Edson Raff

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Edson Duncan Raff (b. 15 November 1907 in New York City - d. 11 March 2003 in Garnett, Kansas) was an officer in the US Army and author of a book on paratroopers. He served as Commanding Officer of one of the first American paratroop units to jump into combat, the 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion, during Operation VILLAIN, part of Operation Torch.^[1] His book, We Jumped to Fight, was based on his experience in that operation and was published in 1944.

Raff had served as First Captain of Cadets at a small prep school in Winchester, Virginia called the Shenandoah Valley Academy before serving in the Army. Due to the tough training course he gave the paratroopers in the 509th (and his stocky physique), Raff was nicknamed "Little Caesar" by them.^[2] He first saw combat during Operation Torch as the commander of the 509th:^[3]

"...the main force with Lieutenant Colonel Raff also jumped early some 35 miles east of the objective airfields. Although he broke several ribs in a hard landing, Lieutenant Colonel Raff continued to lead his paratroopers toward their objectives. After a full day and a night forced march, a company of weary paratroopers reached the airfield at Tafaraoui on the morning of November 9th. Both airfields had already been captured by Allied amphibious forces. Thus ended the first and rather disappointing American Airborne combat operation in history."

He spent time as an airborne planner on General Omar Bradley's staff and was assigned by General Matthew Ridgway to command the 325th Glider Infantry Regiment's armored sea-landing troops on D-Day. Due to casualties, he was transferred shortly thereafter (15 June 1944) to command the 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment. Raff led that Regiment through the rest of the war, including its participation in Operation Varsity.

As the plane neared the DZ, Raff recalls:^[4]

"I was alone standing in the door of the plane looking down at the river passing beneath the plane, smoke partially obscured my view. At that moment, I said a prayer to the infant Jesus, The Little Flower, 'Little Flower, in this hour show Thy power.' The prayer was given to me by my sister who was a nun. I said the prayer before every jump."

After the war in 1954, Raff would command the 77th Special Forces Group, based at Fort Bragg and is credited by Lieutenant General William Yarborough^[5] as the "father" of the then-controversial green beret now routinely worn by US Army Special Forces.