Adventurers' Club News Nov 2009 - The Adventurers

NEW MEMBERSDon Malarkey #1137Don told Ambrose of the saga of theNiland brothers of Tonawanda, New York,Don was in his first semester at the how two had died on D-Day and anotherUniversity of Oregon in the fall of was presumed killed. Fritz, one of the four1941 when the Japanese attacked Pearl Niland brothers, was close friends withHarbor. He tried enlisting but was rejected.screenplay of “Saving Private Ryan.”Don. This episode was the impetus for theWhen he was drafted in July, 1942, hevolunteered for the paratroops of the Army.He trained at Camp Toccoa, Georgia and Lynn D. “Buck” Compton, #1139was among the one in six soldiers who Buck Compton was a star athlete atearned their jump qualification.UCLA, where he was a catcher onHe became a member of “Easy” Company,2 nd Battalion, 506 th Parachute Infantry Jackie Robinson. He also played with thethe university’s baseball team alongsideRegiment of the 101 st Airborne Division. UCLA football team in the 1943 Rose BowlHe went to England in 1943 to participate game st . Buck participated in ROTC at UCLAin the largest amphibious invasion in history:Operation Overlord.“Easy” Company, the same as Don Malar-and joined the Army. He was assigned toIn the darkness of the morning of D-Day, key.Malarkey parachuted into France with his During the company’s action at Brecourtunit. Later that day, he received the Bronze Manor, Buck and others assaulted a Germanbattery of four 105 mm howitzers fir-Star for his heroism in a ptched battle toknock out four German 105 mm artillery ing on Utah Beach disabling the guns andbatteries, an action now called the Brecourt routing the enemy. For this he was awardedthe Silver Star.Manor Assault.He fought for 23 days in Normandy, nearly80 in Holland, 39 in the Battle of Basticipatingin Operation Market Garden, theLater in 1944, he was wounded while partognein Belgium and nearly 30 more in and Allies ill-fated attempt to seize a numberaround Haugenau, France and the Ruhr of bridges in Holland and cross the RhinePocket in Germany.River.He was promoted to sergeant before After a partial recovery, he returned toOperation Market Garden. Malarkey served Easy Company in time for the month-longmore time on the front lines than any other siege in the frozen Ardennes that wouldmember of Easy Company.become known as the Battle of the Bulge.Don was introduced to Stephen Ambrose Buck is a retired California Court of AppealsJudge who served as the lead prose-at an Easy Company reunion in New Orleans.His oral history became the basis for cutor in Sirhan Sirhan’s trial for the murderthe book “Band of Brothers.”of Robert F. Kennedy.November, 200920ADVENTURERS’ CLUB NEWS