Published: November 02, 2009 11:56 pm      

World War II 101st Airborne Division veterans to speak Saturday at roundtable

CUMBERLAND — Members of the 101st Airborne Division who served in World War II will speak as part of the Cumberland Goes to War veterans roundtable Saturday at 11 a.m. at Windsor Hall at Town Centre, 39 Baltimore St.

Sgt. Clancy Lyall, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, was among the men of Easy Company who parachuted into Normandy on D-Day and, later, in Operation Market Garden. They fought their way through Belgium, France and Germany. The unit liberated concentration camps and finally, drank a victory toast in April 1945 at Hitler’s hideout in the Alps. The 506th are better known as The Band of Brothers.

Lyall remained in the Army and made two combat jumps in Korea. In 1954, he was assigned to the 8th French Parachute Assault Battalion as an adviser and got out two weeks before the garrison surrendered. He is one of a small number who has four combat jumps and is unique in having been a participant in both the Battle of the Bulge and the siege of Dien Bien Phu.

Guy Whidden, also a 101st Airborne paratrooper, is participating in the roundtable. He was seriously wounded by a German mortar shell. Whidden is the author of “Between the Lines and Beyond: Letters of a 101st Airborne Paratrooper.”

A member of the 29th Infantry Division, Lester Lease enlisted at the age of 16. He took part in the D-Day invasion and became the battlefield platoon leader. Lease received both the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster. Many of his war photos can be found in the photo archives at www.cumberlandgoestowar.com.

Bernie Cordial also entered the military at age 16. He became a medic on Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 3 and served in the South Pacific.

George Perrine served in Company B, 82nd Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Armored Division, nicknamed Hell on Wheels. Perrine served in North Africa, Sicily and Europe. On June 9, 1944, reinforced by Company D of the 17th Armored Engineer Battalion, the battalion landed on Omaha Beach in Normandy.

A member of the 13th Airborne Division, Ed George embarked for Europe and arrived in February 1945. The 13th billeted in the small towns southeast of Paris. George later joined the CIA and served through the Vietnam years.

Dr. Neil Williams of Lonaconing served as a signal man on a landing ship tank in the Pacific Theater. The Navy vessel was created during World War II to support amphibious operations by carrying significant quantities of vehicles, cargo and landing troops directly onto an unimproved shore.

Pete Ponton, 115th Infantry Regiment, Company A, served as a light weapons armorer and brings a wealth of information on the 29th Infantry Division before, during and post-war.

World War II and Korean War veteran George Bathie joined the Navy Reserve and served as a Merchant Marine during World War II. He served with the Marines in Korea beginning in 1951 and is a member of the Allegany County chapter of the Korean War Veterans Association.

Moderator for the event is David Kiriazis, a professor of economics at Frostburg State University.

“We Who Are Alive and Remain, Untold Stories from The Band of Brothers,” by Marcus Brotherton, will be available for sale at The Book Center.

For more information, log on to www.cumberlandgoestowar.com or call (301) 724-2453.