Gene Frice
Ben,
I
had forwarded most of the below info back in Dec-but, we necessary need to
repeat and also because of the hotel info. I guess the total data will have to
be published in a link or whatever.
Regards to
all-hope everyone is hanging in there.
Gene
517th Parachute Regimental Combat
Team
Regimental
Reunion July 18-23, 2006
The Reunion will be held at the Red Lion Hotel on the River,
Jantzen Beach, Portland , Oregon
Room rates are confirmed
at:
Standard Guest rooms $ 89.00 for Single, Double,
Triple, or Quad Rate
River view Guest rooms $ 99.00 for Single, Double,
Triple, or Quad Rate
All room rates are
exclusive of state and local taxes ,
currently at 12.5 % The rates quoted will be available three days prior
and three days after the reunions schedule dates for those desiring early or
late arrival and departure.
Room reservations
are to be made directly with the hotel by calling or
writing:
Red Lion Hotel
on the River
909 N. Hayden
Island Drive
Portland,
OR 97217
1-503-293-4466 Hotel
room reservation department
1-800-733-5466 Toll
Free
Request the group rate for the 517th.
The hotel will
require the first nights deposit, refundable up to 30 days in
advance of the initial scheduled date of arrival (July 11th). All
major credit cards are accepted.
The hotel is
located several miles from the Portland International Airport. Complimentary
airport shuttle is provided by the hotel and complimentary parking is also
provided.
The hotel meets all the requirements
of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). All areas of the hotel are in
compliance with the public accommodations requirements of the
ADA.
Additional data on the hotel and the 517th
reunion schedule will be shortly forthcoming. A wide variety of events are
scheduled to include visits to the 1862 USA Vancouver Barracks and the Hudson
Bay Company Fort, white water rafting or drifting, a visit to Mt. St. Helens
volcano, visits to several museums, including Howard Hughs Spruce Goose; and the
usual city tours and river cruise. Many other sites and local malls are
available for shopping.
Looking forward to
seeing you in Beautiful Portland.
The 517th
2006 Planning Committee and Gene Frice, 517th President
Lory
Curtis
Everyone in the Curtis family expresses their
deepest sympathies at the passing of Mrs. Ginny Seitz and our prayers go out to
General Seitz and his family.
In 1943 then Major Seitz interviewed my
dad for acceptance into the 517th. This is what my Dad wrote to his mother
on April 27, 1943 about his new Battalion Commander:
"Well today the first
thing we did was to jump from the mock tower. Then we had a personal
interview by a Major (Seitz). Boy is he a swell guy. About 30 years
old. Well I walked in. Saluted him, told him my name. He asked me
how I liked the paratroops. I told him "PERFECT." He said he was
organizing a bunch of paratroopers for actual combat overseas in about 9 months
from now. He asked if I wanted to be in it. If you could have heard
him, the way he said, "If you do come into my battalion, you are going to work,
and work hard, and when I'm through with you, you'll be a man, and the very
best."( Major Seitz also told Bud we are going to go to Japan and kill the
Japanese, is that what you want to do? Bud responded, "Yes sir!")
Then if you could have heard him say. "Write your folks and tell them you
are in my outfit, and that you'll be overseas in 9 months, and tell them that
I'm personally going to bring you and all the others back alive."
Major Seitz kept his promise and my Dad did come back alive. Thank
you so much General Seitz for your great
leadership.
Sincerely,
Lory Curtis, Son of Bud Curtis, HQ 1st
Bn.
Carol Monkhouse Nash
DEAR BEN, I WANT TO TAKE THIS TIME TO THANK YOU AND YOUR SON
PERSONALLY FOR PUTTING MY DADS PICTURES ON THE SITE .I KNOW DAD IS VERY PROUD
LOOKING DOWN. ENCLOSED IS 5 PICTURES MR. DOTY SENT MY DAUGHTER FROM 1943
-1945.THIS WONDERFUL MAN HAD THEM ALL THESE YEARS. HIS FAVORITE OF DADS WAS THE
ONE WITH DADS FRONT TOOTH MISSING AND A GUN ON HIS HIP DAD WAS 16 IN IT. THE
OTHER IS DAD WITH HIS ARMS FULL WITH CARTONS OF CIGARETTES THE MEN IN THE
COMPANY SMOKE. THE OTHER WITH NO SHIRT WAS TAKEN RIGHT BEFORE THEY JUMPED INTO
SOUTHERN FRANCE. THE OTHER WAS TAKEN IN COL DE BRAUS. THESE ARE THE NOTES MR. DOTY
PUT ON THE BACK OF EACH PICTURE. THE GROUP PIC IS ON THE SITE COMPANY H DAD HAS
SMOKE HANGING FROM HIS MOUTH ON RIGHT. THE ONE WAS DAD AND HIS EX GF 3 YRS BEFORE
HE DIED. THE ONE DAD CARRIED IN HIS WALLET WITH HIS MONTH OLD BABY DAUGHTER WHICH
WAS ME TAKEN AT FT BENNING IN 1947. I NEVER KNEW IT WAS IN HIS WALLET UNTIL HE
DIED. HE WAS SUCH A WONDERFUL MAN WHOM I WILL ADMIT I NEVER KNEW HIS HORROR OF
WAR UNTIL AFTER HE WAS GONE. YOU ALL HAVE HELPED ME AND MY FAMILY UNDERSTAND THIS
MAN SO MUCH BETTER. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING YOU HAVE DONE FOR US. HE
WAS SUCH A STRICT MAN TO GET TO KNOW ,BUT I STILL LOVED HIM VERY MUCH AND NOW I
LOVE HIM EVEN MORE. COMING TO THIS SITE EVERYDAY BRINGS ME CLOSER TO MY DAD
THANKS AND GOD BLESS YOU ALL. SINCERELY CAROL MONKHOUSE NASH
Lory Curtis
Ben,
Just wanted to let everyone know I called H.G. "Sug"
Lawrence, HQ 1st Bn, down in Texas. He and my Dad were close friends in
the 517th. Anyway he is doing very well and still working full time.
With the help of modern technology, I got my Dad on the phone with 3 way calling
and he and Sug talked for the longest time. It was good to hear them
reminisce about their days in the 517th. Sug save my Dad's life in
Germany. Here is what my Dad said about it:
"I saw a house
standing and went over to see who was in there. Inside were many
paratroopers from the 517th. A fire was roaring and I took off my overcoat
that was soaking wet and hung it by the fireplace to dry. I walked
upstairs and by chance found an empty bed. I was exhausted and layed down
my rifle and collapses on the bed. Within seconds I was sound to
sleep." My Dad then said what happened next. He related that his
friend Sug Lawrence jumped on his chest yelling, "Get up Curtis, the Germans are
just outside." Bud was startled out of a deep sleep. He didn't know
what to think. His first instinct was to grab his rifle, which he
did. Then he looked out the window and could see German soldiers moving
around the houses. Bud ran down stairs quickly, there at the door was a
paratrooper saying come over here. As he looked out the door and when he
thought the coast was clear he would tell the men to run to safety. Bud
stood there until his turn. Then the words "Run." Bud took off running as
fast as he could, crossing an open field until he arrived with the others
paratroopers. Just then Bud noticed he had forgotten his warm overcoat. He
was grateful that he hadn't taken anything else off. The weather was
bitter cold.
It was good to hear these two troopers talked. We
asked Sug if he will attend the reunion in Portland. He said he would
think about going. Hope we see him there. My Dad is already making
plans to attend.
Lory Curtis, son of Bud Curtis, HQ, 1st Bn
Tim Curtis
My brother and I are looking very forward to
bringing our dad "Bud" Curtis to the Portland reunion. Please don't
cancel.
Tim Curtis -----