Charles enlisted in the Army on 22 Oct 1942 in Columbus, OH. He volunteered for parachutist duty and was assigned to Company A, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment at Camp Blanding, FL.
The entire regiment went through jump school at Ft Benning, GA before moving to Camp Mackall, NC for advanced training.
On 28 Dec 1943 Charles was amongst those who boarded the USAT James E. Parker as the regiment set sail for Belfast Ireland. Twelve days later they disembarked to spend an additional three months in field training before relocating to Nottingham, England.
After another three months of preparations, the regiment jumped into Normandy on D-Day, 6 June 1944. Unfortunately, Pvt Bair was killed in action eleven days later.
The following was received by Charles' wife on June 27, 1944, 10 days after his death.
-------------------------
The following was received by his wife on September 27, 1943
Parachutists Creed
I volunteered as a parachutist fully realizing the hazards of my chosen service and by my thoughts and by my actions will always uphold the prestige, honor and high esprit de corps of the only volunteer branch of the army.
I realize that a parachutist is not merely a soldier who arrives by parachute to fight, but is an elite shock-trooper and that his country expects him to march farther and faster, to fight harder, to be more self-reliant and to soldier better than any other soldier. Parachutists of all allied Armies belong to this great brotherhood.
I shall never fail my fellow comrades by shirking any duty or training, but will always keep myself mentally and physically fit and shoulder my full share of the task, whatever it may be.
I shall always accord my superiors fullest loyalty and I will always bear in mind the sacred trust I have in the lives of the men I will lead into battle.
I shall show other soldiers by my military courtesy to my superior officers and non-commissioned officers, by my neatness of dress, by my care of my weapons and equipment that I am a picked and well trained soldier.
I shall endeavor, always by my soldierly appearance, military bearing and behavior, reflect the high standards of training and morale of parachute troops.
I shall respect the abilities of my enemies, I will fight fairly and with all my might. SURRENDER is not in my creed.
I shall display a higher degree of initiative than is required of other troops and will fight on to my objective and mission, though I be the lone survivor.
I shall prove my ability as a fighting man against the enemy on the field of battle, not by quarreling with my comrades in arms or by bragging about my deeds, thus needlessly arousing jealousy and resentment against parachute troops.
I shall always realize that battles are won by an army fighting as a team, that I fight first and blaze the path into battle for others to follow and to carry the battle on.
I belong to the finest fighting unit in the Army. By my appearance, actions and battlefield deeds alone, I speak for my fighting ability. I will strive to uphold the honor and prestige of my outfit, making my country proud of me and to the unit to which I belong.
UNITED STATES ARMY PARATROOPER
-------------------------
The entire regiment went through jump school at Ft Benning, GA before moving to Camp Mackall, NC for advanced training.
On 28 Dec 1943 Charles was amongst those who boarded the USAT James E. Parker as the regiment set sail for Belfast Ireland. Twelve days later they disembarked to spend an additional three months in field training before relocating to Nottingham, England.
After another three months of preparations, the regiment jumped into Normandy on D-Day, 6 June 1944. Unfortunately, Pvt Bair was killed in action eleven days later.
The following was received by Charles' wife on June 27, 1944, 10 days after his death.
-------------------------
The following was received by his wife on September 27, 1943
Parachutists Creed
I volunteered as a parachutist fully realizing the hazards of my chosen service and by my thoughts and by my actions will always uphold the prestige, honor and high esprit de corps of the only volunteer branch of the army.
I realize that a parachutist is not merely a soldier who arrives by parachute to fight, but is an elite shock-trooper and that his country expects him to march farther and faster, to fight harder, to be more self-reliant and to soldier better than any other soldier. Parachutists of all allied Armies belong to this great brotherhood.
I shall never fail my fellow comrades by shirking any duty or training, but will always keep myself mentally and physically fit and shoulder my full share of the task, whatever it may be.
I shall always accord my superiors fullest loyalty and I will always bear in mind the sacred trust I have in the lives of the men I will lead into battle.
I shall show other soldiers by my military courtesy to my superior officers and non-commissioned officers, by my neatness of dress, by my care of my weapons and equipment that I am a picked and well trained soldier.
I shall endeavor, always by my soldierly appearance, military bearing and behavior, reflect the high standards of training and morale of parachute troops.
I shall respect the abilities of my enemies, I will fight fairly and with all my might. SURRENDER is not in my creed.
I shall display a higher degree of initiative than is required of other troops and will fight on to my objective and mission, though I be the lone survivor.
I shall prove my ability as a fighting man against the enemy on the field of battle, not by quarreling with my comrades in arms or by bragging about my deeds, thus needlessly arousing jealousy and resentment against parachute troops.
I shall always realize that battles are won by an army fighting as a team, that I fight first and blaze the path into battle for others to follow and to carry the battle on.
I belong to the finest fighting unit in the Army. By my appearance, actions and battlefield deeds alone, I speak for my fighting ability. I will strive to uphold the honor and prestige of my outfit, making my country proud of me and to the unit to which I belong.
UNITED STATES ARMY PARATROOPER
-------------------------
Charles enlisted in the Army on 22 Oct 1942 in Columbus, OH. He volunteered for parachutist duty and was assigned to Company A, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment at Camp Blanding, FL.
The entire regiment went through jump school at Ft Benning, GA before moving to Camp Mackall, NC for advanced training.
On 28 Dec 1943 Charles was amongst those who boarded the USAT James E. Parker as the regiment set sail for Belfast Ireland. Twelve days later they disembarked to spend an additional three months in field training before relocating to Nottingham, England.
After another three months of preparations, the regiment jumped into Normandy on D-Day, 6 June 1944. Unfortunately, Pvt Bair was killed in action eleven days later.
The following was received by Charles' wife on June 27, 1944, 10 days after his death.
-------------------------
The following was received by his wife on September 27, 1943
Parachutists Creed
I volunteered as a parachutist fully realizing the hazards of my chosen service and by my thoughts and by my actions will always uphold the prestige, honor and high esprit de corps of the only volunteer branch of the army.
I realize that a parachutist is not merely a soldier who arrives by parachute to fight, but is an elite shock-trooper and that his country expects him to march farther and faster, to fight harder, to be more self-reliant and to soldier better than any other soldier. Parachutists of all allied Armies belong to this great brotherhood.
I shall never fail my fellow comrades by shirking any duty or training, but will always keep myself mentally and physically fit and shoulder my full share of the task, whatever it may be.
I shall always accord my superiors fullest loyalty and I will always bear in mind the sacred trust I have in the lives of the men I will lead into battle.
I shall show other soldiers by my military courtesy to my superior officers and non-commissioned officers, by my neatness of dress, by my care of my weapons and equipment that I am a picked and well trained soldier.
I shall endeavor, always by my soldierly appearance, military bearing and behavior, reflect the high standards of training and morale of parachute troops.
I shall respect the abilities of my enemies, I will fight fairly and with all my might. SURRENDER is not in my creed.
I shall display a higher degree of initiative than is required of other troops and will fight on to my objective and mission, though I be the lone survivor.
I shall prove my ability as a fighting man against the enemy on the field of battle, not by quarreling with my comrades in arms or by bragging about my deeds, thus needlessly arousing jealousy and resentment against parachute troops.
I shall always realize that battles are won by an army fighting as a team, that I fight first and blaze the path into battle for others to follow and to carry the battle on.
I belong to the finest fighting unit in the Army. By my appearance, actions and battlefield deeds alone, I speak for my fighting ability. I will strive to uphold the honor and prestige of my outfit, making my country proud of me and to the unit to which I belong.
UNITED STATES ARMY PARATROOPER
-------------------------
The entire regiment went through jump school at Ft Benning, GA before moving to Camp Mackall, NC for advanced training.
On 28 Dec 1943 Charles was amongst those who boarded the USAT James E. Parker as the regiment set sail for Belfast Ireland. Twelve days later they disembarked to spend an additional three months in field training before relocating to Nottingham, England.
After another three months of preparations, the regiment jumped into Normandy on D-Day, 6 June 1944. Unfortunately, Pvt Bair was killed in action eleven days later.
The following was received by Charles' wife on June 27, 1944, 10 days after his death.
-------------------------
The following was received by his wife on September 27, 1943
Parachutists Creed
I volunteered as a parachutist fully realizing the hazards of my chosen service and by my thoughts and by my actions will always uphold the prestige, honor and high esprit de corps of the only volunteer branch of the army.
I realize that a parachutist is not merely a soldier who arrives by parachute to fight, but is an elite shock-trooper and that his country expects him to march farther and faster, to fight harder, to be more self-reliant and to soldier better than any other soldier. Parachutists of all allied Armies belong to this great brotherhood.
I shall never fail my fellow comrades by shirking any duty or training, but will always keep myself mentally and physically fit and shoulder my full share of the task, whatever it may be.
I shall always accord my superiors fullest loyalty and I will always bear in mind the sacred trust I have in the lives of the men I will lead into battle.
I shall show other soldiers by my military courtesy to my superior officers and non-commissioned officers, by my neatness of dress, by my care of my weapons and equipment that I am a picked and well trained soldier.
I shall endeavor, always by my soldierly appearance, military bearing and behavior, reflect the high standards of training and morale of parachute troops.
I shall respect the abilities of my enemies, I will fight fairly and with all my might. SURRENDER is not in my creed.
I shall display a higher degree of initiative than is required of other troops and will fight on to my objective and mission, though I be the lone survivor.
I shall prove my ability as a fighting man against the enemy on the field of battle, not by quarreling with my comrades in arms or by bragging about my deeds, thus needlessly arousing jealousy and resentment against parachute troops.
I shall always realize that battles are won by an army fighting as a team, that I fight first and blaze the path into battle for others to follow and to carry the battle on.
I belong to the finest fighting unit in the Army. By my appearance, actions and battlefield deeds alone, I speak for my fighting ability. I will strive to uphold the honor and prestige of my outfit, making my country proud of me and to the unit to which I belong.
UNITED STATES ARMY PARATROOPER
-------------------------
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