Palm Springs, CA
West Coast Party
April 20-24, 2009
Eddy Lamberty
Dear Mr. Barrett,
I've been in touch a few months ago
and I wondering if you could help me in my researches. Please find a e-mail
hereafter that I've sent to Mr. Pastalenic.
I send this e-mail a year ago but I
never received an answer.
You'll ask me why I have waited so
long but my personal troubles were too big.
In the same time, I would be
interested to receive your e-newsletter to receive news from the 517ers. Indeed,
for nearly 4 years I've not been too well and I feel so sorry that I've not
written to my friend, bill Bolin, Guy welborn, Dick seitz,...
I've met Hal Roberts (596th
Engineers) and his wife a few months ago and I've spent a few hours with them
visiting Manhay and different places where the 517th has fought during the
Bulge. We also visited the museum of the Battle of the salm River and the Battle
of the Bulge in EnnaL
Well, I hope to hear from
you
With my best wishes
Eddy Lamberty
Rue Traverse 4
4980 Trois-Ponts
Belgium
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mail sent on November 02,
2007. If Mr. Pastalenic and/or his family do not want to hear from me. Please
let me know because I have a deep respect for the veterans and I do not want to
bore them with old souvenirs. I just hope to have the chance to understand how
its dog tags ended at basse-Bodeux. Then, I would place this Tag in the museum
to honor Mr. Pastalenic who is one of our liberators.
De: lamberty2@swing.be
Sujet: I'm a
Belgian friend of the 517thes, Bill Bolin, Dick Seitz, Merle McMorrow and many
more...
Date: Vendredi 2 Novembre 2007 09:30 p.m.
Dear Mr.
Pastalenic,
Let me introduce myself, my name is Eddy Lamberty and I
live in the Ardennes, Belgium. My native village is Grand-Halleux near
Trois-Ponts, Basse-Bodeux area.
I take the liberty to write to you
because I've read (on the 517th Website) your personal story of your war time
and I'm wondering if you've ever been in Belgium.
Indeed, last
Wednesday, I got the chance to receive a US dog tag with the following
information. John M.
PASTALENIC
32830218
T-43-44BC
The problem is that your story on the 517th Website ended after
your jump in Southern France and it seems that you never took part to the Battle
of the Bulge????
The man, who gave me the dog tag, had received it
from his mother. His mother had found this tag in the house of a family member
who died several years ago and was leaving in Basse-Bodeux where the 517th was
in January 1945.
I did the researches because I'm very
interesting in the Battle of the bulge. Moreover, last February a friend of mine
opened a new museum regarding the Battle of the Bulge and more especially the
Battle of the Salm valley .
In 1999, I got the great honor to spend
3 days with the 517ers while they were in Belgium for their Tour. It was the
very last visit of Bill Lewis before he died. I'll never forget the wonderful
moments with the 517ers.
Because I know that some people try to
contact the veterans to get some stuffs, I want to assure you that I do not want
to bore you. I'm just interested in getting the information that could help me
in understanding how your dog tag ended in Basse-Bodeux???
Two
weeks ago, I got the chance to meet Morris McDowell and his wife and they
visited the museum of my friend where I and other friend have also
interests.
Well, I hope that I've not bored you with my letter. I
just wanted to get more information because our musuem want to show the material
used by the US and Germans. But our point of view is to pay tribute to the
veterans who came and fought to give us back our freedom.
So, I
would be very thankful to you if you would agree to send mesome info about the
possibilities ended in the Ardennes????
I'm thanking you in
advance,
A belgian friend of the American veterans,
With best
regards,
Eddy Lamberty
Avenue Joseph Lejeune 45
4980
Trois-Ponts
Heather Riley
Hi Ben,
I received these from Sarge (Lou Holt--- I cannot
remember how to spell his last name) before his passing. I was
never able to compare them to other photos I have seen in the media, but they
will take your breath away. I know he sent them to you as well, but they
are always worth looking at again.
May we always remember that day, as well as all other
sacrifices our service men have made for us.
Yours,
Heather Riley