Beckham County, OK - Military: Letter 2 re Leroy E. Cartmill
Thursdy, 27 April 2006

Submitted by: bisscherouxnuth@home.nl  (Joseph Bisscheroux)
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Dear Mrs. Hill,


Thank you very much you are a big support even if you can’t give me direct information.

Leroy was member of 507 Parachute Infantry Regiment.

This regiment was, as part of the 82nd Airborne Division, involved in D-Day.

They jumped in a drop zone that was inundated by the Germans and many soldiers drowned.

This happened June 6 1944.

I don’t know if Leroy at that time already was in this regiment.

About Christmas 1944 the “Battle of the Bulge” began.

I remember this because Christmas 1944 Scottish soldiers, form the “Highland Division” also 
called “the Black Watch” who were embedded in our house left that day.

The soldiers who had been very busy organizing the Christmas dinner were packing as we came 
back from the Night Mass Christmas eve.

They told they had to go to Bastogne.

Dad told us we had to pray for the well being of the soldiers as well as for ours because 
if the Germans succeeded and came back we should feel their anger.

(The Black Watch fought in Africa against Rommel)

I remember that was a very cold winter.

If you want to get information about the Battle of the Bulge just google “bulge” and 
you’ll have a lot of first hand information.


I know that Leroy was involved in this battle because I have a copy of document #26 of 
507th Parachute Infantry Regiment General Orders Awards 1943-1945.

I read that Leroy E. Cartmill is one of the soldiers awarded the Combat Infantryman 
Badge for exemplary conduct in action against the enemy from 26 December 1944 to 
11 February 1945.


March 24 1945 “Operation Varsity” started. This was called “The Big Rhine Jump”.

I know that Leroy was involved because he got killed that same day.

About operation Varsity you can google “operation varsity” and again you’ll have first 
hand information.

I read somewhere that the Germans knew about this operation. It seemed that a high-ranking 
officer of the Allied Forces had informed them.

The Germans offered them a very warm welcome.

There were much anti aircraft guns and the German soldiers were prepared as well.

The anti aircraft fire was so intense that the soldiers had to jump at a very low height.

Planes with paratroopers and gliders with soldiers were shot down. A lot of soldiers were 
killed before they reached the ground.


As you are googling you’ll find Leroy’s name on the Roll of Honor.

He is registered as private but he got his Combat Infantryman Badge as Private First 
Class and on his headstone I read PFC so somewhere is made a mistake.

In a document “reproduced in the National Archives” (a list of members of the 507th 
killed in action. He is registered as PFC.


As soon as I receive the casualty report of Leroy I’ll know more about him.

His parents name and his home address.


I hope this is what you asked for.

If you deleted my first letter before printing it, it will be no problem to send you a copy.

 

                        Thank you very much,

 

                                    Sincerely,

.                                                           Joseph Bisscheroux

                                                            Reukenderweg 4

                                                            6361AX Nuth

                                                            the Netherlands