From: Ben517
Sent: Saturday, October 16, 2004 7:08 AM
Subject: MAIL CALL NO. 776 517TH PRCT--OCTOBER 16, 2004
Hello,
 
 I have included correspondence between Joseph Bisch and Howard Hensleigh because I m certain that it is of interest to members  and may help to recall memories of Joe Largan. I will have more mail from Joe Largan's grandson and daughter in next Mail Call.
 
Ben 

 Website                      www.517prct.org
Mail Call                      Ben517@aol.com
Mail Call Archives      www.517prct.org/archives
Roster                         www.517prct.org/roster.pdf
Florida Mini-Reunion 2005
January 23-27, 2005
Kissimmee, FL

2005 Biannual Reunion
August 15-19, 2005
Savannah, Ga.


Bill Boyle

I know something about the lion. From the night that he arrived in B Co. and I
saw the Supply Sgt. (I believe of B co.) up on a high shelf with a rifle watching
 the lion on the floor and later when at Col. Walton's request we were taking
 the lion to a propblast party and he tried and did get out of the car using my
 scalp as part of his path. I will be available at our reunion to give either the long
or short version of the car ride.

Bill Boyle


Tom Reber
 

Dear Ben,

 
Regarding the 508th, I have to relate a recent chain of events concerning one of their members.
 
For the past several years, my family has been very active with local and school orchestra groups (both of our children are string players).  As a result of these experiences, we met a very active mother of another player who is also president of the youth orchestra association.  In September, we invited her to Covington, KY for Oktoberfest, and during our visit there, my wife discovered that her father was also a WWII paratrooper.
 
Well, my wife quickly corralled me and set me to task to find out more, which I promptly did.  Unfortunately, she was not aware of her father's unit, or where he served, etc.  She advised us that he rarely spoke of any of his experiences and recalled that he once had a chance to attend a reunion in SC, but decided against it.  We produced a cell phone and asked, can we call him?  We attempted to reach him by phone, but he was not home at the time.  We agreed to arrange a meeting with her and her father next time she had him over for dinner.
 
On October 2nd, we were able to meet her father and I brought along the huge pictorial book by Michel De Trez, which details Dragoon.  I left it in our car, not knowing if he would be willing to discuss his experiences.  Well, after our introductions, in no time at all, I knew he was a 508th (A Co.) member.  Now, I believe myself to be pretty decent recalling 517th details, but very fuzzy on other units and the corresponding unit numbers.  I thought the 508th was in Dragoon (actually the 509th was) and promptly ran to the car to get the book.
 
Well, after a quick review, it was evident he did not jump in the same operation with my father, so the book was used to help him show his family the equipment that he used (BAR and grease gun).  Many years had made his recall of places and operations a bit rusty and I was a bit unsure of where he served, so I asked how many combat jumps he made.  He replied two.  OK, I am not as smart as I thought I was, so I asked if they were day or night jumps, and he said one of each.  So now I am theorizing he had to be in the D-Day (June 6th) night jump and in either Market Garden (a bridge too far) or Varsity.
 
I asked if he ever went to any reunions and he said that he just never did.  I told him about my father and how I grew up going to reunions and how I re-discovered the 517th and all of the good fortune I have experienced in learning more about my father's service time.  I tried not to be too pushy, but I was trying to sell him on the benefits of attending reunions.  I found out he had been wounded and was in Percy Jones hospital in Battle Creek, MI, as was Col. Boyle and my father.  I am not sure of the timing, but since my father was in various hospitals for more than 3 years after he was hit, I am choosing to believe that they were at Percy Jones at the same time.
 
We had a very nice visit and he related stories and recollections to his family that had never been previously discussed with them.  I was very happy to see him sharing with his daughter and grandson, so they could better understand this special man.  His daughter admired the De Trez book and said that she now had a good gift idea for him.  I asked her to wait and let me research his unit first.
 
So the next day (Sunday), I burned up the internet looking at the 508th history and association web pages.  I printed many pages out.  I discovered that the 508th participated in D-Day and when I saw where they jumped (the swamps) I recalled a History Channel program that detailed certain elements of the 508th in a courageous defense of a vital cross roads town.  We called the woman and arranged to meeting when we dropped off our kids at rehearsal on Monday night.
 
When we met, I quickly flipped her through the history her father was part of and also showed her that DeTrez had a pictorial book about the D-Day airborne units and if she wanted to get her father a book, that one may be better.  Then I stopped and showed her the last page I printed.  It detailed the 508th's FINAL reunion as an association and it was THIS MONTH.  When I showed her that, she got a very determined look in her face and she declared; "Well, he is just going to HAVE to go to that, even if I have to carry him there!" 
 
I am pleased to report that plans have been made, and this gentleman will be attending his first 508th reunion (Tallahassee), which is scheduled to be the unit's last reunion.  I have to believe that there was nothing accidental about how all of these events chained together and timed up to provide this gentleman with this opportunity to rediscover his band of brothers.  I am eager to visit with him after his reunion and find out about it.
 
It is truly a small world.  I hope you are all well.
 
Best regards,
 
Tom Reber
son of Lt. Bob Reber, HQ 3rd

Gene Snyder
 
Hi Ben & all the Combat Team:
Everything is great out here.  I haven't seen rain this year and very few clouds.  It is nearing my time for the annual migration to our fair weather place in Yuma, AZ.  Will be leaving the home place here in Bishop, CA (Hi Desert) by the end of the month.    This week we went to Hollywood to celebrate my 80th and have small family reunion.  My two sons, granddaughter and families attended.  My oldest son lives in Punkintown, SC which is only a few miles from Toccoa, GA.  My sister MARTY DONAHOO and LUD GIBBONS (H Co.) also were there.   We had the celebration at the Magic Castle by special invitation.   The Magic Castle is a private club of magicians of the Academy of Magical Arts.  It is extremely interesting and entertaining.  The food and drink are superb.  The entertainment is in small rooms by the magicians and there are more of them than you can see in any evening.   Check out their website at www.magiccastle.com.     Good luck and Good health to all my buddies and their families!!!!    I thank you from the bottom of my heart for mail-call.  My email address stays the same here and there.  God Bless You All.
 
Gene "Zoot" Snyder Co. A
 
P.S.  Believe it or not one of the magicians wore a zoot suit, probably from ELBERT DURAN'S (Co. A) Custom Zoot Shop in Fullerton, CA..

Don and Jan Saunders
 
Claire:
Glad to hear all is well with your dad, Al. our best to him and looking forward to seeing you folks in fla in Jan,05.
Don and Jan Saunders, 596th

Joseph Bisch--Howard Hensleigh
Sent: 10/11/2004 5:30:26 PM
Subject: RE: Joe Largan & the 517th PRCT

Dear Mr. Hensleigh,
 
    Thank you for your recent e-mail, and especially for the Xerox that has been sent my way.  This Sunday, I went to my Grandmother's home, and began to examine the voluminous set of documents my Grandfather saved pertaining to his military service.  I am happy to report that I found many interesting documents that can be added to your association's website.  I believe that many of the documents will help in the important task of preserving the memory of the 517th, as well as bring greater understanding of the pivotal role your Combat Team played in the defeat of fascism in World War II.   My initial examination of the available documents has yielded the following:
 
-    A booklet entitled "Prop Blast", dated Saturday, December 4th, 1943 from Camp MacKall, NC.  This small blue booklet offers a brief history of the 517th; a description of the "Walsh Wassail"; a program concerning the evenings festivities, as well as a roster of the officers from the all sections of the 517th.  This booklet bears numerous notations, especially concerning men in the 3d Battalion;
 
-    A handwritten letter (two pages, both sides) from Ltc. Melvin Zais to my Grandfather.  The letter is post-marked "Pinehurst, NC", and bears the date February, 1946.  There are a couple of other letters from Ltc. Zais to my Grandfather, but I have not yet read each one.  There also is a letter from Col. Graves which I still need to read.
 
-    A booklet pertaining to a memorial service held on July 9th, 1944 in Italy.  This booklet lists the names of the fourteen men who lost their lives in Italy from the 517th, as well as three members of the 596th Engineers who also perished;
 
-    A booklet pertaining to a memorial service held on December 3d, 1944 in France.  The booklet lists the names of the eighty men who lost their lives in France from the 517th, as well as the names of the eight members of the 460th Field Artillery who also perished, and the names of eleven more men who died in France while serving with the 596th Engineers;
 
-    A booklet from Christmas, 1944 in France.  This bears Christmas Greetings from Col. Graves, as well as the names of all men serving with the 517th Parachute Infantry Combat Team;
 
-    A copy of my Grandfather's Order to Report for Pre-Induction Army Physical Examination, dated December 19th, 1941;
 
-    A copy of a letter from Gen. Jacob Devers to my Grandfather, thanking him for his service, dated January 27th, 1946;
 
-    A copy of a Recommendation for a Bronze Star, for heroic achievement in action. There is a typed "Description of the Act", signed by 1Lt. Thomas J. Priest, concerning my Grandfather's actions on September 18th, 1944, near Col de Braus, France.  The "Description of the Act" is certified by Sgt. Alvin Granger; T/Sgt. Podolak; and Sgt. Robert Mullinax;
 
-    A faded copy of the Orders pertaining to the award of the Combat Infantryman's Badge to men of HQ Co., 3d Battalion, dated October 27th,1943;
 
-    A copy of the Orders, dated June 18th, 1943, assigning my Grandfather and others to various companies within the 517th.  The document is signed by Robert B. Pearce, 1st Lt., 517th, Adjutant, and is at the Order of Colonel Walsh;
 
-    A "True and Exact Copy" of General Order No. 10, concerning Battle Honors for the 1st Battalion, 517th, setting forth the actions against the enemy in December of 1944.  This document bears the name of Dwight D. Eisenhower, as Chief of Staff, and is signed in ink by Robert A. Van Houten, Major, Infantry;
 
-    A "True and Exact Copy" of General Order No. 24, setting forth the units entitled to wear the French Croix de Guerre as well as the Belgian Croix de Guerre.  The document also bears the name of Dwight D. Eisenhower, as Chief of Staff, and is signed in ink by Robert A. Van Houten, Major, Infantry.
 
    There are literally hundreds, possibly thousands of documents to go through, some noteworthy, like those mentioned above, some less so, such as a liquor chit, apparently issued in France.  All of the documents are fascinating though.  My Grandfather also served in Alaska and Korea.  Many documents pertain to that subsequent service, as well as his medical treatment and convalescence at Letterman Army Hospital in San Francisco. 
 
    I will continue to examine the collected documents, and will attempt to glean from those records anything pertaining to the 517th.  I will then endeavor to scan them onto a computer as quickly as possible.   Once the work concerning the documents is achieved, I will certainly then begin work on a biography concerning my Grandfather that will be suitable for posting on the 517th website.
 
Sincerely,
 
Joe Bisch