Kenton Immerfall
I also want to thank Claire for her insights from one of the brave
soldiers who made it back from WW II and the European Theater. I also
watched the Ken Burns Special as I do anything that comes on TV about WW
II. I keep thinking that one of these days I'll see Uncle Floyd or a 517th
patch on one of his buddies go by the camera. Claire's comment about
soldiers writing down or recording their experiences is not new but still is a
darn good idea. The question for many soldiers, however, is..."Do I want
to relive that time all over again?" Some men and women can, others
can't. It is even difficult to encourage older family members to discuss
or record their experiences when genealogy research is being gathered.
Some things are just too painful to "want" to remember and relate to
others. Each person needs to deal with their past the best way they know
how. I respect their wishes. And back to Ken Burn's The
WAR... I found a comment made by one of the returning soldiers
interesting. He spoke about people, who remained stateside, thanking every
soldier as if they all fought in battles. There was no differentiation
whether a person typed in an office away from the front or if a person
loaded/unloaded ammo from ships. I wonder how the men of the 517th felt
about their comrades who were soldiers but did not see action. I guess
I've wondered about this for every war. Kenton Immerfall
Leo P. Dean
2 October 2007
Recently there were three WWII airplanes at the Schenectady
airport. A B-17, the Flying Fortress, a B-24, the Liberator, and a B-25,
Mitchell.
Last Saturday one of my instructors at Mohawk Valley Skydiving
called and asked if I would like to jump out of the B-17. Of course I said
yes.
Sunday, September 30th, eleven of us went from the airfield at
Mohawk Valley Skydiving to the Schenectady airfield. Only less than 10 miles
away.
We climbed into the B-17 for a dry run. Not much room in the bomb
bay. It only held twelve 500 lb bombs, six on each side of the bomb
bay.
Then we went into the hanger and put on our gear and got back into
the B-17. Took off. Leveled off at 6,000 feet. To the Drop Zone. Six
climbed into the bomb bay. Doors opened. They dropped out.
Plane came around for a second run. The rest of us climbed into the
bomb bay. Again the door opened and we were over the drop zone. We dropped out.
A few seconds later I looked at my altimeter and already I'm down to 4,000 feet.
I popped the chute. Landed right in the middle of the circle. TV cameras
rolling!
Adrenaline really pumped up!
**********
Any volunteers for backup Secretary-Treasurer just in
case? - Ben
From: 1/Lt. Greg "Popeye" Henesy [mailto:g.henesy@airborne506.org]
Sent: Friday, October 05, 2007 9:15 PM
To:
webmaster@517prct.org
Subject: 517 Vet
Sir,
I was
contacted recently to research information on a WWII veteran by the name of
James Ramsey Kennedy, serial 33-901-305, by his daughter, Lois. She
advised that he past away in the mid 60's when she was 19 and she is
trying to piece information together. He mother has also passed on and
the only things she has to go on is a picture of him with an Airborne
Command patch, his jump wings, and a handwritten brief stating that he
joined in December 43, was in the 517 PIR, was in France and Belgium, 13th
Airborne, and re-enlisted in November 45. Not a lot to go on, but
she looking for guys who may have known him, what company he was in, and
where he might have been. Any guidance would be appreciated.
Greg
Henesy
Matt Greene
Hello Ben, My wife & I enjoy getting Mailcall very much. Sorry we
haven't been able to come to the reunions lately. We don't feel that strong any
more. Hopefully we can come to the next one.
Do you still have the decals of
the 517th PCT for car windows? We bought a new car & would like one for it.
Thanks much.
Matt Greene G. Co. 735 E 11000 S. Sandy, UT 84094
Jean-Loup Gassend
Dear Ben
I would like to ask any guys from H company,
but particularly Tom MacAvoy, if they can tell me why Paul
Desso is listed
as missing in action in France on August 21st 1944? Was he wounded, captured,
etc??? I
saw he was at some reunions after the war, so obviously he
survived the war.
Thanks
Jean-Loup Gassend
jean-loup@gassend.com