Ben: I have scanned pictures and some notes my brother wrote
in his Paratroop Training Book I discovered.
My brother wrote some notes on the left side of the page opposite
the pictures. They very readable and interesting to read his thoughts at
the time.
He writes in Spanish about meeting some Hispanics about playing
music and their patriotism and experiences. I did not translate
them. I can if anyone is interested.
My brother apparently had some close Hispanic buddies from El
Paso, Texas buddies based on their writings on pages 31-32-33-34. They
are: Grabiel Gutierrez, Raul Dominguez, and Julio Gonzales and one
from Juarez, Mexico name Alberto Sanchez.
There are also some other friends who signed his booklet in page
order. I would like to meet any of them if they are going to attend the
Washington, DC reunion this month.
Page 22
Dalton E. McKeever
Page 23
Andrew Paul Lubic, 904 4th Ave, Oberlin Gardens,
PA
George Raymond Monkhouse, 1432 Pollister Ave, Detroit,
Michigan
Joseph P. Collins, 1224 Watson AVe, Scraton, PA Phone
44238
On Page 24
Donald G. Ralph, 1?53a Van Ness Ave, So., San Francisco,
CA
James A Wilson, 420 Sayre St. Montgomery, Ala.
George E. Roller, 6901 Detroit, Ave., Cleveland,
Ohio
Michael A. Sutra, 4520 S Justine, Chicago, Illinois
Page 25
Dewey B. Darrow, Randall, New York
William R. Connett, Jr, Richmond, VA
DeWitt H. Brand, Route 4, Box 92, Baton Rouge,
Louisiana
Pvt. Les R. Bernard, Maliisut Hiclong??, Court 5, New
Brunswick, Canada
Pvt. Elroy C. Olson, Dresser, Wisconsin Box115
Pvt. Donald Bandy, 548 Hampton Road, Columbus 4,
Ohio
Page 26
Carmen Mayfredonia ??, Philadelphia, PA
John A. Mangan, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Manuel B. Fernandez, 621-28 77th Place, Elmhurst, L.I., New
York
These photos are some of the best that I have ever seen about our
training .
Guest Book Entry
Name: Joe Combest
From: Duncan, OK
E-mail:
joe@combestfinancial.com
My dad is Ben Combest. He was in G company, 3rd platoon I think. It has been a few years since I
first found this site and my e-mail address has changed. Dad is doing
well. I look forward to hearing from anyone who knew him during his time
with
the 517th.
Thanks.
Joe Combest
Wayne Cross
Ben, I had a wonderful call with Howard H. last night and one
of the many subjects we discussed were the differences between Gen Walsh's
command style and that of Col. Graves. Howard mentioned that Gen. Walsh
was into the fine details and went so far as to proscribe a specific way in
which he wanted all the troopers to lace their jump boots. Needless to
say, Col. Graves did not feel the need to manage to this level of
detail. Well it got me to thinking and I consulted some old "Static Line"
articles my father had written and sure enough I got the skinny behind why Gen
Walsh wanted troopers to "lace up" in a uniform manner. I'll take up where
my Dad left off about 20 years ago:
"Now 48 years later it suddenly
dawns on me why I still lace my civilian shoes in our old jump boot "ladder
style" wherein each part of the lace is parallel to the others. This
started in Toccoa when Major Paul D. Vella, our Regimental Surgeon, convinced
the Regimental Commander, then Colonel Louis A. Walsh Jr., that it made common
sense to have a uniform "ladder style" of boot lacing in the event that one of
us suffered a jump/wound injury in the area covered by the boot. Major
Vella felt that our Medics could quickly cut the laces without harming the
patient and the cherished jump boot. Thus with a quick slash of the jump
knife, off came the boots."
So what some might have perceived as an an
arbitrary and capricious act, might actually have had some sound thinking behind
it. Now remembering back on my own childhood, what may be a little
weird is how my father also taught his children to "lace up" the same way!
Best wishes for a wonderful reunion!.