Hello,
Kudos to Becky Martinette, Kelly Edwards and Mike Kane.
Ben
Website------www.517prct.org
Mail Call-----Ben517@aol.com
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Subj: Recollections of WWII
Date: 6/19/2003 12:50:57 AM Eastern Daylight Time
From: micmonro@linkny.com
To: mailcall@517prct.org
This was written in my great uncles journal that he wrote during combat. His name was Gale R. Swarthout. He enlisted in 1943 and was a PFC in 2/HQ company. Sadly he was killed in a car accident in 1949 while he was sleeping in the back seat and his friend was driving.
D-Day and Following
Five letter on the 13th aug. We got our stuff readdy for the jump which came of on Aug. 15th 1944.
D-Day was'nt bad D+1 was the day we got the hell shot out of us. Lt. Robinson and Clarked killed both from my plane.
Lemen walked accross the road after the machine gun and an 88 mm hit him direct in the head. Gone from the chest up.
Went on outpost that with Dobbs. We could hear the jerries talking and passing us all night. Could'nt shot any of them because they had us largely outnumbered.
D+3 Capt. Clann sent me and a few other fellows into La Muy on sniper duty.
I saw then thought i was going blind in the right eye. My right hand is starting to swell.
D+4 We are with the 141st 3c Div and i had my fingers fixed and dramicel eye is getting worse.
D+5 Taken prisoner cant write today to sircumstance beyond my control. Only for a gun.
D+6 Jerry is getting nervous today and the way they talk they are going to move. I hope so. Americans shelled the we are in all night with 155 mm 10 jerries killed
T.S. They have left now and we can get the wounded to a hospital. Five with broken legs and three shot. At the aid station I showed them my hand and now I am going back in a hospital ship.
D+8 Back in Italy in Hospital.
That is all, PFC Gale Swarthout
Then the rest of the journal is blank.
Mickey Monroy
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Subj: Jack Castiglione
Date: 6/19/2003 8:25:41 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From: hhensleigh@earthlink.net
Dear Ben: Just talked with Jack Castiglione of I Co. and the S-2 Section. He survived the "proceddure" at the VA and is fine health and spirits. Right on, Jac k. Howard Hensleigh
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Subj: company D pictures
Date: 6/19/2003 8:45:24 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From: kedwards@nts-online.net
To: webmaster@517prct.org
Bob – Thank you for your kind words. The men who deserve the real credit for identifying the photos are Floyd Polk, Bob Cooper, Bob Hart, Rodger Goodsell, and Frank Gallucci. Hopefully I will be able to get the rest of the identifications I have to you sometime next week. Kelly Edwards
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Subj: Mike Kane Sr info
Date: 6/19/2003 11:00:10 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From: rbarrett@alum.mit.edu
To: mjkanejd@earthlink.net
Mike,
In case you haven't kept up, all your photos have been posted to the 517 web site. They were of great interest at the recent reunion in Oklahoma City, where several of the men from Company D were able to identify many of the pictures. That info is now posted on the web site. There is more info to come, which I will post when I get it.
Perhaps even more important for you, we recently received a copy of a General Order # 48 from July 27, 1945, in which several troopers were awarded Silver and Bronze stars. An account of your Dad's actions in Nedell Belgium are included, for which he earned his Silver Star.
Bob Barrett
webmaster@517prct.org
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Subj: Up Date on Joseph Mackiewicz
Date: 6/19/2003 11:26:46 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From: Smackiewicz4
To: Ben517
I wish to thank you for contacting me and It was an honor and pleasure to talk to you on the phone. this is thurs. the 19th of June. Today i got word from Pat that they moved my father into a room and his condition is improving { but he is still not out of danger} he has picked up a little speech and movement in his left leg. with the prayers of you and all your friends and those who know my father he will have a good and speedy recovery. please keep the prayers going, GOD has never turned his back on a hero and he will not do it now so i ask again to pray for my father.
thank you and may GOD bless you.
Steve Mackiewicz
*****************
Steve is the son of Joe Mackiewicz who suffered a major stroke on June 13.-Ben
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Subj: RE: Mike Kane Sr info
Date: 6/20/2003 10:41:20 AM Eastern Daylight Time
From: rbarrett@alum.mit.edu
To: mjkanejd@earthlink.net
Mike,
Yes, your Dad's citation is now on the web site. I just posted it last
night. It is available on the Documents page and called "1945 July 27 -
General Order 48 - Awards of Silver an Bronze Stars". Your Dad's listing is
at the top of page 2. I'm still trying to track down who sent in this copy,
and will post that when I get the info.
Bob Barrett
webmaster@517prct.org
Original Message-----
From: Michael Kane [mailto:mjkanejd@earthlink.net]
Sent: Friday, June 20, 2003 6:14 AM
To: rbarrett@alum.mit.edu
Subject: Re: Mike Kane Sr info
Hi, Bob. I did see the posting of the id's with the Pictures. It ws really
great to know who those folks were. I heard my dad talk of Many of them. In
fact, I hadn't even recognized my dad in some of them, though now that he
has been pointed out, I dont know why since it is clearly him on each
occasion.
But when I read your message about my dad's citation, I have to tell you,
Bob, I almost burst into tears. I never had a copy of it. Shortly after
the war, a friend of my dad's retyped some of it and I have a copy of that,
but nothing official. Is it posted on the website? I check the website all
the time but maybe just havent come across it.
I can't thank you enough for the effort you, your dad and all the others
contribute to the website. It has had a tremendous impact on me, my sisters
and my mom, Bob.
Mike
-----Original Message-----
From: Bob Barrett
Sent: Thursday, June 19, 2003 11:02 PM
To: Mike Kane
Subject: Re: Mike Kane Sr info
Mike,
In case you haven't kept up, all your photos have been posted to the 517 web
site. They were of great interest at the recent reunion in Oklahoma City,
where several of the men from Company D were able to identify many of the
pictures. That info is now posted on the web site. There is more info to
come, which I will post when I get it.
Perhaps even more important for you, we recently received a copy of a
General Order # 48 from July 27, 1945, in which several troopers were
awarded Silver and Bronze stars. An account of your Dad's actions in Nedell
Belgium are included, for which he earned his Silver Star.
Bob Barrett
webmaster@517prct.org
**************
Copy of General Order # 48 was sent to me by Becky Martinette, (saltaire@pinn.net ) daughter of Maurice White. Citations for Maurice White and Howard Hensleigh are also now on the website._Ben