"DOC" EUGENE DEIBLER, A REAL KNIGHT IN
SHINING ARMOR
In August of 2017, we had the privilege of
entertaining a real, live Knight at the NarroWay
Theatre! Dr. Eugene C. Deibler was Knighted
at the request of the President of France into
the French Legion of Honor in 2015 for the
part he played in liberating France during
WWII. Deibler jumped from a plane to land at
Normandy on D-Day. Valerie Stancik shared
his details with us, including what happened
to the parachute he used that day.
Sgt. Eugene Deibler served in the United
States Parachute Army from November 1942
through December 1945. He was a member of
the 501st Parachute Infantry of the 101st
Airborne as a squad leader in A Line Company
and G Company, 501st Airborne.
According to ww2-airborne.us, the first
combat mission of the 501st Parachute
Infantry Regiment was to fly across the
English Channel and drop into Normandy on
D-Day. The intent of the mission was to land
approximately 5 hours prior to the sea
landing. Low clouds and enemy aircraft
caused the air formation to break up and led
to sporadic jump patterns, causing most
soldiers to land outside of their designated
drop zones. Surprisingly, however, the botched
landing confused the Germans and gave the
Airborne troops time to regroup. ww2-
airborne.us .
Deibler was one of the troops who made the
jump into Normandy that day. The dress that
his wife, Mary (now deceased) wore for their
wedding was made from the silk parachute he
used on D-Day. It was donated to the Airborne
Museum in Fayetteville, NC in 2011.
Eugene and Mary Deibler on their wedding
day.
Mary's dress is made from the parachute
Deibler used on D-Day.
Deibler received a Legion of Honor Medal
from the President of France for action in
Normandy, 8 June 1944. On his 90th birthday,
8 November 2015, he was Knighted at the
request of the President of France into the
French Legion of Honor (started by Napoleon)
with corresponding medal and title of "Sir."
The ceremony was held at the Foundation of
the Carolinas in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Deibler served for 37 months during WWII,
from age 18 to 21. He received the Bronze
Star for action in Bastogne. In addition to
Normandy and Bastogne, he also served in
Holland and Alsace.
Following the war, he returned to North
Carolina where he married, raised a family and
earned degrees in Engineering and Dental
Surgery. He continued to play the trombone,
as he did while serving in the military, until
2013. He has been a prolific portrait painter
and landscape designer and has studied and
taught Bible classes.
As of this writing, Dr. Deibler has one living
daughter, four grandchildren and nine great-
grandchildren. His grandson, Paul, was a
Captain in the Iraq War.