Camp Mackall - 1943
Error
Attending the May 1, 1943 renaming ceremony of Camp Hoffman to Camp Mackall was the family of PVT John T. "Tommy" Mackall for whom the post is named.
Tommy's family watched a bronze plaque unveiled to commemorate his death in Algeria. The plaque was installed at Airborne Command's headquarters building where it remained until the camp was dismantled. The plaque was removed, and then misplaced in the 1970s and no one has seen it since. A new granite monument now stands at the camp entrance.
Pictured here (left to right) are Colonel Olsmith (Post Commander), General Elbridge G. Chapman (Commander, Airborne Command), PVT Mackall’s Mother Ada May Toland Newton, June Mackall (John’s Sister-16 yrs old), Gerald Mackall and Robert Mackall (John’s younger brothers). Corporal Gerald Mackall was later KIA on July 7, 1944 near St Lo, France in the Normandy campaign.
About Private John T. Mackall:
Private Mackall, a member of a parachute unit which was part of the invading force that landed in North Africa early in November, was one of the first airborne soldiers to give his life there. He was born March 17, 1920 at Negley, Ohio. He was inducted into military service January 7, 1942 and received his basic training at Camp Wolters, Texas. He left for overseas duty with the first unit of the airborne command. He died November 12, 1942. The plane in which he was flying was attacked by three enemy pursuit ships; it made an emergency landing and Private Mackall was wounded in the strafing that occurred afterwards. He was buried with full military honors at the base of the Rock of Gibralter before he was intered next to his brother Gerald at the Glenview Cemetery in East Palestine, Columbiana County, Ohio.
Copyright © www.511pir.com
Camp Mackall aerial view
Camp Mackall map
General Joseph May Swing
11th AB's first divisional review
511th PIR mass jump
Camp Mackall renaming 1
Private John Tommy Mackall
Camp Mackall renaming ceremony 1943
Camp Mackall renaming with Mrs. Mackall
Camp Mackall renaming 11th Airborne Division
Camp Mackall renaming jump
Knollwood Maneuvers 1943
Colonel Orin D. Haugen memo
2nd Battalion officers, 511th PIR
Mock Jump staged photo
Training Jump
The General's Walk
D Company squad
Sepulveda and Cushwa
W. Walter, V. Howley, P. Kut
1LT Andrew Carrico's wedding
1LT Andrew Carrico D Company
W. Walter, G. White and R. Goff
SSGT George Sharp HQ2
PFC Richard Goff D Company
SSGT Murray Perlman D Company
D Company NCOs
D Company squad at Camp Mackall
D Company 511th PIR
Typical company street Camp Mackall
Camp Mackall APR
The coveted pass
D Company and their swagger
M. Rottenbirk and W. Walter
McNaney and Rottenberk
Corporal William R. Walter D Company
H Company, 511th PIR
PFC Charlie Jones D Company
Regimental Retreat formation
SGT James A. Stott D Company
Unknown 511th PIR troopers
Unknown 511th PIR troopers
Unknown 511th PIR trooper
Unknown 511th PIR trooper
Unknown 511th PIR troopers
Unknown 511th PIR troopers
Unknown 511th PIR troopers
Unknown 511th PIR troopers
511th PIR Practice Jump Camp Mackall
511th PIR Practice Jump Camp Mackall
11th Airborne Glider Troops at Camp Mackall
11th Airborne Glider Troops at Camp Mackall
D-457th PFAB at Camp Mackall
D-457th PFAB at Camp Mackall
511th PIR troopers in the air
511th PIR troopers in the air
511th PIR Trooper in a Tree
511th PIR Trooper in a Tree
511th PIR Trooper in the water
511th PIR Trooper in the water
511th PIR Trooper on the ground
511th PIR Trooper on the ground
511th PIR trooper on the ground
511th PIR trooper on the ground
The boys of the 511th PIR enjoyed Camp Mackall's superior facilities when not out on several-day bivouacs or long marches. Out of 12,000 volunteers, only 2,176 remained, having passed (i.e. survived) Colonel Orin Haugen's strict acceptance guidelines. At Mackall the soldiers practiced field problems and got to know the other units in their mother organization, the 11th Airborne Division under Major-General Joseph May Swing.