Colford E. Garton Jr, A.S.N. 12132010. G Company, 506th P.I.R
The 1941 dated US canteen cup below was found in England recently. The soldier to whom it had once belonged had trained as a paratrooper and was one of Colonel Sinks men.
Below: The canteen cup and the details that can be deciphered from it. On the bottom of the cup is the legend "C2010G", this is the initial of the owners first name (Colford), as well as the last 4 numbers of his ASN, "2010" and lastly the "G" of G Company. The marking of personal items in this way being standard practice in the US Army.
On one side is written "Phillie" - we guess this is perhaps his nickname, but also his home state of Philadelphia. On the other is his surname "Garton".
Colford Garton, ASN. 12132010 attended the Parachute training class number 49 at Fort Benning, Georgia in 1942. He was a member of G Company, 3rd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment.
He was later at Fort Bragg, North Carolina with his comrades before leaving for England.
Perhaps in another camp the name Garton was also being marked on equipment, this time by Colfords' brother William. When Colford Garton came home from the war in 1945 he did so knowing that his brother was not going to be there with him. Sadly Private William Garton, ASN. 33585334 was killed on 28 October 1944 during the attack on Moncourt Woods in France as a soldier in 104th Infantry Regiment of the 26th "Yankee" Division. How this must have hit Colford we will never know. Will Garton lies with comrades in plot C, row 19, grave 38 of the St. Avold cemetery in France.
Sometimes the answers to our questions lie closer to home. Such was the case in Colford Elmer Garton. We would have so much liked to hear that he had attended various veterans gatherings. Sadly this was never to be as our research was confirmed by the pictures on this page taken by a friend in America.
Colford Garton was indeed among friends, lying peacefully in Beverly cemetery, New Jersey, USA. He was only 30 years of age when he passed away in 1948. Whether this was the result of wounds received in the line of duty is not known.
Above: Colford Garton lies among his fellow servicemen in the cemetery in New Jersey. There is nothing to distinguish his from the others, apart from what we have learned. That is, that he was once a young "Screaming Eagle"
Maybe someone will adopt this soldier too, and pay him a visit every once in a while, just to say "thank you".