission Jumps into Burma

Our WWII Office of Strategic Services (OSS) troops who operated in the China-Burma-India Theater came from the 10th Weather Squadron

S/Sgts Neil Gray and Allan Cross trained for their behind the lines mission by first attending British Parachute School then completing further OSS training in Kandy, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka)

Cross was injured enroute to the airfield for his jump, and spent the rest of the war serving as a "door kicker," dropping supplies to the OSS teams operating in Japanese-occupied Burma

Gray parachuted into Central Burma behind the Japanese lines, as second in command of a secret mission, on 17 June 1945 and reached the Allied lines 12 weeks later on 9 September 1945

Gray's Commander on the mission, 1Lt Robert Baldwin, rated his performance at the end of the mission:

"My rating of Sergeant Gray is Superior. He is a real soldier, with plenty of nerve and guts and with a good knowledge of his job. We stood up under week after week of danger. He acted as security officer and assumed responsibility. He displayed real bravery on 2 and 3 August and was responsible for backing up our guerrillas and getting us safely away when the J**s attacked 500 yards from us. I have recommended him for a decoration, not less than the Silver Star, and I hope he gets it. He is the kind of soldier who has won the war for America. Many times I knew he was scared to death, but he didn’t falter or get panicky. He just fought the war."

Gray was called back to active duty in the US Army during the Korean War, gained a commission as an intelligence officer.

He stayed on active duty from that point, later serving in Vietnam as the S-2 for the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment before finally retiring as a Major.

RESPECT
GBA

06/13/2026

~

On this date - 13 June 1942 - The WWII Office of Strategic Services (OSS) was activated by order of President Franklin D. Roosevelt

WWI Medal of Honor recipient General William J Donovan was appointed that day as Director of Strategic Services.

The WWII OSS was a Joint organization, so official lineage from it isn't permissible, according to the existing rules, BUT

It's the true LEGACY organization for:

The CIA
The US Army Special Forces
The US Navy SEALs
and
The US Air Force SOWTs/SRs

Like to learn more?

Hit up our webpage at:

www.greyberet.oeg

RESPECT
GBA

06/06/2026

`

On this day in 1944, S/Sgt Robert Dodson completed his first and only jump with the 82nd Airborne Division HQ and 505th PIR at 0230hrs. This was a part of Mission Boston of Operation Overlord.


Despite a knee injury, he served as a rifleman with other scattered paratroopers, repelling the German counterattack.


S/Sgt Dodson began transmitting weather observations the following day, which was critical to air support and resupply.


On 21 June 1944, he was evacuated to a hospital at Bounteville for treatment on his injured knee before returning to duty.


S/Sgt Dodson left the service in September of 1945.


Never Forget

RESPECT
GBA

06/06/2026

`
On this day in 1944, Cpl Warren Wolf participated in Mission Albany of Operation Overlord via glider assault with the 101st Airborne Division.

He was initially presumed KIA by allied forces. However, he was captured and interred with fellow Airmen in deplorable conditions at Luft Stalag IV.

On 06 February 1945, Cpl Wolf was among the 8,000 men forced on a “Death March” of 15-20 miles per day due to the advancing Soviet Army.

On 02 May 1945, he was liberated by British soldiers near Lauenberg, Germany.

After WWII, he remained in the Army, served in Korea, and again with the 101st Airborne Division in Vietnam. He retired from the U.S. Army in 1965 as a Sergeant First Class.

Never Forget
RESPECT
GBA

06/06/2026

`
On this day in 1944, Cpl Eugene Levine served as the glider’s navigator. They launched at 1800hrs as part of the second 82nd Airborne Division glider assault. This was a part of Mission Boston of Operation Overlord.

They landed just after 2100hrs near St Mere Eglise and borrowed a Jeep to tow their radio transmitter to the Division assembly area.

Cpl Levine sent his first weather report at 2300hrs as the first weather report from Normandy.

Following D-Day, he served as Gen Ridgeway’s weatherman for the next 6 weeks. Cpl Levine was later reassigned to 1st Army through V-E Day.

As a Yiddish speaker, he became one of the first soldiers to interview prisoners at Buchenwald concentration camp.

After WWII, Dr. Levine (PHD) served in the Public Health Service.

Never Forget

RESPECT
GBA

06/06/2026

`

On this day in 1944, S/Sgt Charlie Staub was the first weatherman to reach France by parachuting into Normandy at 0100 hours with the 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment (101st Airborne Division).


This was apart of Mission Albany of Operation Overlord. On 04 July 1944, S/Sgt Staub was awarded the Purple Heart “For wounds received as a result of enemy action in France on 06 June 1944”.


Never Forget

RESPECT
GBA

06/06/2026

~

Operation OVERLORD
D-Day - June 6th, 1944

This is the airborne operation that all other airborne operations are measured against. In two separate missions, code named operations Albany and Boston, the paratroopers of both the 101st and 82nd Airborne Divisions jumped behind enemy lines as part of the invasion of Normandy and the cracking of Hitler’s Fortress Europe. Though the paratroopers were widely scattered over the French countryside due to misdrops, the havoc and confusion they created behind German lines was crucial to the success of the landings on the beaches.

Credit:

https://www.wearethemighty.com/lists/paratroopaloosa-these-are-all-the-times-america-did-large-scale-combat-jumps/

06/05/2026

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWlZoy8GqzY

Filename: LMWWIIHD161 - To order in HD Prores 422 - 4:3 Pillarbox v...

06/05/2026

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TK5Ve4IKJtI

Référence: f000279Support: BobineTaille: 169 MoDurée: 5:49 minCameraman: (inconnu)Unités: 82nd Aiborne DivisionDate: 5 juin 1944 / 6 juin 1944Localisations: ...