field training - ENgland, 1944

On Sunday, April 19, the Airborne enthusiasts within the World War 2 Guys met up at Ft. Atkinson for a field training day.  In attendance were Will, Matt, Eric, Casey, Bob and Luke.  This was the first time out in the field for both Bob and Luke, two great new additions to our unit.  The weather was the story of the day with gusty winds, temperatures in the 50s, and a constant heavy rain.  We all agreed that it felt very much like we really were training in England before the D-Day invasion.  We started with classroom instruction with Will walking us through what it was like to be a soldier in World War II.  This led to a good interactive discussion on uniforms and field gear of Airborne paratroopers.  Matt then led us through field striping the M-1 Garand Rifle and then reassembly and proper rifle lubrication.  Casey gave some instruction on hand signals used in the field as well as tactical formations for squad level movement.  With a lull in the rain, the six of us headed outdoors to put some of our knowledge to practical use.  We did some squad movements across various types of terrain using hand signals.  This was followed by Eric giving a brief course on camouflage and concealment for the individual soldier.  We ended the day with some more field maneuvers and then headed back up to the fort.  We covered a lot of material in a few short hours and had a great time hanging out as a unit.  Can't wait to do it all again!