Visit In The Shadow Of Easy Company: The Currahee Military Museum & Camp Toccoa at Currahee Fred Seiltgen September 10, 2026 Join the Conversation At RECOIL, we review every product fairly and without bias. Making a purchase through one of our links may earn us a small commission, and helps support independent gun reviews. Read our affiliate policy. Find out more about how we test products. Located in the Northeast Georgia Mountains near the town of Toccoa are a pair of World War II historical sites that were largely unknown to those outside Airborne units, at least until HBO aired their most celebrated miniseries in 2001, Band of Brothers, based on the Steven Ambrose’s nonfiction novel which shares the same name. The 10-episode series followed the birth of the Airborne service and the journey of E Company in the 506th PIR from Camp Toccoa to the Eagle’s Nest. THE CURRAHEE MILITARY MUSEUM The first stop in the Easy Company story is the Currahee Military Museum at the Toccoa train station. It was here that recruits arrived from all over the United States to begin their training as the U.S. Army’s new weapon, the paratrooper, before they marched five miles to the camp. The train station, while still an active Amtrak station, is now home to the Stephens County Historical Society and the Currahee Military Museum. It is filled with memorabilia from the 506th, 501st, 511th, and 517th Parachute infantry regiments, many of which were donated by Camp Toccoa trainees and their families. Richard “Dick” Winters, training at Camp Toccoa, 1942. Photo credit: U.S. Army As the camp grew, the city of Toccoa became a hotbed of activity. A bus service was created to shuttle troops to the town. Some of the popular hangouts were the Ritz Theater, the city swimming pool, and the USO building. The Currahee Military Museum houses a large number of artifacts, including rifles, uniforms, and battle flags. Perhaps the most treasured piece of all is a six-stall stable where the soldiers from the 506th PIR, Easy Company, made famous by HBO’s television series Band of Brothers, stayed while stationed in Aldbourne, England. Camp Toccoa In December 2004, the stables, measuring 17 by 70 feet, which had been saved from destruction, were disassembled and airlifted by a C-17 flown by the Missouri National Guard. Once in Toccoa, the stables were reassembled inside the museum. These stables were a physical reminder for the troops, as they were the last place many troops from Able and Easy Companies called home before D-Day, or jumping into Holland during Operation Market Garden. Some of the stable walls have the initials of those troops carved into the wood. As you enter, you’re greeted by a wooden beam dating back to the 1700s, salvaged from Marmion Farms, France, the site of the first Nazi flag captured by U.S. Airborne divisions on D-Day. With its photographs, documentation, and personal items from both U.S. troops and Wehrmacht soldiers, the museum has assembled the ultimate collection of Camp Toccoa history. Trainees practicing from the 35-foot jump tower. Photo credit: U.S. Army CAMP TOCCOA AT CURRAHEE The next stop is Camp Toccoa at Currahee. In 1938, 17,000 acres of forest were purchased for use as a Georgia National Guard training area. Construction on Camp Toombs, as it was initially known, began in January 1940 and was dedicated in December of that year. It was named after Confederate General Robert Toombs, but the commander of the 506th PIR, Colonel Robert Sink, didn’t care for the name. He felt it would bring out the recruits’ superstitions as they marched to the camp on Highway 13 and passed the Toccoa Casket Company on their way to “Camp Tombs.” Sink persuaded the War Department to change it, and in August 1942, it was renamed Camp Toccoa. 3 MILES UP, 3 MILES DOWN The camp is situated at the base of Currahee Mountain, where the unit motto “Currahee,” the Native American word (gurahiyi) for “stands alone,” originates. Reaching an elevation of 1,735 feet, all paratrooper trainees were required to make the run up and down the three-mile mountain trail, which led to the shout “three miles up, three miles down!” The marker at the bottom of the trail is dedicated to Colonel Robert Sink, commander of the “Five-O-Sinks,” and the trail is still there for anyone wishing to make the run. Every year, the camp hosts the Currahee Challenge Run. The Currahee trail to the top of the mountain, say it with me: “Three Miles Up – Three Miles Down.” A beautiful scene from the top of Currahee Mountain overlooking Northeast Georgia. BASIC, AIRBORNE & WEAPONS TRAINING During WWII, camps like Toccoa were stood up in record time to get troops into the field. Trainees at Toccoa were instructed in as many subjects as possible. The training at the camp was brutal, with the toughest regime at the time, designed to separate the weak from the strong, featuring forced ruck marches, obstacle courses, and the run up Currahee. Airborne training began at Toccoa Municipal Airport, but very few earned their jump wings there, and the few jumps made were into the drop zone located in a cornfield on top of Dicks Hill in neighboring Habersham County. The camp obstacle course. Photo credit: U.S. Army After a training accident in which a transport’s landing gear dug into the soft shoulder and the aircraft ended up on its side, the runway was deemed too short for C-39 (DC-2) and C-47 (DC-3) aircraft. Further airborne training was limited to the camp’s 35-foot jump tower until the troops were sent on to Fort Benning. To add realism to their training, on Thanksgiving Day, 1942, trainees crawled under 18-inch wire with hog entrails hanging from them, while instructors fired machine guns over them. Since Camp Toccoa initially lacked a rifle range, the trainees were marched to Clemson Agricultural College, some 30 miles away, for rifle training. The main drag of Camp Toccoa, showing the HQ on the right. Photo credit: U.S. Army COLONEL ROBERT SINK A West Point Graduate of 1927. Sink had many assignments before arriving at Fort Benning in 1940 to command the 501st PIR and later the 503rd PIR. In July 1942, Sink was named commander of the 506th PIR at Camp Toccoa. Sink remained with the 506th through training at Fort Benning and Fort Bragg and deployed with the unit throughout WWII, turning down two promotions to stay with the unit. THE 506th PIR — THE START OF EASY COMPANY The first parachute infantry regiment, the 506th PIR, was formed in July 1942, and recruits began arriving at Camp Toccoa. Of the first 5,000 recruits that arrived, 600 became the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment. The regiment’s Company E, aka Easy Company, was portrayed in the 2001 mini-series Band of Brothers. The Toccoa train station is home to the Currahee Military Museum. While the 506th is the most recognized unit, it didn’t fight alone. Six thousand paratroopers were spread out between the four units. The 501st and 506th went to Europe and jumped into Normandy and Holland. The 511th made five combat jumps into New Guinea, Okinawa, Japan, and Leyte and Luzon in the Philippines. The 517th saw heavy fighting in Italy, a jump into France during Operation Dragoon, and fought in the Battle of the Bulge. While the camp was the beginning of the Airborne service, many troops from Toccoa were also assigned to the Glider Infantry. A wooden timber dating to the 1700s was recovered from Marmion Farms in France, where the first picture of a captured Nazi flag was taken. FORT BENNING BOUND When the 506th was finished with training at Toccoa, Sink had one more test for them. After reading an article about a Japanese army unit that held the world record for marching, Sink thought his unit could do it better. Since the regiment was scheduled to move to Fort Benning, the 1st and 3rd battalions were sent by train to Atlanta, while the 2nd battalion marched from Camp Toccoa, covering the 137-mile march in 75 hours and 15 minutes. They arrived in Atlanta to cheers from civilians who learned of the march. The regiment then boarded trains for Fort Benning and their next phase of training, jump school. A memorial to troops of the 506th PIR. CAMP TOCCOA TODAY After the war, Camp Toccoa was shut down and repurposed by the Georgia Department of Corrections for juvenile offenders. The camp was shut down, and the prisoners were moved due to a few escapes. After years of neglect, a not-for-profit foundation was formed to resurrect the camp. At the start, there was only one original building sitting on the property. A barracks recreated with original-style bunks. Volunteers from all walks of life began to reassemble the camp. One original barracks building was returned to the camp and restored, and many other barracks were recreated using several original parts. A C-47 Skytrain sits inside the gate, giving visitors a first-hand look at what paratroopers experienced while en route to the drop zone before jumping out into the darkness and the enemy. Across the street from the camp’s entrance is an airborne memorial dedicated to the units that trained there. A total of four barracks have been rebuilt or restored. CURRAHEE MILITARY WEEKEND Each year, the Currahee Military Museum and Camp Toccoa host a Military weekend honoring the troops who trained in Toccoa, as well as present-day airborne troops. Events include a reception with a keynote speaker, museum tours, regiment reunions, jump demonstration teams, actors from the Band of Brothers miniseries, special viewings at the Ritz Theater, reenactors, memorabilia collectors, and much more. The C-47 Skytrain was a workhorse during WWII. It was used for Airborne drops, towing gliders, air ambulances, hauling cargo, and VIP transport. Jake McNiece and Jack Agnew. Both were members of the 506th PIR as well as members of the “Filthy 13.” Photo credit: U.S. Army VISIT Over 18,000 paratroopers began their training at Camp Toccoa, and these museums offer a unique look into the past and illustrate the sacrifices made by these troops. While the camp only operated for a couple of years, it was instrumental in the formation of the Airborne service. For anyone who’s a fan of WWII history, the history of the Airborne, the Band of Brothers, Dick Winters, and the Filthy Thirteen, these museums offer an incredible journey back in time. Currahee Military Museum & Stephens County Historical Society ADDRESS: 160 North Alexander St., Toccoa, GA 30577, (706) 282-5055 HOURS: Monday-Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. ADMISSION: $10 Adults, $5 Students URL:www.toccoahistory.org CAMP TOCCOA AT CURRAHEE ADDRESS: 2351 Ayersville Road, Toccoa, GA, (706) 599-0936 HOURS: Friday: Noon to 3 p.m.Saturday: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.Sunday: Noon to 3 p.m. ADMISSION: $10 Adults, $5 StudentsURL: www.camptoccoaatcurrahee.org Why you can trust RECOIL Since our founding in 2012, RECOIL remains the premier firearms lifestyle publication for the modern shooting enthusiast. We deliver cutting-edge coverage of guns, gear, accessories and technology. We go beyond basic reviews, providing no B.S. buyer’s guides, hands-on testing and expert analysis on everything from firearms and survival equipment to watches and vehicles. 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