Hello,

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Ben:
       Mail Call No. 722 517th PRCT-July 8, 2004 gave some excellent information. Russ Brami and I have trying to telephone Blane Dolges who is the cousin of  S/Sgt. James A. Dipko, Co. E, 517th PIR who was killed in action in the vicinity of Follonica, Italy on June 24, 1944. So far we have not been able to talk to him as his phone is only taking messages at this time. Hope you do not mind if I use Mail Call to get this message to Blane Dolges.
       Dick Seitz's account of the enemy action at Follonica, Italy is very accurate and well stated. As I recall my participation in this action it brings a feeling of sadness and loss for two outstanding members of Company E., S/Sgt. James A. Dipko and S/Sgt Robert W. Farmer who were killed at Follonica at the same time and place.
       I vividly recall the enemy artillery fire being accurately "walked" down the reverse side of the hill where we were located. At the time I was standing in the small country road or path about 50 feet distance of where Dipko and Farmer were sitting under a tree. I said hello to both men and as I turned right  to move to an attached  nearby US Army Ambulance and Medical Aid Team the enemy artillery fire started to come in on us. It was evenly spaced and well directed and it seemed as if we were all in the direct line of incoming fire. I managed to land in a small ditch on the opposite side of the road from Dipko  and Farmer.
       As I scrambled for the ditch a shell hit in the immediate vicinity where Dipko and Farmer were located.. My ditch was not deep enough for cover and at that time I commenced to pray like never before. The next enemy round went over me but fell close to the Medical Ambulance Team located to my rear. Fortunately they were not wounded but shell shocked to the point they were babbling out of control and needed a controlling influence to get them back to reality. When the shelling ceased I walked over to see Dipko and Farmer. I found them dead from the shell fire. I stood there for some minutes in shock for these two men were very close members of Company E and I had been their first Company Commander in the 517th PIR before moving up to 2nd Battalion Hq. with Dick Seitz. 
       I have been able, over the years since WW II, to remember the difficult times we encountered and the friends that were lost and yet not dwell on the these memories beyond what passes for normal recall.. My last meeting with and what happened after that last encounter with S/Sgts. Jim Dipko and Bob Farmer comes back time and time again to remind me that I was fortunate enough early in my military career and for all time from that point on to this day to have served with the outstanding men of Company E, 517th PIR.
Author Gerald Astor wrote these two memorable sentences on the last page, page 323, of his chronicle of the 517th:entitled "Battling Buzzards" -The Odyssey of the 517th Parachute Regimental Combat Team 1943-1945: What remains most vividly with the former 517th troopers in their twilight years, are memories of their own Agincourts, ( a reference to Shakespeare's  Henry V when the King  rallied and made an appeal to his men's sense of  glory). Like those warriors from Henry V, they too are entitled to say, " We few, we happy few, we band of brothers."  Gene Brissey and Russ Brami please note.
Regards, Tom Cross

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