phossil

In response to original post on this thread, yes I did jump at Doc's DZ in Dickinson and yes, I remember Sam's Place. My first jump there was on 08/26/72. It was #23, a DRCP on a 28' 7TU from Doc's C-180 and was signed off by some guy named Don Stewart - D2785. Although I was never one of the “heavyweight” jumpers, I still have great memories of all the neat people I met and of course, all the “high energy” action! Or could it be I was 32 instead of 62 years old? Nahh!

Hi Don, with a little more research on the web I found the 502 PIR history web site. If you go there you can find a picture of Sgt. Constantine B. (Gus) Anagnostis and possibly his brother(?) SSgt Demetrius Anagnostis both of Co E, 2nd Battalion, 502 PIR. It also states that he received a battlefield commission to 2nd Lt. There is a picture of the original 502 PIR (Widowmaker) insignia so compare this to the Galveston Skydivers patch on your bag and I think we have our answer. One time when I was visiting Doc at his home in Hitchcock, after Stevie had died, his lady friend Edith, brought out a set of military jump wings she had had custom made as a birthday present for him. They were sterling silver and had two diamonds in place of the bronze stars normally used to represent combat jumps, very nice. At that time Doc told me he had made the D-Day jump at Normandy, the Operation Market-Garden jump at Eindhoven in Holland, and fought in the Battle of the Bulge at Bastogne in Belgium. Doc Anagnostis was, without a doubt, one of the “Band of Brothers”, a genuine American hero. I consider myself honored to have known him. If anyone is interested, here is the link: http://www.ww2-airborne.us/units/502/502.html Good to hear from you Don and take care -- Pat

Hi all, I posted the following in the “Patches from the day” thread but never got a reply, looks like I got my answer here, thanks.

“When the people look like ants it's time to pull, when the ants look like people it's too late”

Hi all, I'm new to the forum, just happened to run across it while doing a google for Doc Anagnostis. I was watching History Channels presentation of “Brothers In Arms” about the 2/502PIR 101ABN and noticed that the insignia of that unit looks almost exactly like the patch the Galveston Skydivers used to wear at Docs old DZ in Dickinson, TX in the early '70s.. It was a round patch with a parachute in the background and a skull with bat like wings. I know that Doc was a veteran of the 101st with 2 combat jumps but he never mentioned the unit. Does anyone out there know if Doc was in the 2/502 and did the insignia of the old Galveston Skydivers indeed derive from the 2/502 insignia? Does anyone have a picture of the patch? Mine disappeared about 20 years ago. I used to jump at his DZ before moving over to Spaceland in League City, TX then to the Bear Creek Skydivers in Wieser, TX and finally back down to his last DZ at Volk field in Hitchcock, TX BTW – It's neat to see that there are so many old timers still out there, some of whom I remember from my days in the sport. Although I haven't made a jump since 1976, I may try to get back in, who knows? Titusville, FL has a great DZ! Pat C-9278