Panther Veteran Organization- 66th Infantry Division

04/13/2025

The time has finally come for us to follow our Dad's footsteps. Eighty years ago our Father's were young and naive young men who left their homes in order to fulfill their "call to duty".
My beloved father served his country with honor and dignity, as your Father's have done.

At our last 66th Infantry Division reunion, I solemnly promised my guys that I will make sure that the world would never forget their sacrifices and dedication to live in a free world.
I made that exact promise to my Daddy the night he passed. We both had tears in our eyes.

Well my most beloved veterans and families of the 66th Infantry Division, on May6th 2025, there will finally be a permanent memorial solely dedicated to men of the 66th, and the poor young souls who lost their lives in the sinking of the Leopoldville on Christmas Eve 1944.

I cannot begin to express my emotions concerning the fulfillment of my promise to Daddy and men of the 66th Infantry Division.

If anyone wishes to make a donation to help us make the final payment for this sacred memorial, your help will most certainly be appreciated. Any and all donations will be greatly appreciated.

You may email me at [email protected] to discuss a contribution through Venmo, Go Fund Me or personal checks.
Every penny will be most appreciated.
Love and Hugs
Lenore Bertino Angelo

02/14/2025

Our journey to follow in our heroes' footsteps is about to become a reality for many of us. All contracts have been signed and all have been eagerly awaiting our arrival.
Our memorial to the men of the 66th and the Leopoldville is well underway.
Please if you haven't made a donation yet to fund our memorial project, please do so.
All checks can be made out to the Panther Veteran Organization and mailed to
Lenore Angelo
Panther Veteran Organization
PO Box 11
St Benedict, PA
15773

ALSO
it's not too late to join us in this emotional and most memorable journey. I can promise you will cherish your time spent with us forever

Love
Evermore Lenore

12/21/2024

Today, Daddy was featured on the front page of the Tribune Democrat!!! I am grateful that Dave Sutor has acknowledged our fundraising efforts for the memorial in Cherbourg, France. This memorial will serve as a perpetual tribute to the men of the 66th Infantry Division. I respectfully solicit donations to support this project. All contributions, no matter how small, will help preserve the 66th's legacy.
Donations can be made through our Go Fund Me page at:
gofundme.com/f/honor-the-66th-infantry-divisions-legacy
or by sending a check made out to the
Panther Veteran Organization
PO Box11
Saint Benedict, PA 15773

12/20/2024

The holidays are here!! Once again I am humbly requesting that we remember our heroes, our fathers, grandfathers, and great grandfathers who were part of the 66th Infantry Division by lifting a glass on Christmas Eve at 5pm to honor and remember them.
This year, I have a special request from all of you. The city of Cherbourg, France with our help and support is planning to erect the ONLY memorial in France that is dedicated solely to our beloved 66th Infantry Division. We are in need of additional funds to make this happen.
I have set up a go fund me page asking for your support and have realized that many do not wish to donate via a go fund me page.
So please, please help us get this eternal memorial erected by sending your donation to Lenore Angelo
PO Box 11
St Benedict, PA 15773
make your donation payable to
Panther Veteran Organization
I will make certain all funding goes directly to our memorial.
I thank you for your support.

12/17/2024

Every year, we still put up Daddy's tree as a way of honoring him. Some of these decorations my children made in kindergarten for Grandpa.
I know Daddy would be proud and his tree represents all that was important in his life.
Merry Christmas Daddy!

11/23/2024

I thank you all for kindly remembering me today on my birthday. I will answer each and every one of your messages personally asap. But I just had to share my best birthday present ever!
Having my cousin Michael here with me today was delightful as always.
If you know me, and understand how much "my guys" meant to me, you will know how emotional today was for me.
I FOUND OUR SWEET HENRY MINER!!!!!
I spoke with him over 2 hours today. He is now living at the Baltimore VA home. He talked about our past reunions, the good times we had, all of his fellow"buddies", his birthday, that he shared with my love Betty Poorman that was on November 19th, and many more wonderful moments that we shared.
Henry is 99 years old and his mind is sharp as a tack. He remembered everyone!!!!
My greatest birthday today, finding my Henry.
My God keep him safe and watch over him.

10/21/2024

MONUMENT FOR THE 66th ID AND THE VICTIMS OF THE LEOPOLDVILLE
On the night of December 24, 1944, the Leopoldville, which had left Southampton that very morning, was transporting soldiers from the 262nd and 264th regiments of the 66th US Infantry Division to Normandy, to reinforce the forces present for the decisive Battle of the Bulge. Her route was stopped dead in its tracks just 9 km from Cherbourg when the German U-Boat 486 commanded by Lieutenant Gerhard Meyer torpedoed her at around 6 pm.
This tragedy claimed 763 victims, including 493 bodies never recovered, not to mention those who escaped and carried the trauma for the rest of their lives.
No monument exists in Normandy or France to honor these victims, or their comrades-in-arms who survived, or even the men of the 66th Infantry Division.
The Association MEMOIRE & DATABASE, after carrying out and publishing the French translation of former New York City police officer Allan Andrade's indispensable book, Leopoldville: A tragedy too long secret, originally published in 1997, wanted to go further.
That's why we are asking you today to help us set up this monument in Cherbourg, on the pier facing the sea. We have the backing of the various authorities and have sourced a stonemason. The monument will be inaugurated on May 6, 2025, in the presence of families of the victims, members of the Panther Veteran Organization, which also supports us.
To complete this project, which is so dear to us all, we need to raise 25,000 euros.
There is no such thing as a small donation: every euro counts in remembering these young souls, lost too soon.
We would like to thank you in advance for your contribution.

MONUMENT POUR LA 66e DIVISION D'INFANTERIE ET LES VICTIMES DU… Mémoire et Database needs your support for MONUMENT POUR LA 66e DI ET LES VICTIMES DU LEOPOLDVILLE