Hello,
 
Christmas Eve 1944  was a foggy night. The 1st and 2nd battalions were in the vicinity of Soy--Hotton and La Roumiere. The 3rd battalion was at Malmedy.
 
Ben
 
Website                www.517prct.org
 
Mail Call               Ben517@aol.com
 
Roster                  www.517prct.org/roster.pdf
 
 
 
Malmedy Massacare  December, 1944
For a summary of the Malmedy Massacre, go here to the "History Place" web site.
 
Manhay-a few days later
 
"More prisoners might have been taken, but the 3rd Battalion had just returned from Malmedy area where it had been seen and heard of the results of the massacre of American prisoners. After Malmedy it was not easy for an SS man to surrender."-Paratrooper's Odyssey
Pat Seitz
 
Dear Ben, Howard and everyone else involved in Mail Call:
    Thank you for sharing the pictures from the Battle of the Bulge.  This Christmas they are all the more meaningful to those of us in the second generation as we celebrate this holy season and thank God for our many blessings the most important of which is to be related to such heroes as you and the other members of the 517th.  Thank you for your leadership, commitment to freedom and sacrifice of self.  And thank you also for sharing your stories with us -- may they always inspire us to preserve, protect and defend the freedoms that you and your comrades in arms gave your all for.  May you have a most blessed Christmas.
    Sincerely,
    Pat Seitz
    Dick Seitz' eldest daughter
John Ervine
 
Thank you Ben for responding to my request for information.  I have also received an e-mail from John Alicki and will be responding to it ASAP.  My dad doesn't have a computer but I would be happy to receive Mail Call.  I will see that he receives copies of it.  Thanks again for your help. Sincerely,  John Ervine
Gail W Tayler
 
Happy Holidays to all you Troopers, their families, sons and daughters
and grandchildren!  Under code Orange, be especially careful.

Thank you Ben and Bob, for another wonderful year of MAIL CALL.

Gail W. Tayler
 
General McAuliffe's Christmas Message
The Battle of the Bulge, 1944

Headquarters 101st Airborne Division
Office of the Division Commander

24 December 1944

What's Merry about all this, you ask? We're fighting - it's cold - we aren't home. All true but what has the proud Eagle Division accomplished with its worthy comrades of the 10th Armored Division, the 705th Tank Destroyer Battalion and all the rest? just this: We have stopped cold everything that has been thrown at us from the North, East, South and West. We have identifications from four German Panzer Divisions, two German Infantry Divisions and one German Parachute Division. These units, spearheading the last desperate German lunge, were headed straight west for key points when the Eagle Division was hurriedly ordered to stem the advance. How effectively this was done will be written in history; not alone in our Division's glorious history but in World history. The Germans actually did surround us. their radios blared our doom. Their Commander demanded our surrender in the following impudent arrogance.

December 22nd 1944
To the U. S. A. Commander of the encircled town of Bastogne.

The fortune of war is changing. This time the U. S. A. forces in and near Bastogne have been encircled by strong German armored units. More German armored units have crossed the river Ourthe near Ortheuville, have taken Marche and reached St. Hubert by passing through Hombres Sibret-Tillet. Libramont is in German hands.

There is only one possibility to save the encircled U. S. A. Troops from total annihilation: that is the honorable surrender of the encircled town. In order to think it over a term of two hours will be granted beginning with the presentation of this note.

If this proposal should be rejected one German Artillery Corps and six heavy A. A. Battalions are ready to annihilate the U. S. A. Troops in and near Bastogne. The order for firing will be given immediately after this two hours term.

All the serious civilian losses caused by this Artillery fire would not correspond with the well known American humanity.

The German Commander

The German Commander received the following reply:

22 December 1944
To the German Commander:

NUTS!

The American Commander

Allied Troops are counterattacking in force. We continue to hold Bastogne. By holding Bastogne we assure the success of the Allied Armies. We know that our Division Commander, General Taylor, will say: Well Done!

We are giving our country and our loved ones at home a worthy Christmas present and being privileged to take part in this gallant feat of arms are truly making for ourselves a Merry Christmas.neral

A. C. McAuliffe