May 28, 2014

This is the "official" history of the 517th.  The original publication was commissioned by the 517 PRCT Association, and was complied and written by Clark L. Archer - Senior Editor, with help from William J. Lewis - Secretary/Treasurer.

Several hundred copies of the book were printed in 1985, but are now rare and difficult to find.  Therefore, to help those doing research on the 517th, we have posted, on this website, a nearly-complete online version of the original publication:  Paratroopers' Odyssey 

Some hardcover copies may be available through dealers and auctions:

Paratroopers Odyssey : A History of the 517th Parachute Combat Team -- Clark Archer; Hardcover, 1985

Re-issued in paperback! October 2001

Chapter about the 517th and Manhay, translated by Dieter Laes

Includes stories and bios of many 517th troopers.  Printed in the 80's and may be difficult to locate.  Check for used book listings.

We have included an online version of the 517th Chapters to our web site at:  13th Airborne History

Currently out-of-print, but used copies available

Patrick O'Donnell is the author of the Drop Zone Museum, the award-winning web site which contains numerous oral histories directly from the men who saw some of the most intense action of WWII. His new book contains many of these stories, including first-hand accounts from several members of the 517th.

This book has considerable information on the 517th 2nd Battalions operations while attached to the 7th Armored division during the Battle of the Bulge

Not Ready To Die is the life of a man spent trying to survive in the harsh New Mexico badlands during the 1930s. World War II took him into the 517th Parachute Regimental Combat Team, where he made the famous Dragoon jump. The book contains stories of his survival.

by John McManus (Author)

includes references from Howard Ruppel's journal (Part 1, Part 2)

Escapades by William T. Webb

54 pages; perfect bound; catalogue #03-2229; ISBN 1-4120-1851-X; US$10.45

Escapades is a true story about an overseas paratrooper in World War II. Like all paratroopers, in World War II, he felt his parachute regimental combat team (the 517 PRT) to be the best there was.

See Details

From Breckenridge to Bastogne by Merle McMorrow

Follow the real life story of WWII veteran Merle McMorrow in his own words as he goes from Breckenridge, MN to Bastogne, Belgium the site of the "Battle of the Bulge."

From Rome to Berlin via Bastogne The Travel of a World War II Paratrooper

by Merle McMorrow

After high school the author spent 7 months in Bremerton, Washington working on ships damaged by the sneak attack by the Japanese at Pearl Harbor, Hawai. He returned home to Minnesota in December 1942 to volunteer for the US Army Paratroops. He saw service in Italy, France, Belgium, Luxembourg,and Germany.He was discharged in December 1945

Available on Amazon

A Veteran's Remembrance (large file: 28 MB)

John A. Alicki

by 517th Regimental Combat Team's own Lt. Boom Boom Alicki

Combat Mission by Joe David Brown

Combat Mission, originally called "Kings Go Forth", is the story of an American GI (Lieutenant) stationed in Nice during 1944, shortly after the invasion of Southern France.  Hmm.

This book was later made into the movie called Kings Go Forth, starring Frank Sinatra, Tony Curtis, and Natalie Wood.  See the movie info. 
And check out the movie trailer:  fast connection  slow connection

Dragoon: The Other Invasion of France, Provence, August 15, 1944
by Paul Gaujac, Janice Lert, Philippe Charbonnier
 

192 pages; published November 30, 2004. It tells about the entire invasion, all the unites American, British, French and German. It mentions the 517th, 460th, 596th. Lots of photos, b/w and color, and aircraft involved. Names unit commanders.

The Hotton Report by Robert K. MacDonald

includes several references about Bill Boyle and the 517th 1st Battalion

168 pages
Publisher: Finbar Press; First edition (December 15, 2006)

Le Débarquement de Provence (Paperback - re-issued 2003)
by Jacques Robichon

translated: The Second D-Day (Hardcover -1962)
by Jacques; Shuey, Barbara (Translator) Robichon (Author)

Ben, I was looking around a used book store today and found a history of Operation Dragoon entitled, "The Second D-Day", written by Jacques Robichon.  The book was translated from French by Barbara Shuey for the Army Times Publishing Company in 1962.  It was first published in France under the title "Le Debarquement de Provence" (15 Aout 1944).  It was first published in the United States by Walker and Company, Inc.

There is a terrific section that outlines the aborted mission of Sgt. Joseph Blackwell and his men to capture Gen. Neuling and his staff at Villa Gladys and describes in some detail the action of 1st Battalion at Draguignan.  Good mentions of Gen. Seitz, Col. Boyle and Gen Zais.  There are also interesting accounts of the airlift.
  - Wayne Cross

Camp Toccoa: First Home of the Airborne.: 1942-1944 [Paperback]

G. G. Stokes Jr. (Author)

May 28, 2014

Buy the DVD: Shootout:  The Battle of the Bulge

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5

Featuring the story of Melvin Biddle, B Company

Geronimo: The U.S. Airborne In World War II 

Documentary with archival footage and interviews with veterans.  Includes events in Normandy, Market Garden, training, Sicily, Southern France, and Battle of the Bulge. 

Commentary includes stories from Ed Athey, Jim McWilliams, and Jim Wallis of the 517th.

On YouTube:  Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9

Black and White, 30 minutes

Set in Germany during the closing days of the war, the film uses a little-known episode of U.S. military history--the bloody battle of the Huertgen Forest--as the backdrop for the story of a battle-weary private who is the only surviving member of his platoon.