Thanks Ben,

Friday, I received 7 back issues of Thunderbolt from Merle W. McMorrow. I looked through them yesterday for about 2 hours and now have a much better understanding of not only what it meant to be a paratrooper but what it means to you fellows to have these reunions.

J. A. Darden sent me some names and addresses of men who served in the 517th. One, a Jack C. Walbridge, had a phone number with the address and an indication that Jack was also a member of "I" Company. I called and spoke with him yesterday. Jack was a "Scout" for the 3rd Bn. that fateful morning that my Uncle Floyd Stott was killed. Jack recalled going right by the bunker where "Stott" was hit. Jack has many vivid memories of that morning. I feel bad for Jack that he has had a stroke and hasn't made it to any of your reunions. I mentioned some of your names and he remembered most of you.

I'll check out that site and look for Floyd's name. Thanks!

Kent Floyd Immerfall

Lory Curtis

Dear Ben,

Last night, May 23, 2004, I was talking with my father. He told me the following story about the time the 517^th was in Belgium around Christmas time, 1944.   He would like to know if Colonel Boyle still remembers this story and if anyone else has something to add to it? Also does anyone know how to contact Bob Steele? Hope he is still with us.

Bud related that the 517^th PRCT had taken and held the towns of Soy and Hotton Belgium. The 517^th then turned control of these two towns over to the 106h Infantry Division. On Christmas day the 106th Division had lost the ground given them by the 517^th, and the 106^th was pushed back by the Germans at the towns of Soy and Hotton. Because the 106^th did not have the will or ability to fight the Germans, the 517^th PRCT was order to retake these two towns a second time. On December 26^th, Bud was stringing field telephone wire up to a location where LTC Boyle, the Battalion Commander was conducting an offensive operation to retake Soy and Hotton. Bud had spliced the wire many times that day as German artillery rounds kept blowing up the lines. At about noon time on December 26, 1944, Bud was stringing wire for the field telephone for Lieutenant Colonel Boyle, the First Battalion Commander, when friendly fire came screaming in. Apparently grid coordinates for the intended rounds were landing short. Bud and LTC Boyle hit the ground as the shell exploded with most of the scrap metal going upward and not downward. Close by there were two men. One man was the forwarded observers for the Artillery and he had a radio strapped on his back. He was standing by the foxhole. The other man was a 517^th paratrooper in the foxhole. When the round came in the radio man dove into the foxhole on top of the other man. When the artillery shell exploded it hit the radio man in the back. His body covered the other man lower in the foxhole saving his life. This man started screaming for an aide man to help the radio man but it was too late. Bud and the Colonel were shook up badly but not hurt. LTC Boyle asked Bud, “Curtis are you still alive?” Bud checked himself and said, “Yes sir, I think I am. The Colonel said he had to go and get things organized but would be back. LTC Boyle did come back and kept letting Bud know the condition of the battle and reassured Bud that everything was alright.

Bud wrote a letter home to his father on June 22, 1945. This is what he wrote 59 years ago about Colonel Boyle.

“The closest I ever came to getting killed was the day after Christmas when our own artillery threw in some short rounds of those 105’s. I was with the Colonel at the time.   I had just gotten a telephone up to him. You should have heard the way he was burning up those wires to get that artillery stopped. After things quieted down he sat there for a half hour and just shook and told me all about the peace time Army. He was quite a guy. One of those big guys that ain’t afraid of nothing, but that shell landed practically on us. He got all shot up about two weeks later. He wasn’t one of those kind of Colonels that sat behind the lines. He was always up there leading the men, but on the 6^th of January he walked into an ambush and got all shot up. He got slugs from a burp gun put into him by a Kraut. Nothing could kill that guy though. He is back in the States now and the Battalion hasn’t been the same since he left. The guys called him “Wild Bill”. He was quite a guy alright.

The guy that saved the Colonel that night is a guy that I use go to Wilson with (Wilson High School in Long Beach, CA). His name is Bob Steel. He got the Krauts that shot up Wild Bill, and then he carried him into the aid station. He got a Sliver Star and was made a second lieutenant soon afterwards. That Bob is a good man too. He has got plenty of nerve.”

Also can anyone tell me how I can contact Major Fraiser, 1^st BN? My father also told me this story.

“Sometime in early January 1945, while Bud was in Belgium during the Battle of the Bulge he was being transported to another location by Major Fraiser in his jeep. Bud had taken off his gloves because they were soaking wet. Major Fraiser noticed that Bud was trying to keep his hands warm with no success. Major Fraiser took off his gloves and told Bud here take these gloves. I can get more but you can’t.

Lory Curtis, son of Harland “Bud” Curtis, Hq, 1^st Bn

Tom McAvoy

Thanks for the reference Howard but old Thomas A. (that is McAvoy) was)
being jacked around by a lot of different people, First from Dearing in
S-2 ( as S-2 was over staffed) (in MacKall), I was sent to 3rd btn H co.
for our fight in Italy, Then to 3rd Btn S-2 under Lt. John Neiler and
our adventure into France, I get home in a body cast for 4 months from
injuries received in jump into France, was actually in the hospital in
Indianapolis , convalesced for 5 months, in Battle Creek Mich, and
discharged, back in Indiana, apply for a disability and the V.A. tells me
they don't believe I was ever in an airplane let alone jumped out of
one???? Why?? because they had a fire in St Louis Mo. and burned all the
records. So What?? ?????I have corresponded with Don Eugenes Wife a
couple of years ago. Don was a very well liked man, I'll say that for
him?? Tom

Merle McMorrow

Gentlemen:

I am in the process of erasing old files I have on my laptop. I don't know if some have any historical value relating to events that took place in the organization or not. I will let you decide that rather than just deleting. If they have no significant value, you do the deleting. For example here is a letter to the Board just before Bill Lewis' death: The format was letter-style before being pasted.

November 9, 1999

Past President, Vice President & Board of Directors

Our Secretary-Treasurer has continually kept us abreast and informed as to the status of his medical problems. He has indicated to me that he continues to tire more easily as each day passes and he believes the time has come where it has become necessary to transfer his duties to someone else.

We need to put some action plan into motion that will result in a smooth transition of these duties while he is capable of helping with such a transition. This is a request for you to start giving some serious consideration as to how this might accomplished.

I have been told that maybe we should disband and dissolve the Association. I think it is way too premature to consider that type of action.

For starters, I would like to have your ideas and input on the following:

1. What initial action should be considered
2. What information do you have as to whether anyone has ever indicated an interest in the duties Bill now assumes and would be interested and willing to replace him
3. Should the position be broken into two positions
4. Other options could be considered after we have explored what should be done initially.

The sooner we decide how we should proceed the more opportunity we will have to consult with Bill on questions and other matters he could assist us with.

Please furnish your comments on this matter.

                                          Airborne,

                                               Merle W. Mc Morrow

I think Bill died a few days after this was written