Ben:  Thanks to Wayne Cross for the historical update as the anniversary of our invasion of Southern France approaches.

Here is a little more detail on the attack on St. Cezaire only a week after we jumped in.  There is no doubt that Company I deserved the commendation from Major Geneneral Frederick and I am sure Frank Dallas would have wanted the credit to reflect on the entire company.  this is an example though of the many unit accomplishments that can be narrowed down to the effecteve and heroic deeds of one or two men.  Within the battalion, it was well known that then Sgt. Frank Dallas and Pvt. McQuade cleared out a path in enemy lines for I Company to surge "through heavy fire up the mountainous slope to take the objective."  I always had the idea that these two crack shots covered each other as they cut through a hundred yard enemy defensive position.  I talked to Frank about it a few years ago and learned that he broke through much as I had envisioned and got behind the defense line.  Then with the enemy facing the other way he eliminated that part of the defense of St. Cezaire that would have given the rest of I Company fits as they surged up the mountainous slope.  Frank was not too specific about how McQuade fit into the picture, but I do know that we gave the two men credit for the taking of St. Cezaire with few casualties.  The 517th and the 3rd Bn. in particular were better at doing what was necessary in the winning of the war, than taking care of the paper work.  In spite of how well known these facts were among the leaders of the battalion, neither man was written up for an award.  We did not rest long in St. Cezaire, but went on east the next day in pursuit of the enemy who were being pushed steadily toward Sospel and the Italian border.  There was a bright ending for Frank in all this.  Only a few years ago a number of I Company men who remembered the attack petitioned the Army to award Frank the silver star for his action in the attack on St. Cezaire.  When they were turned down, some of them got in touch with me and I supplimented their write up and strongly recommended the belated award.  To my great satisfaction the Army came to its senses and awarded Frank the silver star a number of years after his retirement as a Lt. Col.  For those of you who have purchased a copy of the recently reprinted Paratroopers' Odyssey you may see the tribute to Frank and the rest of the unsung heroes of the 517th to whom the reprint is dedicated on the first few pages of the book. 

Howard Hensleigh