Join 11th Airborne Division historian Jeremy C. Holm as we discover the story of Private Elmer Fryar, a Paratrooper from the 511th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 11th Airborne Division, whose incredible actions on December 8, 1944 would earn this former Marine the Medal of Honor.

Elmer's story has never been fully told like this before and it is an honor and our privilege to do so.

This is the story of a national hero, a story that deserves to be told and retold.

Elmer Edward Fryar was born near Denver, Colorado in 1914 and after serving in the United States Marine Corps, including in the historic 1st Defense Battalion, he would go on to enlist in the United States Army following Imperial Japan's surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. Elmer would volunteer for America's new airborne arm and was assigned to Company E of the 511th PIR at Camp Toccoa, Georgia in January of 1943 under Lieutenant Colonel Orin D. "Hardrock" Haugen.

Elmer and the 511th PIR would then head to Camp Mackall, North Carolina to join the newly forming 11th Airborne Division, "The Angels", under the command of Major General Joseph May Swing. After over a year of intense stateside training, the 11th Airborne headed for New Guinea for theater training and acclimatization.

Then, in November of 1944 The Angels sailed for Leyte where they would first face the soldiers of Imperial Japan's 16th and 26th Infantry Divisions in the island's mountains.

It was here that on December 8, 1944, Private Elmer Fryar went into action, calling in mortar fire and directing the platoon's machine guns before running into enemy fire to rescue a wounded comrade. Then when a group of between 40-50 enemy soldiers moved to flank their position, Elmer Fryar raced to the top of a nearby ridge, alone, and eliminated over 20 of the Japanese with his rifle before being wounded himself.

Elmer then returned to his help his comrades withdraw when a lone enemy sniper jumped from a group of bushes and leveled his rifle at Fryar's commanding officer. Without hesitating, Private Elmer Fryar leapt in front of the lieutenant and took the full brunt of the enemy's fire. With his last grasp of strength, Elmer pulled a pin on a grenade and threw it at the enemy.

Private Fryar then asked his fellow Angels to tell his family that he "got a mess of the (Japanese) before they got me."

And he said it with a smile.

To learn more about Elmer Fryar, you can purchase one of Jeremy's acclaimed books on the 11th Airborne Division in World War II here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C83KT18D

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If you'd like to reach out to Jeremy, you can email him at jeremy@jeremycholm.com.

Down From Heaven Comes Eleven! Airborne All the Way!

PS - We are aware that there were some audio technical glitches in this video and did our best to edit them out and hope they never undermine the story of this great American Paratrooper. We do have a new m

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Down From Heaven Comes Eleven! Airborne All the Way!