New
Association: I have learned that
many of our 508th veterans are not aware of the Family and Friends
of the W8tk Parachute Infantry Regiment (WWII) Association. The
Association is having a reunion August 8-11 in Birmingham, Alabama.
RICHARD J. O'DONNELL is the Interim Chairman. If you have questions,
call Chairman O'DONNELL at (321) 727-1170 or e-mail at
jumpmaster@508pir.org.
His postal mailing address is 760 Conestee Drive, West Melbourne, FL
32904-1812, USA.
TOM BENO and the
Veterans Administration: TOM BENO has had a stroke, leaving him
paralyzed on one side and unable to talk. The VA refuses to accept
TOM for treatment because he cannot prove to their satisfaction that
he qualifies. TOM's wife MONICA has submitted endless paperwork, but
they still don't believe the testimony of his fellow G Company
paratroopers ANGEL ROMERO and RALPH CAMPAGNA. Her local Service
Representative is now encouraging her, who furnished her an address
to get TOM's Service records. She feels she just has a few [more
hurdles to jump before she can get help for TOM.
TOM BENO
deserves better treatment from our country. He parachuted into the
enemy fire in air and on the ground on the night of June 5, 1944,
before the ground troops hit the beaches on D-Day. TOM BENO who was
with the G Company contingent that drove the Germans off Devil's
Hill in Holland, and held out for five days surrounded by the enemy
and repulsed wave after wave of enemy counterattacks, deserves
better. TOM BENO, who during the Battle of the Bulge, was with
Captain WILDE and Sergeant SIROVICA, the point group for G Company
leading the attach that drove the Germans from Their du Mont,
charging on in deep snow, with the eighty-eights firing point bank
like rifles, so fierce that it ripped off the head of one trooper
and a leg off Lieutenant JAMES FOWLER. TOM deserves respect and
honor. at else need the BENO family need to do before the VA is
willing to help this poor helpless sick man? Tonight I am writing
Senator LINDSEY GRAHAM. I hope by the time you read this in the
STATIC LINE, TOM will have been receiving medical help.
TAPS: GORDON
WILLIAM WAHTO, C Co and HQ 1st, died January 31, 2007, GORDON WAHTO
was born in Douglas, Alaska. His Alaskan work career included, gold
mining, commercial fishing and working for Standard Oil Company. He
served in the 508th from 1942-45 and participated in all of the
regiment's
campaigns. He received numerous awards, and was among
the 508tn enlisted men to receive Battlefield Commissions. WAHTO s
buried with full military honors at Fort Richardson National
Cemetery.
Condolences may
be sent to GORDON'S wife, Mrs DORIS IWAHTO at Box 24064, Douglas, AK
99824 (Reported by MARY McCALL, widow of JOHN McCALL, HQHQ Co)
March in the
Footsteps of the 82nd Airborne Division
EMILE Lacroix
reported that almost 1000 marchers were present this past February.
I know of four who represented the 1508th this year: GRAHAM LAWSON
of Nottingham, England, DAVE PIKE formerly of Nottingham, now
residing in Ste Mere Eglise, Normandy, ELLEN PETERS of Texas, USA,
now teaching in
Digne, France.
The marchers agreed
that it was a beautiful warm sunny day and nice for hiking, however,
a cold snowy day would have more nearly replicated our march in the
winter of 1944-45.
The National
D-Day Memorial: JAMES WYNNE, HQ 1 St Co of the 508th, brought me
informational material about the D-Day Memorial, located near
Bedford, Virginia. JIM WYNNE told me that the location was chosen
because the community of Bedford lost more soldiers killed on June
6, 1944 (D-Day) per capita than any other community in the USA.
Bedford's population in 1944 was about 3,200; nineteen of their sons
were killed on D-Day. WYNNE'S Chapter of the 82nd Airborne Raised
$6,000.00 for the National D-Day Memorial Foundation.
I quote the
Foundation literature about the Monument: "The National D-Day
Memorial is located at the interchange of Route 460 and 122 in the
City of Bedford, between Roanoke and Lynchburg, Virginia. Access
from route 460 to both Interstate 81 and Route 29 is within 25 miles
of the Memorial."
The Memorial is
open daily between 10:00 AM and 5:00 PM, except Christmas,
Thanksgiving, New Years Day and inclement weather. During winter,
visitors should call (800) 351-3329 to determine if the Memorial is
open.
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