2005 Biannual Reunion
August 15-19,
2005
Savannah, Ga.
Marie Rommel
Ben: This is a very sad day for our family. Walter
passed away last night. It is a blessing for him. He suffered so
much. Bone marrow cancer is a painful disease. But, he managed to get
through almost nine months of it and what a fighter he was. The chemo didn't
work and the cancer only got worse. He died a few minutes after
twelve.
He loved the 517th.and couldn't wait for mail call to
come. With his macular degeneration, he found it difficult to read. I
read and reread it to him. We would talk about the events and I learned so
much more about the 517th.
I am sure there must be a big reunion going on in
heaven. What a great "Band of Brothers" we have there.
Ranfranz & Vine Funeral Home--5241 Royal Place
NW
Rochester, Minnesota 55901
Marie Rommel- Company F
Donald Spears
DEAR BEN,
I JUST RECEIVED A PHONE CALL
FROM MARIE ROMMEL TELLING ME THAT WALT PASSED AWAY LAST NIGHT. THE
FUNERAL IS THURSDAY, 7OCT2004, IN ROCHESTER, MN. NO OTHER DETAILS AT THIS
TIME.
AIRBORNE
REGARDS,
DONALD G. "GEORGE" SPEARS
50CT04
DEAR BEN,
FOLLOW UP ON YESTERDAY. THE FUNERAL WILL BE
THURSDAY.
RANFRANZ & VINE FUNERAL HOME
5421 ROYAL PLACE NW
ROCHESTER, MN 55901
AIRBORNE REGARDS
DONALD G, "GEORGE" SPEARS
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gene Frice
Ben,
For what ever reason, there are
only several of us in F Company who apparently are on the internet. But, for
those of us who are on and off again, and those that do not participate-F
Company forwards it's prayers for Rudolph Coleman of F Company, and to Randy and
members of the family .
God bless you all.
Gene
Frice, F Company
Mark Baird
Ben, Would you please ask Randy Coleman to
inform
his Dad when he wakes up, that I Mark Baird Co.A had a
St Jude
valve (aortic) installed in 1992 (Aug 17) and
is still perking along.
Made a new man, physically, of
me, and that my wife Rita and I will pray for
him.
Mark Baird
John Bramswig
Good luck
with your dad Randy,
John Bramswig
Randy Coleman
Ben- I have just been informed that my father's operation has been
"scratched". The surgeon has elected to use medications in lieu of surgery for
now. Randy Coleman
*************
The prayers have been answered.-Ben
Entry of Oct 04, 2004 at 17:49 [EST]
Name: Joseph Bisch
Unit: B Co 2/8th Inf. 4th ID '86-'88
EMail: Jbis4@Allstate.com How I found the
517th page: unknown
Comments: My mother found my grandfather's
footlocker. Within it was a jump manifest from August 15th, 1944. On the top of
the page, it says "RESTRICTED", HEADQUARTERS 1ST AIRBORNE TASK FORCE, APO 758 US
ARMY, FLIGHT FORM. My grandfather's name was Joseph A. Largan, and at the time
of this jump, he was a 1st Lt. The names listed on the manifest are as follows:
PFC Dan G. Brogdan (MIA); CPL John A. Stewart (WIA); PFC Donald F. Fulton (WIA);
PFC Doren G. Emerick (WIA); PVT Glenn L. Lambert (KIA, noted to have been killed
by a sniper); CPL Charles A. Bell (WIA); PFC Robert W. Mullinax; PVT Bernard W.
Mullins (WIA); PVT Cecil W. Embry; SGT. Nicola Esposito; PVT James P. Wagner;
PVT Bradie E. Richie, Jr. (WIA); CPL Ivan J. Bezon; PVT Wister J. Moore; PFC
Thomas J. McMahon; PVT Albert O. Boyer (WIA); and PFC Robert Craig. PVT Craig's
name is written in pencil, and a handwritten notation indicates that my
grandfather never saw him again after he was given last minute instructions on
the plane. Time of the jump was 0430. Altitude of the jump was about 700 feet.
The plane was typed as #12, then above this, it is written in "08". Then next to
this is the number 43-100859. On the opposite page of the manifest are lists of
towns they encountered, written in my grandfather's hand. Fighting is denoted by
a checkmark next to the name of the town. The check marked towns are Les Arcs;
Callian; LeMuy; St. Vallier; Grasse; LeBar; St. Cezare; Levens; L'Escarene;
Touct (?) Lescare (?); Cot de Braus (?); Peira Cava; (can't read next one);
Malmebry (?) and Roetgen.
Joseph Bisch
Dear Mr. Barrett,
Thank you so much for
your e-mail. I will be going through the rest of my grandfather's papers
this weekend. From what I understand, he kept very detailed records, some
of which may be of interest to other members / friends of your
organization. There are two footlockers, one I believe deals
with World War II, and his service with the 517th PRCT. The second
footlocker purportedly pertains to his service with the 2d ID (38th
Infantry Regiment) during the Korean War, where he was grievously injured.
He retired from the Army after spending two years in Letterman
Army Hospital in San Francisco.
Sadly my grandfather
passed away in February, 2001. Following his military service, he raised
his family of seven children. I am the oldest of his fifteen
grandchildren. He was much loved and greatly respected. I very much
look forward to posting in your guestbook in the near future. I will do my
best to preserve whatever documents / photos / maps, etc. I may
find.
Very Truly Yours,
Joseph Bisch, Esq.