My father, Raleigh B. Power (aka Bud or Buddy) went from the 505th PIR to the 77th around 1955. He was a SSG at that time, I think. He was a team leader and Cpl. Larry Thorne was on his team.
He departed for OCS and was commissioned in 1957. Normal leg assignments followed, but he got back into the 1st before they had the black border -- we were at DLI when Pres. Kennedy was assassinated; sometime thereafter the black border was adopted.
He served in 1st ('63), 6th ('64-'65), 5th ('65-'66; Det. B-33, Hon Quan ... was in country when CPT Larry Thorne was lost); then with Tranining Group ('66-'68). After that, we deployed to Bangkok for his tour with JUSMAG/MACTHAI ('68-'70). I recall him saying his callsign in B-33 was "Strangelove." Retired as a major in 1970.
He remembers the 77th Commander as COL Raft. [Just researched it ... that would be COL Edson D. Raff].
Images of CPL Thorne
here (PS thread).
Isolated image, 1955:
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/853/04hn.jpg/
Cheers!
--Guy