Hi Ben,

I appreciated your time on the telephone the other day.  We can’t make the reunion at Salt Lake as family will be visiting at the time.  Please give my best to Merle and Mardy.

I hope you won’t mind my requests.  I’d like the new wings and a new sweat shirt (med.) .
Our address is 1014 North Hill Road, Arkport, NY 14807.  We will reimburse you for those and shipping costs.

Just a short note in regard to the R.R. Embankment and vineyard, as I remember it real well. The lieutenant was first over the embankment, the Sergeant followed, and I was the third man over.  As I worked through, I was seriously injured by a German burp gun in the vineyard. Wally Vincent was responsible for finding me, and sending medics to cart me back to the field hospital.  Wally is alive, listed in the Roster. We still talk occasionally by phone.

There is a report recording Company “H” events, written by Wayne Cross and approved by Capt. Marvin D. Morris,  I also spoke with Howard Hensleigh about the incident when he was in Connecticut.  There are two listings about this - pg, 61 in “The Odyssey” and pg. 203, “Battling Buzzards”.

Thanks so much, Ben, and have a great time at the reunion.

Best regards,

John Pastalenic

Dear Tom,(Tom Weil)

I'm taking this means of answering you because I can make the print larger--easier for 80 year old eyes to see, and if Ben wants to put it in Mail Call, he will have it too.  Here is a run down on the some of the post war activities of the troopers of the 3rd Bn. S-2 section.

Rene Benoit returned to his home, wife and family in Vermont, raised a family of 4 or 5 Kids, ran an automotive repair business and later worked for the State on parks etc.  He always kept the motors running as he did for us.  He passed on fairly recently.

Chuck Boyer went back to California, married the girl he wrote to every day (rather than becoming a priest) raised a family of several children, made a good living in the insurance business and eluded us for a number of years.  We had a good time several years ago with his widow at a reunion in Palm Springs, CA.  Our most recent contact has been with the Chief of Stall of the Joint Chiefs who is Chuck's nephew. 

Jack Castiglione.  We tried to locate Jack as we did you for many years.  One day my secretary at Raytheon's Bedford Labs in Massachusetts came into my office stating that a man was on the phone demanding to speak with the 90 day wonder.  One of the lawyers who worked for me had been a captain in the JAG solved her question and sent her over to me to take the call.  This must have been at least 20 years ago.  Jack went back to the Philadelphia area and carried on a building business in nearby Delaware; a couple of his sons joined him later in life.  Jack passed on several years ago.

George Meline started a photography business in his home town in northern California but later went into teaching and became principal of the school, a job he held for many years.  George raised four children and at present is enjoying retirement.

Ray Scruggs returned to Pennsylvania, worked in the printing business for his professional life, married and raised four kids.  Ray passed away several years ago.

Francis (Frank) Wakeman returned to the Sioux reservation near Flandreau, S. D. where he farmed for many years and then did construction work all over the country.  He raised four children and I was able to visit him and see the grave of his grandfather, Chief Little Crow.  You may remember, we called him the Chief, but I am not sure we put all that together.  George Meline and I were invited to the PowWow at Flandreau several years after Frank's death to honor him, were purified by the Medicine Man before we eulogized him over loud speakers to the crowd. 

So, like you, all of us were married, raised families and did our bit after the War.  Jack, Ray and George all married ladies whose names were Betty and Jack and George were married on the same day without knowing it until years later.  I think it is accurate to say we all had four kids each.  One other thing we all have in common is the fact that we pulled many patrols out beyond our lines, got the job done and all lived to tell about it.  I think we were good at it, but I am willing to credit Devine Providence.  All of us but you, Frank Wakeman and Chuck Boyer got together for reunions, one of which started at my house in Carlisle, MA and ended up with the national in Albany NY sponsored by Bill Boyle, the 1st
Bn. Co.

I must repeat that George and I are happy to have found you able to communicate by email.  It completes a tight circle.     Now that we have made contact, you should give us a brief account of the sixty plus years since we split up.  As I recall you had something to do with the stock market before you became a trooper.  If you stayed with it, we won't blame you for the present mess on wall street.

Again, it was great to hear from you.  Howard Hensleigh