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WWII veterans who were part of 17th Airborne gather

LANCASTER, Pa.- The Scions of the 17th Airborne have kept the tradition of gathering for a reunion going. For the last 8 years they have hosted the reunion in L...

LANCASTER, Pa.- The Scions of the 17th Airborne have kept the tradition of gathering for a reunion going. For the last 8 years they have hosted the reunion in Lancaster County.

This year six veterans and many other sons and daughters of veterans participated in the reunion.

From the 17th Airborne was Edward P. Good, Rev. William J. Keeler, John Schumacker, Charles Davis, Ben Nothstine and Michael Rock .

Michael Rock is the talker of the group. He is a Leap Year baby and said," I'm 23 and I am 92 and I still have all my teeth so that's one good thing about me."

Rock is always the first to sign up for the reunion.

"Good comradeship here. You couldn't ask for better," he added.

"This division, in my opinion, has the best tradition of any of the Airborne divisions," said Charles Davis who traveled from Dayton, Ohio.

Davis served with his twin brother who is also still alive.

"It was comfortable. We grew up together and played ball together and it was comfortable and we kind of took it for granted. I have a friend that says the reason they wanted them kept together is so that when one of them went on leave the other could report on what he did," he said.

His brother lives in New York. He is ill and was not able to make the reunion.

William Keeler's family was with him. He has been with his wife for nearly 68 years. She, their daughter and their granddaughter were all there. One night, during the war, he was not sure he would make it. He hid in a ditch.

"The shells began to come into the Forrest and there were flashes of light and so forth and I prayed I said lord if you get me out of here I will do anything you want me to do," he said.

He became a minister. Now all of the men are retired and enjoying the reunion and swapping stories.

"I've learned things today that I had never heard before," said Edward Good.

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