• Paul Van Daele

+32497/72 03 27

pscd6035@skynet.be

• Eddy Monfort

+32491/074925

e.monfort@belgacom.net

www.ardenneswhitestar.be

Mail: white.star.ardennes@gmail.com

"L'humanité devra mettre un terme à la guerre,ou la guerre mettra un terme à l'humanité." John Fitzgerald Kennedy

Melvin E. DAVIS811th Tank Destroyer Battalion

Ardennes

US Army

AssociationName: “Ardennes – White Star – US Army”Short name: “White Star”

ObjectiveThe objective is to keep alive the memory of and to show recognition towards the many military and civilians of the US and allied armies, killed, wounded, or missing in action during the Battle of the Bulge.

ActivitiesThe “White Star“ association:

• Participates, individually or as collectors of World War II vehicles of the US or allied armies, in commemorative activities and ceremonies organised by the US (Memorial Day) or Belgian authorities, in particular during the NUTS fair (“Foire aux Noix”) organised by the Commune of Bastogne.

• Organises, for US veterans and other World War II passionates, tours with US Army vehicles on the “Bastogne Perimeter” and walking tours along other World War II sites or monuments, with the support of certi¢ ed local guides.

• Keeps alive the memory of World War II, espe-cially as regards the younger generations, by organising events with schools and teachers.

VerenigingNaam: “Ardennes – White Star – US Army”Afgekort: “White Star” vzw.

Doelstellingen‘White Star’ heeft tot doel de herinnering leven-dig te houden en blijvende erkenning te beto-nen aan de vele militairen en burgers van het Amerikaanse en van de geallieerde legers, die tijdens de Slag om de Ardennen zijn gesneuveld, gewond of vermist.

Activiteiten “White Star“:

• Neemt, hetzij individueel, hetzij als verzamelaar van voertuigen die door het US Army of door de geallieerde legers tijdens de Tweede We-reldoorlog werden gebruikt, deel aan herden-kings- of andere plechtigheden, die georgani-seerd worden door de Amerikaanse (Memorial Day) of Belgische overheden, met name ter gelegenheid van de door de stad Bastenaken georganiseerde Foire aux Noix/NUTS.

• Organiseert, ten behoeve van Amerikaanse oorlogsveteranen en gelijkgestemden, rondrit-ten met Amerikaanse legervoertuigen langs de «Périmètre de Bastogne» en wandeltochten naar andere sites of monumenten die herin-neren aan de Tweede Wereldoorlog, onder begeleiding van  geaccrediteerde lokale gidsen.

• Draagt ertoe bij dat de herinnering aan de Tweede Wereldoorlog leven-dig wordt gehouden bij jongeren door bijeenkomsten met scholen en leraren te organiseren.

•

naar andere sites of monumenten die herin-neren aan de Tweede Wereldoorlog, onder begeleiding van  geaccrediteerde lokale begeleiding van  geaccrediteerde lokale

Draagt ertoe bij dat de herinnering Draagt ertoe bij dat de herinnering aan de Tweede Wereldoorlog leven-dig wordt gehouden bij jongeren

AssociationNom : « Ardennes – White Star – US Army »En abrégé : « White Star » asbl.

ObjectifsPerpétuer le devoir de mémoire et de reconnais-sance à l’égard des nombreux militaires et civils des armées américaines et alliées, tués, blessés ou disparus durant la Bataille des Ardennes.

ActivitésLes activités de “White Star” sont:

• Participer à titre individuel ou en tant que col-lectionneur de véhicules de la US Army ou des armées alliées, de l’époque 40 – 45, aux di-verses cérémonies et commémorations orga-nisées par les autorités américaines (Memorial Day) et belges, notamment à l’occasion de la Foire aux Noix /NUTS organisée par la Ville de Bastogne.

• Organiser à l’attention de vétérans américains

et de personnes passionnées des circuits en véhicules US sur le « Périmètre de Bastogne » ou des randonnées vers d’autres sites ou mo-numents de la Seconde Guerre mondiale avec l’assistance d’un guide local agréé.

• Perpétuer le devoir de mémoire à l’égard des

jeunes générations en organisant des ren-contres avec les milieux scolaires et le corps enseignant.

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français

“Ardennes – White Star – US Army” “Ardennes – White Star – US Army” “Ardennes – White Star – US Army”

english

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Melvin E.DAVIS - 811th Tank Destroyer Battalion

Mel served with the 811th Tank Destroyer. He grew up in Cleveland, Ohio and joined the U.S. Army in 1943 after he graduated from High School one month before D-Day. He went into basic training at Ft. Hood, Texas and then was transfered into the tank group and trained at Twenty Nine Palms, CA as both a driver and a gunner. He was sent to Europe after D-Day into France and was assigned to Patton's Army. He was assigned as a tank driver of a Hellcat and fought in a series of battles in August through October.

When the fighting stopped for the "Winter of 44" he was stationned away from the front lines with Patton waiting for the Spring to begin the march to Germany. Around December 9th or 10th his group of 4 tanks were sent up to Bastogne to relieve another group of 4 tanks who where sent back to where Patton's Army was stationned. Every 3 weeks tanks were being cycled up to the front line to replace other tanks that were stationned there to give each tank crew some "time to relax" because they did not expect any more fighting until the Spring when the Winter was over.

When the Battle of the Bulge began on December 16th, his group of 4 tanks were told to head East from Bastogne and told to "stop the Germans". As they headed out, Mel's tank ran out of gasoline and the other 3 tanks were told to keep going forward. Mel asked for more fuel to be sent up, but there were told no fuel was going to be sent to them and they should get out of their tanks, dig foxholes, grab their rifles and stop the Germans.

Sometime on December 17th the Germans attacked his position, he was seriously wounded with shrapnels from artillery fire and the Nazis charged forward and moved right passed his foxhole thinking he was dead. He was picked up a day later by U.S. medics, brought back into Bastogne and then sent to a hospital in Luxembourg where he had surgery and recovered from his wounds. He was then assigned to the supply division in Paris and drove a supply truck and back to the front lines for the remainder of the war.