News

Our Chicago Chapter welcomes a new member, Ronald Gensaw of Merrillville, IN. Ronald served with HHC/2-508th PIR (82nd Airborne Division) as a Medic from 1983-1986. 

Airborne, All The Way! 

Our chapter newsletter for September 2020 is now available. Check out this latest edition with updated events and a history report featuring Operation Market Garden. Thanks for Vice Chairman Glenn Granat for another outstanding monthly newsletter! 

Click here to download the newsletter. 

On 23 Aug, a LGOP visited Chicago Chapter member Stan Gryga to celebrate his 98th birthday. Stan is glider qualified and served with HHC, 82nd Abn Div from 1942-45, "From Casablanca to Berlin". 

Many thanks to Glenn Granat, Steve Corcoran, Tom Carter, and Rudy Acevedo for their time and contributions, to Smallcakes of Naperville for the amazing cupcakes, Accents By Jenny for the terrific patriotic floral arrangement, and to Jersey Joe Scherer for his support. 

Happy Birthday, Stan! 

Airborne, All The Way! 

The minutes from our July 2020 chapter meeting have been published on here our website. Click here to download the meeting minutes. 

Airborne, All The Way! 

National has rescinded the All American (Sustaining) Membership, which carried a one-time cost of $350 and then a "maintenance" fee" of 50% of current Annual dues starting in year six. 

At this time, the Association has reverted back to the standard life-time "All American" membership at a one-time cost of $350. This, of course, in addition to the ongoing Annual membership. 

If you have any questions, just post a response here, contact us via our Contact Form, or email us at info@chicagoairborne.com 

The August 2020 edition of our Chicago Chapter newsletter is now available. Many thanks once again to Vice Chairman Glenn Granat for producing the newsletter. This month's history feature is the 82nd Infantry Division of WWI. 

Click here to download the August 2020 Newsletter. AATW! 

The Summer 2020 edition of The Paraglide, the official quarterly magazine of the 82nd Airborne Division Association, is now available online.

This issue features introductions to the 82nd Airborne Division's new Commanding General and Command Sergeant Major, announcements of the NCO and Trooper of the Year, and information about a limited edition 82nd Airborne Division Association Straight Bourbon Whiskey produced by Boundary Oaks Distillery. 

Click here to visit the National website to read it now. 

The All American Hall of Fame commemorates those members of the 82nd Airborne Division who have achieved the highest distinction through acts of combat valor, those leaders who have ushered in revolutionary change within the Division, and members of the All American Division who have had significant impact to American society beyond their time within the Division. 

The All American Hall of Fame Class of 2020 members are:

• Col. Julian A. Cook
• Col. William Alexander Cunningham Jr.
• Col. Delbert A. Kuehl
• Capt. John R. Manning
• Staff Sgt. Travis Mills
• Col. Keith M. Nightingale
• Brig. Gen. Ernest “Rick” Eric Porter
• Command Sgt. Maj. Ron Rath
• Command Sgt. Maj. Ron Regan
• 1st Lt. John Samuel Thompson
• Sgt. 1st Class Obie Boyd Wickersham
• Maj. George “Chappie” Bartlett Wood Jr

Click here to watch the induction ceremony on YouTube. 

Lt. Gen. Erik Kurilla, commanding general of the XVIII Airborne Corps, presided over the ceremony, conducted without troops due to COVID-19 safety restrictions. 

Click here for the full story with photos. 

You may receive a postcard mailer from the Association National office that looks like the photo here. I've received calls and seen quite a few posts asking if this is legit -- it is.

This is another go-around by National to 1) get your updated contact info under the pretext of a "member directory", and 2) raise some funds off the sale of the hard copy book. They did the same thing a few years back.

It doesn't cost anything to submit your contact and service info for inclusion in the book; only purchasing the book costs money, and that's optional. Just know that last time the book took quite a bit longer than expected to complete.

AATW!