Andrew E. Tuck III was a Lieutenant of F-Company of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment. He graduated from LaSalle Military School , after spending time at Plattsburg between his junior and senior years of high school. He graduated wearing his school uniform, which was a copy of the West Point uniform and then immediately after the ceremony changed into his United States officer's uniform. He became an second lieutenant at that time.Tuck was with the 506th PIR from the time it was activated. He was stationed at Camp Croft (SC), Camp Toccoa (GA), Fort Benning (GA), (he is on the F-Co list of 1942 12 25 as 2nd Lt. Andrew E. Tuck), Camp Mackall (NC) and then overseas to England.

D-Day: Tuck jumped as a 1st Lt. (he was jumpmaster of Stick 74 -1st Platoon/1st Squad flown by pilot Ernest Turner of the 439th Troop Carrier Group / 94th Squadron) and landed near the school on the S/W-edge of the Ste Mere Eglise townsquare. He was captured (chute caught on a chimney) but escaped from the Germans.
Market Garden: Tuck jumped just outside Zon. In the same Regiment a young 2nd Lt made his first combat jump with F-Company, 506th PIR. His name; Robert E. Perdue. In the Currahee Scrapbook Lt. Andrew E. Tuck III in the 2nd Bn. picture, the 4th man on the 4th row. In this same group you will find Major R.D. Winters and Col. Strayer. Men made famous by the TV-series 'Band of Brothers'. Andrew E. Tuck was a 'Toccoa man', one of the Currahee's who made it all the way through the war. But he didn't made it home...

Bob Perdue (Robert E. Perdue...) was given the letters that Lt. Tuck had been sending home during WW2. From 1941 way up to 1945. Though under Army censor they paint a picture of a Paratroopers life. A unique chance for us all to read and learn what happened in the life of a young soldier, about to embark upon a journey that would take him to country's he had never expected to visit. A story with an tragic end.

Thanks to Lorna Tuck Colbert, his sister, and Bob Perdue we go back to 1941 and travel
with Andrew Tuck through WW2. Lorna still remembers the kind things Andrew told about The Dutch.
And we, the Dutch, will never forget about men like Lt. Andrew E. Tuck III.

Letters published with permission 15th August 2004 - concept (c) Screaming Ducks LHA