Dear Ben and Bob,

Note to Grace Spano:  Thank you for informing us of Mike's passing.  We of companies H, I, Hq. 3rd and the command group all remember that tragic night when we lost half of Lt. Stott's platoon as well as Floyd Stott himself to "friendly" artillery fire that fell late and short.  But we took the town as Ridgeway had ordered, "at all costs".  We held it against counter attacks and enemy antitank fire that came sizzling down the main street at anything that moved until we knocked out their observation post.  Your husband, Mike, and the men in his platoon were in perimeter defense positions (which means they were dug in holding the line closesest to the enemy).  At this point, although it was bitter cold and we could never be sure another counter attack would not be coming, we thought the worst was over and we had things fairly well  under control. 

Then the second tragedy struck in the form of our own air corps dropping bombs on that perimeter defense those men valiantly held.  Whenever a soldier gets killed in an operation it is a tragic loss, but when it happens because of the inadvertence of our own forces, it almost impossible to accept.  Like Fred Breyer, we all thought Mike would never make it to the aid station.  Then, because of the efforts and devotion of Ben and Bob Barrett we learn that Mike survives his wounds, makes it home, is rehabilitated, marries, has a good life after the War, and he is able to correspond with the trooper who would have been in that fox hole had they not traded places.  We are happy for you and your family that you had those precious years with Mike.  But we are saddened by his death and extend to you and your family our deepest sympathy and condolences.  On behalf of all the 517th troopers, we wish you well,  Howard Hensleigh