11th Parachute Maintenance Company

06/03/26 - 05/27/00 - gravesite

Citations: Parachutist Badge, Occupation Medal (Japan)

Locations: Honshu, Japan

Martin J. Wurth was born in 1926 and enlisted in the United States Army on November 27, 1944. He went through Basic Training at Fort McClellan, Alabama then volunteered for the Paratroops and was sent to Fort Benning, Georgia. After graduating Jump School, Martin remained at Benning to attend the Parachute Rigger and Packing School, a testament to his skill and attention to detail. After completing of this course, Martin sailed for Japan to join the 11th Airborne Division on Honshu where he was assigned to 11th Parachute Maintenance Airborne Company.

He was proud to be an Angel and followed the Rigger's motto, "I will be sure, always."

OBITUARY:

Martin J. Wurth, 73, of Paducah died at 2 a.m. Saturday, May 27, 2000, at Lourdes hospital, in Paducah, KY.

Mr. Wurth, a native of McCracken County, born Thursday, June 3, 1926, was a retired electrician from Electric Energy Inc. He was a member of St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church, American Legion, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and Electrical Workers Brotherhood Association.

He is survived by his wife, Hilda Kaufman Weitlauf Wurth; five daughters, a stepdaughter, a stepson, a sister, a brother, 10 grandchildren; a great-grandchild; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Mary Catherine McLean Wurth (1928-1974) (Find A Grave Memorial# 73530589); a stepson, Ronald L. 'Ronnie' Weitlauf (1957-1997)(Find A Grave memorial: 6008646 ); two sisters; two brothers; and a granddaughter. His parents were G. Celestine and Freddie J. Weitlauf Wurth.

"A Handful of Silk and God, That's All"

Poem by Martin J. Wurth

Bobbing low and flying high
Motors thunder through the sky,
Prop blast over strut and wing
Maddened demons howl and sing
And out of this we're set to fall
With a handful of silk and God -
That's all.

A small red light gleams at the door,
Throws blood-red pools on metal floors,
Beyond is space, vast, dark and deep;
Awake ye screaming ones from sleep
For out of this you've got to fall
With a handful of silk and God -
That's all.

The signals flash 'Go' and our hearts skip a beat
For we know that soon there'll be space under our feet
And then through the door we pass
We see mem'ries of our past life in a moment's flash
We are filled with courage and our fear is lessening
For we still remember the chaplains last blessing -
We swing to and fro as tracers go by;
We wonder who'll be killed and we hope its not I.
If our time has come, we'll get the call
With a handful of silk and God -
That's all.

But our hearts beat high for the land we love
And our courage comes from the one above.
When down from the clouds with our weapons of Hell
We drop to avenge our friends who fell.
Thus all we need when we get the call
Its a handful of silk and God -
That's all.


To learn more about the 11th Airborne Division in World War II, please consider purchasing a copy of our books on the Angels: