Here is what we can do to help start the erection of a monument in recognition of our participation in the liberation of Southern France. There were plans made by the top brass for us to go into the Balkans. But, they settled on the invasion of Southern France. There may have been strategic advantages in doing it otherwise. But what we did was appreciated by the people of Provence. We were fortunate to have their assistance in the campaign. We also could not have liberated a more picturesque piece of real estate. Grabbing a day off in the Riviera cities such as Nice was a reward. Some thought of it as the Champaign Campaign. But the Germans we faced always had the advantage of the mountainous high ground while we attacked at a steep angle uphill. It is fitting that we honor the men whose lives were lost or enormously changed in the liberation of this area and its people.

The ten names I wish to honor with my $100 donation:

First Sgt. John E. Gaunce who went over the railroad tracks with me at Les Arcs and did not come back.

2d Lt. Harold M. Freeman who was killed on those Les Arcs railroad tracks.

William Buk and Marvin C. Bell, the inseparable PFC buddies of G Company who were picked off by a German sniper while carrying water to the Company while it was in the process of attacking Ridge X near Col de Braus.

1^st Lt. Arthur W. Riddler, who was killed in the attack on Ridge X.

The next group of men were involved in resolving the split of the 3^rd Bn. to the south of Col de Braus, near Sospel. G and H Companies had taken Ridge X. I Company was in the vicinity of Mt. Grosso. A German Company held the ground between Ridge X and Mt. Grosso. I Company was ordered to close the gap, but Capt. Fastia did not carry out the order. Capt. McGeever, who had just been appointed 3^rd Bn. Executive Officer to replace Bob McMahon who moved to 1^st Bn., came up to I Company to solve the problem. He chose Reed Terrell’s platoon to attack and close the gap. He led the attack without preparatory artillery or mortal fire. The attack failed with the loss of the following men.

Captain Joseph T. McGeever.

Dan Brogdan, Joe McGeever’s right hand man, who was wounded and taken prisoner.

Pvt. Willis A. Woodcook, killed in the attack

1^st Lt. Reed Terrell the I Co. platoon leader critically wounded in the attack. Reed never returned to combat. He had a spinal cord injury. He served with his home town fire department as a dispatcher and attended several of our post war reunions.

Following careful preparation, including a night patrol of the German company positions, we then had all three rifle companies attack with supporting artillery and mortars. Except for those who were killed, we captured the entire German company. This included the first sergeant who went down the hill with his hind side showing. The seat of his trousers had been burned off by a white phosphoreus grenade while he was still in his bunker.

After the battalion attack there was a German counter attack that we repulsed. The enemy artillery that came in during the counter attack did some damage. It killed 2d. Lt. Hilliard B. Thomas of H Company on Ridge X (my tenth name). It also ruffed up a group of Army Air Corps officers (we called fly boys) in their pinks and greens. They were with us for the day to see how the infantry operated. None of them were seriously injured, but I am sure they got purple hearts from their cuts and bruised.

We think of the men we lost in all of the five major battles in which we participated, sometimes daily. It is a privilege extended by our friends in France to honor these men. In this spirit, we note that the men of the 596^th have decided to name all of the engineers whose lives were lost in the liberation of Southern France. We can follow their example.

Howard Hensleigh

---

Claire Giblin

Hi, Ben -