Mail Call Ben517@aol.com
Recent website additions:
paras en Provence: Le 517th PRCT Dans Les Alpes
Maritime
from Armes Militaria
Magazine (cover, article)
Hal Jeffcoat - Baseball in Wartime
| 517th PRCT Auxiliary Mission Statement |
| 517th PRCT Auxiliary Member Application 2007-2008 |
| 517th PRCT Auxiliary Officers and Committee Members 2007-2009 |
Another request from the children...a request from "Lois" about her
dad. Looking at the material she sent to me-he may have been in the
13th or some other org and later assigned to the 517 for return to the
US-or assigned to 517 after it arrived at Bragg?
I could not find the 13th Assoc on internet-I have seen it at one time
or another. I noticed from the below that he was assigned to F Co. We
had a Kennedy in F Co (I think), but not him.
Anyway-below is what she sent me.
Regards, Gene Frice
------------------------------------------------------
Gene, Thank you for the quick response. I thoroughly enjoy reading
the history. I'm sure with your help we will find the history on my
Dad. I sent you a fax tonight, around 8:30 P.M. The only medal I
have is Dads' parachute pin. (silver) For some reason I always kept
this in my jewelry box, as a child. I have never cleaned it and do
not plan to. I want it to keep its' antique look. I have one 8 by 10
picture of him in uniform. On his left arm is a patch of a parachute
and a glider above it. Would Dad have received the unicorn patch,
when he arrived overseas? I will not place my order until I hear from
you. Here is the inf, in case you did not receive the fax.
3
years of service. Dec 11, 1943 to Dec 13, 1946. Final Cert of
Honorable
discharge-James R. Kennedy 33-901-305 TECH FIFTH GRADE
(T5). Troope
E -3rd - calvalry reconndisance squadron. Separation
pt- Fort George
G. Meade, MD Dec 13,1946 ended. First Honorable
discharge certificate
- Private CoF-517 parachute infantry reg. Fort
Bragg N. Carolina Oct
30, 1945. Dad was paid $50 to reinlist and he
did. A lot of money
back then. (Gene, keep in mind, my Mom
wrote all this down, a few
yrs. ago. I have no cert. I'm not sure
where she received all the
inf. Maybe Dad told her all this. Mom
passed away March 4, this yr.
with breast cancer, age 77. Dad did say
one time, he got tangled up
in a parachute with another guy while jumping out
of the plane. I do
not know where this occurred. I remember him
saying, if you did not
jump, you were pushed out.) I will
continue: Special cert.
qualified parachutist. Jan 26,
1945. 7 JUMPS. (SOMEONE TOLD ME IN
TRAINING YOU ONLY NEEDED TO DO
4 JUMPS. I DO NOT KNOW WHERE DAD
JUMPED THE OTHER 3!!!!)
Service from Dec 11, 1943 to Oct 30, 1945.
Fort Benning, GA. 4 weeks
first training armor and
artillery-mechanics sch. Fort Knox Kentucky-
(award). Special letter
from Harry Truman on special service of country
& people of U.S.
Special cert of proficiency of armored school-May 25,
1946. CLEANED
AND TOOK CARE OF WEAPONS. Cert-Record & report
of separation.
Cert-Honorable discharge- World War II Victory Ribbon.
Parachutists
badge-M04M1 rifle badge. SERVED IN BELGIUM AND FRANCE,
DURING WW II.
He spoke some French. Gene, I pray that this helps
you. I will be
putting a small shadow box on the wall, with Dads,
medals, ribbons,
and patches. I may place his uniform picture above the
box. My 3 boys
and 3 Grandchildren never got to meet him.
Although, Dad, did get to
enjoy my oldest son, as a baby, until he 14 months
old. (then Dad
died, 1st heart attack. Gone in 3 hours. Mom
was left with 4 kids to
raise) Good Luck! Thank you, again for
helping me. Your
Airborne Gal,
Lois
