My Great Uncle Willis Page, who was a paratrooper of the 11th Airborne in World War II

Mar 5, 2017 12:47 AM

sweetburrahwine

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Dropped into Luzon in early 1945 after the C-47 aircraft that was transporting them was hit by enemy fire and heavily damaged. He and 12 other men from his stick managed to get out of the burning aircraft and landed far off course in enemy territory in the jungle. Stranded from the rest of the assault force, they had to survive in the harsh jungle environment fighting off Japanese patrols that happened upon them for almost 3 months until the Allied advance finally found them. Out of the 28 men he took off with, only he and 4 other men survived. My family still has the Arisaka Type-99 rifle he took from a Japanese sharpshooter that had attacked them. The story goes, he only had 3 rounds left in his .45, and when the sharpshooter pinned them down, he held it up and fired his last three rounds at the direction of the gunfire, luckily mortally wounding the shooter. He used the rifle for the last month he was stranded in the jungle; it most definitely saved his life.

TL;DR, Great Uncle was badass paratrooper and likely melted panties off with his sly-ass smirk.

Terrible Trigger Discipline!

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 1

My grandfather was in the 11th. He was part of the occupational forces in Japan after the war.

9 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 0

I goofed; should say "February of '45"

9 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

Look at that Thompson! Wonder where it ended up

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Can you show me a picture of the rife @op? Thanks!

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

What a GUILF!

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

9 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 1

That bag around his leg is an M2 Gas mask bag. I have the mask and the bag too

9 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Can you post a photo of the rifle please? I'm really interested in seeing it :)

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Working on it. Thought I had pictures on my phone, but I'll have to take some more. Stay tuned....

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Alternative fact: Twin towers were actually structurally composed of panties. Alt/Math: 44+47+12+3+28+4+99+3+45=9/11

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 4

Dude! My great great uncle was the commander of the 11th Airborne! Got a cap named after him and everything

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

My grandfather was a navy seal in the pacific. Japan and such. Truly inspiring, thanks for sharing :)

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

If you value it, please take it out of that album and put it into something acid-free. I see damage from the acidic fibres of the album

9 years ago | Likes 17 Dislikes 0

Solid advice, and will do ASAP. We just found this picture after it spent decades unnoticed.

9 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

My grandfather was also in 11th. Always cool to see them being talked about.

9 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 1

What chute popping out, Willis? - Instructor quizzing your uncle about his main and reserve parachutes

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

nice.

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Do you have any details of the operation in which he was shot down? From what I can find on the net the 11th did 2 parachute drops in Feb

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

And neither lost any planes. Tagaytay Ridge and the raid on Los Banos internment camp.

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

It looks like your great uncle is trying to say something. Can't tell what though. ask him, would you?

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Thanks for sharing. Any chance you can share a picture of the rifle? :)

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Badass! Don't kill his last name carry that with pride!

9 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 1

v

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 1

This is awesome. Thanks for sharing. And.....how much for that rifle?

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

This sounds like Metal Gear Solid

6 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

WATCHU TALKIN 'BOUT WILLIS?!

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 1

He has E-6 chevrons on his top but E-5 on his helmet. That's all I have to add.

9 years ago | Likes 38 Dislikes 4

Thats what you get for fucking the majors daughter

9 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

I noticed that too... Thought for a moment the rocker was just scratched

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

lol I noticed; must've just gotten promoted

9 years ago | Likes 16 Dislikes 0

Great picture and an even better story OP! Share more if you have them!

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

You don't hear much about the Pacific airborne divisions. Thanks for sharing, OP!

9 years ago | Likes 157 Dislikes 1

ye dern't hear much about th' Pacific airborne divisions. Thanks fer sharin', OP!

9 years ago | Likes 61 Dislikes 66

What's with the downvotes? Look at the username.

9 years ago | Likes 19 Dislikes 3

ya I'm upvoting this guy fuck the rest of you

9 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 1

I mean, it's less a 'guy' and more an 'it', but the sentiment's the same.

9 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

My gramps was glider infantry. Not QUITE as hardcore but still savage. Thanks for sharing!

9 years ago | Likes 38 Dislikes 0

Glider infantry were just as hardcore!

7 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

You meen he willingly fall from the sky and crashed into enemy territory just to shoot his way out. that's pretty hardcore man

9 years ago | Likes 12 Dislikes 0

Truth.

9 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 0

My great grandfather was a Norwegian resistance fighter who's parents in law were Nazis and he got tortured by gestapo.

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

naw that's crazy though.

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

You have any idea where your grandfather fought?

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

I don't. He didn't talk about it and he's gone now. I own his WWII victory medal, though and his Korean War service medal.

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Does that rifle have an intact chrysanthemum? This floral marking https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fe/Type_99_Markings.JPG

9 years ago | Likes 34 Dislikes 1

No; unfortunately, it's been ex'd out. It is an early-war production model, though. The craftsmanship is of significantly higher quality.

9 years ago | Likes 28 Dislikes 0

Does it have those weird AA sights? I almost bought one of those a few months back but couldn't justify the $300 to my self

9 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

No, it has a he standard ladder-notch and post sights

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

You would think it wouldn't be removed as the Japs didnt remove em till they surrendered. Just my 2 cents.

9 years ago | Likes 7 Dislikes 1

I understand, but I'm not sure what process my Uncle had to go through to get the rifle back to the U.S. It may have had the (1/2)

9 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

chrysanthemum ex'd out in whatever process it went through. This is the only logical explanation I've been able to come up with.

9 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Nah m8, no worries, im not sayin your story is false, im just stating my thought. I believe as the arisaka wasnt standard issue the (1/2)

9 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 1

Can you post some pics of the whole gun please?

9 years ago | Likes 12 Dislikes 0

(2/2) He engraved the stock with the 11th AB insignia and also his name and location (Luzon, Philippines). Will get back to you.

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

I'd love to, and I thought I had some pictures on my phone, but I guarantee I'll deliver when i am back at my family's house again.

9 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

Holy hell I'd love to see that. He was a fucking badass

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 1

You lied

7 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

That sounds incredible

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

.

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0