TO MRS. COFFMAN
SOMETIMES WHEN WE MEET A PERSON, INSTINCT TELLS US
IMMEDIATELY THAT THIS PERSON IS GENUINE. THIS WAS MY PERCEPTION OF FRITZ WHEN
BEN INTRODUCED HIM TO ME AND MY SON IN KISSIMMEE 3 YRS. AGO . WE HAD QUITE A
LONG CONVERSATION WHICH I ENJOYED TO NO END. AT A LATER REUNION WE MET AGAIN AND
I STARTED TO KID HIM ABOUT BEING THE ONLY MAN IN ARMY HISTORY THAT HAD TWO
SERIAL NUMBERS. IN RESPONSE, HE ALWAYS REFERRED TO ME AS "JARHEAD". FAIR ENOUGH.
WE WERE GOOD FRIENDS. I KNOW MANY PEOPLE WILL MISS HIM.
I WISH YOU AND YOUR FAMILY THE BEST.
TOM STADLER
Chis Liddell
Dear Ben,
Please post on Mail
Call that my prayers and thoughts go out to the Fritz Coffman family. I'm
glad that he got to see you guys one last time before he passed away. I'm
sure that meant a lot to him.
Your
Friend,
Chris
Tom McAvoy
Ben I remember a Elmer Anderson I thought from 1st
Btn. He was attached
to Regt. Hdq Co. for Intelligence section training
in Toccoa Ga. and
could have very well been taken back to Regt. . Hdq.
Co. for the jump
into France. However the Elmer I remember
was married just before we
left for overseas, so he told me. I
considered him a very good friend,
and was very sadden to hear he had been
KIA in France. Would like to
hear from anyone that has any
information about him. He was from
Indianapolis Ind. and I
was from Terre Haute Ind. The pictures I see
here are not of the E. Anderson
I knew, that I can recall here some 62
years later. Tom McAvoy
Entry of Mar 09, 2006 at 20:15 [EST]
Name:
Edward Sorensen
Unit: 11th Airborne Prcht. Maint.
Co. l946 - l952
EMail: anned2@
verizon.net How I found the 517th page: A friend told
me
Comments: To: Lt. Col. Thomas R. Cross I would like
information regarding the Parachute Riggers Red Cap. Several years ago I read an
article you wrote concerning the origin of the Riggers insignia and cap. By the
way, I still have my original sleeve insignia from l948. If I recall
correctly, the Riggers Cap was originally in several colors such as: red -
packing section; green - aerial supply section; black - air force supply
section; yellow - maintenance section. I would like to know what publication
printed your article as I cannot recall where I read it. I would greatly
appreciate any information you could furnish me on this subject. Thanking you in
advance. Sincerely, Edward Sorensen
Tom Cross
Ed:
Nice to hear from you after all of these many
years. You almost had a perfect score on the color of the 11th Airborne Division
Parachute Maintenance Caps. The color for the Air Force Supply Section was blue
not black. We never used a black color. I believe that 11th Parachute
Maintenance Company Hq. element also wore the blue cap but am not positive
on that. Major John Concordia, The Company Commander , is deceased as is most of
the Company Headquarters Section. Bob Taggart or Dave Peters might have a more
positive recall on this subject.
We had an outstanding organization that was never
duplicated by other similar outfits. Our Parachute Rigger Wings were not
approved until 1986 some 36 years after we designed the cloth Parachute Rigger
Wings which are, as far as I know, are still worn on the red cap by the 82nd
Airborne Division Riggers.
Best Wishes, Tom Cross
Gene Brissey
Hi Ben:
Hope to see you in Palm Springs.
Gene
Timothy Williams
Dear Ben Barrett:
My Uncle was a member of the 517th.
Kenneth E. Miller, SSGT HQ Company
2nd Battalion (Supply)
He has
been gone now for a few years but before he died I did get some of his wartime
information but a few questions have come up as my research progressed. I
am writing a book for our family of all our military members through the
centuries.
I haven't found him listed so far on what is
on the website (other than the 1944 Christmas program). I'm looking for
the action or dates he received his wounds for his Purple Hearts (2). And
also when he was awarded his Combat Infantry Badge. I'm also curious as to
when he joined the Regiment. He had been in the service since April of
1940.
The other question is kind of generic.
Because the 517th was pretty much an independent unit, after leaving the 17th
Airborne Division what patch was worn by most of the Regiment? I know
operationally they fell under various units for short periods of time, but was
there any one patch that was worn throughout the war? I know many soldiers
didn't wear any unit (division) insignia on combat clothing but was there
anything to identify an individual trooper as being attached to the 517th?
Part of the reason I ask is I participate in
various WWII reenactments and living history events and would like to portray
the 517th. I am also making shadowboxes for my cousins (Kenny's son's) and
would like to include as much information and material as possible. Most
of the family is unaware of his (and many other family members) contributions to
the freedoms we enjoy today and the sacrifices they have made.
Do you know of anyone who may have known
him? And is there any way for me to get in touch with them?
Thank you for any help you can provide. I
would very much like to be included on the Mail Call list.
Timothy D. Williams CTA1(SS/SW), USN Retired 9 Bucksport Rd. Ellsworth, ME 04605 207-667-9735 twilliams@mainecf.org
Bob Barrett
Yes, this is the unit that provided the honor guard and the commemorative
drawing at the 2003 reunion.
I don't know why I didn't do it earlier, but I just added a link to them on
the Friendlies page.
Bob
*************
Bob is referring to WWII Airborne Demonstration Team
Foundation Mail Call 10075
Click on Commemorative drawing (PDF*) provided by the WWII Airborne
Demonstration Team. This drawing tells part of the history of the 517
by Dan in a manner better then we could. The Honor Guard provided
by the WW11 Airborne Demonstration Team at the 03 reunion in Oklahoma
City was also top drawer.-
Ben