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FOUGHT IN FRANCEArmy 299th Port Co. Veterans Plan ReunionLocal servicemen who were assigned to the 299th Port Co. in World War H will have a reunion next month—thanks to the wife of one of die former GIs.At one time 29 Chester area men were with the unit. Most were assigned to it at Indiantown Gap Military Reservation. During preparation lor D-Day the unit was located in Scotland and England.Mrs. Madaline Stiffler, 733 E. 25th st., has been credited, with developing plans for the reunion. Her husband, Stoy Stiffler, was a member of the company.On June 6, 1944, the port company, part of the 518th Bort Battalion, landed in France with advance units of the invasion force. While the battle for Europe was waged the unit provided* guard duty for supply lines stretching across France.At the end of hostilities the battalion was reassigned to LeHavre, France, and operated port facilities there. Troop transports arriving there were unloaded end loaded by men of the unit. New replacements arrived at the portwith high point veterans heading home for discharges under the demobilization plan.SHE GETS LIST“For years the men have been talking about getting together but nothing was ever done beyond the talking stage/’ said Mrs. Stiffler. Recently she got a list of the local men with the unit and began tracing them by telephone calls. Eventually 19 of the former soldiers were contacted. Of the 29, 10 are still being sought.Several meetings have been conducted at the Stiffler home to mapplans for the reunion. It wilt be ,at the Killen-Miles American Legion Post Home in Rockdale. The exact date in May has no' )ern decided as yet.Taking part in the meetings have been Patrick Root of Twin Oaks, William Sehaeffer of Mil-mont Park, John Pullin of Ciay-mont, James Thornton, of Middletown Heights, Lurlen Bynum of Linwood, Floyd Reed, James Redden, Norman Rieck and Stiffler, all of Chester.AND OTHERSOthers who have been contacted and have indicated an interest in attending a reunion of.the outfit include Rocco Patrone of Marcus Hook, George Hagerty of Ridley. Park, Chester Shull of Park: side, Gus Sfakianos, Theodore Slezak, John Cosgrove, Benjamin Tancre'di, Benjamin Jacobs, Edward Spotts and William Ganter, all of Chester,Another meeting of the planning group will be April 14 at the home of William Schaeffer, 117 Belmont av., Milmont Park. Those who resided in the Chester area during the time they were in the Army and are being sought include Frank PetriHo. John Melko, John Sullivan, Anthony Di Maio. Lawr-ience DiPiclro, Benjamin Iwachiw, John Konhick. James Dunaway. Roy Haws and Joseph Kogut. These former- members of- the unit are requested to contact Stiffler or Schaeffer.The reunion will be the first get-together for Die ex-members of the port company. Some hope that eventually a reunion can be arranged for the. battalion on a national level.
Newspaper Details
Chester Times
Chester, Pennsylvania, US
Fri, Apr 03, 1959
Page 19
Full Page
Clipped by
Mary T.
NA, 09 Nov 2022
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