Lt Milton
"Chopper" Kienlen
Platoon Leader
Company A - 517th PIR
Sgt Phil Di Stanislao: "A magnificent
officer, big and very brave."
Lt Chopper Kienlen, Jumpmaster,
giving final instructions to his stick
During the 75 mile push up in Italy - June 1944
Major (then captain) Don Fraser:
"We had an Italian partisan as a guide. It was slow
going as we had to go single file on a narrow plank bridge
over the canal. Lt Chopper Kienlen, Phil Di
Stanislao, Joe Chobot and two other men were with me as we advanced
six abreast. A German machine gun crancked off
a tracer round over our heads.
All six of us had automatic weapons and we all
blew a magazine.
It sounded like a small war and the partisan
took off, and we didn't see him for three days!!!"
Lt Chopper Kienlen, Jumpmaster
Company A After Action Report - Operation Dragoon.
First Platoon enplaned at 0030 hours, jumped at 0432 hours. Lt.
Kienlen with majority of stick landed about 2-1/2 miles from the DE. S/Sgt.
Chobot, PFC Di Stanislao, and Pvt. Knapp were separated from the stick and met
North of the DZ.
Sgt Phil Di Stanislao
Major (then captain) Don Fraser First hand account:
"I had a bundle in the door with the radio equipment
and shoved it out. I saw the light on the bundle and then it disappeared in the
fog. Never saw it again.
Looking down, I was sure the Air Corps had
dropped us into the sea. But then I went through the fog, crashed off a
tree and struck the ground into a rock wall.
As I unhooked my chute and loaded my carbine, I heard someone nearby.
I challenged him and it was Chopper
Kienlen..."
Major Don Fraser
Company A After Action Report - Operation Dragoon.
1st Platoon joined about 50 men from different companies, some
British troopers plus a pack howitzer group. They arrived at the assembly area
0830 hours and were pinned down by M.G. fire. The men used grenades on M.G.
nests and the enemy withdrew. Lt. Cook, Co.C. joined the group and took
command. The group continued on to the Bn. Objective. Enemy was encountered
enroute and Sgt. Chobot killed two. They continued on to the and occupied the
hill with no resistance. Lt. Kienlen and stick and part of Co. Hqs. met North
of Trans-en-Provence and were directed to the Regimental GP by a French Major.
They picked up Sgt. Waterman and other C Co. men, with six prisoners, and also
assisted in capturing three more Germans. They were fired on, as they moved to
the CP. Lt. Kienlen, PFC Jones, and Sgt. Kiefer killed three Germans and
wounded a fourth.
Major Don Fraser and Chopper Kienlen,
Maritime Alps, Fall 1944
08/15/44 - Southern France - Major (then captain) Don Fraser First
hand account:
By daylight we had seventeen from Company A and one little
British trooper. How he ever came to us I never figured out. In that first
light there were white parachutes scattered over the hills as far as you could
see. We picked up a Frenchman from the FFI on the road and headed for Chateau
Ste Roseline, designated as the regimental CP.
On the way we engaged in several skirmishes.
At the very first, the British trooper hit the ground with his finger on the
trigger and by accident blew a string of bullets past Chopper Kienlen.
Chopper picked him up with one hand and told
him to lock the weapon on safety until he told him otherwise. That Britisher
followed Chopper around all day saying he had never met anyone like him.
He wanted to transfer to Kienlen's platoon and
we were sorry when he went back to his own unit.
I was leading the way to the Chateau with a
flanker downhill to my left and another uphill to my right. Chopper was about
twenty yards behind me an the others strung out along the road behind him. I
was watching my flankers when Chopper yelled and then fired a couple of shots.
I had walked right by a German in a slit trench. He could have killed me but
Chopper got him first.
Kienlen jumped down in the ditch and came up
with an Iron Cross and a small pistol in about ten seconds. He smiled and waved
on me...
Company A After Action Report - Operation Dragoon.
Kienlen and his men then reported to Lt. McDonald and helped
outpost the Regimental CP at 1600 hours.
Lt. Kienlen with 22 men moved to a hill overlooking Les Arcs and
was reinforced that night by an anti-tank platoon from the 442 Infantry
Antitank Co.and part of Co. Hqs. Lt. Sadlo and PFC Grbinich were separated from
the stick and remained with FFI in vicinity of Draguignan for two days.
Lt Chopper Kienlen, Maritime Alps 1944
“D” Plus Two
Company A After Action Report - Operation Dragoon.
Germans, with reinforcements, attacked the group at Les
Arcs at 0730 hours.
Lt. Kienlen on the hill Northeast of Les Arcs was joined by Co. E.
Enemy forces were seen but were out of range. Intermittent artillery fire was
received and PFC’s Anderson, K.B., and Trenary and Pvt. Baney and Cpl. Stewart
were hit..
“D” Plus Two
Company A After Action Report - Operation Dragoon.
First Platoon left hill overlooking Los Arcs and moved to Chateau
St. Roseline.
“D” Plus Three
Company A After Action Report - Operation Dragoon.
First Platoon Left Chateau St. Roseline and moved to area North of
Puget and took on left flank of Bn. on 7th Army right flank.
Lt Milton "Chopper" Kienlen (right),
Maritime Alps, Fall 1944
