Dear Ben: We need more stories about other battles and people, but one thing leads to another as our memories are tickled. Here is one for the I Company guys about your top kick, Flave Carpenter. The scene was the outdoor officers club at Joigny (down by the train station) after VE Day (May 8, ‘44). Flave was leaving the outfit with points. He must have had plenty. A dinner was served in honor of the "departees". Flave made a departure speech. Here is the gist of it. He first referred to his days at Perl Harbor, where he was a "big dog" with a staff car. He lived through the Japanese attack on December 7 . Sometime after that, his superiors sent him to OCS at The Infantry School, Ft. Benning, Ga. Following a hard day in the field, lights were out in the barracks and most of the OCs were getting the sleep needed for the next day. One guy with a load on came in, turned on all the lights and made a loud mouthed nuisance of himself. Flave told him three times to douse the lights and quiet down. The third time he told him with his fists. The guy survived, but he and Flave were kicked out of OCS. Flave ended his departure speech with: "Why was I kicked out of OCS? For fighting! Why did they commission me an officer and a gentleman? For fighting! There was applause.
Dick Havill’s thinking, if Flave is crazy enough to go in (Manhay), we’ll follow him, reminds me of the "Mad Major" demonstration at Ft. Benning. The major ordered the GIs to attack up the hill under withering fire. The boys had a discussion figuring the old guy was "off his nut". The major kept going right up the hill. The punch line: "If that old bastard can do it, we can do it." They took the hill like we took Manhay.
My best for the upcoming Memorial Day when we will remember those who have departed from the ranks of the Band of Brothers, Howard Hensleigh
Note to Judith Eugene–I do not remember Donald "Goon" Eugene well, but I am sure I went on a patrol with him once in Southern France. The entire Regimental S-2 section came through an orchard where the 3rd Bn. was bivouacked. I am sure Donald Eugene was there. I knew Bob Morgan and Joe Grazzafi better, because they both came to the 3rd Bn. later. Unfortunately, Bob and Joe have passed on. I know they could give you a good account The Regimental S-2 section led by cart. Albin Dearing was on their way to reconnoiter an area beyond our lines. I planned all our 3rd Bn. patrols, but thought I might learn something from these guys from higher headquarters. Lt. Col. Paxton gave me permission to go along. We lit out on a paved mountain road around hairpin curves toward the enemy lines. My patrols usually stayed off of the roads and beaten paths. Around one curve we had a clear view for several hundred yards. There was a pill box a hundred yards away. Two of the guys went to investigate it and one crawled up on top. By the noises below, he then learned that Germans occupied the pill box. Soon a tank or self propelled gun roared up from the valley below. Its cannon was pointed in our direction and it started firing.
Al Dearing and the rest of us decided it was time for us to get out of there. Al in the lead headed for a narrow ravine about eight feet deep that ran up over the mountain. The 88s hit on both sides of the ravine all the way up, but none landed in it. By the time we went over the top, Al was about a hundred yards behind the last man. As each of us ran past Al, he asked, "Aren’t you going to wait for the old man?" No
one answered; we just kept running.On this successful patrol we learned where the enemy was, and had no casualties, but I kept on patrolling the 3rd Bn. way, in spite of all the good lessons learned from Regiment. Judith I am sure your father was on that patrol. Maybe this will stimulate others to contribute. Tom McEvoy may has something to add. Howard Hensleigh