Talbert, Floyd Merrill “Tab”, born 26-08-1923, in Greentown, Howard County, Indiana, USA. His father, Russell HanleyTalbert, was 23 and his mother, Nellie, born Landrum, Talbert, was 21. He had four brothers and two sisters. Max Edward Talbert (1925–2015) Robert Talbert (1928–2020)
and Rex Eugene Talbert (1934–2015)
Floyd was marrid to Arlene, born Hunt Talbert. Floyd was a very talented baseball and basketball player and while in high school played 4 years of varsity ball.
Floyd entered the military service in Indiana and drawn by the daring nature of the new group called the paratroopers, Talbert enlisted in the U.S. Army on 24-08-1942 at Fort Benjamin Harrison, located in Indianapolis, Indiana, and volunteered for the new para group. He served with Easy Company, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment
, under command of Lieutenant Colonel Ronald Speirs “Sparky”
101st Airborne Division
“Screaming Eagles” under command of Major General Maxwell Davenport Taylor
, here with Marlene Dietrich,
in the US Army. Ronals Speirs survivd the war and died age 85 on 11-04-2007 in ]St. Marie, Montana,
Floyd had quickly risen through the ranks, making the rank of Company 1st Sergeant, he would later turn that rank in, when he thought he could do better to be with the men he had fought alongside of during the war, self-demoting to Staff Sergeant, and Platoon Leader.
According to the miniseries “Band of Brothers,” the members of Easy Company all lost touch with Talbert after the war, until he showed up at a reunion in 1981, shortly before his death. Floyd’s brothers also served during WW2, in the Airborne (17th and 11th) and in the 1st Infantry Division.
In the early morning on June 13 1944, as the 506th were dug-in on the outskirts of Carentan, Tab went to wake up Private George Smith
for his turn on sentry duty. It was raining hard & Tab had put on a German mac he had acquired as a souvenir. Major Richard Davis “Dick” Winters
his last commander said “If I had to pick one man to go with me on a mission, it would be Talbert” He said he considered Talbert to be one of the best soldiers in the unit and described him as his guardian angel during the war.
After the war Floyd attended Indiana University after his discharge from the service and immediately accepted a position with the Union Carbide (Haynes Stellite Division in Kokomo, Indiana). He then transferred with the same organization to Alexandria, Indiana, and worked there for several years. He decided to become a full-time farmer and purchased land in that area. Later, he became a plant manager for the General Tire and Rubber Company. He also was a successful car salesman both in Indiana and California.
He settled in Redding, California, and lived there for many years. He loved to hunt and fish and he fell in love with that geographical area including Lake Shasta. Tab’s move to California was prompted by a diagnosis of a terminal disease and that Tab simply decided that he wanted to spend his remaining time outdoors.
Death and burial ground of Talbert, Floyd Merrill “Tab”.



Floyd Merrill “Tab”.Talbert died of complications of a heart condition on 18-10-1982, age 59 in Shasta Lake, Shasta County, California, USA and is now buried in Greenlawn Cemetery, Greentown, Howard County, Indiana, USA.


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