Talhelm, Roy Upton.

Talhelm, Roy Upton, born 01-09-1926, in Hagerstown, Washington County, Maryland, to William Henry Talhelm (1873–1954)   and his wife Mary Susan, born Harp Talhelm (1892–1935). He had one brother William Madison Talhelm (1908–1971). The family lives in Washington County, Maryland. On 01-09-1942, Roy falsified his birth certificate to join the United States military. He was only 16, but pretended to be 18. Roy then volunteered to become a paratrooper and joined the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division. Its first stage in its formation is the camp Toccoa (Georgia), this one is planned for a duration of 13 weeks. Near the camp was a hill called “Curahee”, which was climbed 3 to 4 times a week by the troops. The training was very selective and based on pronounced physical preparations, besides they learned the use of weapons, exercises, night walks, courses were the only moments of rest. In the camp there was also a small tower in order to prepare them for the school of jumps. At the end of this period, the troops became masters in their specialties.

While he was training and preparing to fight for his country, Roy and his girlfriend had a daughter named Donna. He would only see her once before going overseas. He will join the airborne troops and the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment.

End of November Roy and his brothers in arms take the train to Fort Benning and Atlanta. Fort Benning and its famous “frying pans”,  these towers of 80m whose future paras will be launched during phases of preparations. 4 weeks of training divided into 4 phases that ended in the last week and its decisive phase where they were going to perform five real jumps from a C-47 plane to get their wings, the paratrooper certificate. At the end of December, the day after Christmas after the last jump and after receiving the brevet  pinned on the chest, the men leave for 10 days of leave.January 1943 the regiment departs for the part of Fort Benning located in Alabama for the combat in urban area.  March 1943 is the departure for the camp Mackall (North Carolina) headquarters of the command of the airborne troops, the training is intensive punctuated with jumps with equipment, exercises ….

At the end of May, the 506th joins Sturgis in Kentucky; June 10 a memorable day in the history of the 101st Airborne Division because the 506th P.I.R. Joined it. In July, the largest exercise in airborne history ever carried out brings together airborne and glider troops.Then he leaves for Camp Breckinridge (Kentucky) for a few days, Roy will see for his first and last time permission Donna his daughter then a few months old, the troops on their return of permission take the train For Fort Bragg, North Carolina, the last stop before embarkation. Life is much more comfortable than in previous camps.

On August 28, 1943, Roy and his comrades took the train to Camp Shanks 50kms from New York.On 05-09-1943, the men embarked on the HMTS Samaria and left the bay of New York for Europe. On September 15th, the ship docked at Liverpool, the next day the train took them to the south of England at Ramsbury, their new training camp to prepare them for the greatest operation of all time. They will again relive training phases worthy of Toccoa interspersed with jumps from C-47s.The exercises are organized around the English countryside as well as the hearts of the life of the local population. On 13-01-1944, Roy’s company made a demonstration jump for the Duke of Gloucester. Roy and his brothers in arms deplored the loss of the first paratrooper of the battalion following a failure of his parachute.

Death and burial ground of Talhelm, Roy Upton.

His daughter Donna Talhelm Allen visited the grave in France.

Roy was dropped over the DZ “D”, with his company,

A drop zone (DZ) is a place where parachutists or parachuted supplies land. It can be an area targeted for landing by paratroopers and airborne forces,[1] or a base from which recreational parachutists and skydivers take off in aircraft and land under parachutes. In the latter case, it is often beside a small airport, frequently sharing the facility with other general aviation.

At recreational drop zones, an area is generally set side for parachute landings. Personnel at the site may include a drop zone operator or owner (DZO), manifestors (who maintain the flight manifest documents defining who flies and when), pilots, instructors or coaches, camera operators, parachute packers and riggers, and other general staff.

Private Roy Talhelm was decorated with the Purple Heart, with the French Croix de Guerre , the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with Tans her Star service and Arrowhead, of the World War II Victory Medal, the Honorable WWII Lapel Button service. He also has his patent of Parachute, A Fight Infantryman Badge and Presidential Distinguished Unit Emblem.

Private Roy Upton Talhelm is buried in the American cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer, Normandy, France. Plot C, Row 9, Grave 32. Roy Talhelm is the youngest american soldier buried in Normandy. He was from Baltimore, Maryland. After a difficult childhood he went to work at a very young age in construction. He volunteered to become a paratrooper and joined the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment “Easy Company” under command of lieutenant Thomas Meehan of the 101st Airborne, Service number 13102950. While in training, Roy had a daughter with his girlfriend, Donna. He only got to see her once, in 1943, just before shipping for England. On D-Day, he jumped over Normandy. Two days later, on the 8th, he was wounded while defending the bridge of La Barquette north-east of Carentan. He died from his wounds four days later.

On D-Day, Lieutenant Thomas Meehan was killed when the C-47 Skytrain transport aircraft he was a passenger in was hit by German anti-aircraft fire. The plane crashed near the village of Beuzeville-au-Plain (approximately 2 miles northeast of the town of Sainte-Mere-Eglise), killing the crew and the paratroopers aboard, including Company “E”‘s entire company headquarters group. The wreckage of the plane wasn’t confirmed found until the 1950s, so until then, he and all the men on the plane were missing in action. Meehan was 22 years old at the time of his death. Before takeoff, Meehan wrote a letter and handed it out the door of the C-47 to be sent to his wife:

Dearest Anne:

In a few hours, I’m going to take the best company of men in the world into France. We’ll give the bastards hell. Strangely, I’m not particularly scared. But in my heart is a terrific longing to hold you in my arms. I love you Sweetheart – forever. Your Tom

After his death, and following D-Day, he had been replaced by 1st Lieutenant Richard “Dick” Winters to head up Easy Company.

On the Normandy American Cemetery, 9.380 American men and women were buried.

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