Website
www.517prct.org
Mail Call 517th Mail Call
Mail Call Archives www.517prct.org/archives
Roster www.517prct.org/roster.pdf
Annual Reunion
July 17-22, 2006
Portland, OR
Mail Call 517th Mail Call
Mail Call Archives www.517prct.org/archives
Roster www.517prct.org/roster.pdf
Annual Reunion
July 17-22, 2006
Portland, OR
Recent website
additions:
More from Herbert Downs and
friends, H Co.
From the website
| WWII Recollections - Soldier's Stories |
| Soldier Stories in the News or on the Internet |
|
Irma Targnion
Dear Ben,
I sent you a mail with a story Maria gave me about a
young man who was hidden in their farm and capted by the
germen.(1942). I hope you received it. My love to all of you.
Irma.
Dear Ben, dear friends,
Did you received our wishes for a happy
Easter ? I sent it on april 14th. The spring is very late this year in
Belgium and to day we are very happy because we have a nice sunny day. On
last friday, we went to Henri-Chapelle cemetery and we paid homage to
517th graves. Maria was especially touched when she
honoured the soldier WILKINS who was KIA in
Bergeval. We had a ceremonies with flowers at the base of the "Angel
Monument". Maria gave me the story of a young boy from the belgian Eastern
Townships. This part of Belgium was an annexed territorry (by Germany)
here, we were an occupied territory. So, the young boys had to be soldier
for Germany. Some of them escaped to stay here. Irma.
Bergeval - 1942, july 2d
----------------------------------
I'll never forget this special day. We hid at
home a young boy from Waimes ( annexed territory) His name was Joseph
GERARDY. Joseph was "refractaire" it means that he did not want to be a
soldier for Germany. Many boys from this part of Belgium escaped and were
hidden in the farms in our area. It was the haymaking season and we were
working very hard so, this morning of july 2d we were sleeping deeply when
Joseph opened the door of our bedrooms and said : "the Gestapo is on the
front door. He said : "I will jump thru the window" it was too late a
Gestapo man was in the window with a revolver and a feldgendarmewas there
too with a sub-machine-gun. The felgendarmes were really terrifying with
their helmet and they roared. We got up, we dressed up and we went
downstairs (my mother, Joseph and me). 2 men from the Gestapo interrogated
us and the others were searching everywhere in the house. They wanted to
know the name of the boy, his real identity. We kept silent. During our
questioning, Joseph tried to escape but the german soldiers run and shoot
him. Joseph was wounded in his back and in the shoulder. When the Gestapo
left with the wounded boy, they told us : "we shall come back to take your
mother". We could not sleep during a long time. Joseph came back to Waimes
after 3 years in a concentration camp. He died in 1990. I was (Maria) 16
years old at this time and to see a german shooting a boy is a thing
you'll never forget.
The Mayor of Trois-Ponts, Mr Noël was taken
off to prison on the same day because they made cards for supplies
to help people. Mr Noël hid also young men from the Eastern townships. He
staid 3 years in Buchenwald and he came back in a sorry state. The
secretary died in the camp.
Maria GASPAR.
Joy Bryceson
I am writing for my father, Gene Camplin, HQ 1st, as he does not have
e-mail access. I would love to be on this list so I can pass information on
to him. He is still interested in the people of the 517th although he
has not attended a reunion in many years due to eyesight and health
problems although, he is doing pretty well for 83 years old.
Thank you for your work helping to keep the communication lines open
between the members of the 517th.
Thank you,
Joy Bryceson
**************
Gene Camplin was the President of the 517th PRCT 1977-1979.-Ben
Lyn Vickers ( Widow of David Vickers G Co.
)
The Widdah Lyn, Cocoa, and Poopin Pepper the Crappin
Cajun
Gordon Stewart
Ben
Yes we
did and the Honor was all ours. I sat and had dinner with some of your veterans and it was one of the best evenings I have ever spent. The stories they told made me proud of you all. Thanks
again. ************** Gordon Stewart is the Executive Officer of the WW11 Airborne Demonstration Team Foundation. They provided the Honor Guard at the Oklahoma City reunion and they were outstanding. We have on our website Commemorative drawing (PDF*) provided by the WWII Airborne Demonstration Team at the June 2003 517th Reunion-Ben |
