It has come to my attention that you may need the services of a defense counsel to defend against an old AWOL charge. By this message I am offering my services at my usual hourly rate to harassed members of the 517^th Combat Team. That rate is the same as it was back in 1943, namely zero.

Here are the elements of our defense:

1. The statute of limitations ran more than fifty years ago.

2. You really weren’t AWOL. You showed up after the pass period on time for roll call and never missed a minute of duty time. The guy who signed your pass is the guilty party, namely 1^st Lt. James G. Bennet, alias "Burp Gun Benny", so named for what he illegally smuggled into the States in his bed roll. Although we have searched for for him for many years he flew the coup and has been AWOL for longer than any of us can remember. Since you could not find him to give him the business end of the pass, your failure to do so is fully exonerated.

3. The charge against you was brought by "Black Tom", the correct Army nomenclature being, Major Thomas R. Cross. He wore two hats. One was president of the 517^th Courts Martial. In this role he was a fair, wise and judicious member of the Court. The other hat was as Dick Seitz bad guy for which he was given the name "Black Tom". They played the good cop bad cop roles in the 2^nd Bn. and Dick was obviously the good cop.

4. Terry Sanford, the Trial Judge Advocate, is no longer with us and can no longer prosecute the case. If Terry were here he would recommend that charges be dropped.

5. In the face of this defense, if Black Tom persists in going to trial, I am sure that Major Thomas R. Cross, as president of the Court, will toss the case out.

6. If all else fails, we will play our trump card. You can’t run Mail Call and the Website from the stockade. Without those two linchpins, the entire 517^th organization will fall apart including the Court and the stockade and you will walk out a free men.

Hang in there against all adversity,

2^nd Lt. Howard E. Hensleigh,

Defense Counsel