This day in 1944: Bastogne resupplied

[ArtKramr]

We flew 2 missions that day. The sky was black with our planes. The USAAC was
flying 11,000 missions a day. And the sky was packed with what seemed to be
hundreds of C-47's dropping thousands of cargo chutes into Bastogne loaded with
food, ammo, clothing, weapons and medicines. We later ;learned that 0ver 90% of
the chutes dropped were sucessfuly recovered by 101st forces. A remarkable
tribute ot he accuracy of the C-47's. The battle was far from over, but at
least the 101st now had what they needed to fight on. But Christmas would be a
K ration day. We might take a moment this Christmas and think of those men so
many years ago as we enjoy our Turkeys with all the fixins. Iron men in harms
way.






Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

[Ed Majden]

"ArtKramr"

> We flew 2 missions that day. The sky was black with our planes. The USAAC
was
> flying 11,000 missions a day. And the sky was packed with what seemed to
be
> hundreds of C-47's dropping thousands of cargo chutes into Bastogne loaded
with
> food, ammo, clothing, weapons and medicines. We later ;learned that 0ver
90% of
> the chutes dropped were sucessfuly recovered by 101st forces. A remarkable
> tribute ot he accuracy of the C-47's. The battle was far from over, but at
> least the 101st now had what they needed to fight on. But Christmas would
be a
> K ration day. We might take a moment this Christmas and think of those men
so
> many years ago as we enjoy our Turkeys with all the fixins. Iron men in
harms
> way.
>
Art:
I really enjoy reading your stories about the war years. I wish more
veterans would do the same. It won't be very many more years where much of
this first hand information will no longer be available. This era in our
history should never be forgotten. Thank you for your efforts.
Ed

[ArtKramr]

>Subject: Re: This day in 1944: Bastogne resupplied
>From: "Ed Majden"
>Date: 12/22/03 8:21 PM Pacific Standard Time
>Message-id: <cpPFb.794884$9l5.400963@pd7tw2no>
>
>
>"ArtKramr"
>
>> We flew 2 missions that day. The sky was black with our planes. The USAAC
>was
>> flying 11,000 missions a day. And the sky was packed with what seemed to
>be
>> hundreds of C-47's dropping thousands of cargo chutes into Bastogne loaded
>with
>> food, ammo, clothing, weapons and medicines. We later ;learned that 0ver
>90% of
>> the chutes dropped were sucessfuly recovered by 101st forces. A remarkable
>> tribute ot he accuracy of the C-47's. The battle was far from over, but at
>> least the 101st now had what they needed to fight on. But Christmas would
>be a
>> K ration day. We might take a moment this Christmas and think of those men
>so
>> many years ago as we enjoy our Turkeys with all the fixins. Iron men in
>harms
>> way.
>>
>Art:
> I really enjoy reading your stories about the war years. I wish more
>veterans would do the same. It won't be very many more years where much of
>this first hand information will no longer be available. This era in our
>history should never be forgotten. Thank you for your efforts.
>Ed
>
>


Thanks for the kind words Ed. Actually all posts up to this point got little or
no responses and I have the feeling that there is very little interest in this
subject on this NG. I had planned on stopping with this last post. But with
your encouraging post, I think I might continue a while longer . Thanks again.
I appreciate your coming forward.

Best Regards,



Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

[Mary Shafer]

On 23 Dec 2003 04:37:11 GMT, (ArtKramr) wrote:

> Thanks for the kind words Ed. Actually all posts up to this point got little or
> no responses and I have the feeling that there is very little interest in this
> subject on this NG. I had planned on stopping with this last post. But with
> your encouraging post, I think I might continue a while longer . Thanks again.
> I appreciate your coming forward.

I suspect a lot of folks are like me. I really enjoy these postings,
but don't have anything to add. So I don't.

Please continue.

Mary

--
Mary Shafer Retired aerospace research engineer

[Dav1936531]

>From: Mary Shafer
>

>>(ArtKramr) wrote:
>> Thanks for the kind words Ed. Actually all posts up to this point got
little or no responses and I have the feeling that there is very little
interest in this subject on this NG. I had planned on stopping with this last
post. But with your encouraging post, I think I might continue a while longer .
Thanks again.I appreciate your coming forward.

>I suspect a lot of folks are like me. I really enjoy these postings, but
don't have anything to add. So I don't. Please continue.
>Mary Shafer

My brother's father-in-law (recently deceased) was with the 106th Division at
St. Vith. I believe he was a forward artillery controller, but he didn't talk
about it at all. Somehow he made it out alive, although the 106th was destroyed
as a unit in the opening onslaught of the Bulge.
Run over by a freight train actually. Probably the worst defeat of any US unit
in the European theater, but any unit parked in that particular line position
would have suffered the same fate.

I was going to post that comment to the St. Vith thread, but since I wasn't
directly involved in what he went through and really know very little of his
story, relating it seems clumsy.

Keep posting. UseNet space is free.
Dave

[Adrian]

Please don't stop. I've read every post of yours for a couple of years now
even if I don't comment on them

ExpatEgghead

"ArtKramr" > wrote in message
...
> >Subject: Re: This day in 1944: Bastogne resupplied
> >From: "Ed Majden"
> >Date: 12/22/03 8:21 PM Pacific Standard Time
> >Message-id: <cpPFb.794884$9l5.400963@pd7tw2no>
> >
> >
> >"ArtKramr"
> >
> >> We flew 2 missions that day. The sky was black with our planes. The
USAAC
> >was
> >> flying 11,000 missions a day. And the sky was packed with what seemed
to
> >be
> >> hundreds of C-47's dropping thousands of cargo chutes into Bastogne
loaded
> >with
> >> food, ammo, clothing, weapons and medicines. We later ;learned that
0ver
> >90% of
> >> the chutes dropped were sucessfuly recovered by 101st forces. A
remarkable
> >> tribute ot he accuracy of the C-47's. The battle was far from over, but
at
> >> least the 101st now had what they needed to fight on. But Christmas
would
> >be a
> >> K ration day. We might take a moment this Christmas and think of those
men
> >so
> >> many years ago as we enjoy our Turkeys with all the fixins. Iron men in
> >harms
> >> way.
> >>
> >Art:
> > I really enjoy reading your stories about the war years. I wish more
> >veterans would do the same. It won't be very many more years where much
of
> >this first hand information will no longer be available. This era in our
> >history should never be forgotten. Thank you for your efforts.
> >Ed
> >
> >
>
>
> Thanks for the kind words Ed. Actually all posts up to this point got
little or
> no responses and I have the feeling that there is very little interest in
this
> subject on this NG. I had planned on stopping with this last post. But
with
> your encouraging post, I think I might continue a while longer . Thanks
again.
> I appreciate your coming forward.
>
> Best Regards,
>
>
>
> Arthur Kramer
> 344th BG 494th BS
> England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
> Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
> http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer
>

[Gunnar]

Please continue !

There is simply not much to say really. It speaks for it self...


Gunnar


"ArtKramr" > skrev i melding
...
> >Subject: Re: This day in 1944: Bastogne resupplied
> >From: "Ed Majden"
> >Date: 12/22/03 8:21 PM Pacific Standard Time
> >Message-id: <cpPFb.794884$9l5.400963@pd7tw2no>
> >
> >
> >"ArtKramr"
> >
> >> We flew 2 missions that day. The sky was black with our planes. The
USAAC
> >was
> >> flying 11,000 missions a day. And the sky was packed with what seemed
to
> >be
> >> hundreds of C-47's dropping thousands of cargo chutes into Bastogne
loaded
> >with
> >> food, ammo, clothing, weapons and medicines. We later ;learned that
0ver
> >90% of
> >> the chutes dropped were sucessfuly recovered by 101st forces. A
remarkable
> >> tribute ot he accuracy of the C-47's. The battle was far from over, but
at
> >> least the 101st now had what they needed to fight on. But Christmas
would
> >be a
> >> K ration day. We might take a moment this Christmas and think of those
men
> >so
> >> many years ago as we enjoy our Turkeys with all the fixins. Iron men in
> >harms
> >> way.
> >>
> >Art:
> > I really enjoy reading your stories about the war years. I wish more
> >veterans would do the same. It won't be very many more years where much
of
> >this first hand information will no longer be available. This era in our
> >history should never be forgotten. Thank you for your efforts.
> >Ed
> >
> >
>
>
> Thanks for the kind words Ed. Actually all posts up to this point got
little or
> no responses and I have the feeling that there is very little interest in
this
> subject on this NG. I had planned on stopping with this last post. But
with
> your encouraging post, I think I might continue a while longer . Thanks
again.
> I appreciate your coming forward.
>
> Best Regards,
>
>
>
> Arthur Kramer
> 344th BG 494th BS
> England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
> Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
> http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer
>

[MichaelJP]

> >>
> >Art:
> > I really enjoy reading your stories about the war years. I wish more
> >veterans would do the same. It won't be very many more years where much
of
> >this first hand information will no longer be available. This era in our
> >history should never be forgotten. Thank you for your efforts.
> >Ed
> >
> Thanks for the kind words Ed. Actually all posts up to this point got
little or
> no responses and I have the feeling that there is very little interest in
this
> subject on this NG. I had planned on stopping with this last post. But
with
> your encouraging post, I think I might continue a while longer . Thanks
again.
> I appreciate your coming forward.
>
> Best Regards,
>
> Arthur Kramer
> 344th BG 494th BS
> England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
> Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
> http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

Let me add to that, please don't stop posting.

And there must be many more like me who read but don't post very often.

- Michael

[MLenoch]

I too enjoy these stories.
Thank you,
VL
(Can't wait to hear about your recollection of the Windmill Girls "Revudeville"
with Vivian Van Damm visiting the base............!!)

[ArtKramr]

>Subject: Re: This day in 1944: Bastogne resupplied
>From: Mary Shafer
>Date: 12/22/03 9:34 PM Pacific Standard Time
>Message-id: >
>
>On 23 Dec 2003 04:37:11 GMT, (ArtKramr) wrote:
>
>> Thanks for the kind words Ed. Actually all posts up to this point got
>little or
>> no responses and I have the feeling that there is very little interest in
>this
>> subject on this NG. I had planned on stopping with this last post. But with
>> your encouraging post, I think I might continue a while longer . Thanks
>again.
>> I appreciate your coming forward.
>
>I suspect a lot of folks are like me. I really enjoy these postings,
>but don't have anything to add. So I don't.
>
>Please continue.
>
>Mary
>
>--
>Mary Shafer Retired aerospace research engineer



Thanks Mary. I'll keep going.And thanks to all who expresssed encouragement and
interest. I appreciate it.


Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

[oldal4865]

>>"ArtKramr" > wrote

>>". . . .Iron men in harms way.. . . ."

Adrian wrote in message ...

>Please don't stop. I've read every post of yours for a couple of years now
>even if I don't comment on them


Same here. Please don't stop.

Old Al

[John]

ArtKramr wrote:

> We flew 2 missions that day. The sky was black with our planes. The USAAC was
> flying 11,000 missions a day. And the sky was packed with what seemed to be
> hundreds of C-47's dropping thousands of cargo chutes into Bastogne loaded with
> food, ammo, clothing, weapons and medicines. We later ;learned that 0ver 90% of
> the chutes dropped were sucessfuly recovered by 101st forces. A remarkable
> tribute ot he accuracy of the C-47's. The battle was far from over, but at
> least the 101st now had what they needed to fight on. But Christmas would be a
> K ration day. We might take a moment this Christmas and think of those men so
> many years ago as we enjoy our Turkeys with all the fixins. Iron men in harms
> way.
>
> Arthur Kramer
> 344th BG 494th BS
> England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
> Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
> http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

My Sgt Maj in 1965 (101st Airborne) was one of those 101st troops on
the ground that day, and while he related that the combat aircraft were
nice to see, the transports were what they really needed at the time.
and were very glad to see them..
thanks Art

John 101st Airborne (65-68)

took a little prompting to get him to talk, but once he started
we were able to get some good stories out of him..
one thing that the current troops can not get, first hand views
of the history of thier units.

[machf]

On Mon, 22 Dec 2003 21:34:42 -0800, Mary Shafer > wrote:

>On 23 Dec 2003 04:37:11 GMT, (ArtKramr) wrote:
>
>> Thanks for the kind words Ed. Actually all posts up to this point got little or
>> no responses and I have the feeling that there is very little interest in this
>> subject on this NG. I had planned on stopping with this last post. But with
>> your encouraging post, I think I might continue a while longer . Thanks again.
>> I appreciate your coming forward.
>
>I suspect a lot of folks are like me. I really enjoy these postings,
>but don't have anything to add. So I don't.
>
>Please continue.
>
>Mary

Indeed, I'm in the same situation. It's very interesting to read Art's posts
and know how he felt at the time (and remembers today). A firsthand account
of those events can never be considered insignificant, IMHO. Keep them coming,
Art.

--
__________ ____---____ Marco Antonio Checa Funcke
\_________D /-/---_----' Santiago de Surco, Lima, Peru
_H__/_/ http://machf.tripod.com
'-_____|(

remove the "no_me_j." and "sons.of." parts before replying

[Alan Dicey]

ArtKramr wrote:

> Thanks for the kind words Ed. Actually all posts up to this point got little or
> no responses and I have the feeling that there is very little interest in this
> subject on this NG. I had planned on stopping with this last post. But with
> your encouraging post, I think I might continue a while longer . Thanks again.
> I appreciate your coming forward.

Art,
Though I haven't come forward before, I would still add my voice to
those above and ask you to keep posting your memoires. It is always
important to be able to balance "official histories" against the
memories of those individuals who were there and did that. Most
especially, the small things - how you felt going up against the foe,
and how it felt to see friends go down - helps us all to put a feeling
against the text-book phrases such as "casualties were heavy". We don't
truly understand what that means.

The reason we don't truly understand that is that you and your comrades
along with us British, the Empire and our allies defeated the Axis
powers and extinguished the New Dark Age. We haven't been tested,
because you were, and were victorious.

Now, I don't agree with you all the time, but as a Briton born in 1952
you have my respect and gratitude for what you did. It is true to say
that I owe my existance to you all.

So, keep telling your story. Like other personal accounts (Spike
Milligans war memoires, George Macdonald Frasers 'Quartered Safe Out
Here', Pierre Clostermans 'The Big Show' etc etc) you are a unique,
personal window into times that we must not forget.

[ArtKramr]

>Subject: Re: This day in 1944: Bastogne resupplied
>From: John
>Date: 12/23/03 10:11 AM Pacific Standard Time
>Message-id: >
>
>
>
>ArtKramr wrote:
>
>> We flew 2 missions that day. The sky was black with our planes. The USAAC
>was
>> flying 11,000 missions a day. And the sky was packed with what seemed to
>be
>> hundreds of C-47's dropping thousands of cargo chutes into Bastogne loaded
>with
>> food, ammo, clothing, weapons and medicines. We later ;learned that 0ver
>90% of
>> the chutes dropped were sucessfuly recovered by 101st forces. A remarkable
>> tribute ot he accuracy of the C-47's. The battle was far from over, but at
>> least the 101st now had what they needed to fight on. But Christmas would
>be a
>> K ration day. We might take a moment this Christmas and think of those men
>so
>> many years ago as we enjoy our Turkeys with all the fixins. Iron men in
>harms
>> way.
>>
>> Arthur Kramer
>> 344th BG 494th BS
>> England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
>> Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
>> http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer
>
> My Sgt Maj in 1965 (101st Airborne) was one of those 101st troops on
>the ground that day, and while he related that the combat aircraft were
>nice to see, the transports were what they really needed at the time.
>and were very glad to see them..
> thanks Art
>
> John 101st Airborne (65-68)
>
> took a little prompting to get him to talk, but once he started
>we were able to get some good stories out of him..
>one thing that the current troops can not get, first hand views
>of the history of thier units.
>


Well the transports saved their lives. They were freezing to death and many
were strarving. And they were running out of ammo for their Garands. We heard
later that far too much .50 cal MG loads were dropped than were needed and
far too few .30 cal loads for the Grarands. But that was soon corrected. Iron
men in harms way.


Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

[ArtKramr]

>Subject: Re: This day in 1944: Bastogne resupplied
>From: Alan Dicey
>Date: 12/23/03 12:41 PM Pacific Standard Time
>Message-id: >
>
>ArtKramr wrote:
>
>> Thanks for the kind words Ed. Actually all posts up to this point got
>little or
>> no responses and I have the feeling that there is very little interest in
>this
>> subject on this NG. I had planned on stopping with this last post. But with
>> your encouraging post, I think I might continue a while longer . Thanks
>again.
>> I appreciate your coming forward.
>
>Art,
>Though I haven't come forward before, I would still add my voice to
>those above and ask you to keep posting your memoires. It is always
>important to be able to balance "official histories" against the
>memories of those individuals who were there and did that. Most
>especially, the small things - how you felt going up against the foe,
>and how it felt to see friends go down - helps us all to put a feeling
>against the text-book phrases such as "casualties were heavy". We don't
>truly understand what that means.
>
>The reason we don't truly understand that is that you and your comrades
>along with us British, the Empire and our allies defeated the Axis
>powers and extinguished the New Dark Age. We haven't been tested,
>because you were, and were victorious.
>
>Now, I don't agree with you all the time, but as a Briton born in 1952
>you have my respect and gratitude for what you did. It is true to say
>that I owe my existance to you all.
>
>So, keep telling your story. Like other personal accounts (Spike
>Milligans war memoires, George Macdonald Frasers 'Quartered Safe Out
>Here', Pierre Clostermans 'The Big Show' etc etc) you are a unique,
>personal window into times that we must not forget.
>

Well I can only tell you the small things because I nver did any big things. I
did what we all did. I flew my misisons and did what I was trained to do. And
kept doing it until the war ended then I went home. And over the years the
memories came slowly flooding back. But I never did anything heroic. I never
knew a hero. Just a bunch of 19 year olds doing what we were trained to do.
But I guess that in the end, that may well be what it takes to wins wars. Now
the guys of the 101st at Bastogne, they were real soldiers. I was not a soldier
in thet sense. I was just a 19 year old kid who was pretty good with a Norden
bombsight.

Regards,

Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

[Alan Dicey]

Alan Dicey wrote:

> Most
> especially, the small things - how you felt going up against the foe,
> and how it felt to see friends go down - helps us all to put a feeling
> against the text-book phrases such as "casualties were heavy".

I have to add, having reread my post, that I don't for one minute mean
that those things were "small" to you - I meant that they are the kind
of detail that gets lost in analyses of strategy and tactics, that most
histories dwell on.

"Band of Brothers" had a good section on the defence of Bastogne. Did
it stir old memories for you?

[ArtKramr]

>Subject: Re: This day in 1944: Bastogne resupplied
>From: Alan Dicey
>Date: 12/23/03 1:09 PM Pacific Standard Time
>Message-id: >
>
>Alan Dicey wrote:
>
>> Most
>> especially, the small things - how you felt going up against the foe,
>> and how it felt to see friends go down - helps us all to put a feeling
>> against the text-book phrases such as "casualties were heavy".
>
>I have to add, having reread my post, that I don't for one minute mean
>that those things were "small" to you - I meant that they are the kind
>of detail that gets lost in analyses of strategy and tactics, that most
>histories dwell on.
>
>"Band of Brothers" had a good section on the defence of Bastogne. Did
>it stir old memories for you?
>


Well sort o, but remember I wasn't on the ground, I was in the air and had
none of the experiences the infantrymen had at Bastogne. You might say I was
just a "Flyboy" (grin)


Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

[Tarver Engineering]

"ArtKramr" > wrote in message
...
> We flew 2 missions that day. The sky was black with our planes. The USAAC
was
> flying 11,000 missions a day. And the sky was packed with what seemed to
be
> hundreds of C-47's dropping thousands of cargo chutes into Bastogne loaded
with
> food, ammo, clothing, weapons and medicines. We later ;learned that 0ver
90% of
> the chutes dropped were sucessfuly recovered by 101st forces. A remarkable
> tribute ot he accuracy of the C-47's. The battle was far from over, but at
> least the 101st now had what they needed to fight on. But Christmas would
be a
> K ration day. We might take a moment this Christmas and think of those men
so
> many years ago as we enjoy our Turkeys with all the fixins. Iron men in
harms
> way.

Today the 101st began cutting the Germans that "new asshole".

[Tarver Engineering]

"Alan Dicey" > wrote in message
...
> Alan Dicey wrote:
>
> > Most
> > especially, the small things - how you felt going up against the foe,
> > and how it felt to see friends go down - helps us all to put a feeling
> > against the text-book phrases such as "casualties were heavy".
>
> I have to add, having reread my post, that I don't for one minute mean
> that those things were "small" to you - I meant that they are the kind
> of detail that gets lost in analyses of strategy and tactics, that most
> histories dwell on.
>
> "Band of Brothers" had a good section on the defence of Bastogne. Did
> it stir old memories for you?

My father was a rifleman in the 101st Airborne 506 hq hq company at Bastogne
and the mini-series was good for his soul. Inside the City, where he was,
the fighting was a little more intense than depicted in the series.. My
father operated a 50 calibre, instead of his usual 30 calibre machine gun,
at Bastogne. He said there was not a blade of grass standing within a 100
feet of his hole and the Germans seemed especially afraid of the 50.

[Ed Majden]

Merry Christmas Art and many more of them. I told you many of us were
interested in your postings. I wish other veterans would relate their
experiances in the same way. It would be nice to see posts from
Commonwealth veterans along with Poles and others that flew with the
RAF/RCAF out of the UK. When I enlisted in the RCAF in 1958 many of our
NCO's and officers were WWII vets. A number were aircrew officers during
the war but re-enlisted after the war as non-coms. I worked for a very
colourful Flight Sergeant that wore a second bar to a DFC. The young
officer jet jocks of the day treated him with the greatest respect at
mission debriefing sessions. Another friend of mine was a Corporal. During
the war he flew Lancasters having been shot down on one of his missions. He
spent several months as a POW. Another one of my Flight Sergeants was also
a POW. He had a very bad time of it during this period and developed a
speech impediment. You knew when he was angry as his speech problem
mysteriously disappeared when he was upset. A great guy!.
Ed

[ArtKramr]

>Subject: Re: This day in 1944: Bastogne resupplied
>From: "Ed Majden"
>Date: 12/24/03 9:38 AM Pacific Standard Time
>Message-id: <iakGb.804827$pl3.789284@pd7tw3no>
>
>Merry Christmas Art and many more of them. I told you many of us were
>interested in your postings. I wish other veterans would relate their
>experiances in the same way. It would be nice to see posts from
>Commonwealth veterans along with Poles and others that flew with the
>RAF/RCAF out of the UK. When I enlisted in the RCAF in 1958 many of our
>NCO's and officers were WWII vets. A number were aircrew officers during
>the war but re-enlisted after the war as non-coms. I worked for a very
>colourful Flight Sergeant that wore a second bar to a DFC. The young
>officer jet jocks of the day treated him with the greatest respect at
>mission debriefing sessions. Another friend of mine was a Corporal. During
>the war he flew Lancasters having been shot down on one of his missions. He
>spent several months as a POW. Another one of my Flight Sergeants was also
>a POW. He had a very bad time of it during this period and developed a
>speech impediment. You knew when he was angry as his speech problem
>mysteriously disappeared when he was upset. A great guy!.
>Ed
>
>
>


I agree with you. I also wish that more guys would talk about their
experiences.It would make things around here a lot more interesting IMHO.
(sigh).

Regards,

Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

[ArtKramr]

>Subject: Re: This day in 1944: Bastogne resupplied
>From: Old Sarge
>Date: 12/24/03 6:56 PM Pacific Standard Time
>Message-id: >
>
>To Art Kramer: I have not said any thing so far, but I can vouch for the
>fact that what you have been submitting has been of great interest to
>me, also. Please keep up the effort.
> Sfc.Ret. Vietnam Vet,
>9th. Inf. Div.
>

Thank you. Your comments are much appreciated. More to come. The war isn't
quite over yet.


Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

[Old Sarge]

To Art Kramer: I have not said any thing so far, but I can vouch for the
fact that what you have been submitting has been of great interest to
me, also. Please keep up the effort.
Sfc.Ret. Vietnam Vet,
9th. Inf. Div.

[Mu]

On Tue, 23 Dec 2003 20:41:29 +0000, Alan Dicey
> wrote:

>ArtKramr wrote:
>
>> Thanks for the kind words Ed. Actually all posts up to this point got little or
>> no responses and I have the feeling that there is very little interest in this
>> subject on this NG. I had planned on stopping with this last post. But with
>> your encouraging post, I think I might continue a while longer . Thanks again.
>> I appreciate your coming forward.
>
>Art,
>Though I haven't come forward before, I would still add my voice to
>those above and ask you to keep posting your memoires. It is always
>important to be able to balance "official histories" against the
>memories of those individuals who were there and did that. Most
>especially, the small things - how you felt going up against the foe,
>and how it felt to see friends go down - helps us all to put a feeling
>against the text-book phrases such as "casualties were heavy". We don't
>truly understand what that means.
>
>

Hello Art
I especially appreciate the personal view in your stories. I do read
a lot of history and there a lot of official and non official
accounts about on which day which division attacked where.
Definately interesting.

But the most interesting stories to me are the personal ones.
The stories like "December the xx. We wanted to fly to help our
friends but the damn wheather wouldn't let us . December xx Finally we
are go.".

Since it's such a long time ago more and more vets are passing away
and can't tell the first hand experiences anymore.
Please keep the stories coming and put them on your website so
generations after now kan still read them.

Greetz Martijn Uffing
P.S. My grandparents lived near the railroad Arnhem-Germany . Funny
way to communicate with someone who probably "buzzed" my grandparents
60 years ago :)

[ArtKramr]

>Subject: Re: This day in 1944: Bastogne resupplied
>From: (Mu)
>Date: 12/30/03 5:47 PM Pacific Standard Time
>Message-id: >
>
>On Tue, 23 Dec 2003 20:41:29 +0000, Alan Dicey
> wrote:
>
>>ArtKramr wrote:
>>
>>> Thanks for the kind words Ed. Actually all posts up to this point got
>little or
>>> no responses and I have the feeling that there is very little interest in
>this
>>> subject on this NG. I had planned on stopping with this last post. But
>with
>>> your encouraging post, I think I might continue a while longer . Thanks
>again.
>>> I appreciate your coming forward.
>>
>>Art,
>>Though I haven't come forward before, I would still add my voice to
>>those above and ask you to keep posting your memoires. It is always
>>important to be able to balance "official histories" against the
>>memories of those individuals who were there and did that. Most
>>especially, the small things - how you felt going up against the foe,
>>and how it felt to see friends go down - helps us all to put a feeling
>>against the text-book phrases such as "casualties were heavy". We don't
>>truly understand what that means.
>>
>>
>
>Hello Art
>I especially appreciate the personal view in your stories. I do read
>a lot of history and there a lot of official and non official
>accounts about on which day which division attacked where.
>Definately interesting.
>
>But the most interesting stories to me are the personal ones.
>The stories like "December the xx. We wanted to fly to help our
>friends but the damn wheather wouldn't let us . December xx Finally we
>are go.".
>
>Since it's such a long time ago more and more vets are passing away
>and can't tell the first hand experiences anymore.
>Please keep the stories coming and put them on your website so
>generations after now kan still read them.
>
>Greetz Martijn Uffing
>P.S. My grandparents lived near the railroad Arnhem-Germany . Funny
>way to communicate with someone who probably "buzzed" my grandparents
>60 years ago :)
>


Thanks for the kind words. I was one of the bombardiers that took out the
Arnhem bridge shortly after Market Garden failed. Maybe I'll tell that story
some day. And I'll keep stories coming.

Regards,


Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

[Brian Colwell]

"ArtKramr" > wrote in message
...
> >Subject: Re: This day in 1944: Bastogne resupplied
> >From: Old Sarge
> >Date: 12/24/03 6:56 PM Pacific Standard Time
> >Message-id: >
> >
> >To Art Kramer: I have not said any thing so far, but I can vouch for the
> >fact that what you have been submitting has been of great interest to
> >me, also. Please keep up the effort.
> > Sfc.Ret. Vietnam Vet,
> >9th. Inf. Div.
> >
>
> Thank you. Your comments are much appreciated. More to come. The war
isn't
> quite over yet.
>
>
> Arthur Kramer
> 344th BG 494th BS
> England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
> Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
> http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

Art,
There can't have been too many guys that took a camera with them on bombing
missions, You are the only one I have come across !! What camera were using
? was it the Leica ?

The photographic records on your w/s are remarkable.

BMC

[ArtKramr]

>Subject: Re: This day in 1944: Bastogne resupplied
>From: "Brian Colwell"
>Date: 1/2/04 1:59 PM Pacific Standard Time
>Message-id: <VQlJb.923315$9l5.667550@pd7tw2no>
>
>
>"ArtKramr" > wrote in message
...
>> >Subject: Re: This day in 1944: Bastogne resupplied
>> >From: Old Sarge
>> >Date: 12/24/03 6:56 PM Pacific Standard Time
>> >Message-id: >
>> >
>> >To Art Kramer: I have not said any thing so far, but I can vouch for the
>> >fact that what you have been submitting has been of great interest to
>> >me, also. Please keep up the effort.
>> > Sfc.Ret. Vietnam Vet,
>> >9th. Inf. Div.
>> >
>>
>> Thank you. Your comments are much appreciated. More to come. The war
>isn't
>> quite over yet.
>>
>>
>> Arthur Kramer
>> 344th BG 494th BS
>> England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
>> Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
>> http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer
>
>Art,
> There can't have been too many guys that took a camera with them on bombing
>missions, You are the only one I have come across !! What camera were using
>? was it the Leica ?
>
>The photographic records on your w/s are remarkable.
>
>BMC
>
>
Yup. It was a Leica. Thanks for the kind words.

Regards,

Arthur

Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer