LIFE FOR THIS HISTORIC UNIT STARTED AT TACCOA TRAINING WAS BRUTAL AND UNFORGIVING MEN FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE AND BACK ROUNDS VOLUNTERED TO BE THE BEST AND FIGHT WITH THE BEST TO BECOME A PARATROOPER YOU HAD TO COMPLETE 5 STATIC LINE JUMPS FROM A C47 AND COMPLETE THE TUFF TRAINING REGIME TO BECOME A PARATROOPER . THE 506th LEFT AMERICA BOUND FOR GREAT BRITAIN HERE THE MEMBERS SETTLED INTO THE QUON SET HUTS AT LITTLECOTE HOUSE HERE THEY WOULD SPEND THE BEST PART OF A YEAR TRAINING AND PREPAIRING FOR THE INVASION OF FORTRESS EUROPE THE DEMOLITION SECTION WAS ASSIGNED AND TRAINED TO DEMOLISH ENEMY TARGETS BEHIND ENEMY LINES. THEY WERE ORDERED TO DESTROY A BRIDGE OVER THE DOUVE RIVER DURING THE NORMANDY INVASION OF EUROPE IN JUNE 1944 A MISSION THAT COST THE LIVES OF MOST OF THESE MEN. THE FILTHY 13 BOARDED THEIR PLANE CHALK NUMBER 21 AT EXETER AIRFIELD ON JUNE 5th AND WERE AIRDROPPED FOR THE IVASION BY AIRCRAFT OF THE 440th TROOP CARRIER GROUP OF THE U.S, ARMY AIR FORCES. THIS UNIT WAS BEST KNOWN FOR THE FAMOUS PHOTO WHICH APPEARED IN THE STARS AND STRIPES SHOWING TWO MEMBERS WEARING INDIAN STYLE "MOHAWKS" AND APPLYING WAR PAINT TO ONE ANOTHER . THE INSPIRATION FOR THIS CAME FROM JAKE MCNIECE WHO WAS PART NATIVE-AMERICAN AFTER A DISCIPLINARY INCIDENT WHILE ON LEAVE MCNIECE JOINED THE PATHFINDERS THESE WERE PARATROOPERS SENT IN AHEAD OF THE MAIN FORCE TO MARK OUT AND LIGHT UP THE DROP ZONES FOR THE INVAISION TO BEGIN EXPECTED CASUALTIES 80-90% THE PATHFINDERS WERE DROPPED INTO THE ENCIRCLED TOWN OF BASTOGNE AT THE HEIGHT OF THE BATTLE OF THE BULDGE . THEIR EQUIPTMENT ENABLED THEM TO GUIDE IN SUBSEQUENT AIRDROPS OF SUPPLIES CRUCIAL TO THE CONTINUED RESISTENCE OF THE TRAPPED 101st AIRBORNE DIVISION AT WARS END MOST OF THE FILTHY 13 WERE EITHER DEAD OR HAD BEEN CAPTURED .