Got a wonderful letter from Don Burgett (101st Airborne author for those not familiar with him) yesterday, in response to an email I sent him the other day regarding Reg (Lennon) and Filip (FIWI) who are members of our forum. I wanted all to know about his exciting trip. Tell me that you wouldn't love to be there too?
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Marion,
I too thought of you at this time for it is getting close to the "Lunch bunch" meeting and I will miss it this time. Bando/Burgett Tour is taking off from Metro Wed. Sept 14 about 9:25 PM. We will land in Amsterdam, Holland, visit battle areas for about three days, then on to Bastogne where we will be allowed to visit the underground bunker of General McAuliffe, where the General coined the now famous "Nuts" answer to the Germans.
We will also be allowed to tour the old pre-WWII fort where the bunker is located. I am to receive a Bastogne medal there in a short ceremony. The fort and bunker is off limits to the public and only limited persons are allowed to tour after application and clearance after about two weeks consideration. We will meet with your friends Reg and Filip, I have been in email contact with them, they speak highly of you. Filip was instrumental in obtaining our permission to visit the fort, bunker and the ceremony.
We will also be visiting the old battle sites where I fought alongside my comrades over half a century ago.
Scheduled to return home Sept. 25, 2005, 5:10 PM. See you at the following Lunch Bunch.
Dang. Just called my buddy Ken Kleinbach, a member of the 540th. His wife told me he wasn't at home. I told her this was Marion and she relayed that they had taken Ken to the hospital this morning for chest pains. Dang!
I called to find out if he was going to be able to attend the reunion in a couple of weeks. He was planning on going to the 36th's reunion last year and we were going to meet. Then the reunion was cancelled. Guess they had an ongoing "ribbing" about who landed first at Anzio!
Ken lives in PA and I was hoping to meet him at the reunion, or if not, I'd drive to his house for a few hours. Let's hope and pray that we can still get together and this is nothing serious.
The Hole idea starfted in the Truman adn. Construction began During 1952 Ikes adm.
The Corps of Engrs was in charge of THe whole thing. From the water supply for it to the Exhaust holes for Boiler and Generators. All things being reduntant? ie 2 power plants 2 or more of every thing.
I am talking about Site R The first of the underground facilities. THe Gran,daddy of them all.Upgrades lead to steel frame buildings mounted on springs!
THe Engrs drilled holes 36 " in Dia. of the exhaust pipes thru green stone before they knew how to steer the bit. When it drifted off after 600' they built a chandeller with 4 lights (compass poits to measure the drift) and calculated what they needed to do to find the bottom of the hole inside! Gave the miners a corrected heading and said 12 more feet in that direction and you gaot it. And they were corredt! NO job Too big for an Engr.more to follow...
Just called my buddy Ken Kleinbach, a member of the 540th. His wife told me he wasn't at home. I told her this was Marion and she relayed that they had taken Ken to the hospital this morning for chest pains. Dang!
