Subj: Re: MAIL CALL NO. 200 517TH PRCT
Date: 12/20/2001 1:40:12 PM Eastern Standard Time
From: hhensleigh@earthlink.net

Dear Ben:

There are several things in today's Mail Call that need addressing.

The first is Manhay.  I knew the 7th Armored took credit for taking St. Vith single-handedly.  But they rolled in after St. Vith was taken by 2nd Bn. 517. 

I couldn't believe the bastards claimed any credit for taking Manhay.  We were told that two regiments had failed to take it before Gen. Ridgeway gave Forrest Paxton the order to take and hold it at all costs.  And costs it did take.  A couple of days after we took it a tanker strolled into town and parked for a few minutes on the main drag.  A 517th trooper tried to tell the idiot to get the hell out of there because the Krauts were firing anti-tank rounds right down the street.  The tanker gave the trooper a lot of lip.  His lips were soon sealed for good by an anti-tank round that caught him in the chest as he stood in the turret.  The shell in going through him threw him to the ground without exploding, which it did as it bounced down the street.  Except for burned out German tanks, that's the only tank I saw in Manhay.&n! bsp; If they had orders to assist, they were awol during the night attack when we took the town.

Also, we captured SS troops there, not members of a panzer division.  I have a few pictures of some of the super men and a dead commander in my scrap book.  They were all SS, some of whom tried to escape on the way back to POW interrogation.  They didn't make it.  The Malmady Massacre was fresh in our minds. 

Here is a little about our machine gun platoons.  As mentioned below, there was a platoon of MGs in each battalion.  Joe Largan led the 3rd Bn. MG platoon and Sgt. Podalak was platoon Sgt..  I was the assistant leader in Italy and as we jumped into France.  I don't recall  that we had any brothers in the platoon.  In the 3rd Bn., as I believe in all the others, the platoon was divided into two sections.  One was equipped with bazookas and expected, with those pea shooters, to protect the battalion from tank attacks.  The only way to get one was from the underneath side.  I hope that this is some help for those  searching for information on the brothers.  I believe the search should be confined to the MG platoons of the 1st and 2nd battalions. 

Merry Christmas, again, HH
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Subj: Re: MAIL CALL NO.201 517TH PRCT
Date: 12/20/2001 1:44:33 PM Eastern Standard Time
From: JOEMACK610

Hi Ben,
    Don't feel bad about your inability to make your computer do what you want it to do. Your doing one hell of a good job. I'm just as stumped as you are. There is a lot more I need to learn to make this darn thing do the things I want it to. I'm just a novice and what I did learn, I learned from my daughter, but she doesn't have much patience and sort of leaves me to fend for myself. I would be much more heard from if I knew how to make this gadget do what I want to do. But all in all don't fret about any shortcomings. I just wish i could remember more of the things that took place while I was in the 517th, but my memory just isn't what it used to be.
    I can't make any definite plans about going to the re-union in Florida, I may just hop into my van and go, but if I do it won't be because I made any reservations, it will just be a drop in. So God willing, I just might make this one. If not I'll have to wait until they have another re-union her at New Orleans. Best wishes and have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, and the same goes for all the rest of the 517th and its survivors.

                                          Joe Mackiewicz
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Subj: Re: MAIL CALL NO.201 517TH PRCT
Date: 12/20/2001 2:41:57 PM Eastern Standard Time
From: JOEMACK610

Hi Ben,
    To the best of my recollection I was assigned to the 517th while they were at Camp Mackall. I was not an original member. I had gone through basic training with the 13th Airborne Division 513th Regiment. After we completed jump school at Ft. Benning, we were all sent to Ft. Campbell, Ky and went home on a ten day furlough. Upon my return to my unit, half the people were AWOL. The first sergeant came around and wanted volunteers to be sent to Camp Mackall to fill in the shortages at the 517th who were in the process of preparing to go overseas. We left McCall and went on to Camp Patrick Henry in Va. From there we shipped overseas aboard the Santa Rosa. It was the 517th and a contingent of WACs aboard ship.
   Originally I was in Hq. Co. 517th Capt. Mcgeever commanding. My MOS was a light machine gunner. Capt. Mac said I was to small to be sporting around a .30 cal. machine gun and had me assigned to Major McMann (I'm not sure of the spelling) as his dog robber. When we boarded ship at Patrick Henry, the Major said for me to get lost, that he didn't want to see me until we got overseas. So I was more or less left on my own.
    I was assigned to I Company after we got to Italy and were bivouaced in the crater area. I remained with I Company throughout the Italian campaign, jumped in Southern France and was wounded at St. Cezaire along with Tony Esparza' as we were advancing up a terraced slope. The Germans were throwing mortar and artillery fire at us at the time/
    From St. Cezaire I was sent to a military hospital at Naples, Italy. I was mostly on cloud nine during this trip so I don't remember much of the trip back to Naples. The doctors removed some shrapnel from my lower back and butt. The doctor told me that I would probably have some trouble with my back and left leg and that I may look forward to a full recovery but that it would came back to haunt me in my later years. Which it has.
    I returned to I Company while they were at Pierra Cava just above Nice. I had gone out on a few patrols and mainly stayed in a holding position. It was on one of these patrols that my good friend Eddie Zygnowitz got his foot blown off stepping on a mine. He and I were coming out of a small house going out the front door when it happened. My left thumb got cut from a piece of flying shrapnel, but I doctored it myself and never did report it.
   After the 517th left Pierra Cava we went into bivouac and it was from there that I was sent home for being under age. The Red Cross blew the whistle on me. I have had a guilty conscience ever since because  of the guys moving on and getting tore up at the Bulge. I feel I should have been there, not that it would have made much difference, but I would have felt more complete.
       I re-enlisted after I turned eighteen and was sent overseas for occupation service. I was assigned to the 508 Parachute Regiment they were headquartered at Frankfort, Germany in an apartment complex at Hedernheim. They sent the 508 back to the states and sent us all to Ft. Bragg, N.C. I was assigned to the 504th,82nd airborne Division and remained there until my discharge in 1949 So actually I got myself two Honorable Discharges.
    I hope this information will fill you in a little on my service with the 517th.

                                            Joe Mackiewicz
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Subj: Re: MAIL CALL NO.201 517TH PRCT
Date: 12/20/2001 3:24:29 PM Eastern Standard Time
From: hhensleigh@earthlink.net
To: Ben517@aol.com

Note to Rich Winship:  The reward should have been an expert medal the marines all hang on their uniforms--from privates to generals.  He got the award of getting to double time back to the splintered exercise stand to retrieve the dummy round.  He basked in the glow of the appreciation of his buddies, which was all most of got for our feats of bravery and daring.  Howard Hensleigh
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Entry of Dec 20, 2001 at 08:43 [EST]
Name: Frank van Lunteren
Unit: No, I am a history student
EMail: macfrank66@hotmail.com
How I found the 517th page: From a search engine
Comments: Very good website. Thanks to all the veterans of the 517th Regiment for fighting in Europe!! Greetings from the Netherlands, Frank van Lunteren
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Subj: Re: MAIL CALL NO.201 517TH PRCT
Date: 12/20/2001 5:36:30 PM Eastern Standard Time
From: reber83@mindspring.com

Dear Ben,

For the record, I also agree with Rich Winship;  Howard Hensleigh should write a book. 

I am currently reading the Champagne Campaign, which I located used, from Barnes and Noble's used book network.  It is very interesting and informative.  I am curious though.  Wasn't the infamous "satchel" found in a German staff car captured by 517'ers?  This is the satchel that had the German retreat plans for all of Southern France.  If my understanding is correct, wasn't the satchel in the captured car that was presented to Col. Graves?

Best wishes for a safe and healthy holiday to all.

Tom Reber
(son, Lt. Bob Reber HQ
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Subj: mailcall, 12/19
Date: 12/20/2001 8:19:40 PM Eastern Standard Time
From: milegrinder@msn.com
To: artann3447@juno.com, ben517@aol.com

Mr. McAvoy,

Thank you so much for responding to my post.  I recently discovered the 1944 roster for the 517th, and was able to confirm that my grandfather was a sergeant with HQ Co., 1st Batt.  The two of them were cousins from New Jersey (most people, including Boyle, confused them for brothers since they looked so alike and were quite inseparable, so I usually refer to them as such).  My grandfather was wounded in So. France, a bullet wound to the abdomen, but my Uncle George confirms that he made the jump and completed at least the first night, possibly never straying far from the unit while under medical care.

Thank you again for responding, and I apologize for the delay in getting back to you.

Sincerely,

Matthew Myers
milegrinder@msn.com
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Subj: Re: Reunion
Date: 12/20/2001 7:47:38 PM Eastern Standard Time
From: SARGE31121
To: Ben517

     Am trying to get Frantel and Brighton to get off their duff and come also.   They only live a short ways from there.   I still plan on coming and will give the hotel a call when I return from Chicago.  Don't really know what date I'll leave Chicago yet.. staying at my daughters for a few weeks.  Going there on the 6th of Jan 02.  So will play it by ear.   But I will show up for the last couple of days. I hope  hope.            See ya....Sarge...Served with Boom Boom from Toccoa to Italy and jumped as a Demo man with the 3rd Bn,,, as our Demo Platoon was spread all thru the Regiment.               See ya     Lou
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Subj: Merry Christmas
Date: 12/20/2001 10:23:13 PM Eastern Standard Time
From: hammel@coastalnet.com
To: Ben517@aol.com

I wish all you old members and families a merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.   You Co E men try to put names to the picture I sent in to the web site.  My head is the one covering up part of the sign. My memory is no good as to names

Dick Hammel Hq2-E
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Subj: Re: Guestbook
Date: 12/21/2001 8:48:06 AM Eastern Standard Time
From: macfrank66@hotmail.com
To: Ben517@aol.com

Ben, Thank you for your kind response. Last August I have founded the American Dutch Airborne Research Group together with some fellow students of my and several Americans, including Corporal Fred Baldino, who was in "A" Company 504th Regiment. His e-mail address is Baldy504@aol.comWe also have a website (it is still in Dutch but will be also in English).

Cheers, Frank van Lunteren

P.S. Good luck with your website!
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Subj: Re: MAIL CALL NO.201 517TH PRCT
Date: 12/21/2001 10:36:48 AM Eastern Standard Time
From: hhensleigh@earthlink.net
Dear Ben,

Hang in there.  These computers are both wonderful and frustrating pieces of wires and things.

I had a half page for those seeking the MG brothers and about the 7th Armored taking Manhay.  The latter was a blistering message of disbelief.  I might have short circuited some of the insides of this thing.  Nevertheless, it won't defeat me.  Those messages will be better when I write them this week end.

We shall overcome!!  God bless,  HH

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Subj: Re: MAIL CALL NO. 200 517TH PRCT
Date: 12/21/2001 11:41:11 AM Eastern Standard Time
From: Wild bill 517
To: Ben517

I wish all a  happy and blessed Christmas and the best
for the New Year
                      Bill Boyle