His story: Pvt Paul R. Carter

Name: Paul R. Carter
Rank: Private
Unit: Company A, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division

Paul was the second born in a family of ten children, with seven brothers and two sisters. He grew up
on a farm in the town of Glenwood, Minnesota. His mother died in the ‘30’s, when Paul was still a boy.
He was a soft spoken and hard working young man. A true gentleman who always had a smile on his
face.

The 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment was originally formed and trained at Toccoa, Georgia. Paul was
an original Toccoa man, a term which is used for a paratrooper of the 506th who was with the regiment
since its formation in July 1942.
Paul joined Able company of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment which belonged to the 101st
Airborne Division. He served in this company as a (light) machine gunner. After parachute and infantry
training Paul’s regiment was sent to England to prepare for the invasion of fortress Europe. On D-day,
June 6th, Paul jumped into Normandy. Unfortunately there is no information available about his actions
in Normandy, although we know that he left Normandy unharmed.

Paul’s second combat jump was during operation Market Garden. He landed safely on Dropzone C in
Son and assembled with his men on the southern edge of the DZ. Company A, B and C (1st battalion)
had the task of moving towards the main road bridge at Son. Second and third battalion had the same
task, but they moved through the centre of Son. First battalion formed the right flank of 2nd and 3rd
and were moving south towards the canal, just West of town. This meant they had to move through a
part of the Son forest. At the end of the forest, they had to cross a meadow behind the Sanatorium
of Son to reach the road bridge.

But, when they reached the edge of the forest, they were pinned down by enemy fire. The Germans
were shooting at first battalion with 88mm guns. Grenades were exploding all around them! On the

Photo: Pvt Paul Carter in 1942, just after earning
his jumpwings. (Carter family)

ground and in the trees. The fire was so intense, that Paul’s company suffered enormous casualties, and the operation had just begun. One of the
shots fired by the 88mm gun killed Paul and his assistent machine gunner, Pfc Prentice Hundley, killing both men instantly. The two ammo bearers
who were with them, Pfc Earl Borchers and Pfc Donald Liddell, were seriously wounded.

Five of Paul’s brothers also served during World War II. But, sadly, Paul was the only one not to return home when the war ended. The family
didn’t receive much information concerning his death, which made them even more concerned. They didn’t know if he suffered pain before he died,
if he was shot in mid-air while landing his parachute, they didn’t even know where Paul died. Eventually they heard that although Paul’s wounds
were fatal, he did not die instantly. The story has it, that there was a family who stayed with him, until he died from his wounds. You can imagine,
that these stories didn’t make the loss of their beloved son any easier... Eventually it became clear that Paul died with his brothers in arms, in the
forest just behind the Sanatorium in Son.

Paul was buried on the temporary American war cemetery in Son at Wolfswinkel. The American government decided to clear the cemetery in 1948.
Bodies were shipped back to the United States or brought to the American war cemetery in Margraten, the Netherlands. The family decided that
they wanted to rebury their son with his brothers in arms at Margraten. That is where Paul is buried to this date.

Paul’s grave is adopted by Frank Gubbels, a resident of Noorbeek, the Netherlands. He is in contact with Paul’s family and has spent a lot of time
helping the family learning more about Paul’s actions in the Netherlands. I would like to thank Frank for sharing Paul’s story, so he and his buddies
are never forgotten. Lest we forget! If you want to visit Paul’s grave, he is buried in Plot J, Row 18, Grave 6.

Photos: The 88mm gun at the canal in Son that (most probably) fired the shot that killed Paul Carter and his LMG crew (collection foundation Remember September 1944),
Paul’s temporary grave site at Wolfswinkel war cemetery in Son (collection foundation Remember September 1944) and Paul Carter’s grave at Margraten war cemetery during
Memorial Day 2010.