70 Pleasant St. Cohasset, MA. 02025 ,781 383 0215 * Mail Call : Ben Barrett Ben517@aol.com

Hello,

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It would be helpful if all mailers would use at least Font. 14. It makes reading some what easier for some members.

Please send links when possible. It saves me for searching for the link and saves space on Mail Call.

Donations for whatever program involving the 517th should be sent to our treasurer Leo Dean at 14 Stonehenge Lane, Albany 12203

Please let me know if you want to receive Mail Calls or if you have a problem receiving them. You can always read back Mail Calls by clicking on www.517prct.org/archives

Ben

Website                                www.517prct.org
Mail Call                               Ben517@aol.com
Mail Call Archives               www.517prct.org/archives
Roster                                  www.517prct.org/roster.pdf

Recent website additions:

video: First Airborne Task Force prep, with Bill Boyle

Dick Spencer - HQ CO, 3rd Batallion

Leo Balestrini - 460 PFAB, Battery A

Remembrance of Capt. Robert P. Woodhull, by Tory Parlin

2009 Europe Road Trip Photos

Florida Mini Reunion
January 16 - 20, 2010

Location: Ramada Gateway Hotel
                  Kissimmee, Fl 34747
                  Reservations: 1-800-272-6232
                                             www.ramadagateway.com
Contact:   Leila Webb
                  4155 Kissimmee Park Road
                  St. Cloud, FL 34772
                   407-892-3595

Registration fee: $40.00    More information Mail Call No 1916

Len and Wanda "Quarante" Kneale

HI Ben, I am sorry to say that my father in law (James Victor Quarante "Vic") passed away yesterday after a day of turkey dinner and an afternoon of football with his family around him. Vic had lived in the Sonora, Jamestown area of Calif. for the last 25 years. He loved golfing, fishing and watching sports. His beloved wife Patty passed away 3 1/2 years ago and they are now once again laughing and talking together. He will be missed by all of his family and friends.

Thank you for all that you do for the remaining Battling Buzzards, he had fond memories of his friends and good buddies from when he was in Europe Fighting the Nazis.

Thank you again,

Len and Wanda "Quarante" Kneale
Eddy Monfort

Dear Friends of the 517th Para and specialy M. Hensleigh,

Your memories on the battle of Manhay are 100 % true about what happened. I like read your memories. Of course, I was not present during the war but I doing several researches on Manhay and on all units present in the sector during the battle. During two days, several tanks of the 7th Armored Division, with the support of an infantry battalion of the 106th I.D. tried to take Manhay, but without any success. It's the reason why, we call the 517th, and with only two companies, Manhay was liberated in a few hours with out any support of tanks or others units. You will stay always to my eyes, the best soldiers of the US Army !

I profite also by this email to invite the people that could be present in Belgium (next month) for the celebrations of the 65th Anniversary that will start at Bastogne on December 12th and 13rd. So' we participe also at the celebrations in Manhay. Our friends from France, a renactment group who honor your unit, will be present. (Nicolas ARNULF - Alain PALIERNE and friends who lives in South of France). They will cross all France with their jeeps to come in Manhay. On December 12nd, in the mormning, we will have some ceremonies in the town with an exposition of photos etc...

I will sending you some photos of this ceremony. So', WE DO NOT FORGET YOU IN MANHAY !

Your friend Eddy Monfort

Manhay - Belgium

************

Eddy has always been a great friend of the 517 and is the Author of "L'Offensive Des Ardennes" We have a poem "Manhay" from Eddy's book in this Mail Call.-Ben

Manhay-Information provided by Clark Archer

DURING THE EARLY MORNING HOURS OF 27 DEC. 27,1944,MEN OF THE 517TH PARACHUTE COMBAT TEAM DROVE GERMAN SS TROOPS FROM MANHAY. SUCCESS IN THIS BATTLE DOOMED FURTHER GERMAN PENETRATIONS INTO BELGIUM

WE SORROWFULLY LEFT MANY FRIENDS ON THIS BATTLEFIELD. THESE MEN AND THE SACRIFICES OF BELGIAN CITIZENS SHALL NOT BE FORGOTTEN.

MEN OF THE 3/517 PIR KILLED IN THE BATTLE FOR MANHAY

Lt. Floyd A. Stott                    Pfc Fred Iserman           PFC Clyde Whittington

Sgt Wendell J. Tinger            PFc Paul Rzonca            Pvt Merle Kaminsky

Cpl. Courville Tarpley             PFCShannon Smith       Pvt. John Penn

Pfc. William Eckart                 Pfc. Edward Walsh         Pvt. Frank O. Scott

Pvt. Arthur Sessum                 Pvt. Albert Vasquez        Pvt. Edward Weimer

Pvt. Robert Williams

Wayne Cross

Ben I hope this isn't material that has already been posted on the Website, but the attached link is to an Infantry School Monograph written by then Captain Sidney Marks between 1948-49. It describes the 1st Battalion's action during the battle for Soy-Hotten Dec 22-24. This action won the 1st Battalion the Presidential Unit Citation. In an interesting side-note, this is the prelude to the 3rd Batallion action at Manhay that Howard described so well in his recent Mailcall comments regarding the XVIII Airborne Corps Operation Report. In this action 1st Battalion is attached to a 3rd Armor command headed by future General Hamilton Howze. Gen. Howze went on to command the 82nd Airborne and the 18th Airborne Corps and was instrumental in developing the concept of Air Mobile warfare. I read these reports and couple them with descriptions such as that provided by Howard with a deep sense of awe and respect for the suffering and heroism of those who participated.

https://www.benning.army.mil/monographs/content/wwii/STUP2/MarksSidneyM%20CPT.pdf

Tom McAvoy

To Oscar Knerr, Hey old friend I have just heard from an old friend of yours, Norm Allen, by slow mail, his address is, now I cannot find it but I will forward it to you soon Tom McAvoy

Nicolas Arnulf

I’m proud to announce you that with members of our “FORTY-FOUR-MEMORIES” association, we will go to Manhay to be present for 65^thArdennes-fights ceremony.

We honor 517^th troopers and we’ll never forget.

After making "reenactment" for “operation Dragoon” & “Col de Braus fights”, we continue to make commemorative-walk on 517^th “Odyssey foot-step” !

We particularly Thanks Mr. Eddy Monfort (your contact in Belgium) who made everything so that we can make this stay in Belgium.

Please, excuse-me for my bad English,

Nicolas Arnulf (for the President, M. Alain Palierne)

“Forty-Four-Memories” (Southern-France WWII reenactment association) – President : M. Alain Palierne

Lea Brdovich

Hello Ben.

I sure enjoyed the pictures from your trip last summer. My mom and dad dont travel much any more, I wish they could come with us. Provence would be a lot nicer for him this time around. My husband and I are traveling in April. J. Mikeal Soldi has been in correspondence with me and has been quite helpful.

I hope you enjoyed your Thanksgiving.

All the Best

Lea

MANHAY

Hold At All Costs

Where are the worthy GI’s running who liberated us,
They have their tanks, the Germans, with their equipment,
Have been driven back. They seemed powerful,
Invincible soldiers, masters for a very long time.

Each time the return of the occupying forces is precise.
For the veteran of the underground the decision has been made.
Once again, in the Ardennes, there will be vengeance.
Flee people of the maquis, avoid judgment.

Civilians have left, replaced by soldiers.
Speedily, they have been crowded into truck beds.
Since Reims, in the rain, turning points, chaos,
For parachutists, what hell, no planes, no trucks!

They were forewarned...in the winter by the fire.
A surplus of potatoes, bacon, eggs.
The front has been made right. Manhay is in the middle.
The site can be razed.   Order to leave the area.

The bolt on Fraiture has suddenly been released.
Spreading out toward Manhay, grenadiers and tanks.
Evening descending on the Ardenne obscures
The steel worms spitting their fire bursts

Suddenly, from behind the low clouds , the moon appears,
Unveiling the barrages, a chance for the enemy.
Under a pale halo, appears the reply.

Nine tanks will be destroyed, the snow has betrayed them.
This Christmas Eve, will be the breakthrough.
In the radio silence, for the imposed retreat,
An audacious Panzer, between two Shermans, slips in.
Spreading terror…a feat of great audacity.

The artillery intervenes from Monchenoul to Deux-Rys
In three days the batteries will destroy the dwelling
Through numerous battles, until body to body,
Face to face with the enemy, their fate is sealed.

The region liberated, the village retaken,
The spoils of the sinister building will be counted.
Where have the sheets gone, still so well-folded?
On a slain soldier, is where they will be found.

Friends have left in pursuit of the enemy.
But the heroic Ardenne regains his courage.
The meadows are cleansed and the lodging is rebuilt.
At vespers they tell the tale of this hard, cursed winter.

Today, the village, fixed like a terrace
on the side of the green massif where violent winds brew,
Has found peace, let us hope, forever.
Manhay, her story, her central square: it was well worth the detour.

Manhay “cost what it may”. The alarm has sounded…and the order has come
Down.
Hold at all costs-“Tenir coute que coute”

                                                     Emile PIRARD