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Unit History and Archives

History and Archival Documents      Includes December 1944 roster   How to find information about a 517th soldier   Training and WWII Photos Books and References about the 517th Individual Decorations 517 Honor Roll European Grave Sites WWII Casualty Reports (under construction) WWII Recollections - Soldier's Stories Soldier Stories in the News or on the Internet Meet the Troopers   Parachute Training and World War II Documents Some of these documents are in PDF format, for easier viewing and printing.  To view these, you need to use the free Adobe Reader program, available here: (PDF*) Written Histories 1944 - Operation Dragoon After Action Reports (under construction) 1945 - 7th Armored Division After-Action Report for January 1945             includes the 517th 2nd Battalion attached (Task Force Seitz) 1945 - "517 PCT" Book - The "Blue Book" 1945 - "A Record of Company C" 1949 - History of the 13th Airborne 1985 - Paratrooper's Odyssey - A History of the 517th Parachute Combat Team 1985? - Chronicle* (A short chronicle of who, what, where, when by unit) 1988 - 517th PRCT - A Short History from Airborne Quarterly   includes 460th short history and 596th short history 19?? - Original version of the 460th history as written by Fred Brown 1989 - Autobiography of PFC Howard W. Ruppel, F Co. Part 1, Part 2 (PDF*) 198?, 1989 - Autobiography of Eugene L. Brissey, E Co. 1993 - 'Battling Buzzards' : The Odyssey of the 517th Parachute Regimental Combat Team 1943-1945 by Gerald Astor; Paperback, Hardcover 2004 - Escapades autobiography by "W.T.W." (William T. Webb)  2004 - From Breckenridge to Bastogne by Merle McMorrow 2005 - WAR - My Story of the 517th, by Jim Mortensen 460th PFAB 2005? - Airborne Invasion of Southern France - Operation Dragoon, 1944 200? - The Schmidt Bergstein Attack - Jan-Feb 1945 by Myrle Travers, F Co. 2006 - Irma's Story - 1944-1945 by Irma Targnion Oral Histories Accounts of the 3rd Battalion atttack on Manhay  - 26 Dec 1944 Recorded at the 517th Annual Reunion , Oklahoma City, 04 June 2003 Lud Gibbons, Fred Harmon, John Guthrie, Cecil Doty, John Strojan, Ben Barrett, Bob Vaught   The Hurtgen Forest  Bergstein 1945 - Part1 Part2 Part3 Part4 by Lud Gibbons, 517th (PRCT) from the DropZone web site   History of the 517th - Lt. Gen. Dick Seitz at the Savannah, GA 517th Reunion           audio     video (large file: 16 Mb) Recorded by Lance Anderson, August, 2005. Supporting Documents WWII Campaign Maps WWII Casualty Reports (under construction) Prayer of Les Quatre-Bras ???? - "What Can I Say?" poem by Lt. Dick Spencer 1985 - Paratrooper's Odyssey poem by Jack C. Casliglione 2003 - Commemorative drawing (PDF*) provided by the WWII Airborne Demonstration Team at the June 2003 517th Reunion Historical Archives 1943 - Parachute Training 1943 - Paratrooper Training - Fort Benning 1943 June 12 - "Prop Blast" Book 1943 - 17th Airborne Division football champs 1943 July 8 - Letter from Camp Toccoa, Pvt. James S. Slaten, B Co 1943 Aug 19 - Letter to Moms 1943 Sept - The Thunderbolt - Sept 1943 - excerpts 1943 Nov 23 - Postcard from Camp Mackall, Pvt. James S. Slaten, B Co 1943 Dec 4 - "Prop Blast" Book (cover only) 1943 - Christmas card from Camp Mackall 1943 Dec - The Thunderbolt - Dec 1943 - Lt. Col. J B Andersen and Joe David Brown 1944 Jan - News clippings and paratrooper knife 1944 May 1 - Letter to 596th Wives and Mothers 1944 July 9 - Memorial Service - Italy (includes list of KIAs to date) 1944 August - "TOP SECRET" 1944 October 22 - Thunderbolt newspaper 1944 November 15 - General Orders #22   Good Conduct Medals and Combat Infantryman's Badge 1944 December 1 - Memorial Service (includes list of KIAs to date) 1944 - December 9-21 - Photo of Soissons in northern France 1944 - Christmas Greetings (includes complete 1944 Team roster) 1944 - Christmas V-Card - blank copy 1944 - Christmas V-Cards from Charles Pugh and Vernon Glenn, 596th 1944 Dec 3 - Liberty Pass front back 1944 Dec 28 - Commendation Letter to 1st Battalion from General M.B. Ridgway 1945 January - Croix de Guerre citation for Capt. James P. Birder 1945 Feb 11 - Telegram reporting Robert A. Harp KIA 1945 March - "517 PCT" Book (the "Blue Book") 1945 - April - News Clippings about the 3rd Bn "Leftovers" 1945 - April - Paris Pass 1945 - SSgt Nello Arterburn - Bronze Star Award Citation 1945 May 19 - 517th Victory in Europe Prop Blast (cover only) 1945 May 22 - War Letter Home from Nello Arterburn, G Co. 1945 July 27 - General Order 48 - Awards of Silver an Bronze Stars (PDF*)  for Dallas, Hughes, Kane, Kleinendorst, Markle, Zygnowicz, Mills, Guy, Hensleigh, Kendrick, and  White (received from Becky Martinette, daughter of Maurice White) 1945 August 10 - Silver Star for William Thorng 1945 - September 28 - Paratrooper Landing postcard 1945 - "A Record of Company C" 1945 - Capt. James Birder memorial - Notre Dame 1945 1945 - Christmas Dinner - Reg.  HQ - Ft. Bragg 1946 - copy of French Croix de Guerre Citation 247 ????  - Paratroopers in gliders - Lt. Athey's story ????  - Melvin E. Biddle Medal of Honor citation ???? - Blood on the Risers - song lyrics on 517 stationery 1953 - Ancient Order of the Mulligan Guards 1976 - Terry Sanford for US President Campaign Brochure reprint 1989 - Keynote Speech by author William B. Breuer 1993 - Letter from Bob Hope 1994 - Postcard - 50th Anniversary of Operation Dragoon 2005 August 15 - Note from President George W. Bush to the August 2005 517th Reunion, Savannah, GA