After action report Static Line reunion and Fort Campbell, April 10 - 20th 2007

(photos courtesy of B. Pulles, M. Larkin, I. Worrell)

With an attendance of 5 people, the Screaming Eagles of WWII Foundation was well represented at the Static Line reunion
which was held from April 11-14th in Atlanta, Georgia. Frits Janssen (member), Barry Pulles (member) and Petra Wenstedt-Pulles (secretary)
flew in from The Netherlands. Leoni Wenstedt (member) caught a plane from a still cold and snowy Wisconsin. And Joe Bossi, our director of
US operations, drove down from Clarksville, Tennessee. Even though some arrived a little later than planned, it was a happy reunion of five
at the airport.

Left to right: Leoni Wenstedt, Petra Wenstedt-Pulles, Joe Bossi; back row: Barry Pulles and Frits Janssen

Slowly, on the Wednesday, people signed in at the reunion, finding friends and comrades.

Dick Turner and Stanley Soter

Harvey Appleman and Joe Bossi

Leoni Wenstedt and Robert Mingus

Don Lassen, organiser of the event and the center point of the Static Line reunion, enabled the Foundation to present
itself by offering a table in the sales room. A table was soon set up. A great way of presenting ourselves and promoting the trip "Operation Torch 2007"

Quite a few people showed their interest and took promotional leaflets with them. Different organisations and individuals promised
to promote the Operation Torch trip in their magazines or newsletters.

There was time for sidetrips:

Fort Benning

The Georgia Aquarium

Currahee museum	Wenstedt and Bob Dunning (506),
Bob and Frits in museum giftshop	Camp Toccoa memorial
Colonel Sink plaquette	Currahee mountain

Frits, of course, enjoyed the majority of 82nd Airborne Division affiliated attendees at the reunion. During the Operation Torch trip,
Frits is in charge of the daily programme for the area around Nijmegen, the Netherlands, where the 82nd objectives and drop zones
were during Operation Market Garden. He has been a long time student of 82nd history and may be labelled a specialist on the events
in the area in 1944. Some of the 82nd veterans flew many miles especially to see him.

At the banquet on Saturday night we were treated to the 82nd choir (lovely singing)

and Don Lassen

Graciously recognised the Dutch party by asking us to step up and receive the Static Line coin and a pen. THANK YOU, DON.

fltr Frits Janssen, Barry Pulles, Leoni Wenstedt, Petra Wenstedt-Pulles

Joseph M. Bossi CSM (Ret), our Director of US Operations joins the Dutch

After the banquet, it was time for the famous Airborne Hop with some fine music and a little dancing.

On Sunday April 16th, it was time for one of us to fly back to colder regions in order to attend school.
The rest of us headed up North to visit one of the places on our wishlists :
a classic car junkyard in White, GA, affectioniately knicknamed "the eighth wonder of the world."

On to Clarksville, Tennessee where we were hosted by Joe Bossi. More interesting cars here!
Joe is the proud owner of an original GPW (Ford) jeep which we all took turns driving.

We had the honor of meeting SERGEANT BASTOGNE and his keeper.

Over the next couple of days, Joe showed us around Fort Campbell, Kentucky - home of the Eagles!
Driving across Fort Campbell, one is impressed by the might of the 101st Airborne Division.
The Don F. Pratt museum, the new headquarters which is being built, the large PX, the schools, the sheer distances.

As mentioned already in our latest news, we were invited to speak with BG Rick Rife, ADC(S) - a great opportunity
to talk about the work of the Foundation and the special friendship between the Dutch people and the 101st Airborne Division.

Col Thomas Vail (Division Chief of Staff) of the 506th also took time from his busy schedule to receive the Dutch party.
Both commanders hold the history of the division high, and the special relationship with the Dutch is part of that history.
We had the opportunity to admire the blown-up vintage photographs in the conference room and were presented with a Currahee poster.

Col Vail presented the Dutch with a beautiful poster of an artist impression of the Currahee sign. There also was a personal message from Col Vail :
"Ms Pulles
Thank you for visiting our Regimental Headquarters! Our continued friendship and common
vision to support our CURRAHEES's, past and present, ensures we will "never forget" those who gave
their lives for freedom.

"Stands alone!" Colonel Tom Vail, 506th RGT Commander 18 april 2007"

After a few days, Frits, being the "82nd guy", felt almost at home in the Eagle's nest. This is the reason we did NOT
buy him a hat saying "Almost Airborne". However, we did try to camouflage his 82nd patch.

Time to head back to the vicinity of Atlanta. On the way we got to see Ruby Falls in Chattanoogaa, TN, where a
beautiful waterfall is hidden in a cave. Joe was pleasantly surprised to find that there was more than one paratrooper
down there - even though it turned out to be an 82nd guy!

On the day of departure there was one more item on Barry's wishlist:
a visit to a Chrysler dealer. While Barry was watching cars yet again, the rest of the party munched away the largest pizza available!

All in all, we believe that all items on everyone's wishing list were covered. It was only 10 days,
but they were packed to the brim with a mix of close friends, surprises, intestinal problems, family
love, serious conversations, presents, nausea, laughter and fun. In the process, quite a bit of time was
spent on presenting the work of the Foundation and promoting Operation Torch 2007.

Thanks to Joe, who went out of his way to make it all possible, we had a trip we won't forget.

THANKS JOE.

May 2007

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