551st Parachute Infantry Association is at National Infantry Museum.

2 weeks ago

Association Historian Chris Lewis was honored to have Mr. Jim Heffernan, son of GOYA veteran PFC James Heffernan of HQs, 551st Parachute Infantry, stop by the National Infantry Museum last Thursday for a quick visit & to donate a series of WWII maps that originally belonged to MAJ Charles R. “Pappy” Herman and Bob Joerg, brother of LTC Wood Joerg

Took Jim on post to stop by the BN HQs of 1-507th PIR / United States Army Airborne School & also went & saw Furlough and the 551st Monument on Sacrifice Field

Great seeing you again Jim - AATW! GOYA!!🌴 ... See More from 551See Less from 551

551st Parachute Infantry Association

2 weeks ago

According to Michel Peirano of St. Jeannet, this is the back of Renée's home, her parents' home in 1944...the battalion aid station when the 551st was there. Renée was an infant in '44 when the 551st arrived. It is also the place where Leslie Meade and several medics stayed while in Saint Jeannet. Further, Renée informed Michel that when Meade, and others stayed there, that they had strung hammocks across the alley to sleep in the rear of the aid station, first and second picture shared here taken by Michel. I'm guessing Renée's parents had mentioned that detail to her later on. Interestingly, that is the second reference I've heard regarding hammocks lately. Charlie Burnham's grandson, John Burt, recently mentioned a train trip story passed down from his grandfather to me in which his grandfather had strung up a hammock to sleep and rest on in one of the boxcars, forty-and-eight, with the 551st. His grandfather was with HQ. We, John and I, are guessing that the trip referenced in his grandfather's story was likely the movement from Antebes to Laon, just after their R&R at Saint Jeannet, and just prior to being called up for the Battle of the Bulge. Many men talked about how cold and miserable of a trip that was to Laon in 'The Left Corner of My Heart', by Dan Morgan. Of course much colder and harsh conditions were soon to follow that rail trip to Laon...

Also included here are photos from Les Meade's war album taken during that train trip to Laon mentioned by Burnham's grandson, John. There are actually two pics of a similar scene in which one picture was taken by Meade and the other was shared by Wesley Richard's son (Richard was also a medic with the 551st PIB). In Richard's you can see my grandfather, Les Meade, with a shovel, along with Wesley Richard sitting on the right. In my grandfather's picture of that scene Richard is hidden by a Soldier standing between Meade and Richard when the picture was snapped. The additional train picture is also from Meade's war album...John Bumpus (medic standing on the right) and Les Meade, my grandfather.

- eb ... See More from 551See Less from 551

551st Parachute Infantry Association

3 weeks ago

As you know, Brad Hicks, the grandson of General Frederick, is searching for the place in which Gen. Frederick and LTC Joerg are pictured in St. Jeannet, France. In that quest I, Eric Buchanan, shared some photographs that my grandfather had taken in St. Jeannet to hopefully assist Brad in getting a feel for places the 551st was in that vicinity, for when he visits soon. Brad shared some of those pictures on Facebook and soon got a response from an 83-year-old gentleman living in St. Jeannet named Michel Peirano. He had recognized one of my grandfather’s pictures as being the backyard of his parent’s home.

Michel was two years old in 1944 and suffering from a painful skin rash called impetigo when the 551st PIB arrived. His parents’ home was next to where the battalion aid station was set up and they soon visited the station with Michel one day, where he was treated by a medic with some penicillin that cleared up the rash right away. Michel informed Brad that the medic’s name was Leslie Meade (my grandfather), his parents’ favorite GI after treating their son. He then went on to share some photos from WWII of my grandfather that our family had never seen before, like a photo of him sitting in his medic jeep in front of the Negresco hotel, as well as a few that were copies of ones my grandfather had in his war album. Only Michel’s had writing identifying where they were taken. Now we have additional information about some of my grandfather’s pictures from over 80 years ago. It turns out that more of my grandfather’s pictures were taken in St. Jeannet than I had originally thought.

I couldn’t believe it when I began to receive Brad's and Michel's replies initially. Soon after Brad's first reply I recalled a photograph I had discovered in a family album at my grandmother’s that seemed to be from WWII that I had scanned over ten years ago, along with the writing on the back. It was of a young family in France. I sent a copy of it to Brad to see if Michel could recognize the family in the picture. It was of Michel and his parents on a rock by the river Cagne, between Saint-Jeannet and Vence. He had never seen that picture before, which also had his mother’s handwriting on the back. Michel went on to mention something else that we have in common, early childhood memories. He could recall sitting in my grandfather’s jeep next to him covered with a blanket in late November to early December 1944, and could also even remember where that took place in St. Jeannet. Thirty years later I can still vividly recall my first memory as a child. It was also of my grandfather, Leslie Meade, in late November to early December…only in 1974. He passed away a few weeks later, on 20 December 1974. I had wandered into his bedroom to share my Christmas list with him.

Further, I informed Michel that my grandfather had named his children after children he had met during the War, and that he and my uncle share the same name. I also told him my mother’s and aunt’s names. He replied that a little girl was living in the home adjacent to his parents’, the aid station, who still lives there today; and that her name is Renée, same as my aunt. What are the odds of that, WOW…GOYA!!!

Also of note, Michel went on to be quite a sportsman in France driving race cars (rallyes and hill) from 1967-1990. He was highly ranked at the French Championship holding some records yet to be broken...in which he drove a Renault R8 Gordini, Renault Alpine 1300cc and 1600cc, and a Sinca Rallye 3. As if that wasn't enough he also competed in pistol shooting and was an individual champion of France in the Air pistol at 10m, the 22LR pistol at 50m, and vice-champion at large caliber pistol (.32) at 25m. He said he traveled France for 50 different championships, summer and winter, between 1991-2018.

-Eric Buchanan (eb) ... See More from 551See Less from 551

551st Parachute Infantry Association

2 months ago

The Association and the grandson of General Frederick are requesting some assistance. On 24 November 1944, a little after the 551st PIB was relieved in the Alps by the Purple Heart Battalion, the 100th of the 442nd, they were visited for the last time by their Purple Heart General, the 551st's commanding general for their service in southern France, General Frederick. While visiting the 551st to say his final goodbye Frederick presented some medals, two of which we know went to Captain Hartman and T5 Wesley Richard (Bronze Star). We also know that it took place at Saint-Jeannet; however, we're not exactly sure where specifically the ceremony took place. If anyone has any additional pictures/information of this event, especially pictures that might be zoomed out some so that the location could be nailed down, we would be grateful. I also added a picture my grandfather took, who was a battalion medic, that might have been taken nearby. Thanks in advance and GOYA!!

-eb ... See More from 551See Less from 551