By Rickey Robertson
During World War II, Camp Polk hosted many dignitaries and Hollywood entertainers. USO shows were popular with the troops training at Camp Polk. At this time in its history Camp Polk was known as an armored training base. But something changed on January 2, 1944. Camp Polk received the 11th Airborne Division, and now with armored units there were parachute infantry regiments training for combat here in Louisiana. A man who would become a famous TV personality came with this unit.
The 511th Airborne Infantry Regiment made up part of the 11th Airborne Division. And in this unit was a young PFC by the name of Rod Serling. He was raised in Syracuse, New York, and when he graduated in 1943, he joined the US Army. Serling wanted to be a paratrooper but was under size at 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighed only 150 pounds. But he kept trying and was accepted into the paratroopers and was sent to Camp Toccoa, Georgia, where he earned his paratrooper wings. He was then assigned to the 511th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 11th Airborne Division. This division trained extensively in various camps and was sent to Camp Polk, Louisiana, arriving there on January 2, 1944. The division stayed there until April 20, 1944, when it was alerted for movement to San Diego, where they boarded ships and headed to New Guinea. On New Guinea, the men of the 11th Airborne trained but also fought the Japanese in the Owen Stanley Range of mountains there from May to November 1944.
In November 1944, the division, along with T/4 Serling, moved by ship to Leyte in the Philippine Islands, where they fought until January 1945. The division was moved to the island of Luzon, and they fought fierce Japanese resistance, but they captured Cavite, Ft. McKinley, Nichols Field, and part of Manila. During these battles T/4 Serling was wounded in the knee and wrist. T/4 Serling was awarded the Combat Infantry Badge, Purple Heart, Good Conduct, American Campaign, Asiatic-Pacific medal with 4 campaign stars, WWII Victory medal, Parachute Badge, Glider Badge, Occupation ribbon, Philippine Liberation medal, and Presidential Unit Citation. Rod Serling was a true combat soldier, but he was greatly affected by his time in combat.
After World War II, Rod Serling attended and completed college. He began working on radio programs and then switched to television. With television, he became known as the actor/writer of The Twilight Zone. Many of our readers remember this television series from the 1950’s and 1960’s. He continued his writing and productions until his death in 1975. His WWII experiences influenced all his Twilight Zone episodes.
We remember Rod Serling and his trademark introduction to The Twilight Zone of “This is a dimension of imagination. It is an area which we call The Twilight Zone”. Rod Serling: another personality who came through our area due to the large military presence located here.
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Rickey Robertson retired from Louisiana State Police and upon his retirement became a historical researcher/writer for Stephen F. Austin State University. Rickey is a proud Peason Ridge Heritage Family member and currently is Pastor of Cold Springs Baptist Church in Anacoco, Louisiana. Rickey has written many articles on the Louisiana Maneuvers of 1941 and speaks to groups on this great historical event that affected our state and nation. He and his wife reside in Peason, Louisiana.