Like many good ideas, the organization now known as the 506th Airborne Infantry Association (Airmobile-Air Assault) had its genesis in the inspiration and effort of a small group of men. Two Vietnam War veterans from the 506th - the late Bob Acklen (B&C, 3rd BN-1969/70) and Gene Overton (C, 1st BN-1967/68) - had a dream that all Currahees would have a way to maintain contact with those they have served with. In addition, they wanted interaction between active duty troops and veterans. In this way, they could see that it would be possible to preserve the history of the regiment, and remember and honor those who had given their lives in the service of our country. The only way Bob and Gene knew how to effectively do this was via a veterans' organization, so during the fall of 1995 they began to gather the names and addresses of former Currahees on a roster.

In December, 1995, the first newsletter was mailed to about 450 Currahees across the United States. By May of 1996 the mailing list had grown to 800 veterans, and plans were well on the way to have a gathering of Vietnam-era Currahees near Fort Campbell, Kentucky during the 101st Airborne Division's Week of the Eagle Celebration (July 11-13, 1996) in conjunction with the division's reunion of Vietnam veterans.

The first major step towards realization of the dream occurred during that Week of the Eagle Celebration. Approximately 88 Currahees attended the event, and on July 13, 1996, 53 of them attended a general organizational meeting held on Fort Campbell at the Wilson Theater. This reunion was the first significant event to involve all generations of Currahees from their earliest days at Camp Toccoa, since previous get-togethers were largely directed at the veterans of the World War II period. In spite of the various and contradictory directions the Army took in its reorganizations, the regimental identity had persisted as a strong and a constant bond, and its history had been a source of pride to many in attendance across the decades.

As the group came together, they were presented with Bob and Gene's vision of an ongoing association, a tax-exempt charitable veterans' organization dedicated to preserving and celebrating the history and legacy of the Currahees, and to bringing veterans together with active duty soldiers. The suggestion was enthusiastically received by the assembled veterans. The task of forming the Association into a tax-exempt veterans corporation was assigned to four men. Co-founders Bob Acklen and Gene Overton were joined by Brise Bickerton (HHC/B/C/E, 1st BN-1967/69) and Terry Van Meter (HHC/B/C 2nd BN-1966/68), and later by Mike Metzger (HHC/B/C/D, 1st BN-1966/68) to make up the original Charter Committee.

The concept was further refined in organizational meetings held at succeeding reunions in 1997 and 1998. At the latter event, the first organizational elections were held. Bob Acklen served as Co-President and Newsletter Editor and Gene Overton served as Co-President and Treasurer. In the fall of 1998, Bob became terminally ill and the leadership changed. Gene Overton was elected President of the Association, Mike Metzger was chosen as the Chairman of the Board of Directors and Hoyt Bruce Moore III (A, 1st BN-1970/71) was elected Treasurer.

The Charter Committee wanted to know if all Currahees were of the same mind in wanting such an association, because most in attendance at Wilson Theater were from the Airborne Battle Group era or Vietnam era. In order to ascertain if the World War II era veterans were in agreement, Gene Overton, Bob Acklen and Brise Bickerton attended the 101st Airborne Division Association's 1996 Reunion in St. Louis, Missouri on August 8 - 10, 1996. At a 506th Unit Meeting held Saturday, August 10th, the founders informed the forty to fifty WW II era Currahee veterans attending the reunion about the formation of the 506th Infantry Regiment Association, declaring their intent for it to be open to all Currahees, from the Regiment's beginning in 1942 to the present.

After much talk about the differences between this new Association and the others with narrower missions, it was agreed upon by an overwhelming majority of the World War II Currahees that they would support and participate in the 506th Infantry Regiment Association. They agreed that this was the way for the legacy they started to continue.

In addition, contact was re-established with the active duty Currahees through LTC Mark A. Milley (1st BN CO-1996/98), Commander of the 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry (Air Assault), 2nd Infantry Division, then at Camp Greaves, Republic of Korea.

The next major event in the development of the Association was the 1997 Currahee Veterans Reunion in Knoxville, Tennessee, which was again held in conjunction with the 101st Airborne Division Association's reunion. The veterans attending included 68 Currahees whose service spanned the entire period of existence of the regiment. The largest group of troopers was 39 from the WWII era, followed by 25 troopers from the Vietnam era.

All of the above occurred in just over one and one-half years since the 506th Infantry Regiment Association had formally been in existence. By the time the Association was formally chartered in California in 2000, the direction it was to follow was becoming clear. The 506th Airborne Infantry Regiment Association (Airmobile-Air Assault) had become a reality. Reaching out beyond the Vietnam War era, this Association would be open to Currahees of all eras and divisions, and be free from discrimination of any kind.

At about the same time, the Association had approved the development of the Currahee website (www.506infantry.org), which came online in November 1996 thanks to Jay A. Schrom (A, 2nd BN-1968). Immediately, a growing number of Currahees joined the millions of other people on the Internet. The website grew in size and value as it evolved from a communication vehicle into an extensive website of historic and contemporary memorabilia. It was to become a welcome and prominent feature of the Association, visited by millions for popular or scholarly research. Today, hosting services are provided gratis by a Currahee veteran, Jim Restucci (HHC & A, 1st BN-1993/94), and his ISP firm, Axxess Internet Services. Another 506th Vietnam veteran, Mike Bookser (B & E, 1st BN-1969/70), serves with Bruce Moore as Webmaster and keeper of our electronic heritage.

An extensive Quartermaster function was created and is still operated by veteran Ron Helwig (B, 1st ABG-1960/62), selling Currahee-marked apparel and mementos to members and the public. A creative, popular and financial success, the QM store has become a strong anchor point for the association's economic health.

A formal newsletter was published more or less regularly from the early days of the organization, with Gene Overton serving as first editor. By the end of the first decade, it had grown to include as many as two dozen pages of news for and about Currahees in each issue. More recently, the website was complemented by a Currahee blog, or web log (www.506infantry.blogspot.com), which provided another avenue of communications to and among veterans and active duty troops.

During this period, and in response to an extended tour of duty doing peacekeeping along the DMZ in Korea and to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Association strengthened its ties with the active duty 506th units. New programs were started up which provided significant and tangible assistance to our soldiers:

• An educational program was created, awarding scholarships to Currahees and their children. This Scholarship Fund was established with seed money from SFC(R) Joseph F. Foster, Jr. (HHC, 2nd BN,1969-70) and SSG(R) Melissa D. Snock (Associate Member).
• Members' generosity allowed the association to help provide financial assistance to wounded vets and the survivors of those killed in action. The Widows, Orphans and Wounded Soldiers (WOWS) fund was established by a gift from Thomas G. Lee (CSC, 1st BN,1987-88).
• The Packages program sent "CARE" packages of morale-building food and relaxation materials for troops on combat assignments.
• Unit recognition programs distributed flags and other symbols of support to combat units to reinforce their feelings of being appreciated and of being part of the Currahee legacy.
• Beginning with the deployment of the 506th to Iraq and then to Afghanistan, a group of dedicated Currahee veterans have headed up an effort to visit wounded veterans in hospitals across the country while recovering from wounds. Still others have taken on the solemn responsibility for carrying the respects and sympathies of all Currahee veterans to graveside ceremonies for Currahees killed in action.

Beyond these formal programs, the Association has also made a difference in the lives of many families in smaller ways. Rarely does a month go by without some communication from veterans, friends or family members with poignant stories of needs met with the assistance of people in this organization:

• Old friends are reunited after many years, relieving uncertainty and anxiety about their life status.
• Survivors are able to gain needed closure about the combat death of a loved one by communicating with comrades-in-arms; these, in turn, are finally able to share with the families of lost friends their feelings and sympathies.
• Former servicemen are able to get needed confirmation about their experiences to qualify for benefits and assistance for which they are well qualified, but for which documentation is missing.
• As students and scholars pore over the wealth of information on the 506th website, more information about the Vietnam experience of GIs has led to opportunities for recognition and appreciation of veterans. In some cases this has been helping to heal the pain from the reception they got coming home and the misunderstandings about Vietnam that have persisted for decades.

During this period, the Association also began to go through a series of leadership changes that succeeded in building on the accomplishments of the founders. Gene Overton stepped down from the presidency of the organization in 2006, although he remains active as Membership Committee chair and a member of the Board of Directors. In 2006-2007, another of the founding members, J. Brise Bickerton took over the office of president, succeeded in 2007-2008 by John Lally (A Co, 1st BN-1970-71), and in 2008-2009 by the current president, Don Thies (B Co, 2nd BN-1970-71). A new chairman of the board, Tom Duckett (B Co, 1st BN-1971), succeeded Mike Metzger in 2007 as well. Throughout this time, Bruce Moore and Peggy Pearson provided the financial management so vital to keeping the organization running. The Board of Directors has also had some changes over the years, continually refreshing the organization with new ideas and new energy.

A high priority for the board now is to attract and retain new blood into the organization and onto the board to keep the Association from becoming stagnant. This is a challenge for all such organizations, because after every war it frequently takes years for veterans to realize how much they want the connections with former comrades. For the biennial reunions that keep so many relationships strong, this means consciously and continuously working to reach out to today's veterans - and tomorrow's - with the same energy that Gene Overton and Bob Acklen displayed many years ago.

The strong relationship with active duty troops continues to this day. Vietnam Currahee veteran Fred May (A Co, 1st BN-1970-71) has been an active link to the units deployed in Korea, Iraq and Afghanistan as the Association's Active Duty/Veteran Liaison. This strong relationship between veterans and active duty troops spawned two new support initiatives: the financial backing of the Currahee Rendezvous '09 and the current fundraising effort for a monument to the 1400+ soldiers of the regiment that were killed in action from Normandy in 1944 through Afghanistan in 2009.

The vision that directed the creation of the Association remains intact - reverence for the distinguished history of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment and its successors as a regimental entity; unwavering support for the current generation of Currahees; and continually strengthening the bonds among all veterans through communication and support activities.