Regimental Dining-In
June 2001

Twice a year, in June and December, 1st Battalion Currahee officers gathered together for a Regimental Dining-In at Camp Greaves, ROK. One Currahee veteran was designated Honorary Colonel of the Regiment; another was designated Honorary CSM of the Regiment; both are invited to come to the ROK for these Dining-In events.

In December 2001, LTG(R) James W. Crysel, Sr. [E Co, 1st ABG, 1963-1964; B/HHC, 2nd BN, 1964-1965; HHC (BN CO), 1st BN, 1976-1978] attended the Dining-In as the Honorary Colonel of the Regiment, and CSM(R) Robert F. Gilbert (D Co, 1st ABG, 1956-1963) attended as the Honorary CSM of the Regiment.

MG Russel L. Honore, US Army, 2nd Infantry Division, Commanding, spoke
at the June 2001 Dining-In.

The Currahee Mountain Axe in the upper left corner of the photo is "GI equipment"
that MG(R) Salve H. Matheson obtained for the 506th when he was Deputy
Commander, 1st Airborne Battle Group, 506th Infantry 1958-1959. Not
visible in the photo, but affixed to the Axe is a silver plate with the names of every
506th Regimental Commander and, since 1974, the name of each 1st Battalion
Commander.

The plates hanging on the wall were a Korea-era tradition, begun when the 1st Bat-
talion was reactivated on 15 April 1987. When an officer arrived in the Battalion,
he was welcomed into the Currahee Regiment as part of a ceremony called the
Brotherhood, the fraternal organization of the 506th officers at Camp Greaves.
All new officers had to answer questions about the history and traditions of the
Regiment during the Brotherhood. Once a new officer proved his knowledge of
Currahee history and traditions, he was welcomed by the Battalion Commander
and handed his plate and battalion coin. On the plate was inscribed his name and
the date that he arrived in Korea. The plates were hung on the wall in the order that
the officers arrived in Korea, with the exception of the Battalion Commander's plate,
which was always first. When an officer prepared to depart Korea, the end date of
his tour of duty was inscribed, and he was given the plate as a farewell gift.

Kris McKinney ("Muleskinner6") participating in the Regimental Punchbowl Ceremony.

Note the Sink Grail on the right side of the photo. The Sink Grail was named in honor of COL
Robert F. Sink, the first Regimental Commander of 506th, and was secured in the Headquarters
area of the 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry at Camp Greaves, Republic of Korea.

According to MG(R) Salve H. Matheson (HQ, 2n BN, 506th PIR and HQ (S-3), REGT, 506th PIR,
1942-1945), the cup of the Grail is a spinner of a C-47 propeller, and the base is from wood
procured in Toccoa, GA. The handles are from two T-7 reserve parachutes. The Sink
Grail was present for the first 506th Prop Blast Ceremony, held about October/November
1942, in the Camp Toccoa Officers Club, a farmhouse north of the Camp. The Grail was
hung with risers from the ceiling.

Although legend had it that the cup of the Grail was made by melting down silver flatware and
goblets that the 506th had liberated from Hitler's private dining room in his Eagle's Nest atop
Kehlstein Mountain near Berchtesgaden, Bavaria, Germany in May 1945, Matheson says
that Hitler's silver was really used to make 900 (or 90%) silver cups for each 506th PIR Officer.