Welcome to the home of the Scions of the 17th Airborne Division

The official website of the veterans and descendants of the 17th Airborne Division.

The missions of the Scions of the 17th Airborne Division are to honor the men who served in the 17th A/B,

and to educate others about the history of the division during World War II.

History of the Scions Organization

The Scions were founded in 2011 by an official mandate of the 17th Airborne troopers themselves, as a challenge made by the Directors

of the 17th Airborne Division Association. We incorporated as "The Scions of the 17th Airborne, Inc." to continue the Association's legacy in 2012.

Individual and Family membership is open to family members and descendants of veterans of the 17th Airborne Division.

Associate Membership is available to those with no direct ties but who are interested in the history of the 17th Airborne Division.

All veterans of the 17th Airborne Division are "Distinguished Honorary Members" of the Scions organization. We exist to honor them.

We strive to accomplish our missions by holding regional gatherings where troopers and their families can gather and share their recollections.

We communicate with our membership using our "Thunder From Heaven" newsletter, through this website, and on our Facebook page,

17th Airborne Division Scions (Descendants). We also collect documents related to the history of the 17th and make them available to our membership.

History of the 17th Airborne Division

The 17th Airborne Division was one of five airborne divisions in the United States Army during World War II. Commanded by Major General William M. Miley, it was officially activated

as an airborne division in April 1943, but was not immediately shipped out to a combat theater, remaining in the United States to complete its training. During this training process, the

division took part in several training exercises such as the Knollwood Maneuvers, in which it played a vital part in ensuring that the airborne division remained as a military formation

in the United States Army after the poor performance of American airborne forces in Sicily. As such it did not take part in the first two large-scale airborne operations conducted by the

Allies: Operation Husky and Operation Neptune. The division transferred to Britain after the end of Operation Overlord.

When the division arrived in Britain, it came under the command of XVIII Airborne Corps, part of the First Allied Airborne Army. The division was not chosen to participate in Operation

Market Garden (the airborne landings in the Netherlands) as Allied planners believed it had arrived too late and could not be "trained up" in time. However, after the end of Operation

Market Garden, the division was shipped to France and then Belgium to fight in the Ardennes during the Battle of the Bulge. A 17th trooper earned the Medal of Honor during the fighting

in the Ardennes (the first of four that members of the division would earn), and the division was then withdrawn to France to prepare for an assault over the River Rhine.

In March 1945, the division participated in its first, and only, airborne operation, dropping alongside the British 6th Airborne Division as a part of Operation Varsity, where its troopers

earned three more Medals of Honor. The division then advanced through Northern Germany until the end of World War II, when it briefly undertook occupation duties in Germany before

shipping back to the United States. There, it was officially inactivated in September 1945, although it was briefly reactivated as a training division between 1948 and 1949.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Annual Reunion and Meeting - March 20 - 23, 2026

Save the Date !

Scions Annual Reunion and Meeting

Valley Forge, PA

March 20 thru March 23, 2026

Embassy Suites Hilton Hotel, Valley Forge, PA

We have an outstanding hotel package! The nightly rate is $159 plus taxes, free parking, a full made-to-order breakfast buffet and an evening Manager’s Reception. In addition to our standard events, we are still planning activities but expect a group visit to Valley Forge National Park and the nearby Medal of Honor Grove. As a huge bonus, we currently expect to have present at least two 17th Airborne veterans to meet, honor, and enjoy! How often do you get such an opportunity? Stay tuned to our website and Facebook page for more information about this wonderful opportunity to get together and celebrate our distinguished heritage as Scions. Use the link below to book your room for this great event.

https://www.hilton.com/en/attend-my-event/phlvles-92c-bb3753a7-e16b-40cc-ba81-44bd19ec4a93/

Dead Mans Ridge Walk - 2026

Our great friends in Europe have announced details about the 2026 edition of the "Dead Mans Ridge Walk", honoring the troopers of the 17th Airborne Division.

The walk will be on Sunday 22 March 2026.

It will start from Champs, in the 193rd GIR sector.
If any family members of 17th troopers would like to attend, please contact us at Scionsofthe17thairborne@gmail.com, and we will help you to get in touch with the organizers of the walk.

We are hopeful that we will be leading a group to attend this event in 2027.

RECENT EVENTS

Arlington National Cemetery -November 2025

The Scions have visited Arlington National Cemetery each year since our founding in 2011 to place a wreath at the memorial to the 17th Airborne Division, and to visit the graves or niches of the 58 known 17th Airborne Division Troopers who lie at rest there.

Our service includes a short speech at the memorial - this year by Scion Herman Alford all the way from Mississippi - followed by placing the wreath and the playing of “Taps.” After receiving approval for a bugler from The Army Band, the government notified us that his presence was cancelled because of the government shutdown. In true Army spirit, the bugler then contacted us and offered to play as a civilian! We accepted, and he came and perfectly played that solemn sound.

In teams, we placed flowers at each of the graves or niches of the 58 Troopers and reflected on their individual legacy.

We also placed flowers at the Monument to the Battle of the Bulge which was donated by the Belgium government many years ago in appreciation of the sacrifices of the US military in that battle which effected its liberation. The battle was the first combat for the 17th and unfortunately took many of our Troopers.

This year we were joined by Anne Lewallen, daughter of Trooper Leslie Telesca who was KIA in the Battle of the Bulge. So, it was fitting, and moving, to have Anne speak at the Monument.

The weather cooperated and we had a beautiful day as we moved around the cemetery. We also enjoyed each other’s company during several group meals and in our meeting room. So, it was another successful visit.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to attend this important annual gathering to honor the Division and the Troopers who rest in Arlington; and thanks to all who have donated to the Memorial Fund which pays for the wreath and flowers.

Scions gathered at our memorial plaque at Arlington to remember the sacrifices made by the 17th during WWII. Our memorial was recently refinished and installed on a higher base. Funding for this work was provided by generous donations to our Memorial Fund, by our membership. Thank you to all who contributed!

This memorial is dedicated to the Battle of the Bulge, during which so many 17th Troopers were killed and wounded.

The above photos are a sample of our efforts to honor each of the 17th Airboren veterans who lie at rest here. We visit the graves of each of the 58 troopers, to place a flower, and reflect on their lives and service to our country.

The video clips below highlight some of our gatherings, trips and projects

Scions 2024 Gathering at Arlington National Cemetery

The Scions of the 17th Airborne gathered at Arlington National Cemetery on November 10th, 2024 for our annual gathering to honor the men who served in the 17th Airborne Division.

Scion President Jerry O'Brien and Scion Jayne Linfante, along with her family, provided remarks .

A new element was added to our program this year as we layed a wreath at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Gold Star Daughter Rives Carroll, Gold Star Sons John Leary, and Gerald O'Brien and Jayne Linfante presented the wreath in this impressive ceremony.

We next gathered at the memorial to Chaplains who were killed while serving in WWII, including Chaplain Paschal D. Fowlkes who died during Operation Varsity. His daughter,

Rives Carroll read remarks written by her father on the eve of Operation Varsity.

We also gathered at the Memorial to the Battle of the Bulge, where Scion Patricia Bowers read a touching letter written by her father, regarding the lasting impact that the brutal

combat had on the Troopers who fought in the Bulge.

We then made a visit to the Nurses Memorial where we laid flowers in remembrance of Nadia Sembrat (wife of Trooper Harry Sembrat), and all Armed Forces nurses.

Next on our program was to the Memorial for the men from the 139th Airborne Engineer Bn who were killed in the explosion of a truck full of mines during the Battle of the Bulge.

This was followed by visits to the more than 50 individual graves of 17th Airborne Troopers whe lie at rest at Arlington.

At each grave we read material pertaining to the life and service of the trooper along with a prayer.

Many thanks must go to Pat and Jerry O'Brien, who planned and organized this most memorable gathering