Sgt. Charles "Gus" Liapes

HQ / 506th / 101st Airborne Division

"Dear Friend Pat, I received your envelope and pictures of the veterns. Sorry I sent you a picture of me of 1945 dischared from the hospital a month or so after the War ended in Europe. My woundes consisted of a left knee, shoulder and thigh. I lost the use of my left arm as the radial nerve was cut. My hearing has been impaired. Schrapnel from a grenade was my first ound in Normandy. Grenade hit me through my helmet giving me a constant ring in my head but I was still alive on my feet! Bill Guarnere was one of the writers of a band of brothers. Bill and I are good friends. Bill's wife passed away a time back. We made many reuinions of the Screaming Eagles. Our wives were good friends. Bill is a good peron and a fine airborne man - real soldier! i added the bazooa nd ammo to the picture of a well dressed paratrooper would wear. I fell asleep crossingthe English Channel to parachute into St. Come Dumont D-minus. 1st Lt. Wayne Winans was my platoon leader. Lt. Winans was killed in Holland. I was one of the leaders in Holland. When we met the Nazis at the bridge we had a hell of a fight. I lost some of my best men at the bridge. I lost Charles Dickey - Lt. Louis Missouri - Lt. Wayne Winans. I forgot all their names. I'm at a loss of memory at this time. We were at the point leading. St. Winans broke in to help me. We had a sharpe short conversation as I just finished finished hitting and stopping a Nazi tank. It was the third tank I hit. You could not stop a tank uless you hit him everal times. I was in constant movement from one position to another and it worked well for me. I was decorated but the girls in the rear gave out the medals. General MacAuthur said in but a few words, only the dead have been to war! Afer battle I'd look back at my friends ling dead and as now I am crying. I visited most all my friends dead and alive. Only a few live. Most reason for living as they would stay away from unessassary fighting. It's easy to stay in a fox hole and do nothing. I hear words of I was lucky - I didn't get hit - they were way in the rear - taking care of mail - food - ammo not in battle. I wanted to fight for my Country and I had five brothers in the service. I hope you like the picture. I'm happy to hear from you,

Your friend, Gus Liapes "Bazooka"

Militaria Antique Guns M1 Garand Parts