Mail Call 517th Mail Call
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In September 1944, we have knew an incredible joy and we cryed for joy when the american soldiers liberated us from the enemy. We should have wished to touch those heroes, the first soldiers arriving were a patrol jeep. They seemed to come from an other world, a world of freedom and we lost our freedom for a long time. I have to say that the Germans just left us during the night before and the English language was so soft to us after the screams of the SS. The German soldiers told us as they left : "We went away but we shall come back for Christmas". My mother was very impressed and in spite of the general euphoria, she stayed anxious. All of us, young people, we were so happy until December 17th when the American troops retreated. On the day after, Peiper and his armoured division arrived in Trois-Ponts and the bridges began to blow up, so they could not cross the river Salm and follow to Liège. On December 20th, the 505th was on the left bank of the river Salm and we could hear the noises of the battle. We still hope to escape but the 505th retreated during the Christmas Eve. On the Christmas Day, we decided to go to the church, big surprise, the village was crowded with German soldiers. We went back to home and we spent a hard and painful day. We stayed in a cellar with a solid and strong vault, afraid and worried. On January 1st, a German officer told us that we must leave the village, he gave us 2 hours, he said :"Go to Rochelinval". We left, it was so sad to see all the inhabitants leaving home while the shells blew all around. It was miraculous nobody was wounded. I have a funny souvenir (funny by now). As we arrived on the hills, we heard a burst of machine gun, everybody jumped into a ditch. Later, all clear, we could see on the road the baby carriage - with the baby alive - that my neighbour forgot on the middle of the road.
As we arrived in Rochelinval, a German captain asked us, "Where are you going? You cannot stay here. It is more dangerous than Bergeval. Go to Farnières". We walked hours and hours through the woods. On this day, just a little snow, the snow came during the night and the days after. At least, we arrived in Farnières. A Salésiens School, (Don Bosco) There were 798 refugees. The battle for this place lasted 3 nights and 2 days. The American soldiers arrived on January 7th, they were dirty and tired (like all of us) men from 504th and 551st. They all were thinking that they were in Germany, so they were not very happy to learn that they were still in Ardenne. On January 9th, I wanted to go back to Bergeval with a neighbour. Bergeval was freed by 517th on January 4th, those American soldiers just stayed a few hours in Bergeval for a little rest and they followed the battle on the hills around the village. It was in those woods that Bill Boyle and Charles LaChaussee were seriouly wounded and many others, the 517th had considerable losses.
I cannot describe the state of shock I was as I saw my village -- houses burned, killed animals, German material, guns, grenades, mausers, wandering cows looking for food. Desolation, grief and sorrow. It was on my way from Farnières to Bergeval that I could see all the young American soldiers killed along the way. I was really shocked and 57 years later I am still traumatized and I feel guilty because they died for me and my country. They always will be in my heart. When we went back to Farnières, the Americans had begun the evacuation of the civilians. On January 10th, we were evacuated to Charneux near Herve, a long and cold trip of 5 hours. People of Charneux were very kind to us to feed and warm us. We stayed until February 12th. When we came back in Bergeval, we could live in our devastated houses, the life was hard but we were in good health and free. Unhappily because of the great sacrifice of those valourous young american men who died and suffered for our Liberty. I shall never forget.
Maria Gaspar
Ben:
Please convey my thanks to Howard Hensleigh.
Years ago I got from Larry Shipp that he jumped with the Third Bn. near Callian. Understand he was involved in the incident in a valley east of Callian, cited in Paratrooper's Odyssey, during which some Frenchmen separately asked Lieutenant Skutnik of the Service Company and Sergeant Gibbons of the Engineers to assist Shipp and others in a road block firefight nearby. They, led by the Frenchmen, arrived in the valley to find the firefight still in progress, joined in and the event was soon terminated. Believe a truck and a bus were destroyed during the action and an enemy group captured. Shipp told me this was the only time he could recall, during his time in combat, ever closely checking on the results of his direct participation. I assume he then rejoined the Service Company and proceeded with Lieutenant Skutnik to Ste Roseline.
In trying to piece Shipp's story together, I have begun to understand and appreciate the value of Service Company personnel beyond their basic service duties. For example, in a telephone conversation with Forest Wellman, Service Company, yesterday I learned that he was routinely assigned to the mail operation; however, he suited up once or twice to make a combat jump but General Patton's troops overran the drop zones before his jump. From Forest Wellman's example and the difficulty of putting Shipp's story together by studying the various 517th Company narratives which seldom get down to Service Company individuals or components assigned to a Company for a specific purpose, I am delving into the complexities of the time and place. I assume that is still the case in today's military. Years ago Shipp told me that it would probably be impossible to put his time together in a cohesive manner as he was always moving from one assignment to another with different companies. This is proving to be the case.
Again my thanks to Howard Hensleigh for his insights on the Service Company during Dragoon and to you.
Harris Johnson