Subj: MAIL CALL NO. 375 517TH
PRCT
Date: 10/18/2002 7:37:47 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From: Ben517
BCC:
Hello,
Click on hyperlink
below and will someone let me know if they can get the Airborne song.
Just
upgraded to 8.0 version of AOL. Hope everything still works okay.
Ben
Listen
Now!
Website---prct517.home.attbi.com or
members.aol.com/prct517/
Mail
Call--Ben517@aol.com
______________________________________________________
Subj: Re: Airborne &
Special Operations Museum Update
Date: 10/18/2002 6:34:26 PM
Eastern Daylight Time
From: Tomx517
To: ptremblay@asomf.org
CC: seitz2@webtv.net, Wild bill 517, dalry596@webtv.net, Ben517, AARGoodman, hhensleigh@earthlink.net
Dear Patrick:
Appreciated and enjoyed your Airborne
& Special Operations Museum (ASOM) Newsletter dated 10/15/02. Am looking
forward to the next issue.
While
examining the ASOM website I noted that the 517th Parachute Infantry Regiment (
517 PIR ) was omitted on the ASOM listing for Parachute Infantry Regiments. It
is also missing from the ASOM Foundation Letter of September 18, 2002 addressed
to the 517th PIR asking for assistance in developing a database for your new
ASOM Roll Call Program designed to show the impact that the military has had on
soldier's lives and the impact that their lives have had on our nation.
Unfortunately no one from the 517 PIR will be able to participate in this
program as your ASOM website does not recognize the 517 PIR as an Airborne
Infantry Unit.
Additionally, the 1st
Airborne Task Force ( 1st ABTF ) is likewise not listed under your heading for
AIRBORNE UNITS even though it was the senior airborne headquarters for the
airborne phase of OPERATION DRAGOON, the Invasion of Southern France on August
15, 1944. The 1st ABTF was originally designated as 7th Army Airborne Division
(Provisional) before being redesignated, at the request of its CG, Major General
Robert T. Frederick, as the 1st ABTF on July 18,
1944.
Among the US Army units assigned
to the 1st ABTF that participated in the Airborne Phase of OPERATION DRAGOON
were the 602nd Pack Field Artillery Battalion (75 mm pack howitzers) and the
Anti Tank Company from the 442nd Infantry Regiment. Both of these units were
designated as Glider Troops for this Operation and used the CG4A Gliders for
entrance into combat. A complete Troop Listing of the units involved in the
airborne phase
of OPERATION DRAGOON can be obtained from the US Army
Military Historical Institute at Carlisle Barracks, PA or taken from an article
I wrote for the USA Airborne 50th Anniversary Book entitled: "
Operation Dragoon: The Invasion of Southern France". The article is based on the
7th Army After Action Report for the Airborne Phase of Operation Dragoon and was
prepared by Major Patrick Mulcahy, Airborne Advisor to CG 7th
Army.
The 517th PIR, throughout WW II,
was the senior unit of the 517th Parachute Regimental Combat Team (517th PRCT ).
The 517th PRCT consisted of the 517th PIR, 460th Parachute Field Artillery
Battalion, and the 596th Parachute Combat Engineer Company. We were always a
separate Parachute Regimental Combat Team until assigned to the 13th Airborne
Division at the close of WW II. You do not list the 517th PIR although you list
the 460th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion. You do not list the 596th
Parachute Combat Engineer Company as a separate unit assigned to the 517th PRCT
even though that was its status in WW II. It is my opinion that the 517th PRCT
should be afforded the same historical ASOM listing as does the 173rd Airborne
Brigade.
The 517th PRCT Association has
its own Official Historian in the person of Clark Archer. Clark is well known
among the many noted authors of WW II airborne historical books for he has been
an extremely useful source for well documented facts pertaining to our airborne
heritage. Speaking for Clark I know he would be pleased to assist ASOM in the
airborne historical area if so requested. In the event you wish to avail ASOM of
Clark's services his address is: 525 N. Halifax Avenue, Apt. No. 6, Daytona
Beach, FL, 32118-4066. His telephone Number is:
(386)-258-6033.
The information
addressees in this e-mail message form are all from the 517th PRCT Association.
They are: Lt. General Richard Seitz Ret., former CO of 2nd Bn 517 PIR; Col.
William Boyle Ret., former CO of 1st Bn 517 PIR; Col. Robert Dalrymple Ret.,
former CO of 596th Parachute Combat Engineer Co.; Ben Barrett 517 PIR and
Webmaster 517th PRCT Association; Allan Goodman, President 517th PRCT
Association (596 Prcht Engr Co.) and Howard Hensleigh, Vice President 517th PRCT
Association (3rd Bn. 517 PIR).
I hope
this information will be of interest. Please keep us informed so we can support
the best interests of ASOM.
Regards, Tom Cross, former CO of 3rd Bn 517
PIR
______________________________________________________________________
Subj: Les Arcs
Date:
10/15/2002 6:31:19 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From: acdoty@southwind.net
Hi Ben; It has been some
time since writing you and the Mail Call. This has been a busy
summer, with Arlene's knee replacement , there were times I didn't get to
the computer for three or four days. However I read all the mail
calls.
It seems that Howard Hensleigh remember quit a bit about the
railroad tracks near Les Arcs, I remember that well.
You see 1st/Sgt Gaunce
was a very close friend, we were both member of the 137 INf, a Kansas National
Guard unit called into Federal service on Dec.23 1940. I was really
surprised to see him as 1st/Sgt when I was assigned to H Co,
Ben did you know at that time H Co. had three 1st/Sgt.? Sgt Gaunce
remained 1st/Sgt. 1st/Sgt. Dan Chaplin was reduce to S/Sgt and became
communication Sgt. 1st/Sgt James Wilson was reduce to S/Sgt. and became
3rd Platoon Sgt. Wilson became 1st/Sgt after Gaunce was
Killed.
As we were crossing over the railroad tracks, I remember seeing the
Germans, was surprised and I just stood there until someone said get your
A---off there. I no more than moved when the gravel kicked up where I was
standing .H Co was on the left moving in the direction of the Highway.
There was an overpass in front of us. I had only one member of my Mortar
Squad, so we operated as riflemen. When I neared the overpass I met Cpl
Maxwell and Sgt "Babo" Fernandaz. To drain the water off the overpass there were
concrete ditches about one foot deep and three feet wide , a good place to
fire from. Cpl. Maxwell was armed with a 45 Automatic " Greacegun"
and had located himself in one of the lower drainage ditch. I was in the next
one up and Babo was above me. The German machine gun was located on south
side of the highway and to the west end of the overpass.Cpl. Maxwell would fire
off a few rounds and lay back down , when the Germans around the machine gun
would raise up to see where the firing was come from , Babo and myself had a
perfect target. This went for 3 or 4 times until we had no targets
I'm not saying we took the machine gun nest out by ourselves but I feel I had
revenged my friend 1st/Sgt Gaunce's death.
This is only the second time I've
told this story. Sgt Gaunce and I jumped from the same plane into
France. .Cecil H.
Doty
________________________________________________________
Subj: RE: Manhay
Date: 10/17/2002 12:22:08 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From: hhensleigh@earthlink.net
Ben: You may be right. There has been quite a bit about
Manhay. However, if you think any of the pictures would be of interest, I
will try to scan or send them to you or Bob. They are pasted to a big leaf
in a scrap book.
On the other side are pictures of the German
noncom I did away with in order to get the rest of his crew to surrender.
They were confronted with Fuller's platoon sent back to get the Germans that
ambushed Paxton's tactical walk with the command group proceeding up a broad
path in territory we stealthily patrolled all the time. When
we had surprised them by coming up on their back side, and had killed and
wounded quite a few, I tried to get them to surrender. Every time I yelled
"handen hock" (sp?) and the Germans would come up with their hands in the air,
this guy would start firing and they would go down. "Woody" Woodhull
(460th liaison) and I crawled forward and I put an M-1 clip into the bush I
thought his fire came from. Luckily, I guessed right, because I don't
think there would have been a second chance. Those pictures include the
guy's wedding picture etc. It is a shame we couldn't have met on different
circumstances. He was a brave guy. We might have been friends.
HH
****************
I
have placed both Howard's and Cecil's stories in Recollections on the
website.
Ben
________________________________________________________________________
Subj:
Thank you
Date: 10/18/2002 2:20:24 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From: Dalry596@webtv.net
Dear Ben, Thanks for putting our new e-mail address on mail-call. We
do
appreciate it as well as all you are doing to help us communicate
and
stay close together. A/B.
BOB
__________________________________________________________________________
_
o
A Bill Mauldin cartoon.