Just recently, we had discussed the passing of Danny Marino, a very good friend of John McAuliffe. Danny is featured prominently on John's page here on our site.
Anyway, John and I were discussing Danny's Memorial Guestbook and he talked about a certain person name Stevenot, Gilbert who had signed the book. John said that Steve was a friend from Belgium and that he served as an interpreter during the war for General Bradley. Well I was intrigued.
You see I am currently reading A Soldier's Story by General Omar Bradley, so I was quite excited about talking to Steve. Later that same day I sat down and composed a letter and waited for a response. Well it didn't take long and not only did he respond, but sent me this wonderful photo that I have attached below.
Here are some excerpts from his letters:
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Hello ! Marion,
Glad to meet you on the web and it was a good idea of our common
friend John to give you my address. I met John for the first time in
Bastogne, but I knew him since a few years through the Golden acorn issue.
He is a nice and loyal friend and we often exchange messages.
At once congratulations for being the official historian of your
dad’s unit and you can be proud of your father who fought in my country
during that bitter campaign of the battle of the Bulge. With my old friend
Mitchell Kaidy, from Rochester we have been the promoters of a monument and
the four plaques dedicated, 9 years ago, to the great 87th infantry
division.
You are reading General Bradley’s book, and by a strange coincidence
I have it on my desk and indeed his story is very interesting. I am writing
a book and I have translated it fully from page 251 to 554.and mentioning
friends who played an important role on the way....
I was at the 6000 Hqs Special Troops as a billeting officer. The
same job I was doing for the Krauts during the war. That’s the price I pay
at the time because of the knowledge of four languages.
On September 9 1944, in my native village, south of the Province of
Luxembourg, I heard the sounds of an American entering the village and went
out to meet the Liberators and tell them the road had been mined during the
night by the Germans. They slowed down, but despite my warning the first
Sherman suffered some damage when a mine exploded. They removed two other
mines and the column could go on again.
As you know in life we never really know where our roads are leading
us- so it was with me. I was a good interpreter for the German, for I had to
do the dirty job, billeting, requisitions, in short to run with the hare and
hunt with the hounds. But in the American that was quite different...
With my warmest regards. Steve.
Attached : If it works you will have one of the very few pictures of the
incident with the first tank entering in my village. Sept 9 1944.
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I then received another email from him this morning:
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Dear Marion,
I hope you have received my message and its attachement. I had time to read
part of good pages written in memory of your father, and wiil come again on
it.. i just finished the translation of A Soldier's life. Part of it remained
in pen and ink since more than 15 years and now I have to complete the work
with more others stories of friends involved in the BOB and my own
experience.
Till soon. Wamest regards.
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Isn't this great? You know how excited I get regarding things like this. It is just so much fun and oh so very interesting to piece all of this history together especially when one has the chance to talk to those who were there and played intergral parts in the war. Here's the photo. It's a keeper!
Hi this is the letter I received tonight. I have already found some info for her and will post what I found below. She would be most grateful.
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Hello, Marion - - -
I, too, am trying to locate information on my husband, Frank Donia. I am giving him a surprise birthday party on July 3rd and was hoping to get information and e-mail information from others that were there and, hopefully, knew him for I am preparing a scrapbook for him. I'm trying to locate others that he was with to hopefully set up some e-mail correspondence with them!
The information he gave me (and I dare not ask him again or he will get suspicious!) was: 348th Combat Engineering unit attached to the 2nd Ranger Battalion, part of 5th Corps, 1st Army. Fox Red (E-3). Says he landed about 6:45 AM at Omaha Beach.
This website is difficult to follow; I just spent an hour getting this far! And I don't know where to look if I get a response!
If I may take the liberty of logging on to some of the individuals you credit with providing you with information?
If you choose to respond to me, please use soomartha@aol.com for I don't want my husband to see any of this or it will spoil the surprise.
Many thanks!
Sandra Donia
So, if you or anyone else has any information, please e-mail me at soomartha@aol.com - Many Thanks!
don't know if this is true but it is said to be. A 4-engine bomber base at Sebring Florida men were sitting around talking, when the radio started receiving a call saying "coming in on one engine, coming in on one engine". The field got ready for the plane, soon in comes a plane -- one engine. It was a fighter – a one-engine plane. Now if this were true, the commandant of the field would have to wait until the 1-engine plane pilot got out and took his flight clothes off and make sure the pilot did not out-rank him. We had some high-ranking pilots in WW2.
This is in regards to finding the remains of a fallen comrade after many, many long years and taking the time to pay homage to this fine soldier. Jim sent me two photos. One of Sgt Puckett of the 99th Inf Division and one of him being honored in Neuville.
Here is the letter I received from Henri:
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Dear friends,
Mr James Hennessey asked me to sent you this information and pictures.
Today, June 18, 2005, The Sergeant John T 'Jack' Puckett was buried with all honors at the American Military Cemetery of Neuville en Condroz, Belgium. His sister Joann was present at the ceremony. (See picture)
His body was discovered (with two other) on 1992 near Elsenborn and it is only 13 years after that he was identified.
