Forgotten History-The Filthy Thirteen

With the passing this week of George Kennedy known from the movie the Dirty dozen, I was wondering if the movie was based on real characters.

The book written by E M Nathanson and the movie were loosely based on a unit called “the Filthy Thirteen”

The Filthy Thirteen was the name given to the 1st Demolition Section of the Regimental Headquarters Company of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, of the United States Army, which fought in the European campaign in World War II.

The Demolition Section was assigned and trained to demolish enemy targets behind the lines. They were ordered to secure or destroy the bridges over the Douve River during the Normandy Invasion of Europe in June 1944. Half were either killed, wounded or captured, but they accomplished their mission. They also participated in the capture of Carentan. The group was airdropped for the mission by aircraft…