From: Ben517@aol.com
Sent: Monday, January 28, 2008 8:30 PM
To: undisclosed-recipients:
Subject: MAIL CALL NO. 1481 517TH PRCT-JANUARY 28, 2008
70 Pleasant St. Cohasset, MA. 02025  *781 383 0215 * Mail Call : Ben Barrett  Ben517@aol.com 
   http://bands.army.mil/music/bugle/calls/mailcall.mp3< Click on
 
Hello, 
 
We will soon solve problems about publishing the Thunderbolt and  its distribution.
 
We are starting a fund with volunteer contributions to assist our friends from Belgium and France to attend the St. Louis reunion. You can send a contribution to Leo Dean at  14 Stonehenge Lane, Albany New York 12203

 

 You must notify me when you change email address.
  
 Pease let me know if your email is not to be included in Mail Call by inserting FYEO.
 
You may at times have a problem viewing photos. However, we place most photos on the website under Training and WWII Photos .
 
Please let me know if you want to receive Mail Calls or if you have a problem receiving them. You can always read Mail Calls by clicking on www.517prct.org/archives 
 
Please try to send in donations to Keep the 517 PRCT Association viable. Suggested amount $30.00 to  include Thunderbolt.  Auxiliary members $20.00 Plus $10.00 if you want to receive the  Thunderbolt.  Send donations to  Leo Dean, 14 Stonehenge Lane, Albany, NY  12203.  Make checks payable to 517prct.  Donations for the Auxiliary should be sent to  Karen Frice Wallace   66295 Highway 20  Bend, OR 97701
 
 
 Ben
Website                                   www.517prct.org                                                        
Mail Call                                  Ben517@aol.com
Mail Call Archives                 www.517prct.org/archives
Roster                                     www.517prct.org/roster.pdf

Palm Springs, CA

April 13-18, 2008

 517TH ST. LOUIS REUNION BEGINS:

 
THURSDAY, JUNE 26, 2008 THRU MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2008
THE BANQUET WILL BE ON SUNDAY JUNE 29, 2008.

Recent website additions:

When Weather Changed History:  The Battle of the Bulge

The Thunderbolt - August 1943

Paras en Provence: Le 517th PRCT Dans Les Alpes Maritime
       from Armes Militaria Magazine (cover, article)

Tom McAvoy
 
Ben,  Men of Company  H  517 lost James  Degnan  last nite  about  6:P.M. He was very alert to the end, I believe he was 88 years old,  One of the unfortunate guys that received  life time injuries  in Italy in Combat  (shot in both knees by machine gun fire) The V.A. rated him 40% disabled (life time injuries??)  It certainly makes you wonder.  Finally after 50 years at 40%  it was increased to 100%   Tom McAvoy
Darrell Egner
 
Bob
 
First I would like to give a big thanks for all the years you served the 517.  Perhaps putting out the Thunderbolt was the biggest job one man could take on.  You did a great job and we all thank you for the super job of keeping us informed.  The Treasurer was also a task you took on when no one wanted the job.  Then along came the task of hosting all the Mini's.  Bob there is no way we can thank you for all your hard work.  As for me you, Bob Christie, did more for the 517 PRCT then any one individual and no amount of thanks is adequate.  THANKS VERY MUCH.
 
As you requested to be relieved of the monumental task of being Editor of the Thunderbolt the Board of Directors took this up at our meeting at the Mini Reunion that you were invited to.  After much deliberation Helen and Claire offered to take on this job.  Bless them! 
 
As a small token of our appreciation we also voted that the Computer you were using should go to you for your personal use.
 
Bob we sure hope you will stay active with the 517 PRCT.  I promise we won't work you too hard and besides we miss your Cookies.  You and Mildred have devoted a good part of your lives to the 517 now you can take a little breather.  Stay healthy and my best to you and Mildred.  Hope to see you in St. Louis.
 
Regards,
 
Darrell Egner
President
Chris Linder
 
Hi All:
 
Leila and Donna, I heard I missed another great reunion.  Both of you always do a wonderful job.  My sister, Bev and I were sorry to miss this reunion especially because I wanted my sister to meet all of the wonderful 517th Family since she is helping me host the St. Louis reunion.  When my Mom gets sick I feel that I really need to be there.  My Mom is doing much better now, thank goodness.
 
I have been waiting for the mini reunion to be over before I have the details posted for the St. Louis Reunion.  I have been working with Donna Lee with the Armed Forces and we plan to have the events and costs on "Mail Call" this week so that all of you can start to make your plans.
 
I am very excited to be hosting the St. Louis reunion and I am excited with the tours and plans that Donna Lee put together along with my suggestions of what I thought was most interesting in St. Louis  being that I grew up there and lived my first 36 years in St. Louis.  I think all of the plans that have been made should be a lot of fun 
 
I am hoping for a large turn out for the Reunion with the veterans and their families.
 
Donna and Leila you both are wonderful for volunteering to put on next years Florida Mini Reunion.  I know everyone appreciates all that you do.
 
Chris Lindner
Patricia and Roland Orengo
 
Ben
our last email was not obvious.
we will give to you, in Saint-Louis, our contribution for the Thunderbolt as we did in Savannah.
Excuse us for the wrong choice in english words.

Patricia and Roland Orengo
                                                *************
Hello Pat, Your English is much better than our French and having your attendance at our reunions is very special event for us. - Ben
Mark Landreth
 
Ben - I've always wondered if we might be able to get the army to re-designate one of its airborne-qualified units as the "517th." In a brief email exchange/conversation I had with Gen. Seitz, he said he believed it'd be really difficult to accomplish. That may be true, but I believe it'd be a great project for the auxiliary to tackle. I'd bet those of us in the auxiliary live in a sufficient number of the congressional districts represented on the Armed Services committees that we might be able to influence the members to the degree that they'd push for the redesignation. If anyone else is interested in taking on this project, please have them contact me at Landmark54@hotmail.com. Thanks! mark
Jerry Wolfford
 
Paul, Alma, Gary and Karen Carpenter
 
Hi Ben,

The Carpenters' surely missed the recent mini-reunion, unfortunately; however, we are happy to see that everyone had such a good time. 
Can you tell me when the Thunderbolt comes out?  All four of us who attended the reunion in Washington DC, purchased memberships, but haven't received any correspondence since, except through Mail Call.  Hoping to see everyone in St. Louis.

Best Regards,
Paul, Alma, Gary and Karen Carpenter
                                                            **************
Paul and I with about 17 others shared shell fragments of a German 88, Jan.5.1944 - Ben
Bob Cooper
 
 
 Ben
 I am President of Central Indiana Chapter 47 Veterans of the Battle of the Bulge every year we have in conjunction with a group of world war 2 enactors an exhibit at one of our Parks on the battle of the bulge. The producer of the program visited our site and ask for volunteers to be interviewed myself and Terry McDaniel agreed. That is how we were selected. December 2007
Melvin Biddle is also a member of our group 
Hope this explains 
Bob