Ben517@aol.com

03/29/2006 07:04 PM
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MAIL CALL NO. 1086  517TH PRCT-MARCH 29, 2006



70 Pleasant St. Cohasset, MA.02025  *781 383 0215 * Mail Call : Ben Barrett  Ben517@aol.com
 
Hello,
 
We need  donations to help our Belgian and French friends to attend the Portland Annual reunion.
We also need  donations to keep the "Thunderbolt" afloat. We have no dues.
 
Howard Hensleigh's mail below will explain the difference between dues and donations.
 
We have sent a copy of Paratroopers' Odyssey to Bucky Simmons at the Toccoa museum.
 
 
Click on the links below to get information about that link. Click on

REGISTRATION FORM to get form to register for the Annual Reunion. Click on   www.517prct.org to get on the website


Website                                   www.517prct.org                                                        
Mail Call                                  517th Mail Call
Mail Call Archives                www.517prct.org/archives
Roster                                     www.517prct.org/roster.pdf

 Annual West Coast Party          Annual Reunion
APRIL  3-7, 2006                             July 17-22, 2006
Palm Springs, Ca.                         Portland, OR
                                                         

                      REGISTRATION FORM

Howard Hensleigh

Dear Ben:  Contributions and donations are more clearly tax deductible.  The IRS, if there is an audit, will want to know what benefits return to the donor.  If they use a magnifying glass they might say that the Thunderbolt subscription has such a value and deduct that from the contribution.

When I went through the long period of travail to get IRS approval of our tax exempt status, I was able to say we had no dues.  The IRS would look more closely at dues if they decided to look.  I doubt if they look.  I am not sure what if anything our shift to dues accomplished.  Bob Christie apparently is still having difficulty in making ends meet.  That is surprising.  A letter to all non contributors who have not written Bob may be in order.  It would take time to sort it out, but Bob and Tom Reber should have the information needed to do the job.  
 
I am going to deduct all amounts sent to the 517th, except reunion fees, and deal with the IRS if they ever knock on my door.  We are such a true blue veteran's organization that I think all amounts sent to the Association or the Auxiliary are tax deductible.    
 
I hope this helps with the question you have.
 
My best, Howard H.

Bob Christie
Ben, We are in danger of running out of money to publish the Thunderbolt. We were receiving funds regularly until about a week ago. We have about 1300 on the mailing list. I can't give you an exact number as it changes daily.  I do get complaints from a few that say, "I didn't receive my Thunderbolt. Do you suppose it's because I changed my address?" duh. Our roster of people who pay dues contains 283. There are 1,017 more or less who are receiving the Thunderbolt for nothing. What can we do other than what we have done already with the special message in the Thunderbolt? Bob

Ray Estrella
 
Hello Ben,
 
Ray Estrella here. I recently found a web site that carries military art. They have a fantastic portrait of the D-Day jump. It is so good that I put it as a screensaver. The web site is: Valorstudios.com, check it out, you will be pleasantly surprised,--"Airborne All The Way"  

Bucky Simmons

Good to hear from you !

We would love to have a copy of the “Paratroopers Odyssey” for the museum.

I received Mr. Alicki’s book yesterday and cannot wait to read it before I turn it over to the museum.

As far the reunion goes it is not just for the men who trained at Camp Toccoa but for the regiments no matter when the men joined them. We have many 501st, and 506th Vietnam men come every year and they did not train here but this is their unit birthplace and home too. Our museum has items and uniforms from Camp Toccoa until today. Yesterday I was doing research and found that the 507th PIR was also a Toccoa regiment but no one here knew it and so that means every Airborne trooper who attends the Ft Benning school has ties to Toccoa. We have changed the museum name as well as the reunion to the Currahee Military Weekend, and the Currahee Military Museum for ALL men or their families from these units.

 Thanks !

Bucky

Tom McAvoy

Ben I remember a Elmer  Anderson I thought from 1st Btn.  he was attached
to Regt. Hdq. Co. for Intelligence section training in Toccoa  Ga. and
could have very well been taken back to Regt. . Hdq. Co.  for the jump
into France,  However the Elmer I remember  was married just before we
left for overseas,  so he told me. I considered him a very good friend,
and was very sadden to hear he had been KIA in France?.  Would like to
hear from anyone that has any information about him.   He was from
Indianapolis Ind.  and I was from Terre Haute Ind. The pictures I see
here are not of the E. Anderson I knew, that I can recall  here some 62
years later.  Tom McAvoy

Entry of Mar 27, 2006 at 13:14 [EST]
Name: Roy Miller
Unit: USS Talbot (DEG-4)
EMail: re.miller3@comcast.net
How I found the 517th page: From a search engine
Comments: My friend, Bob Vetters, served in the 517th PRCT. He lives in San Antonio and, though getting along in years, is a joy to know. I would like to know more about his service, but he rarely discusses those times.

Roy Miller CAPT, SC, USN (Ret.)

A Bill Mauldin cartoon