Sissonne, in northern France, was a Rest and Relaxation (R & R) stop for the 508th. The Regiment assembled at
Sissonne Barracks, a few miles north of the village itself. The former French Army barracks had housed German Army units during the occupation. Later, the 82nd Airborne Division bivouacked there for R & R. Their rest and relaxation was rudely interrupted as the 82nd was deployed to wintry combat in the Battle of the Bulge.
Also key to the 82nd's use of
Sissonne was the 242nd General Hospital, a unit consisting of more than 600 medical staff, including 100 nurses. There were about twenty similar general military hospitals in France. situated in rear locations, typically 30 to 40 km back from evacuation hospitals and clearing stations. Since little surgery was done in the more forward medical units these General Hospitals performed much of the surgery, Quite possibly some of the men of the 508th were treated there for injuries sustained in the Battle of the Bulge |
 On
R & R
1st Sgt Ken Schroeder smokes his pipe while he relaxes with Sgt Thomas
Shrout of the Machine Gun Platoon, HQ 2nd in Tent City, Sissonne
(Courtesy Irv Shanley) |
 Tech-5 Angelo Greco in
Sissonne, France. Photo taken by local photographer in a setting seen in many 508th souvenir photos. Greco was a professional musician prior to the war and was in the 508th regimental band (see Band Photo Album). |
 Lawrence
T. Aaron
previously unidentified until his niece confirmed his identity |
 Sissonne
November 1944
[l-r] Troy Newman, Fayette O. Richardson and Hank Gavazza
(courtesy Jon Richardson)
 First
Day At Camp In France
Nov 44, wrote Jim Burke (Co E) on this photo that he sent home
 Three
Buddies
Buron Dewell
Jeffcoat (in the
middle) was called "De" or "Jeff" while he was in Co E, late in the
war. He served in The Bulge and the Honor Guard at Frankfurt where he built
a bookcase for Gen. Eisenhower.
Three More Buddies
Glenn Eby, Robert Gass and Bill Lamberson, all of Co E
(courtesy of Steve Gass) |
 Buddies
Bill Lamberson and Lawrence Aaron |
 [l-r]
Sgt James Hutto and Cpl Andrew Downer,
both I Co |
 Gordon C. Johnson
Camp Sisson, May '44
Johnson was from North Dakota.
Note that a small reindeer (bottom left) commemorates the coming
Christmas season.
(Courtesy O.B. Hill collection) |
 Capt
Jonathan E. Adams
poses in Paris, 26 Nov 1944, the day after Thanksgiving. Given the
circumstances, we can forgive the absence of a smile. |
 T5
Charles E. Schmalz
poses while on furlough n Paris, 27 Nov 1944.
The other troopers are unidentified |
 [l-r]
Jim Lacey, Bob Speers and Irv Shanley
got their wish as they all survived the war
(courtesy of Irv Shanley) |
 Turkey
and All The Trimmings
personally addressed to Lt. Combs, this Thanksgiving menu was
quite lavish for men in the ETO and includes a few things that might not
been seen in a mess hall today, such as Cuban Rum Punch and cigarettes
(courtesy Rex Combs collection) |
 Merry
Christmas
Known to have been sent in WW-II, the year is uncertain but
1944 seems most likely. This gone would have gone into the mail with
all good intentions and well before the Dec 18th departure for the Ardennes.
As it turned out, it was not a joyous holiday season that year for the 508th
(courtesy Rex Combs collection) |
