John has his story on our site and is a frequent contributor and good friend.

Dear Sirs:

Dr. John E. McAuliffe, WW-II Veteran, Worcester, MA recently attended the annual Luxembourg-American Friendship week in Gonderange, Duchy of Luxembourg, where he received the MEDAL OF HONOR at the PRESCATORE, Gen. Patton's former Headquarters, awarded "in recognition of his selfless Services and brave Achievements during World War II". At a special ceremony at the Cultural Center in Oetrange, followed by a dinner ,he was among those entered into The Legion of Honor of the Chapel of Four Chaplains., June 21 2006.The award is in recognition of service to all people regardless of race or faith. The award symbolizes for all Americans and for all time the unity of this Nation, founded upon the Fatherhood of One God.

The week included attendance at the Cathedral in Luxembourg City at the "Te Deum" in the presence of the grand-ducal family, held on the observance of the Duke's birthday; a National Holiday. Other receptions included a commemoration at Hamm Cemetery and a Mass at the parish church in Dahl in remembrance of all the American soldiers who gave their live during the Battle of the Bulge and WW-II; a visit to the largest WW-II Museum in Diekirch; organ concerts in Contern and a great barbecue at Michie's tavern at the site of the marker that honors Sgt. Robert Turner of the 80th Inf. Div, a CMH awardee.

Dr. McAuliffe, who served as an infantryman with the 87th Inf. Div., spent a second week visiting friends in St. Hubert and at the Remember Museum 1939-45 in Thimister-Clermont, also visitng several Battle of the Bulge sites in various towns.

For more information:

legeneralmac347@charter.net

John E.McAuliffe

425 Pleasant St. #1410

Worcester. MA 01609

508 754 7183.

The other day I was shopping for our store during the 4th of July holiday. I had to make a stop at Kmart in West Branch, then drove across the parking lot to Glen's, our local supermarket. It was quite a crowded day with lots of people milling about and I noticed a vending truck set up not too far from the entrance. Hmmm, I thought, looks good, for I hadn't eaten breakfast. But nonetheless did not stop because I had chores to do.

On my way out, I looked over again, and waves of hunger were still rumbling. No I exclaimed, no fattening hotdogs this noon. Go home!

So I placed the groceries in my the back of my car, and proceeded to drive off. But, in the interim there had been a change of scenery! As I neared the hotdog truck on my way to the driveway, something caught my eye. Hey wait, that wasn't there a couple of minutes ago. It was a BEAUTIFUL WWII jeep. But wait there's more. I saw the words on the front bumper, Cmbt Eng.

So I pulled past and saw three older gentleman sitting around a table. I HAD to stop. I jumped out of my car, ran over to them and said, "Good afternoon gentleman, who's taking me for a ride in the jeep?" Boy did that get their attention. They were all smiles.

"Hey, my name's Marion and my dad was a WWII vet. In fact he was a combat engineer!"

And thus began new friendships. A great group of vets. We talked for several minutes and had a lot of fun. The one gentleman owned the jeep and told me about it's restoration process and that he was a combat engineer too. They asked about my dad and I handed each of them one of my cards. I'm writing a book about the VI Corps vets, I said. The 36th, 39th and 540th. Then one of the other guys really perked up. That's my regiment he said. The 36th. I couldn't believe it. Wow. Another coincidence? Marion, I said, you were meant to be here today.

Well, I told them I had to run, but would have loved to stay longer. We exchanged names and phone numbers, etc. They invited me to come out to the fair in a few weeks and see the new memorial. Told me to bring my dad's photo there and they would add it in. A great day.

On the way out I shouted, "Now remember, next time you're taking me for a ride in the jeep!"

Dang it, two of my buddies have passed now within a few weeks of each other. Dang, dang, dang!!! I do not like this at all.

I was finishing my VI Corps Newsletter (the one that goes out just to the vets and their families of the 36th, 39th and 540th). I emailed two of my buddies tonight from the 36th and 39th to find out if there were any other inclusions for the Get Well and the Sad Farewells pages.

I just heard back from David and Selma Wagner, and they sadly informed me that Paul Knudson passed away the first week of June. It hit me like a rock.

I have a page for Paul on my site:

http://www.6thcorpscombatengineers.com/PaulKnudson.htm

Paul and his wife Alice sent me frequent letters and info. I had just received a letter from them in April regarding the reunion info. Paul and Alice have been the secretary and treasurer of the reunions since 1988. In fact, they were to be this year's hosts.

Sadly now I have to add his name to the list and also remove his info from the reunion announcement before I mail them out this week. I need a hug.

07-29-06 Alice sent me Paul's obit, which I added to his page this morning.

Marion: I"m trying to get a new member to join. another aquaintance of mine. He is

Sgt. Leo / Sgt. Hap (depending on his name here). He is a old WW 2 critter and we

contact each other frequently on another forum. Hope he does sign in here. One hell of a nice guy with very much informatin that would be helpfull.

Just got done reading This Day in History WWII and thought this was worth copying here. Interesting tidbits that you don't run across every day. Being half Polish, it certainly caught my attention.

July 4

1943 Polish general fighting for justice dies tragically

On this day in 1943, Polish General Wladyslaw Sikorski dies when his plane crashes less than a mile from its takeoff point at Gibraltar. Controversy remains over whether it was an accident or an assassination.

Born May 20, 1888, in Austrian Poland (that part of Poland co-opted by the Austro-Hungarian Empire), Sikorski served in the Austrian army. He went on to serve in the Polish Legion, attached to the Austrian army, during World War I, and fought in the Polish-Soviet War of 1920-21. He became prime minister of Poland for a brief period (1922-23).

When Germany invaded and occupied Poland in 1939, Sikorski became leader of a Polish government-in-exile in Paris. He developed a good working relationship with the Allies-until April 1943, when Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin broke off Polish-Soviet diplomatic relations after Sikorski requested that the Red Cross investigate the alleged Soviet slaughter of Polish officers in the Katyn forest of eastern Poland in 1942.

After Germany and the USSR divided up Poland in 1939, thousands of Polish military personnel were sent to prison camps by the Soviets. When Germany invaded Russia in 1941, Stalin created a pact with the Polish government-in-exile to cooperate in the battle against the Axis. Given the new relationship, the Poles requested the return of the imprisoned military men, but the Soviets claimed they had escaped and could not be found. But when Germany overran eastern Poland, the part that had previously been under Soviet control, mass graves in the Katyn forest were discovered, containing the corpses of over 4,000 Polish officers, all shot in the back. The Soviets, apparently, had massacred them. But despite the evidence, the Soviet government insisted it was the Germans who were responsible.

Once news of the massacre spread, a formal Declaration of War Crimes was signed in London on January 13, 1943. Among the signatories was General Sikorski and General Charles de Gaulle. But Sikorksi did not want to wait until after the war for the punishment of those responsible for the Katyn massacre. He wanted the International Red Cross to investigate immediately.

It is believed that Britain considered this request a threat to Allied solidarity and some believe that in order to silence Sikorski on this issue, the British went so far as to shoot down his plane. There is no solid evidence of this.

After the war, the communist Polish government officially accepted the Soviet line regarding the mass graves. It was not until 1992 that the Russian government released documents proving that the NKVD, the Soviet secret police, had been responsible for the Katyn slaughter-backed up by the old Soviet Politburo.