I had intended to take excerpts from Tom's mail to find out if any one has a copy of the AFTER ACTION REPORT , but Tom's mail explains it far better than I can and therefore I will put his mail in this "Mail Call".

I am having printer problems and therefore unable to check and correct mistakes before sending out this "Mail Call"

Guys:
       If this sounds like a tutorial on "After Action Reports" and their place in the 517th PRCT Heritage Project then we are all on the same sheet of music:
       A military units After Action Report is the core of a units military history and achievements under such circumstances that warrant a specific recorded written account of what it accomplished in battle or in a training maneuver or important other military task. It is the basis for the Official Unit History. It is a military requirement that is mandated after every significant military operation. Daily and Periodic Operation Reports as well as Casualty Reports are feeder type Reports that complement and add to the After Action Report which normally always contains "Lessons Learned" and "Recommendations."
       I believe that the After Action Report Wayne Cross refers to in the e-mail message with the same Subject as above is one of the most important historical reports in the history of the 517th PRCT. I assume that the Report I refer to in this manner is the After Action Report that Colonel Rupert Graves, Commanding Officer of the 517th PRCT, directed to be written by each Battalion Commander and each Company and Battery Commander in the 517th PRCT that covered each units combat actions during the first 24 hours of OPERATION DRAGOON on August 15, 1944. If I am correct then this Report is unique for I do not believe that there is anything like it that I know of. Will give you some background and a recommendation in the following paragraph.
       Assuming we are talking about the same Report. I managed to get the fourth carbon copy of the typed original report in February of 1946 when the 3rd Bn. of the 517th Parachute Infantry Regiment was deactivated at Fort Bragg and I assumed command of the 3rd Battalion of the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment. It was actually retrieved from a trash can. It was fairly legible and I had it retyped as a handout for the 517th PRCT Reunion that was held in Fayeteville in the 1960 's. I believe everyone got a copy but I am not certain as to the actual distribution. With the passage of time many retypes were made of this document and some of the names of the officers and men were altered but sufficient for recognition purposes. I talked to Clark Archer about this before he sent the box of historical info to Wayne and he mentioned that he had retyped or had corrected the spelling of the people mentioned in the report. I have the feeling that something is amiss and that minor changes if any were made. I will get back to Clark tomorrow and verify what he did or did not do to this Report.
       Here is my recommendation. I suggest that we take this Report and develop it, through careful editing etc. for inclusion as an Appendix to the OPERATION DRAGOON
Report that I am currently working on. It can be published an an Appendix to my Report or published separately for inclusion at a later date. If Wayne will give me an idea of what kind of shape it is in then we can develop a plan for getting it ready for publication. This Report is worth spending some money on if we need any professional help in getting it ready for publication. I have a beat-up copy somewhere in my desk and I just pulled out a poor one page copy of the Headquarters Company "2nd Battalion" Report and it is very specific as to names of persons involved although the Company Commanders last name was misspelled. It is somewhat difficult reading but is of historical significance as are the other reports.
       Frankly this is what our Heritage Project is all about so I say let us get on with this task before we lose our enthusiasm and "marbles." We can figure out the workload, etc., as we get deeper into the project but for now let us resolve the issue.
       I will conclude by agreeing with Bob that the Casualty Reporting is important and should be placed on our website. We should also establish a listing of priorities on what we plan to do and try to get a listing of 517th PRCT veterans who can help our Heritage family members over some of the difficult areas regarding names, places etc. Another point of interest pertains to what to we call our next generation family members and widows. I do not think the word "Associate Member" seems appropriate for they are "family"n in every sense of the word. The same goes for those volunteers from other sources that are interested and willing to contribute to our heritage goals. Loyal Members of the 517th PRCT has a good ring to it but frankly we can do better than that. Any ideas?
Regards, Tom Cross

PS: Bob/Ben would you please cosider placing a notice in the 517th PRCT Mail Call for anyone that has a readable copy of this After Action Report to let us borrow it for this project.

Ben

Some exciting news for me. Since I have become involved with the 517^th organization my dad and I have really been communicating a lot about his experiences. He finally went into his garage and found about, maybe 200 letters he wrote home to his parents during his time in the 517^th. I just received them in the mail yesterday and began reading them last night. What a treasure. I found a Photostat from a 1944 V-mail Christmas cover of the 517^th that my dad must have sent home to his parents. I have never seen this logo before and thought you might be interested in seeing it. If I find anything else that looks to be of interest I will let you know.

Lory

_________________________________________________________________________________

Martha Berg

Hello Ben,

We keep hearing about the Thunderbolt - but Oscar has not received one for ages. Is there a current one? Thanks for any info you can provide.

Martha (Oscar Berg's wife) 517 - C

Geoff Hackman

Hi Ben,

I just wanted to say thanks very much for sending the excerpt and adding my entry to the mail call just the day after I found your site. I appreciate it. It's been fun looking into this and I'm starting from basically no knowledge so learning my grandfather was awarded a Silver Star was pretty exciting. And the website is a terrific resource.

Thanks again,
Geoff

Claire Giblin,

Hi, Bob and Ben -

I just saw this Mail Call about the invitations from France. My dad has said for years that he'd like to go for the 60th - the actual day (not the tour that's being done this spring), and I think it's going to happen. He's pretty much a definite, and it's probable that we'll be there as well as Jim may be working in France this summer. Would it be appropriate to ask for one of the copies? Also, if any other vets are planning to go over, we should get in touch and coordinate, even through Mail Call.

I actually had tried to email the website for the Museum of the Liberation in Le Muy, but it didn't go through (from the 517 website link to the Musee). Could you give me any email addresses for any of the French friends? Dad will need lodging, but a plain bed and breakfast is just fine, and probably cheaper than a hotel.

Dad's unofficial trip in the spring of 1999 was a highlight. He met lovely people who are still - still - very grateful to the Americans. We hope that M. Henri Baude, a local gentleman who drives his US army Jeep (which he adopted after the Americans left) every year in their parade, is still alive and well.

Thank you both. Ben - as always, thank you for your and Bob's hard work. It is more and more important every day.

Claire

Bill Boyle,

I am the C.O. of the First Bn., 517. I knew him ( Lt. Ralph Allison ) and will work on my memory

and try to respond in detail this weekend.

Howard Hensleigh

Dear Ben:

Note to Darrel Egner. We appreciate your kind of enthusiasm! I’m not sure there would have been any group pictures taken at the recent FL mini without your Texas style round up of the herd. Your getting the 2^nd Bn. going is a good example of Dick Seitz leadership qualities. I join you in urging the 1^st, 3^rd and 460^th Bns. as well as the 596^th to get on the ball and catch up with the out in front 2^nd Bn. You have proven that you not only accept and carry out delegated responsibility, you know how to select the right person to whom it may be delegated. There are a few descendants like Chris Linder around (daughter of Nate Rubinstein) who can shoulder those base plates and help us oldies cross the finish line.

All the way, Howard Hensleigh

Howad Hensleigh,

Ben: Here is a note to Geoff Hackman.

If my memory is correct, your grandfather, Ralph I Allison, arrived at Camp Mackall, N. C. about the same time I did, November 17, 1943. I think we were on the same bus that took us from the train station to Camp Mackall. We were assigned to different battalions, he the first, I the third, so we did not see too much of each other after that. I remember him as a very good officer and a gentleman. We ran into each other on occasion and always exchanged pleasantries. I liked him. If you can get into the Paratroopers’ Odyssey, you will find on page 51 an account of his assisting the C Battery commander (460^th Parachute Field Artillery) clear the way to move the artillery pieces into the right spot. This was on August 15,1944–D Day for the Southern France invasion. The Air Corps scattered us all over the area. There was a lot of confusion. Your grandfather had rounded up about 40 men and was moving to the drop zone when he helped these artillerymen. If you have trouble finding this in the Odyssey, let me know and I will send you a xeroxed page out of the book. Your grandfather was awarded the Silver Star and the Bronze Star. You and your mother may be proud of his service with many fine men in the Combat Team.

You C Company guys are invited to add to this account. Howard Hensleigh

Becky Martinette

First I must say how much I enjoy and appreciate Mail Call. Thank you soooo much

for all the hard work. I would very much like to receive the Thunderbolt. What should I do to receive the Thunderbolt. I would be more than happy to help in any way possible.

I recently found two bracelets that my father sent home during the War. They are silver and very unique. One of the bracelets is a message from my father to his mother. It says TO MOTHER DEAR WITH LOVE FROM MAURICE MAY 1943. The other was made in Paris, each section of the bracelet has a picture of a special landmark in Paris and the big section has the Airborne symbol. My daughter says they are beautiful and so very special. Thank you for the opportunity to share this information. Please let me know if I can be of any help.

Becky Martinette (father Maurice White 3rd Battalion H company