Mail Call 517th Mail Call
Mail Call Archives www.517prct.org/archives
Roster www.517prct.org/roster.pdf
I know you have been out of town, but today is August 15th, and is a very special day for the 517th family. I wanted to thank every trooper in the 517th for their exceptional bravery in the most horrific war known to man. August 15th, your D-Day and jump day will always be a day I will never forget. Thank you all for your service to our country.
Below is a letter my Dad wrote to his mom on August 22, 1944, about his combat jump experience. Also in 2004 a lot of interest was discussed on email about "clickers", Challenge and Passwords being used on D-day. I thought I would include some of that information. Have a great August 15th where ever you may be and, AIRBORNE!
Lory Curtis, son of Bud Curtis, HQ, 1st BN
Combat Jump into Southern France August 15, 1944
as recorded by Bud on August 22, 1944
Dear Mom,
We boarded C-47’s (the twin engine plane that was used by paratroopers) in Italy (Chiteviccia) about 2:30 am and had a nice pleasant ride with no opposition at all. Most of us were asleep until almost time to jump. They woke us up and said we would be over the field in eight minutes. That was about 5:00 am. We stood up and hooked up. It seemed like years went by as those last minutes ticked off. I was number 13 man. The green light came on and guys began to disappear in front of me. Then there I was at the door. I had a hell of a body position. I went out of the door like I was throwing a flying block with my right shoulder at somebody. I was heading down nose first when “Wham” she opened and jerked me back up right. I looked up to make sure my chute was open and then I looked around. We must have jumped awfully high because I thought I was never going to come down. There was a low fog about a 100 feet off the ground and it looked just like water. I really thought my number was up for sure. I was cussing the Air Corps and all there ancestors for 17 generations back.
When I sank through the mist I was just beginning to figure it all out when “Thud” I hit the ground. I will never forget that morning. I was miles away from the jump field. Later I found out that it was a good thing I didn’t land on the jump field as the Germans had it all ready for us with mines, machine guns, and flame throwers. All I could see was forms of trees through the fog. I cut myself out of my chute and when I stood up I seemed to have lost my sense of balance. I fell down and rolled down the side of a mountain a few yards. I stood up again, and did the same thing again. I stood up again and took a couple of steps and fell off a ledge about 10 feet high and about broke my neck. There was dry grass all over and every step I took you could hear it for a mile. I decided to lay still for a while and see if I could figure out where I was at. I didn’t know which way to go. I heard somebody moving a little ways in front of me. I shouted the password at him hoping it was one of our guys, but instead of getting the right answer I got a couple of bullets just over my head. I took off for a big rock and figured I would have it out with the guy, but then I heard somebody behind me. Once again I made the mistake of hoping it was one of our guys and shouted the password to him and got my answer in hot lead. It was so foggy we couldn’t see each other but we could hear every move each of us made.
There must have been a whale of a patrol around me and every step I took away from them I could hear them coming closer. I knew as long as it stayed foggy I could hold them off, but it began to get light and I decided the best thing to do was make a run for it and hope they would miss. I took off zig zagging and they opened up on me, but I was lucky and got to the other side of the hill and down in the valley and there I met some of our own guys.
We climbed over another hill and came to a road and met up with most of the company. Ever since then I haven’t had much trouble. In fact the Germans are running to fast. I haven’t seen one for days
End of the letter
In 2004 an article appeared in the Thunderbolt newspaper about the challenge and password used on that first day after the combat jump. The password did match with what Bud remembered so he related to me (Lory his son) what he remembered about his jump on August 15, 2004 and asked me to write it down so it could be put on the email site that is used daily by members of the 517th and their family and friends. Bud's comments started a great deal of conversation on the email site from many troopers and what they remembered about the challenge and password that day. Some men had clickers like the 101st Airborne Division did on D-Day. Like my dad some did not have clickers.
This is what Lory Curtis worte in mail call in Feb 2004
Okay, here is more about the challenge and password.
My father (Bud Curtis, HQ, 1st BN)
did not have a clicker, but was only given the challenge and password. He
told me last night 2-11-04, when he jumped into southern France all of the
information he was given didn’t match. The moon was suppose to be on his
right side, with trees on the left. He said it wasn’t. All he saw was
clouds below. With the moon shinning on the clouds my dad thought it was
water. He began to try and release himself from his harness. He didn’t
want to drown. The harness was too tight and he couldn’t get out of it
(thank goodness for him and me!). When he landed, it was on a
terrace. He still couldn’t get out of his harness and had to cut himself
free with his knife. He said it was pitch black and he couldn’t even see
his hand in front of his face. He said he must have landed right into a German
patrol of 5 or more men. He said he took a couple of steps and fell
down the side of the terrace to a lower terrace below next to a tree.
There were leaves on the ground and every time he took a step it made a crunch
sound. He heard someone and so he quietly said, “Democracy”, the
challenge. Then waited for the password, Lafayette. It never came.
Just then he could see the silhouette of a German soldier though the haze, about
100 feet in front of him. He also heard other Germans off in the distance to his
right crunching on the leaves. The German to his front raised his
rifle. In that split second my dad was going to shoot him, but remembered
his gun powder flashed and the German’s gun powder did not. He knew if he shot
the German to his front, the Germans to his flank would shoot him when they saw
the flash from his rifle. He didn’t shoot but dove to the ground just as
the German to his front shot. My dad heard the bullet wiz by. He
laid there quietly until the Germans walked off in the other direction, I guess
thinking they killed him because they heard him fall. He lied there for a few
minutes and then got up and took off in the opposite direction and heard someone
else. He said “Democracy” quietly, no answer. He said it louder,
DEMOCRACY! He next heard an American voice say, “Shut up your going to get
us killed.” He did and was very thankful to find another American
Paratrooper, of which to this day he never knew his name, but they sure took
care of each other on that day.
Now there has been great information
about clickers and the password Lafayette. Does anyone else besides my dad
remember using the word “Democracy” as the challenge??? Also does anyone
remember using the word “Billy the Kid” if you forgot the challenge and
password?
Yesterday, early in the morning of August 15, the real story of the 517th began. After many months (one year) of training, days and nights double-timing (running) to and from daily military tasks, hours of body building exercises; many, many miles of long hot (or cold) hikes with heavy equipment and sore feet. We learned the hard way of the basic value of sleep, warmth and water to human survival; and a maneuver in Tennessee that equaled the suffering of combat. Our officers trained us well and it all came to an end, or another beginning, on August 15, 1944.
Casualties in war are of three categories -- dead, wounded, and for many, long disabling memories that should not exist. Our comrades, families, and friends share our love and memories. Our many friends we left on foreign soil are being joined today by their (our) departing comrades. Our continued existence is only supported by the association established in the memory of our departed comrades. Our family of the Auxiliary, and other supporters, shall remain as the only thread to keep alive the history of the 517th Parachute Combat Team.
God Bless our troops serving today, our departed troopers, kin, and friends. God Bless you all and in this time of need may God Bless America.
Gene Frice, President
We are the proud family
of Gene Frice and we were honored to attend the reunion in
To all you fine soldiers, it was truly an honor sharing a table with you. We will remember your stories, our children will pass them on and we look forward to seeing you all next year!
Our
love,
Mark and Natalie Frice,
Garrett (14), Carly (10) & Ethan (6)
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Ben: I would like more information on becoming a member of the 517 Auxiliary. My father was in G Company, Charles E. Wallace. Looking forward to attending the Reunion in Washington DC next year- if it still goes. Best regards, Stevenson M. Wallace Colonel, USAR Alexandria, VA Ed Meise
Here is another pic of my father Edward
E Meise taken in 1943 when he was 19. Maybe someone will remember. Please
add it to the website as he one pic there but he looks much younger in
this one. He was wounded in 1945 Thanks
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