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Don Burgett | Sergeant Don Burgett A Company, 101st Airborne.Donald 'Don' R. Burgett was born on April 5, 1925 in Detroit, Michigan. On his 18th birthday, on April 5th, 1943 Donald joined the paratroopers enlisting in Detroit, Michigan. They sent Donald Burgett to Fort Riley, Kansas in order to join the last Unit of the Horse Cavalry still running. He thus did his basic training with the 2nd Regiment of the 1st Horse Cavalry. When he ended his basic training, he was transferred to the Army Paratroops at Fort Benning where he got his parachute training. On February 5, 1944, he left the United States. He travelled through Ireland and Scotland before arriving in England. He joined the 101st Airborne in Aldbourne, England in February 1944. On June 6th at 1:14 a.m. nearby Ravenoville Donald Burgett was the 6th to jump. Their main mission was to capture and hold 4 exits of the beaches of Utah Beach. The gathered troop under the command of platoon leader, 2nd Lt Bill Muir with some other men and with some of the 82nd Airborne, attacked and freed Ravenoville, the first village of Europe of WWII to be re occupied. The 82nd Airborne occupied Ste Mere Eglise, the first city being released in Normandy during the night of June 6, 1944. Burgett was wounded twice, on June 13, 44, while attacking with his bayonet in southern Carentan while attacking positions held by the 17th SS and 6th German Paratroopers. Burgett woudl go onto fight in other battles, Arnhem, Bastogne and Rhine Crossing. Donald Burgett is the author of a number of books which are: The Road to Arnhem about Holland, Seven roads to Hell about Bastogne and Beyond the Rhine about Germany. A great insight |
