Ben, as we approach another
Memorial Day I would like to pay tribute to the fine men of the 517th Parachute
Combat Team and thank them for their service to our great country. A
special tribute to our comrades who gave the ultimate in the service to our
country. We are grateful that these men are an imperishable treasure which we
will honor forever. As I have said so many, many times over the years the
men of the 517th Combat Team are the finest that ever pulled on a pair of jump
boots. For each of you and your families all good wishes for an enjoyable
and safe Memorial Day. Airborne all the way! Dick Seitz
Rick
Sweet
Hi Ben,
I do not know about Dennis
Sura, but it doesn't seem like he would not want to receive mail call. Ben your
517th web site has done so much for so many and I am certainly one of them. With
my father dying at such a young age of 33, it gives me a link to him and and his history. I have talked with you and sons of other 517th soldiers that share
similar experiences with me as children. I think I have made a few friends. It has
just been amazing how much I have been able to find out and what great men you
soldiers of the 517th are and I am able to include my dad!! Some of the children
of the 517th are pretty great people too! Lory Curtis is going to go to the
PX to buy dad's replacement medals for me that were lost in the past. I am going to make a display case for them and his flag and
proudly display them on my wall. I also asked him to send me one of his
books which I am bringing to the reunion to have all of you guys sign for
me. I am praying for the other men that are down so that they may regain
their health and join us in D.C. I also look forward to meeting you Ben. See you
soon.
Rick Sweet
Walter Smith
Hello Ben, just a note re: Russ Pease visit to 517th website.
His uncle Jim Pease was a repeat visitor to Union, S.C. as was I and a few
others during our basic there. Jim was in regimental HQ as I remember,
while I and others were from HQ company 1st. As I recall, Jim became enamored
with a Union lady whom he eventually married and returned to Union after the war
ended. I extend condolences to Russ and others of the Pease family.
Walter W Smith, HQ !st
Bob Dalrymple
Ben, Looks like we are going to have a great turnout for DC . Would that I
could join you . But I will surely be there in spirit . Bob
Don Gentry
Hello Ben,
Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service. There are many stories as to its actual beginnings, with over two dozen cities and towns laying claim to being the birthplace of Memorial Day. There is also evidence that organized women's groups in the South were decorating graves before the end of the Civil War: a hymn published in 1867, "Kneel Where Our Loves are Sleeping" by Nella L. Sweet carried the dedication "To The Ladies of the South who are Decorating the Graves of the Confederate Dead" (Source: Duke University's Historic American Sheet Music, 1850-1920). While Waterloo N.Y. was officially declared the birthplace of Memorial Day by President Lyndon Johnson in May 1966, it's difficult to prove conclusively the origins of the day. It is more likely that it had many separate beginnings; each of those towns and every planned or spontaneous gathering of people to honor the war dead in the 1860's tapped into the general human need to honor our dead, each contributed honorably to the growing movement that culminated in Gen Logan giving his official proclamation in 1868. It is not important who was the very first, what is important is that Memorial Day was established. Memorial Day is not about division. It is about reconciliation; it is about coming together to honor those who gave their all.
Memorial Day was officially proclaimed on 5 May
1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the
Republic, in his General
Order No. 11, and was first observed on 30 May 1868, when flowers were
placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National
Cemetery. The first state to officially recognize the holiday was New York in
1873. By 1890 it was recognized by all of the northern states. The South refused
to acknowledge the day, honoring their dead on separate days until after World
War I (when the holiday changed from honoring just those who died fighting in
the Civil War to honoring Americans who died fighting in any war). It is now
celebrated in almost every State on the last Monday in May (passed by Congress
with the National Holiday Act of 1971 (P.L. 90 - 363) to ensure a three day
weekend for Federal holidays), though several southern states have an additional
separate day for honoring the Confederate war dead: January 19 in Texas, April
26 in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi; May 10 in South Carolina; and
June 3 (Jefferson Davis' birthday) in Louisiana and Tennessee.
I had seen this before and maybe it was on Mail Call, just can't remember. Lizzie Palmer who put this YouTube program together is 15
years old. A great tribute to our deployed service men and women and
just how each of them relate to us, the ones safe at home. Very
moving. Stepping back in time it mirrors past conflicts and the greatest
generation.
See you in DC.
Don
-----Forwarded Message-----
From: ltccompton@aol.com
Sent: May 27, 2007 1:50 PM
To: hhensleigh@earthlink.net
4pease@comcast.net 4pease@comcast.net
Hi: Just wanted you to know that I went to the grave of Pvt Willis Woodcock, cleaned the marker and put an American flag on it. Hope you have a great Memorial Day.
Denny Compton
From: ltccompton@aol.com
Sent: May 27, 2007 1:50 PM
To: hhensleigh@earthlink.net
4pease@comcast.net 4pease@comcast.net
Hi: Just wanted you to know that I went to the grave of Pvt Willis Woodcock, cleaned the marker and put an American flag on it. Hope you have a great Memorial Day.
Denny Compton
Howard Hensleigh
Dear Denny: Thanks again from the survivors of the 3rd
Bn. 517 PIR for decorating Willis's grave site. We all remember Willis
Woodcock who died with Capt. Joe McGeever in the attempt to link up I Co. with
the rest of the Bn. on Ridge X near Col de Braus, France. Willis's platoon
leader, Lt. Reed Terrill and and Capt. McGeever's faithful man Friday, Sgt. Dan
Brogdan, were also wounded in that burst of enemy fire. Dan was
taken prisoner, survived and was released when the war ended in Europe. A
few days later in a coordinated Bn. attack, we killed or captured the entire
enemy company dug in and in bunkers that had thwarted the link up.
Reed met up with Bob Reber (81 mortar Plt. leader, wounded in the attack south of Stavelot, Belgium) in VA hospitals in the States where, I think, they both married nurses. They remained fast friends the rest of their lives and by showing up made successes out of many reunions including the first one in Chicago in 1949.
We remember these men especially each year at this time along with our other fallen comrades and thank you for decorating the gravesite of our friend and yours.
Highest regards, Howard Hensleigh
Reed met up with Bob Reber (81 mortar Plt. leader, wounded in the attack south of Stavelot, Belgium) in VA hospitals in the States where, I think, they both married nurses. They remained fast friends the rest of their lives and by showing up made successes out of many reunions including the first one in Chicago in 1949.
We remember these men especially each year at this time along with our other fallen comrades and thank you for decorating the gravesite of our friend and yours.
Highest regards, Howard Hensleigh
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Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service. There are many stories as to its actual beginnings, with over two dozen cities and towns laying claim to being the birthplace of Memorial Day. There is also evidence that organized women's groups in the South were decorating graves before the end of the Civil War: a hymn published in 1867, "Kneel Where Our Loves are Sleeping" by Nella L. Sweet carried the dedication "To The Ladies of the South who are Decorating the Graves of the Confederate Dead" (Source: Duke University's Historic American Sheet Music, 1850-1920). While Waterloo N.Y. was officially declared the birthplace of Memorial Day by President Lyndon Johnson in May 1966, it's difficult to prove conclusively the origins of the day. It is more likely that it had many separate beginnings; each of those towns and every planned or spontaneous gathering of people to honor the war dead in the 1860's tapped into the general human need to honor our dead, each contributed honorably to the growing movement that culminated in Gen Logan giving his official proclamation in 1868. It is not important who was the very first, what is important is that Memorial Day was established. Memorial Day is not about division. It is about reconciliation; it is about coming together to honor those who gave their all.
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In 1915, inspired by the poem "In Flanders Fields," Moina Michael replied with her own poem:
We cherish too, the Poppy red
That grows on fields where valor led,
It
seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies.
Traditional observance of Memorial day has diminished over the years. Many Americans nowadays have forgotten the meaning and traditions of Memorial Day. At many cemeteries, the graves of the fallen are increasingly ignored, neglected. Most people no longer remember the proper flag etiquette for the day. While there are towns and cities that still hold Memorial Day parades, many have not held a parade in decades. Some people think the day is for honoring any and all dead, and not just those fallen in service to our country.
To help re-educate and remind Americans of the true meaning of Memorial Day, the "National Moment of Remembrance" resolution was passed on Dec 2000 which asks that at 3 p.m. local time, for all Americans "To voluntarily and informally observe in their own way a Moment of remembrance and respect, pausing from whatever they are doing for a moment of silence or listening to 'Taps."