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Hi Ben,
I am Eileen Broudy and have met you at the reunion in Savannah and WA
DC.  I am also sad to hear about the passing of Major Don Fraser as he
was a great friend of my father's.
Please add me to the mailing list
Leenieshaw@aol.com

Thanks,
Eileen Broudy Shaw

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Ben,

Don Fraser saved my Dad's life at the Battle of the Bulge, and for sure
saved his hands from freezing.  Below is an exert from my book I wrote
about my Dad, and how Major Fraser saved his life.  Major Fraser was a
true American Hero. 

"Sometime in early January 1945, while in Belgium during the Battle of
the Bulge, Major Don Fraser, Executive Officer of the First Battalion
was transporting Bud and some other soldiers to another location in his
jeep.  Bud had taken off his gloves because they were soaking wet.
Major Fraser noticed that Bud was trying to keep his hands warm with no
success.  Major Fraser took off his gloves and told Bud, “Here take
these gloves.  I can get more but you can’t.”  Bud was very grateful
and never forgot Major Fraser’s kindness.

Since learning about the glove incident I wanted to know more about it.
I posted an email message on the 517th mailcall site, asking if Major
Fraser was out there and if he remembered the glove incident.  Much to
my surprise the following email was posted to the site on May 27, 2004:

In an email message, Jay Littlefield, Major Don Fraser's grandson wrote
this about the gloves:  “This is Jay, the 20 year old grandson of
Major Don W. Fraser.  I showed him the story that your father
remembered, and my grandfather immediately picked up on it.  He told me
to tell you that the jeep was from Rome, Italy, and he stole it from the
British for Colonel Boyle.  He said that it had no top or windshield.
He also added, “Keogh was my driver, he could see in the dark like a
cat.” He also remembered the glove incident as well.  He wanted me to
tell you that he did get another pair of gloves from Bill Price, the
S-4, and that the wet gloves were placed on the radiator to dry off.  He
was very happy to hear that someone else remembered that jeep and
gloves, etc.  He also added that Airborne units never got many vehicles,
so whenever they would need something they would steal it.  He said that
they just had to paint over the numbers on the bumper and paint 517
instead. On this jeep they had to paint over the British emblem on the
hood as well.  Thank you very much for your email, my grandfather’s
eyes lit up when he read the letter.  It was good to see that he has his
memory so intact.”

On July 19, 2006, at the 517th PRCT reunion in Portland, Oregon, Bud
Curtis and Don Fraser met for the first time since the war.  Both of
these men remembered that day in Belgium when Major Fraser gave Private
Curtis his gloves.  Major Fraser related, “My gosh his fingers were
frozen stiff and I knew he needed my gloves. I could always get more but
he couldn’t.”  To this day and all of his life Bud never forgot this
kindness.  Now these two men had time to talk about their lives,
children, and grandchildren.  It was a great reunion."

Attached is a picture of Major Fraser, I cant seem to get it to paste
here in the email.  Hope you can put it on Mailcall.

Lory Curtis, son of Bud Curtis, HQ, 1st BN 

Don Fraser, Bud Curtis, Bill Boyle

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