Join 11th Airborne Division historian Jeremy C. Holm for this special presentation originally given during the dinner banquet for Toccoa, Georgia's famous 2023 World War II Weekend. Jeremy was invited to speak on the impact that Camp Toccoa had on both the airborne and the outcome of the war.

Attending the dinner were several Children of Currahee, descendants of original Toccoa Men who trained at the camp, including children of the 506th PIR's famous "Band of Brothers". Additionally, the audience included numerous veterans and airborne enthusiasts.

Jeremy said, "It was an honor to get to speak at the dinner banquet. What a privilege it was to tell the story of the Toccoa Men who went on to fight in Europe, Africa, and the South Pacific. They truly were 'the best there ever was.'"

This episode is a re-recording of Jeremy's original speech since we were all so excited to hear his presentation that we forgot to press the Record button!

For more information, visit www.511pir.com or www.11thairborne.com today, or you can email jeremy at Jeremy@jeremycholm.com.

You can follow Jeremy on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/11thairbornediv

To purchase copies of Jeremy's books on the 11th Airborne Division, please visit:

https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B00G3TNO0A/allbooks?ingress=0&visitId=c7baae52-e150-4caf-86b1-990b2ef40772

Or to visit our full 11th Airborne Division online store, please visit:

https://jeremycholmstore.square.site/11th-airborne-division-store

Down From Heaven Comes Eleven! Airborne All the Way!

Join 11th Airborne Division historian Jeremy C. Holm as we discover the story of Private First Class Manuel Pérez, a Paratrooper from the 511th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 11th Airborne Division, whose incredible actions on February 13, 1945 would earn this Angel the Medal of Honor.

As one newspaper put it, "he fought with the strength of one hundred supermen."

Manuel's story has never been fully told like this before and it is an honor and our privilege to do so. It is the story of a first-generation Mexican American who displayed a devotion to duty that inspired the nation.

After Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor, Manuel was inducted into the United States Army in January of 1943 and he immediately volunteered for parachute duty. He was assigned to the new 511th Parachute Infantry forming at Camp Toccoa, Georgia which would later join America's new 11th Airborne Division at Camp Mackall later that year.

It was during the 11th Airborne's campaign to liberate Luzon that Manuel would single-handedly eliminate twelve enemy defensive positions along with 75 of the Japanese defenders.

“He was always out front,” said A Company’s Private Donald Noel of Coal Center, Pennsylvania. “He seemed unaware of anything but the job of killing (the Japanese).”

One month later, this incredible paratrooper would give his life outside Santo Tomas.

To learn more about Manuel Pérez, you can purchase one of Jeremy's acclaimed books here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C83KT18D

To support our channel, please visit https://11thairborne.com/store

You can read Manuel's bio here: https://511pir.com/enlisted-biographi...

You can email us at jeremy@jeremycholm.com.

For more information, visit www.511pir.com or www.11thairborne.com today, or you can email jeremy at Jeremy@jeremycholm.com.

You can follow Jeremy on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/11thairbornediv

To purchase copies of Jeremy's books on the 11th Airborne Division, please visit:

https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B00G3TNO0A/allbooks?ingress=0&visitId=c7baae52-e150-4caf-86b1-990b2ef40772

Or to visit our full 11th Airborne Division online store, please visit:

https://jeremycholmstore.square.site/11th-airborne-division-store

Down From Heaven Comes Eleven! Airborne All the Way!

Join 11th Airborne Division historian Jeremy C. Holm as we discover the story of Private Elmer Fryar, a Paratrooper from the 511th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 11th Airborne Division, whose incredible actions on December 8, 1944 would earn this former Marine the Medal of Honor.

Elmer's story has never been fully told like this before and it is an honor and our privilege to do so.

This is the story of a national hero, a story that deserves to be told and retold.

Elmer Edward Fryar was born near Denver, Colorado in 1914 and after serving in the United States Marine Corps, including in the historic 1st Defense Battalion, he would go on to enlist in the United States Army following Imperial Japan's surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. Elmer would volunteer for America's new airborne arm and was assigned to Company E of the 511th PIR at Camp Toccoa, Georgia in January of 1943 under Lieutenant Colonel Orin D. "Hardrock" Haugen.

Elmer and the 511th PIR would then head to Camp Mackall, North Carolina to join the newly forming 11th Airborne Division, "The Angels", under the command of Major General Joseph May Swing. After over a year of intense stateside training, the 11th Airborne headed for New Guinea for theater training and acclimatization.

Then, in November of 1944 The Angels sailed for Leyte where they would first face the soldiers of Imperial Japan's 16th and 26th Infantry Divisions in the island's mountains.

It was here that on December 8, 1944, Private Elmer Fryar went into action, calling in mortar fire and directing the platoon's machine guns before running into enemy fire to rescue a wounded comrade. Then when a group of between 40-50 enemy soldiers moved to flank their position, Elmer Fryar raced to the top of a nearby ridge, alone, and eliminated over 20 of the Japanese with his rifle before being wounded himself.

Elmer then returned to his help his comrades withdraw when a lone enemy sniper jumped from a group of bushes and leveled his rifle at Fryar's commanding officer. Without hesitating, Private Elmer Fryar leapt in front of the lieutenant and took the full brunt of the enemy's fire. With his last grasp of strength, Elmer pulled a pin on a grenade and threw it at the enemy.

Private Fryar then asked his fellow Angels to tell his family that he "got a mess of the (Japanese) before they got me."

And he said it with a smile.

To learn more about Elmer Fryar, you can purchase one of Jeremy's acclaimed books on the 11th Airborne Division in World War II here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C83KT18D

To support our channel, please visit our online store full of 11th Airborne merch: https://11thairborne.com/store

Join us on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/11thairbornediv

If you'd like to reach out to Jeremy, you can email him at jeremy@jeremycholm.com.

Down From Heaven Comes Eleven! Airborne All the Way!

PS - We are aware that there were some audio technical glitches in this video and did our best to edit them out and hope they never undermine the story of this great American Paratrooper. We do have a new microphone on the way and expect better results.

For more information, visit www.511pir.com or www.11thairborne.com today, or you can email jeremy at Jeremy@jeremycholm.com.

You can follow Jeremy on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/11thairbornediv

To purchase copies of Jeremy's books on the 11th Airborne Division, please visit:

https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B00G3TNO0A/allbooks?ingress=0&visitId=c7baae52-e150-4caf-86b1-990b2ef40772

Or to visit our full 11th Airborne Division online store, please visit:

https://jeremycholmstore.square.site/11th-airborne-division-store

Down From Heaven Comes Eleven! Airborne All the Way!