Bonjour Ben, hello dear friends,
This evening, we shall go to Maria's as the Committee has
a reunion to prepare all the ceremonies of december and especially the
celebrations of january 7th. Of course, the spirit of 517th will be with us with
all the memories. Now, I shall try to follow my little story but before this
"english exercise" I would like to wish you a Merry Christmas and a very Happy
New Year from all your friends in Ardenne. May all the joy and wonder of this
holiday season remain with you always. With Love and gratitude. Irma, Arnold,
Maria and the members of CADUSA (US Airborne Reception Committee) Trois-Ponts.
Best wishes to Patricia, Roland and Robert. Joyeuse Fêtes.
Belgium, Ardenne, december 1944 - january
1945
Many trucks are now on the road and we have to get on. My
little brother Roger is very sick, he is afraid. The soldiers are giving some
blankets and so, we leave our little village and all the neighbours too. We are
cold, we are sick, the way seems so long. Lastly, we arrive in a town called
Prayon (near Liège). We are waiting in a big hall, the Casino, people called us
: evacuees. A young lady of Brux (Yvette) is washing me but she has nothing to
wipe me, so she uses her apron. We are still waiting in the room but some people
of Prayon are coming to welcome the families. My mother is in a corner with her
3 children, nobody choose to take us with. Mummy seems so sad. And then, he
comes, Mr Laval, he is telling a chief that he wishes to welcome somebody who is
very demanding. He looks so kind and we leave the big room to go in his
house.
Mr and Mrs Laval are living in the main street in Prayon,
at the back of the garden, there is a river : la Vesdre. Mrs Laval gives us a
large bedroom and a kitchen which is opening on the garden. They have a very
nice baby girl, her name is Michèle.
Now, we are in Prayon for 2 weeks, no news from our area,
no news from the men. What is happened in Ardenne. A cousin of my mother, Joseph
Rixhon, is living in the area of Prayon, he has a farm and he is bringing fresh
milk for us. He is very kind and sometimes, he comes with vegetables and food.
He also tries to give some news of the war but he is not able to tell us about
the situation in Lierneux, Vielsalm, Trois-Ponts... René, my elder brother is
doing some clangers.
Mr Laval has a big map on the wall, he is putting little
american flags and german flags, every day, he changes the flags , he is drawing
arrows. To day, there are more american flags, Mr Laval seems happy. But René
thinks to tease him and he changes the places of the flags, he mixes up
everything. Mr Laval is not very pleased ! to day, once more, we listen the V1,
we call that : robot. The noise is : tu ku... tu ku tu... tu ku...tu ku... but
when the noise is stopping, we run in the cellar.
To day, the noise is stopping very soon, we are afraid, an
explosion, noises, dust,
and everything is broken in the house. No
panes of glass in the windows but nobody is wounded. The
day after, cousin Joseph is coming, he went in Nonceveux, near Remouchamps to
visit auntie Catherine, my mother's sister, she is living in a little farm and
she has 8 children. She told Joseph that very soon, we may go to Nonceveux to
stay with them. Weeks have passed, we are still in Prayon and when everything is
quiet we go along the river Vesdre. We miss our father, we miss
home.
Irma
to follow...
John Alicki
A note to Don Sliker.......I do remember a
Donald Sliker being in the same group of Parachute graduates on January 16,
1943, and receiving the qualification certificates. However, I was not
aware that both of us would be chosen as cadre for the activation of the 517th
Parachute Regiment.
After graduation I remained at the Parachute Training
School to complete Demolition Training. It was during this period that Lt.
Col. Walton, executive of the 517th contacted me and chose me as a
cadre.
Any further recollection is very dim to recall events of 62 years
ago.
Bob Christie
Ben, I would like to know how many members on Mail Call made
reservations on their Credit Cards at the Quality Inn before it closed down and,
if possible stop payment.
If there are any financial
problems arising out of this mess, I will take care of it, I guarantee! I have
friends in the right places.
Joe Miller, you will be in our
prayers.
Helen, whatever info or pictures you
have for me will be in the 1st.Qtr.06 issue of the Thunderbolt. The 4th.Qtr.06
is at the graphic artist's office and will be out within this month of
Dec.
Thanks for all the get well
messages and prayers. I am feeling better. Bob
Howard Hensleigh
Dear Jay:
Thank you for your note and for your
interest. You have a good point. I should get up a bio and get
some of my pictures for the website. Although I have written some things
Ben and Bob have posted I have not been certain anyone would have that
much interest. I had an interesting time with the 517th and realized then
that we were doing important things in a new way of infantry deployment.
Most of us were committed to defeating the axis powers to give us a worthwhile
place to live out our lifetime, if we made it. Airborne troops along with
the marines and others made a mark in WWII. The website and Mail Call have
exceeded my expectations in telling our story. Ambrose and the Band of
Brothers has helped bring what we did to
the attention of the public
recently.
Although your fathers personal version
would have given you a flavor your family would cherish, you can get a good
sense of what he went through from the Odyssey, the website and other
books.
Thanks for the nudge. I will try to do something
about it. Howard
Hensleigh
[Original Message]
From:
Sutcliffe, Jay J
jay.j.sutcliffe@lmco.com To:
hhensleigh@earthlink.net Date:
12/7/2005 12:14:36 PM
Subject: 517
Hi Mr. Henseigh,
I got
your message from Mr. Barrett, thanks for replying. I hope
you
don't mind me writing, I got your e-mail address from the
website.
I was looking through the site hoping to find a picture of
you, but
> unfortunately there are none listed. I tried to find your
biography,
> and again nothing.
> You should post some pics and
do a biography. I think at time people fell that they are bragging or
they might not want to draw attention to themselves. I can tell you
firsthand that to someone like me these photos and biographies are
extremely important. My father told me very little of his war
experiences, and to tell you the truth I don't know who I'm more upset
with, him, or me for not asking. By reading the bios and looking at
the photos I am able to start piecing some of the pieces together, and
learn more of the 517.
Thanks again for writing, and hopefully more
people will contact Colonel North, and who knows, maybe he will do a
segment.
Thanks
Jay
Entry of Nov 15, 2005 at 18:47 [EST]
Name: Ira D. Crytzer
Unit: HQDA Civilian
EMail: fcrytzer@
verizon.net How I found the 517th page: Other
Comments:
Question: Where do I send a picture of my father, (Ira C. Crytzer, Jr.) who
was in 3d BTN, I Co, 517th as a Private or Corporal (not sure which) throughout
WWII, for your records and website? He now lives in Williamsburg, Virginia, and
is getting on in years (83 at this time):
P.O. Box 2466
Williamsburg, Virginia 23188
His most vivid memories were his time with the 517th. I want to honor him
in some way that he will remember. Are there any other members of this unit near
Williamsburg, Virginia that he can link up with?
I retired as a Department of Army Civilian (Army G-4, Logistics) from the
Pentagon on 28 October of this year. He was there at my ceremony, and my
retirement speech was a dedication to him and his experience with the 517th and
his later experience as an Air Force Officer on B-36 Bombers during the Korean
Conflict. He taught me everything I needed to know when I deployed as an Army
civilian logistics team leader with the 82d ABN during DESERT STORM, and again
with the 1st Armored Division during OPERATION JOINT ENDEAVOR (Bosnia). I want
to honor him, how do I do that?
Please advise,
(GS-14 Ret) Ira D.
Crytzer
3340 Rollingwood Drive
Woodbridge, VA 22192
(703) 583-5365