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The Scions have received the following sad news from the Margraten Memorial Group concerning our friend Joseph Bisscheroux:
Whenever we visit Margraten Cemetery in the Netherlands, where many troopers of the 17th Airborne Divison lay at rest, the Margraten Memorial Group has been there to welcome us. They have adopted the graves of our fallen troopers and insure that their sacrifice is never forgotten.
Rest In Peace, Joe.
From Luc Horck, Secretary, Margraten Memorial Group:
"The Margraten Memorial Group has sad news: one of our “founding fathers” has passed at the end of February. Joseph Bisscheroux has passed on February 20-th. I think you have met him on one or more occasions at Margraten. He will be missed.
His son, daughter-in-law and their children have joined our group. They will continue to do what Joseph has done for so many years: tending to the adopted graves at Margraten and keeping the memory of the 17-th Airborne troopers and the history of the 17-th Airborne Division alive."
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TAPS
IN MEMORY OF THE FALLEN SOLDIER
by Isaac Epps (RIP)
The ones who went
Were truly sent
To do a Noble Deed;
When evil showed
They took the load
In Justice, they believed.
They heard the call
And gave their All
And some did not not come back.
They knew the chance
But took the stance
When Liberty was attacked.
It Speaks of Duty, Faith; and Love;
It speaks of a respect
for Country; For Others,
For the Right of Man;
To forget would be neglect.
On this Their Day
We stop to pray
Their Memory shall live;
The sacrifice they made was Life.
What more can someone Give?
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17th Airborne Memorial
Fort Benning, Georgia
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Standing Guard
Submitted by Dominic Biello
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If you become aware of the passing of one of our 17th Airborne veterans, please notify us immediately.
We will make every effort to locate a member of the organization to attend the funeral and support the family in any way possible.
Often, by the time an obituary is posted, little time remains to make these arrangements.
Send an email to
Scionsofthe17thairborne@gmail.com.
Our Veteran Outreach Team will also contact the family.
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William Gaudette Jr.
464/HQ
William F. Gaudette, Jr., 102, of Hummelstown, passed away Tuesday, April 17, 2023, in the Lebanon VA Medical Center. Born in Waterbury, CT, on December 17, 1920, he was the son of the late William F. Gaudette, Sr. and Mabel Linduerer Yannaci. William worked as an accountant from the Policy Office of the Department of Defense and the Department of Energy. He was a 1948 graduate of Newtown High School, and then went on to receive an Associate's degree from Central Penn Business College. He was a U.S. Army Veteran serving during World War II. William was a member of American Legion Post 998, Lawton, and of Brownstone Lodge #666 F.& A.M. He loved the outdoors, especially fishing and hunting. He is survived by his children, Richard H. Gaudette and significant other Sandra Angst of Hummelstown, and William F. Gaudette, III; daughter-in-law, Anne Walsh Gaudette of Hummelstown; five grandchildren, Stacey; Tricia wife of Craig; Michelle wife of Craig; Nicole wife of Mike; and William IV husband of Lisa; and nine great-grandchildren, Quinn, Wesley, and Grant; Jackson and Zachary; Keagan and Conlan; and Kaylee and William V. In addition to his parents, William was preceded in death by his wife, Jane E. Gaudette on November 22, 2010, and his sisters, LaMina Hoffman and Carmella Sheeler. The family wants to thank Hospice at the Lebanon VA for the exceptional care that they provided to William. A memorial service will be held Friday, April 21, 2023, at 3:00 PM in the Trefz & Bowser Funeral Home, 114 West Main Street, Hummelstown. A viewing will be held in the funeral home Friday from 2:00 PM until the time of service. Inurnment with military honors will be held Monday, May 15, 2023 at 10:00 AM in Indiantown Gap National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Lebanon VA Hospice, 1700 South Lincoln Avenue, Lebanon, PA 17042. Online condolences may be shared at www.trefzandbowser.com.
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Oliver W. Harris Jr.
513 HQ
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Oliver Wendell Harris Jr.
WW2 Veteran, HQ CO 513th PIR, 17th Airborne
“OUR COUNTRY IS IN MOURNING,
FOR A SOLDIER DIED TODAY.”
author unknown
Conrad - Oliver W. Harris , 99 Years Old died peacefully in his home in Conrad, Montana
Born August 2, 1923; Died February 18, 2023
Memorial Service will be held April 17th, 2023 at Crown Hill Cemetery, Cut Bank, Montana
Oliver was born in 1923, near Brinkman, Oklahoma as a sharecropper’s son. His family of eight migrated through California, working in fruit orchards, and in 1931 reached northern Idaho where they settled.
Oliver was a proud veteran of WWII. He served in the HQ CO 513th PIR, 17th Airborne and fought in the Battle of the Bulge, Operation Varsity Jump Over the Rhine, and the Central Europe Ruhr Valley Campaign.
One of his most memorable times was when he was invited by the Scions of the !7th Airborne to participate in a tour and dedication of a Memorial in March of 2022 honoring the 17th Airborne in operation varsity at the age of 98. from that time until his death it became a topic of conversation with those who visited and called him.
Using the GI Bill, Oliver received a mining Engineering degree. Early in his career he worked as a Smoke Jumper in Idaho and Montana and at various mines in the Northwest. In the mid 1950s he started working for the Bureau of Reclamation in Washington State and then on to missile silo construction for the Corp of Engineers thoughout the Midwest. In the mid 1960s he was involved in building dams on the Snake River and eventually retired from the Department of Energy.
In 1948 Oliver fell in love with and married the beautiful Irene M. Berkram. He is survived by their 6 children Roma Lee Fuson (Ralph), Craig Harris, Roger Harris (Kathy), Mary Harris, Karen Rickert (Tim), Van Donley, multiple grandchildren and great grandchildren, and Oliver's younger brother Thomas Harris.
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August 28, 1925 — March 7, 2023
"Life Member" of the 17th Airborne Division Association
Michael J. Melosky, age 97, of White Oak, died on Tuesday, March 7, 2023. He was born in McKeesport on August 28, 1925, and is the son of the late Michael and Mary Melosky and the husband of the late Elsie I. Pavlick Melosky, who died on December 26, 2011. He was retired after 24 years as a district manager with Met Life and was also previously employed by Royal Neighbors of America and served as a board member. He was an army veteran, serving in WWII, Battle of the Bulge, a prisoner of war twice, and escaped twice, received the Bronze Star and was a Purple Heart recipient. He was a past president of the former VFW, Post 514, a member and officer of the former Elks in McKeesport, and a member of the White Oak American Legion, Post 701, where he met with his buddies on Monday evenings. He was the grand marshal twice for the McKeesport Memorial Day Parade. He was a proud supporter of the S.S. McKeesport and was an avid reader. Michael is survived by many nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents and his wife, Michael is preceded in death by his sisters, Miriam, Ann, and Cecelia. Family and friends will gather on Thursday, March 9, 2023 from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at Strifflers of White Oak Cremation and Mortuary Services, Inc., 1100 Lincoln Way, White Oak, PA 15131 (Sue Striffler Galaski, supervisor, 412-678-6177). A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at Mary, Mother of God Parish, St. Angela Merici Church, 1640 Fawcett Ave, White Oak, PA 15131, on Friday, March 10, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. Entombment will follow. To share a memory or condolence, please visit www.strifflerfuneralhomes.com
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Trembley, Laurier F.
507th PIR
SANFORD – Laurier F. Tremblay, 98, of Sanford, passed away on Wednesday, March 1, 2023, at Southern Maine Health Care in Biddeford.
He was born on July 26, 1924, one of 13 children to the late Augustin and Lizzie (Papillion) Tremblay in Coventry, Vt. where he grew up on a large family farm. However, the Depression caused the family to lose their farm and they moved to Biddeford where he attended school and graduated from St. Louis School.
After graduation, Larry was drafted into the Army where he trained to be a paratrooper at Ft. Benning. He was in the 17th Airborne Division and was active in Europe. When the war ended, he became a paramedic with the 82nd airborne Division during the Army of Occupation in Germany.
When Larry was discharged from the military, he attended and graduated from St. Frances College in Biddeford. He went on to be employed at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard for 27 years and then at Shaw’s Supermarket for 17 years.
Larry was a devoted Catholic and his faith was very important to him.
He was a lifetime member of V.F.W, the American Legion and was a 4th Degree member of the Knights of Columbus and part of their color gaurd as well. He was also a town meeting member for 10 years.
He enjoyed learning about the world. His love for travel showed in the extensive list of places he had visited. That list included France, Germany, Scotland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, New Zealand, Belarus, Russia, Alaska and Mexico. One of his favorite memories was being on the second bus of Westerners into Russia after the fall of the Soviet Union.
He enjoyed gardening and entering his vegetables in the Acton Fair where he won several ribbons.
Larry was the last surviving sibling of his family, a proud American, father and husband, and one of the few remaining of the “greatest generation”.
He was predeceased by his wife of 65 years, Helene Beattie (2019); and his son, Thomas Tremblay (2022).
Survivors include his son, Peter L. Tremblay; grandson, Stephen J. Tremblay; and many dear friends; nieces and nephews.
Visiting hours will be held on Monday, March 13, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Carll-Heald & Black Funeral Home, 580 Main St., Springvale. A mass of Christian burial will be held on Tuesday, March 14, at 11 a.m. at St. Therese of Lisieux Parish, Holy Family Church, 66 North Ave., Sanford.
Arrangements are under the direction of Black Funeral Homes and Cremation Service, Sanford-Springvale.
To leave a message of condolence visit http://www.blackfuneralhomes.com
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193/A and 194th GIR
Member of the 17th Airborne Division Association
Paul Allen Wilson, 97, was called home to his heavenly father March 21st, 2023, at the VA Center in Norman, OK. He was born December 14th, 1925, in Oklahoma City. Dad attended Central H.S. in OKC and Oklahoma City University, where he lettered in varsity tennis, a sport he loved, and became a highly ranked player in his later years before our mother passed away and his health failed.
Paul was a highly decorated (Purple Heart, 5 Ribbons, 3 Battle Stars) WWII paratrooper with the 17th Airborne Division in Europe, where he participated in the Battle of Dead Mans Ridge in January 1945 and in the Battle of the Bulge, one of only 16 survivors of 130 men. In 2016, he was honored with the French Legion of Honor, France’s highest honour, for his military service.
Paul married Greta Wilson in 1952 and was blessed with 4 children, Steve and Kathy Wilson of Lilburn, GA, Mark and Jean Wilson of Ft. Smith AR, and Laurie and Mark McCoy and Keith and Tamila Wilson of Oklahoma City, OK, 16 grandchildren, and 21 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife of 64 years in 2016. Paul was a commercial real estate broker most of his adult life.
Dad truly never knew a stranger and would sing or witness to everyone. His favorite quote was “I would have died years ago a divorced drunk if I had not, at age 32, became a new creation in Christ.”
A graveside service for all who wish to attend will be held at Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens (8701 Northwest Expressway, Oklahoma City, OK 73162) at 2:00PM on Friday, March 31, 2023. In lieu of flowers, the family ask that donations be made to Faith Bible Church, Edmond, OK.
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17th Airborne Division "Online Store"
Click here to be directed to the store
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Below are some of the items in our "Online Store"
All items include S&H in the USA. Mail your check to:
Scions of the 17th Airborne
62A Forty Acre Mt. Rd.
Danbury, CT 06811
Or use Paypal by sending your funds to us at
Scionsofthe17thairborne@gmail.com
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Below are some of the items in our "Online Store"
All items include S&H in the USA. Mail your check to:
Scions of the 17th Airborne
62A Forty Acre Mt. Rd.
Danbury, CT 06811
Or use Paypal by sending your funds to us at
Scionsofthe17thairborne@gmail.com
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New Book
17th Airborne Division at War
Photographs from the National Archive
by Edward R. Siergiej
This new book is the result of research at the US National Archives. It includes over 160 photographs from a collection of the US Army Signal Corp taken in Belgium and Germany.
Each photograph has the original caption by the Signal Corp photographer. Context to the photographs is provided with excerpts from the Division Diary.
$25 each, includes S&H in the U.S.A. Mail your check to:
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This 280 page collection of stories from Troopers of Company A of the 513th PIR is reformatted for easier reading. Includes many photos, maps and diagrams from the troopers of Co A.
$35 Includes S&H in the USA. Mail your check to:
Scions of the 17th Airborne
62A Forty Acre Mt. Rd.
Danbury, CT 06811
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Diary of a WWII Gliderman 263 pages indexed with numerous pictures. Jack and Betty Ogden letters (1940-1945) from 17th AB 194th HQ, Camp Mackall, Camp Forrest, Battle of the Bulge, Operation Varsity, plus letters from family and friends in other theaters of operation.
Limited copies $40.00, checks only: John Ogden, 102 Adams Avenue, Woodsfield, OH 4379
For orders outside of the USA, contact John for postage.
Editors note: This book gives a great insight into what was going through the mind of one trooper in the 17th during training, combat, and after the end of the fighting in the ETO. Information from the division historical record gives context to the bigger picture that was unknown to the men in the front lines. A great book for anyone who wants to know more about what it was like to be "Airborne" in 1944 - 45. Thanks to Scion John Ogden for making this limited edition book available. (Ed Siergiej Jr.)
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Show your 17th Airborne pride with this new cap made only for the Scions of the 17th Airborne Division.
Made in the USA !!!
$25 each, includes S&H in the U.S.A.
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These new 22 oz. stainless steel water bottles are made in the U.S.A, and feature the 17th Talon on one side, and the Scions logo on the other.
$17 each, includes S&H in the U.S.A.
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Scion Coffee Mugs
These new 15 oz. mugs are made in the U.S.A., and feature the 17th Talon on one side, and the Scions logo on the other.
$20 each, includes S&H in the U.S.A.
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Become a Member of the
Scions of the 17th Airborne!
Our mission is to ensure that the sacrifice and history of the 17th Airborne Division is not forgotten.
Distinguished Honorary Members
All veterans of the 17th are considered as "Distinguished Honorary Members" of the Scions. We exist to honor you, our veterans. We do not ask for dues from our honored veterans, as we exist to honor you!
Regular membership in the Scions of the 17th Airborne is open to any descendant or family member of any trooper who served with the 17th during its existence.
Associate Membership is available to individuals who have an interest in the history of the 17th Airborne, but are not related to a veteran of the 17th. Associate Members do not have voting rights.
To join our growing organization, contact the Scions at:
Scionsofthe17thairborne@gmail.com
Our website contains a wealth of information on the 17th Airborne and its history, and our Members Section (open exclusively to dues-paying Scions) contains hundreds of pages of documents obtained from the National Archives! Check it out at www.17thscions.org!
We also have a great Facebook page, where there are lots of great posts by friends of the 17th in the U.S. and in Europe. Check us out on Facebook at:
17th Airborne Division Scions (Descendants).
Please consider passing this on to your children and grandchildren, if they are not already members. As our membership grows, we can take on new projects of value.
President
Skip Greeby, Scion of William Smith ( 466HQ)
Vice President
Gerald O'Brien, Gold Star son of John L. O'Brien (466th) KIA
Secretary
Ed Siergiej Jr., son of Edward J. Siergiej (194/C)
Treasurer
Dan Aas, Son of Lynn Aas (193/D)
Past Presidents
Jeff Schumacher, Son of John Schumacher (194/D & HQ)
Adam Coolong, grandson of Charles E. Booth (680th/HQ)
Melanie Sembrat, daughter of Harry Sembrat (513th)
Rose Friday, daughter of Edward Friday (194th)
Committee Chairs
Veteran Outreach / Family Liaison Coordinators - Patricia Bowers, Rose Friday and Sandy Remes
Membership Committee - Patricia Bowers, Chair
Advisory Committee - Jeff Schumacher, Son of John Schumacher (194/D & HQ)
Legal Council - Chuck Katz - son of John Katz (194th)
Historian - Paul Madden - son of Harold Madden (680th/A)
Memorial Committee - Jerry and Pat O'Brien
History & Archive Coordinators - Adam Coolong and David Shortt
Thunder From Heaven Newsletter - Ed Siergiej and Carolyn Tuttle
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