Subj: Re: Reference Ed Marconi
Date: 3/29/2003 7:55:09 PM Eastern Standard Time
From: JBJB93
To: Ge517ne, Ben517
Hello Mr. Brissey,
WOW! WOW! thats all I can say. Can not imagine going through such an incident. I always said my biggest problem at 19 years old was "Mom!, whats for breakfast?"
You troopers and your other WWII hero buddies are the savior of the world. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for the info. Just so you know, my own father was combat staff sgt with 87th Golden Acorn Div - foxhole for 134 days.
Also, God Bless our Troops and President in this time of war.
I will forward to my brother in law Ed Jr.
Regards,
John Bramswig
son in law of Ed Marconi
PS: I hope you don't mind as I will ask to have this put on the 517 email. As follows:
John,
I saw your letter to Mr. Trenary in the 517th Mail Call. Although you didn't invite comments from anyone else, I would like to say a few words which may be of interest to you.
I was in combat with the 517th from Italy to Bergstein, Germany. I, too was wounded on Feb. 8, 1945 in the Bergstein area. It was a horrible battle which started on Feb. 6th when we were unloaded from trucks near Bergstein after being trucked through the Hurtgen Forest from Stavolet, France. We started our entry to Bergstein in the dark of night on a very muddy road. The Germans knew we were coming but could not see us. They shot flares over us which caused us to stop in our tracks. They fired artillery at us all the way. We finally entered Bergstein stumbling over dead bodies, some were farm animals. We were repulsed and spent the night and the next day in the village. On the night of Feb. 7 we passed through the largest mine field found during W.W.II. We were trying to capture a German position near the Kall and Roer Rivers. We were again repulsed and withdrew to Bergstein where we were under heavy artillery fire all the next day. Again, on the night of Feb. 8, we started the same attack while under artillery and grenade fire. Again we failed and withdrew to a bare mountain top where we were under constant shell fire. One man by my side was hit by shrapnel, we got him out and I moved into a trench with two other men. The man in the middle was hit by shrapnel. We were in a hopeless position and finally received orders to withdraw. By this time I was the senior person in our platoon which was almost decimated. Perhaps the word decimated means we were down to a few men. Anyway I assured that all who could walk, or run do so. I left my best buddy dead on that mountain top along with wounded who were being cared for by responsible personnel. After all were headed back to the village I picked up a mortar and started back, falling in shell holes to rest when I could. Finally in the edge of town I fell into a ditch and rested, then got up and started to a large building which was a safe place and contained our aid station. Almost immediately an artillery shell landed nearby and I was hit in the leg, chest and hand. I tried to run to the building and fell over. Two men came and carried me to the aid station. This was the end of combat for me and as it turned out the last hour of combat for the 517th. I spent over nine months in hospitals and was discharged. I know that this has no direct connection with Ed Marconi. I did not know him. I do know that he experienced much of the same combat as I. That's why I have written this. Hope you don't mind.
Regards,
Gene Brissey
________________________________________________________________________
Subj: Re: MAIL CALL N0. 451 517TH PRCT
Date: 3/29/2003 8:22:41 PM Eastern Standard Time
From: landmark54@hotmail.com
To: Ben517@aol.com
Hi Ben; I saw your list in Mail Call 451 stating that Mail Call 450 came back from me as "undeliverable." I don't recall if I got 450, but I've been receiving them regularly. Hopefully, that was only a glitch. Thanks for keeping the original troopers in touch with one another and keeping the daughters & sons informed, too. Mark Landreth
___________________________________________________________________________
-Subj: Re: MAIL CALL N0. 451 517TH PRCT
Date: 3/29/2003 6:55:32 PM Eastern Standard Time
From: obmb@msn.com
Ben,
Noticed that we were listed as not receiving your e-mail - thanks - as you can see we did receive it as we have others- or how would we know we were on your list - ha ha!!!!!!
Anyway, thanks for everything you do - we are most appreciative.
Martha & Oscar Berg
_______________________________________________________
Subj: America's Sacrifices for Freedom
Date: 3/29/2003 8:36:23 PM Eastern Standard Time
From: BoomBoomAlicki
To: Ben517
"This generation of Americans hasn't recalled the severity of the casualties
that this nation has taken (over the) years. At the Battle of the Bulge
there were 42,000 killed, wounded or missing. Eight weeks later a the
Battle of Iwo Jima there were 21,000."
- Sen. John Warner (R-Va.)
******************
The Senator was 38,000 short when listing American casualties in The Battle Of The Bulge-Ben
______________________________________________________________________
Date: 3/29/2003 8:51:01 PM Eastern Standard Time
From: millerview4@msn.com
To: Ben517@aol.com
We always seem to receive your fine letters--thanks--Joe Miller at millerview4@msn.com
__________________________________________________________________________
Subj: France by the Numbers
Date: 3/29/2003 8:37:54 PM Eastern Standard Time
From: BoomBoomAlicki
To: Ben517
When first asked the question earlier this week, French Foreign Minister
Dominique de Villepin refused to say who he was rooting for to win the Iraq
war. "Inside the Beltway" columnist John McCaslin dug up two historical
facts to help the Frenchman choose sides:
1.) The United States provided $2.71 billion in aid to France to alleviate
post-World War II starvation and desolation.
2.) The bodies of 81,172 U.S. soldiers who died in World Wars I and II are
buried in 14 cemeteries in France and Belgium.
_______________________________________________________________________
Subj: 517
Date: 3/30/2003 1:11:01 PM Eastern Standard Time
From: JBJB93
To: Ben517, Ge517ne
That's OK Mr Brissey,
Half a century would make me forget a heck of alot more than you guys. Sometimes I think you guys are younger at heart than my 38 years. Keep up the memories, I will read them all.
Regards - John
as follows:
John:
Received your mail and realized while reading it that I made a rather serious mistake when I wrote that we attacked again on the night of 8 Feb. or something like that. Of course we did not attack then because it was the morning of 8 Feb. that Ed and I were wounded along with many other casualties.
Gene Brissey
___________________________________________________________________________
-Subj: Re: MAIL CALL NO. 446
Date: 3/31/2003 9:28:35 AM Eastern Standard Time
From: Donna.Hilliard@usdoor.com
Ben,
The last mail call I received was #446. My E-mail went down right
before or right after #446 and I am not sure that when they fixed it Mail
call was restored. If you sent any after #446, please let me know.
On a much happier note, I have received information about my Dad from
Tom Reber and Howard Hensleigh, and I want to say "thank you" to both of
them. Also, Jessie Darden wrote a letter to my Dad and I would like to
thank him for his correspondence.
Best Regards,
Donna Hilliard-Brown
_______________________________________________________________________
Subj: The McCalla, AL Militia - End the War!!
Date: 3/31/2003 10:28:53 AM Eastern Standard Time
From: LiddellDesigns@cs.com
Good morning mr. Barrett.
My brother e-mailed this picture to me this morning and I thought, since your from Massachusetts and I know how alot of Massachusians view us Southern Folk, you would probably get a kick out of it. After the yellow download bar finishes, just scroll down V
Have a good'un.
Your redneck buddy.
Chris Liddell
McCalla, AL
Hey Chris! Jimmy Carter is giving "Crackers" a bad name.-Ben
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