West Coast Reunion 2006
Palm Springs, Ca. April 2-7
Annual reunion July 17-22, 2006
Portland , Oregon
Gene Frice
Ben and Bob, et al.
Your Portland 06
Committee has put the program together. The venues are ok, only waiting for the
cost factor on several of them. The program is similar to what I sent to you as
email publication in December and again several days
ago.
I, and Gary Davis (Jr), am meeting with
military reps (military support) in Salem, OR on Mar 8 to discuss the efforts
they have previously suggested. Their support should add a great moment to our
517 members and all (including the family and the younger
set).
As normal we will ask for the final
edition to be published in email and Thunderbolt. The crew has asked about the
mailing to the non-email folks. I do not know how we have set up the exempt
mailing . We will do it from our end, but please explain the mechanics of the
exempt stamp thingabob.
Also, we need to talk
about the following:
1. Foreign guests
2. The "plaque" program
3. And of course, 517 2007
site
Regards to all
Gene
Frice
Hope all is well
Bob Piper
Thanks , Ben, for the quick answer..
I think you know that I
had some real
problems with a nerve operation in my
back and have had a
considerable
amount of trouble getting my legs to
operate properly. This
has been the principal
reason why I have had to miss reunions.
Anyway I am
doing some better and hope to
be back walking properly before to very
long.
Keep me on the 517 Roster for as you know
I'm a 517'er
,too.
It's getting warmer here in Daytona and hope
that it gets warmer
where you are before too long.
Airborne, Bob Piper
Lora Fryczynski
Dear Ben,
We recently received a donation from the Marine Corp. for our non-profit
gymnastics group. We have a group of athletes, boys and girls, who compete
in a variety of states. The Marines were able to do this as we have 7-10
of our thirty competitive athletes who had or have relatives who have served as
Marines. Does the Airborne Division have any such foundation for
sponsorship/donation? Even if they do not, I am wondering if you all could
provide us with a flag or banner of some sort, honoring the 517th,
which we could hang in our gym. My father passed away in October,
and he was, through my inheritance, able to provide opportunity for my nine year
old son to travel to Tennessee, Texas and Colorado for meets. It is ironic
that the first vacation I ever had was a Paratrooper reunion in Colorado Springs
when I was six. At 43, I have finally been back to Colorado Springs,
reliving the fun we had at the North Pole, and the Flying W Ranch. Thank
you for the fine job you do with this website. I have gleaned a lot of
information and appreciate all that you have done for the 517th.
Thank you,
Lora Fryczynski- Butler
Lora is the daughter of Gerald 460- Ben
From: john a faiola
[mailto:oig.78.nob@mindspring.com]
Sent: Saturday, February 25, 2006
9:53 PM
To: webmaster@517prct.org
Subject: Frank Faiola/
D-517th PRCT
Frank Faiola was a member of the above unit. I
believe his daughter is still alive and lives in CO---------I would have to
research my e-mails to verify this.
His name is memorialized in a brick paver at the
Airborne and Special Forces Museum near Ft Bragg, NC.
John A Faiola,
Col. (Ret)
Joe Miller
Joe Miller would
like everyone attending the Portland meeting to think of Astoria, the oldest
settlement west of the Rocky Mountains. It has grown from a fur-trading,
salmon and timber community in the 1800's to "the next great destination"
according to Sunset magazine's "best of the West 2006". It is rich in
colorful history with a world class Maritime Museum, Fort Clatsop-the winter
encampment of Lewis and Clark, a Riverfront Trolley, the unique Astoria column,
more buildings on the National Historic Register per square foot than anywhere
else in Oregon, and much, much more. It would be a great trip for those
interested in history. We hope many will include this in their
trip!!
Mylre Traver
Hi
Ben,
Another white parka story.
Before we went down to Sospel we were up
behind "1098 hill" and we went on patrol. We heard tank
guns to the south and went to see who it was. The special
service forces were firing the anti-tank gun on the half track
because they had some Germans bottled up in a train tunnel. I bought a
white parka from one of the guys for $20.00,Guichi, George and I
were captured at the Bergstein Attack and they let me keep the
parka. The fur got infested with grey lice so I had to cut
off the fur lining on the cuffs and hood so I could
continue to wear it because we did not have
blankets. When George and I escaped and repatriated by Patton's
tank columns they deloused us and burnt all of our clothes.
That was the end of the parka.
I still have
not received the last Thunderbolt edition.
Mylre Traver F Co.