Floyd Talbert was one of the members of E company 506th Regiment, 101 Airborne Division.
He was one of the few members of Easy company who just dropped out of sight after wwII.
In 1981 he took part of the reunion of Easy. It was his last one.
Before that reunion he wrote a letter to Dick Winters which he ended with the words: "Dick this can go on and on. I have never discussed these things with anyone on this earth. The things we had are damn near sacred to me. Your devoted Soldier forever...."
Tab had enclosed a recent photograph. He looked like a mountain man. As his brother Bob told me recently: "Tab" loved to be in the mountains, hunting and fishing. He loved nature.
He passed away on October 18, 1982.
Dick Winters paid him the ultimate tribute: "If I had to pick out just one man to be with me on a mission in combat, it would be Talbert"
(text from the book Band of Brothers page 306 with kind permission from Stephen Ambrose)
A PARATROOPERS CREED
I volunteered as a paratrooper, fully realizing the hazards of my chosen service, and by my actions will always uphold the prestige, honor and high "Esprit de Corps" of my only volunteer branch of the Army.
I realize that a parachutist is not merely a soldier who arrives by parachute to fight but is an elite shock-trooper and that his country expects him to march farther and faster than any other soldier.
I shall never fail my comrades, shirking my duty of training, but will always keep myself mentally and physically fit and will shoulder my full share of the task, no matter what ever it may be.
I shall show other soldiers by my military courtesy to superior officers and noncommissioned officers, by neatness of dress, by my care of my own weapon and equipment that I am a well trained soldier.
I shall endeavor always my soldierly appearance, military bearing and behavior, to reflect the high standards of training and morale of parachute troops.
I shall respect the abilities of my enemies. I will fight fairly and with all my might. Surrender is not in my creed.
I shall display a higher degree of initiative than is required of other troops and will fight on to my objectives and complete the mission, though I be the lone survivor.
Floyd Talbert (r) while he is holding his brothers fingers. Once war veterans were a child too.
Floyd standing 3rd from left in his high school Basketball team in 1941. He was an outstanding Point Guard and was well known for his "long set-shots".
Fltrr: Floyd Talbert - Art Youman - Paul Rogers - Forrest Guth
North Carolina
Links: een deel van 99 uit het boek Band of Brothers
De daar omschreven gebeurtenis had onderstaand gedicht tot gevolg
The
Night of the
Bayonet
Direct
from the film I quote:
"The night was filled with dark and cold,
When Sergeant Talbert, the story is told,
Pulled out his poncho and headed out,
To check the lines dressed like a Kraut,
Upon a trooper our hero came,
Fast asleep he called his name,
Smith! O Smith! get up its time
To take your turn on the line,
And Private Smith so very weary
Cracked upon a eyelid red and bleary,
grabbed his rifle he did not tarry,
Hearing Floyd but seeing Jerry,
DON'T cried Tab, Its me and yet
Smith charged to sweet, with his bayonet
He lunged and thrust both high and low,
And skewered the boy from Kokomo
And as they carried him away
Our punctured hero was heard to say,
When in this war you venture out,
Best never do it dressed as a Kraut!
Who could ever imagine that this cute baby later on in his life would stand on the car of the most hated dictator in the world. (above right) On Hitler's staff car. Ordered to turn it over to the 'brass', Talbert first conducted an experiment to see if the windows really were bulletproof. He found that armor-piercing ammo would do the job. Next he drained the water from the radiator. Only then did he turn it over to the regimental staff.
(text from the book Band of Brothers with permission of Dr. Stephen Ambrose)
Left: Floyd Talbert on his first furlough in 1942. During his train ride he was sleeping and someone stole his jumpwings. That's why they are not on his jacket.
Tab, middle with Don Malarkey and right in Austria 1945
(Above right) Floyd Talbert as best man (right from the groom Lavon Reese) who was also a member of Easy Company
From Tab's brother Max I received the picures on this page ©. The picture of the famous Atlanta march is very special.The pictures above I received from Tab's family. The left one has been made in 1945 and the right one in 1956. Both photos were never outside his family. I am very honored that they gave me the opportunity and permission to use these photos on my website. The right one shows Floyd Talbert (2nd left standing) with his brothers and some others building the house of his brother Max.
I
Max Talbert (right) called his brother Floyd "Chick" Max has a car with a Band of Brothers related lycence plate.
Left: Bob Talbert who wrote the comment on the end of this page.
Because "Tab" loved nature, the mountains, the lakes, hunting and fishing I created the photos above as a tribute to his postwar lifestyle.
In the book Band of Brothers there is the story about Floyd Talbert that after the war he became a drinker and a drifter. Stephen Ambrose wrote what he had heard from others and never did research to find out if it was true. In reissues of the book it never was rectified though Tab's family told Ambrose the real story.
Dear Peter,
I
want to let you know that my family deeply appreciates the page you created
for "Tab"
Just one comment.....The remarks in the book Band of Brothers about Tab becoming
a drifter and a drinker are not correct. My brother and I both discussed
this with Ambrose and he admitted that he had picked this up through the several
interviews with some of the living vets. However, they were operating
upon assumptions and through discussions among themselves, they formed this
opinion. Tab, by his own admission, had a drinking problem. However,
he was NEVER a drifter. He was a super intelligent individual
who could do just about anything he wanted to. He attended Indiana University
(he stayed next to the campus in the house on the right photo) after
his discharge from the service and immediately accepted a position with the
Union Carbide (Haynes Stellite Division in Kokomo, Indiana). He then
transferred with the same organization to Alexandria, Indiana, and worked
there for several years. He decided to become a full-time farmer and
purchased land in that area. Later, he became a plant manager for the
General Tire and Rubber Company. He also was a successful car salesman
both in Indiana and California.
His daughter was very disturbed and upset with Ambrose when she read his book. I told her that I did not blame Ambrose, for he was only printing what he had derived from interviews. I told Ambrose the same thing. However, it did hurt the family somewhat because he was not a drifter. In addition, prior to his death in 1982, according to his daughter, he had managed the drinking problem very well and had his finances and his life in order when he died.
I guess we would appreciate it very much if you would omit that paragraph referring to him as a drifter and a drinker. Otherwise, we remain very grateful for your kind considerations and wish you the very best in the future. Incidentally, I have personally enjoyed your website very much!
Thanks,
Bob ("Tabs" brother)
