I would love to speak to mr. Jackson about his time in Bastogne if possible

Very cool! Thanks for posting an update and stick around!

Thank you all for the kind words. 

Frank Gubbels, I sent you a private message.  🙂  

I'm always grateful to you, Marion, and all the other folks on here who engaged with me prior to me doing that interview.  He was so very receptive of all the questions that came out of this forum, and it truly has changed his life.  He feels like quite the celebrity no matter where he goes.  In fact, I found this video taken of him at Reading this summer and never knew it was out there.  I just searched.  Check this out:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvxAhm6PBfI

Thank you for sharing this wonderful video with us. He looks in a fantastic condition, not only physically but also in his mind.

Letter has been written and will be mailed to him today. Thanks so much Pat for your help

20 hours ago, vette97 said:

Thank you all for the kind words. 

Frank Gubbels, I sent you a private message.  🙂  

I'm always grateful to you, Marion, and all the other folks on here who engaged with me prior to me doing that interview.  He was so very receptive of all the questions that came out of this forum, and it truly has changed his life.  He feels like quite the celebrity no matter where he goes.  In fact, I found this video taken of him at Reading this summer and never knew it was out there.  I just searched.  Check this out:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvxAhm6PBfI

Thank you so much for your very kind words.  Always pleased to see things coalesce. Can't wait to view the video later today.

You will absolutely love the video Marion.

I came back home today from a weekend in the Ardennes to attend the 82ns Airborne Memorial Walk (505 PIR and 551 PIB area this time). I was really happy to find a letter from Mr. Jackson in my mailbox. A very nice letter, a picture and a handdrawn map of the situation of his unit in Bastogne when he was WIA on December 25th 1944. I am going to try to find out where that exactly happened and take some pictures for Mr. Jackson. I don't know if he will like that and I hope the situation hasn't changed to much over the past 74 years. Thank you so much for your help Pat, I really, really appreciate it.

Best wishes,

Frank

I'm so glad to hear that you go the letter, Frank!  He called me last week, super surprised to hear from you, and to let me know that I was "quite a great guy" for helping you get in contact with him.  He was truly happy.  He called me to confirm that he was writing your address correctly.  I looked it up on the Internet and verified it for him.  He has had letters lost before and was worried that you wouldn't receive it.  But, I'm very happy that you did get it!

I think George would be very happy to see any photographs you could share with him.  It might help solidify his memory of the area.  

You're a great guy, Frank!  Thanks for helping make George's day!

Pat

I contacted some friends in the Bastogne area and showed them the map George drew for me. They hae a pretty good idea where it happened but not a 100% sure. We need a little bit more time to investigate.

I received the following email this week. Happy to post!

Thank you Marion!  I will reach out to Raphael and see if I can help.  

I've been in close contact with Frank Gubbels, as well.  George sent him a letter and included a drawing of the area where he was located in Bastogne.  We gathered some information from George to help identify the outpost where he performed his watch duties, as well as the area where he was dug in when he was wounded on Dec 25, 1944.  

I will post photos of the helmet too, later this morning. Hope that will help you and anyone else interested in this post. 

So the helmet will be a frontseam one I guess. I can't see any evidence of decals which the 101st used. I am not sure if the 326 AEB used them but would be strange if they didn't use them (For example the 506th PIR used the Spade)

I am trying to find a book about the 326th but it doesn't seem easy to find one