How are you?? I just wanted to say “hello” and let you know (you may have already heard) that the article about you and the 517^th was picked up by several other papers. I know two it appeared in were The Holbrook Sun and the Norwell Mariner. My editor was planning to offer it to other editors and expected that it might be picked up by several papers around the anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge. I was thrilled it received so much attention and that so many people are learning of the website and the 517^th!

I sent Irma’s picture back along with a personal note from me and a copy of the piece from the Cohasset Mariner so she could see how it looked for real. She wrote back to me to tell me that she had received it safely and that she was happy to see the paper. I especially wanted her to see how sweet the section with her comments was and how much having her photo added to the entire story.

I also wrote to tell her a story that might be of interest to you, too. At Thanksgiving, my family went to my brother’s house for dinner (he lives in Wakefield) We were talking about the article (I send all my pieces to my brother on line and he had been particularly interested in that story. Well, his mother-in-law was there too and she was listening to the conversation. She is very interested in WWII stories, too because HER dad (who died at over 100 years old….he was born in Canada but had come to America and became an American citizen and flew the American flag every day of his life) was in the war also but in the South Pacific. She had an aunt (his sister) who had worked in a factory in this country with a woman who had grown up in Belgium and had been a young girl during the Battle of the Bulge. The lady from Belgium had many memories of this time and many stories. Apparently, the Germans had taken over their home as a headquarters but allowed the family to stay there. I guess this family had a grandmother who told the Germans, “OK, but this is my home so at night you must obey my rules!” AND they DID!!! The lady thought the Germans were really scared of the Grandmother!

I wrote this story to Irma, too and she had hears similar stories. I guess some of the Germans were quite decent to the families but others were very mean. I was just so amazed at what a small world it is that a similar story would be told at our dinner table that day. Of course my brother’s children (two boys 11 and 7) were listening and were fascinated. Not only were they learning about history but they were hearing stories about their great grandfather, great aunt, and a conversation among the rest of us about paratroopers and the bravery of the great Americans that they might otherwise have never heard.

I hope this gives you an inkling of how important the work you do is for future generations!!

All the best to you and your family,

Mary Jane.

---

Boom Boom Alicki

                       A CHRISTMAS PRAYER

     Let us pray that strength and courage abundant be given to all who work for a world of reason and understanding.
     That the good that lies in every man's heart may day by day be magnified.
     That men will come to see more clearly not that which divides them, but that which unites them.
     That each hour may bring us closer to a final victory, not of nation over nation, but of man over his own evils and weaknesses.
     That the true spirit of this Christmas Season- its joy, its beauty, its hope, and above all its abiding faith may live among us.
     That the blessing of peace be ours- the peace to build and grow, to live in harmony and sympathy with others, and to plan for the future with confidence.

---

Wayne Cross

Ben I thought the article you contributed to about the 517th PRCT was terrific.  I think the author of the article caught the spirit of the troopers who comprise this amazing Regiment but it also reflects  on the selflessness and camaraderie of this unique group of brothers-in-arms.  The work you and Bob have done has contributed significantly to the ties that bind you together as an organization but also has contributed to the education of those of us that only knew the story through a narrow field of vision.  The site has inspired me to  learn more about the the battles fought by the 517th and helps broaden my perspective of the war and the sacrifices of units like the 517th, who have not received the full measure of recognition they deserve.  It is also a lesson in how selective and narrow a view of history can evolve unless your stories are told and preserved.  

---

"Lucky" Hiers

 

Ben, from the Mail Call of 12-6 we tried to find a paper with the interview with you that was conducted by Mary Jane Hanron.   I tried several links ... but have grown discouraged!!

 

We join the chorus of the many voices who want to say thank you for having the foresight to get the 517th organized once again into the cohesive group that we are beginning to be familiar with.  We know your son was involved also and that others have probably been of service to you.  IF so, let them know how appreciated Mail Call is and how much my wife and I are looking forward to our first 517th reunion.

 

Just another old buzzard ...

"Lucky" Hiers

                                                             *********

I gave Lucky the link and received this.-

Ben

 

   

 

         

---

Tom Reber

 

Dear Ben,

 

Wonderful article, interview and message with your local newspaper.  You do a tremendous job and I appreciate you spirit and dedication.  Enjoy your holiday visit.  I will be in CA the week before you are.  Just missed!

 

Happy holidays to all!

 

Tom Reber

son of Lt. Bob Reber, HQ 3rd Bn.

---

Lucky Hiers

 

Good morning, Ben:

 

The following has a brief note from our son who is a Maj. in the Army.  He does have his paratrooper wings, but that was because he chose to take than training when he was "rewarded"  to  have "extra" due to some fine class work he did years ago. He has never been active with any Paratroop Unit as far as I know, but he is still proud of his wings.

 

YOU PROBABLY ALREADY KNOW  the link that he put into his Email to me.  I am going to go check it out right now. 

 

Trooper Lucky

 

 

 

In a message dated 12/10/2006 12:12:11 PM Central Standard Time, Davemarejz writes:

 Mom,

 

We continue to say that we need to capture all of Grampy's WWII stories and more.  Here is one way both of you could share them with a great audience, and have some assurance that his story will always be told.  I recommend this to any of his buddies from the 517th.  I literally just got a chill thinking about how great these men are, the sacrifices they made and how our youth needs to learn from them.  Our country needs their stories now more than ever.

 

www.witness-to-war.org

 

David

Forwarded

 

 Mom,

 

We continue to say that we need to capture all of Grampy's WWII stories and more.  Here is one way both of you could share them with a great audience, and have some assurance that his story will always be told.  I recommend this to any of his buddies from the 517th.  I literally just got a chill thinking about how great these men are, the sacrifices they made and how our youth needs to learn from them.  Our country needs their stories now more than ever.

 

www.witness-to-war.org

 

David

---

Gordon  Stewart

Ben

 Thanks for your email.

We have no conflict with the Liberty Jump Team, it appears that it is they who have the conflict.  As they are virtually all former members of our group it is sad that they try to undermine our efforts to honor veterans of WWII.

 Back in January 2006 the team took a decision to try and commemorate the 517^th, 551^st and 509^th by making a jump at the commemorative events in 2007. For some unknown reason, the Liberty Jump Team later decided to try and prevent us from doing this by initiating their own jump proposal.  If that is their aim then we want nothing to do with them.  We will go our own way and they can go theirs.

 I have been in contact with Jean Michael and Eric and have asked them to secure an invitation from the Organizers of the events in Southern France.  We have heard nothing back and I think a lot of this has to do with the confusion being caused by both approaches.

 I believe that we have been approached about a jump on 22 August 2007 as part of the Liberation of Cannes but as yet we have not finalized arrangements.  We have received support from the 509^th and 551^st and will be bringing veterans from both organizations as long as they are fit to travel.  We have sought the support of the 517^th and would welcome a decision one way or the other.

 I thank you for your continued support and I still look back at the 2003 reunion in OKC as one of our best evenings.

 Kind regards and season greetings

 Gordon Stewart

WWII Airborne Demonstration Team Foundation

www.wwiiadt.org

Help us "buy our bird" by clicking  here

---

DeLoy Cooper (The 275 AFA Bn)

Hey Ben,

Thanks for the message. I think I remember the 517th. Was it a Paratrooper out fit. I know we worked with a Paratrooper unit a time or two. I was with a forward observer team that went along with the paratrooper unit and directed Artillery fire to support them. At my age I have trouble remembering numbers, but I'm sure it was a five something number. They had been over there a very long time, and very few of the original troopers had survived. I worked with a Lt named Dean at that time.

Your Friend De

This is the Artillery unit that supported us at Manhay.-Ben

---

This is how we traveled to Soissins December 1944. A Bill Mauldin cartoon-Ben

---