North Jersey Chapter has new home

The North Jersey Chapter of the 82nd Airborne Division Association has a new meeting place, at American Legion Post No. 324, Brower Street and Amboy Avenue, in Edison.

Association membership is open to all former active duty paratroopers who served on jump status in airborne units. The North Jersey Chapter is one of the most active in the United States, with 321 members.

The US Army Airborne was founded in the 501st Parachute Battalion in October, 1940, with the cadre selected from the ranks of the illustrious Test Platoon. This early unit fostered mass paratrooper training at Fort Benning, Ga. and also provided the foundation for aiirborne units that followed.

For more information about the chapter, contact Chairman John Carlson at Johnnycool1961@aol.com, or Trustee Blair Rush at Brushcarol@aol.com.

Caption: "Iron Mike" commemorates the spirit of the Airborne soldier at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina, the "Home of the Airborne." Iron Mike depicts a World War II trooper.