From Wikipedia:

The Médaille militaire (Military Medal) is a decoration of the French Republic which was first instituted in 1852.

The creator of the médaille was the emperor Napoléon III, who may have taken his inspiration in a medal issued by his father, Louis Bonaparte, King of Holland. The Military Medal is issued to any non-commissioned officer or enlisted personnel who distinguishes himself by acts of bravery in action against an enemy force. Commissioned officers are not eligible. An interesting feature of the médaille is that it's also the supreme award for leadership, being awarded to generals and admirals who had been commanders-in-chief. This particular médaille is considered superior even to the grand cross of the Légion d'honneur.

More from the French Wikipedia (roughly translated):

Medal of the brave men, or jewel of the nation, such are the terms employed to describe it…

One of the most prestigious decorations in the world, but also of most original since it rewards at the same time the soldiers, graded and warrant officers and, in exceptional circumstances, the Generals having ordered in chief in front of the enemy.

By creating the Military decoration, Prince President Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte intended to reward the merits for the best soldiers and warrant officers. On March 22, 1852, vis-a-vis the carrousel of Louvre, it is addressed to the first 48 member elects thus: “Soldiers, how much time I regretted seeing soldiers and warrant officers to return in their hearths without reward, though by the duration of their services, wounds, actions worthy of praises, they had deserved a testimony of satisfaction of the fatherland!” “Is for theirs to grant that I instituted this medal (...). It will ensure 100 frank of life annuity; it is little, certainly; but what is much, it is the ribbon which you will carry on the chest and which will say to your comrades, your families, your fellow-citizens that [the person who carries it] is a brave man (...)”

John Krumm

Ben,

This is John Krumm in Stockholm, Wisconsin. My father, John, was in the Second Battalion, Company E. My email is jb_krumm@yahoo.com. (The symbol after the jb is an underscore mark.)

My wife, Irene, and I are planning a trip to Germany in June. We would like to visit the area where the 517th was stationed in Berlin at the end of the war. Could you possibly tell us approximately where they were stationed and if there are any distinguishing landmarks in that area? We certainly would appreciate any assistance you could provide on our inquiry.

Darrell Egner

Ben

The picture Bob Lynam sent in is probably not members of the 517. We wore our steel helmets when we made our 5 jumps. In the early days of Jump School they wore soft leather helmets like we wore in High School football. The ones shown in the picture look like plastic. If I remember correctly we may have been the first jump school to wear the steel helmets. Guess every one has a look alike.

Ben, if you have some information that proves me wrong (God forbid) just delete this E-mail.

Best to you and Fran,

Darrell Egner

HQ 2nd Batt

Howard Hensleigh

Note to Bill Goswick: Bill, I remember your uncle from my service in G Co. where I was assigned in November of 1943. I do not believe he was a member of the 3rd platoon where I was assigned as assistant plt. leader. Your uncle was prominent enough in the company for me to know him as a good man. While we were still at Mackall I was transferred to Hq. 3rd as assistant machine gun platoon leader where I served until the day after the jump into S. France. On D plus 2 I became the Bn S-2 (intelligence) and was well aware of what went on in the Bn. Before we left S. France we had a memorial service for all who we left there. It was the first time I had seen the flag on the field and that stirred my heart strings. There is a printed record of that memorial service which I kept and made notations of what had happened to the men I knew. Pfcs. Jesse Goswick and Hector Colo of G Co. have my hand written notation of "St. Cezare" after their names. I knew your uncle well enough to feel the loss when he was killed in that attack and remembered him well enough to make the notation months later when I got the printed list. I always thought of him as a good soldier, one we all hated to lose. I still feel that way today and appreciate your interest in learning what he did in helping liberate S. France. Men like him were the backbone of the 517th and he bore the brunt of what we accomplished.
Highest regards, Howard Hensleigh

1944 December 1 - Memorial Service (includes list of KIAs to date)

Howard Hensleigh

Dear Ben: Bob Dodds called me yesterday and we had a long chat about the 517th and his father, who passed away several years ago. His father was a sergeant in H Co. and left from Joigny to go with the 82nd on points after the fighting in Europe ended. In basic training his father was with a bunch of guys "who could not run 3 miles". He did not want to go into combat with them and signed up with the rangers. When they were training at Ft. Benning he looked up and saw a bunch of guys floating down in parachutes and asked how to get into that. Then came jump school and assignment to H Co. of the 517th. He went through all the fighting with us and was one of the few H Co. men left standing after Bergstein. What impressed me about Bob was that he had an excellent understanding of the 517th which he had gleaned from Paratroopers Odyssey, Battling Buzzards, Mail Call and the website. He had also talked with Ed Athey and Lud Gibbons who logged many miles with H Co. He then called Fred Harmon, an H Co platoon sgt. of long standing, and had a good chat with him. Fred is on my list for a call today.

This is another example of how the work of you and Bob bands (from Band of Brothers) us together. Howard Hensleigh

Richard Wheeler

Richard H. Wheeler

B Btry 460th PRCHT FA BN

Camp Taccoa - June1943 then at war's end scheduled for South Pacific

How would I acquire Morning Reports for B Btry 460th PRCHT FA BN 1943 through 1945

Thank you for your help.

Richard H. Wheeler

Katherine Kramer

***************

I have copies of the morning reports for the 517 only.The last that we heard is that the 460 morning reports are in someone's barn in Texas. No idea about 596 morning reports.-Ben

formatted pdf forms	simple Web Page format
Doubletree Hotel Registration Form Reunion schedule of Events 517th Reunion Registration Form	Doubletree Hotel Registration Form Reunion schedule of Events 517th Reunion Registration Form