70 Pleasant St. Cohasset, MA.02025 *781 383 0215 * Mail Call : Ben Barrett Ben517@aol.com

Hello,

A concerted effort should be made to get Eugene "chop chop" Mars to attend the Portland reunion. Gene has a note in March "Static Line" and we have a message below from his son , Dan Mars.

Have more mail to send.

Ben

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

Annual Reunion
July 17-22, 2006
Portland, OR

REGISTRATION FORM

Lud Gibbons

Ben;

Danielle Norvell, daughter of Daniel Chapin H Co., called me yesterday to inform me

that her father had passed away on Sunday, April 16th, at home with his dog.

His service will be on Thursday, April 20th, at 1:00 pm, in Overland Park, Kansas.

Lud

************

Dan was a good friend who hosted an H Co. reunion years ago in Kansas City and later a national reunion also in Kansas City- Ben

Ed Winship Dan Chapin

Dan Mars

Hi Ben:

My dad is still in pretty good health. He is still bowling and he walks regularly. His driving is getting a little shaky so he doesn't drive long distances; he just goes to bowling and the grocery store. I don't think he can be convinced to attend any reunions. I print all of these emails and send them to him so he keeps up on the news.

Thanks for the great job that you are doing.

Best regards,

Dan

Shirley McCarey

Thanks Ben for asking if I was planning on going to the Portland Reunion. I sure WANT to go ---- and if I DO go, it will be a last minute decision. Having problems with my husband ----- he fell again today. Didn't hurt himself other than his pride. Just a good thing he fell at our son's place who lives across the little pasture. Today was the Chiropractor, the dentist and the doctor for him ----- he keeps me quite busy as you can see, so can't really plan on anything anymore.

Again, thanks for asking.

Shirley McCarey

Friend of the 517th

Jim Royer

Ben, I agree with you. AFR is the only way to go.
   No, we will not be going to Portland. We sure hate to miss it. The
air ride would be too much for June. She is still having back problems
following her surgery in Dec.
   This year (June 16) we will be celebrating our 60th anniversary. With
the help of the family, we were planning a trip to Ireland, but due to
the health of both of us, we have changed it to a 5 day cruise to
Bermuda. This will coincide with Portland. Also, we would not,
financially, be able to due both.
   This will be the first national reunion we have missed since 1986,
our first one.
   Please express our most sincere regrets to the officers and board
member and all present..
Good luck, have a great time and..............
God bless,
Jim

Tom Reber

Hi Ben,

The Badgers won in 1980-81 when I was still there and we had a blast with those guys. That was when I was partying much more than I had a right to. Quite an accomplishment to capture a national title in any sport.

Hard to say about Portland. I just gave notice to my employer that I will be leaving them. I start a new job with a much longer commute on May 15. I do start out with 2 weeks of vacation, so let me test the waters with them and let you know more when we get through May. My entire outlook toward life is bound to improve by leaving this job. I feel 100% better already.

So there is a chance, but my wife would certainly like to slide up to Seattle to see her brother out there. We have much to discuss about both the job and Portland. I promise to let you know.

I sure hope you and yours are all well. I certainly appreciate you and Bob and all you do.

We are having a tough year with some great guys passing on. I have never been good with that. I dealt with a lot of passings at an early age and did not get much help with it, so it is not my strong suit. It seems my time to reflect on my Dad and the great fellas of the 517th is when I am cutting grass (2.5 hours of chasing a mower!), so everyone is on my mind and in my heart on a regular basis.

In fact, can I check Silas Brown's e-mail address with you? I just want to make sure I have the right one. I'd like to let him know I am leaving Florida Tile and it may affect my ability to visit with them in the future. He has been very informative about my Dad. He was my Dad's right hand man and took over the platoon as a sergeant after Dad was hit.

Thanks, Ben. I am proud and privileged to know you and I value your friendship. I'll get back to you about Portland.

Best regards,

Tom

Marie -Louise Spencer

Here's the translation of Raoul Bondi's message:
Hello, I am French. I live in Nice, Cote d'Azur, France.
I am looking for a soldier named Robert Young, he is most

likely the father of my sister Roberte born the 30th of
August 1945.
This soldier was a truck driver at Fort Revere or La Drette from
1944 to 1945.
My name is Raoul Bondi (following phone # and Fax #).
Thank you for taking this matter in consideration.
DEAR BEN,
JOE AND I WERE SO GLAD TO HAVE SPENT SOME TIME WITH
YOU IN PALM SPRINGS.
HOPE MY TRANSLATION WILL HELP.
BEST TO YOU,
Marie-Louise

****************

I also got the same translation from Mark Landreth and Kelly Edwards. We will pass on the request. However, Mike Kane's mail saves the honor of the 517

Mike Kane

Hi Ben.

I was thinking that the soldier the fellow from Nice is trying to locate couldn't have been in the 517th. If you do the math back from August 30, 1945, If I am correct, you guys all have an alibi for your whereabouts around New Years Eve, 1944.

Best wishes,

Mike Kane, Jr.

Virginia Jorgen

Dear Ben, Thanks for thinking of me. I have been debating on going to the reunion in Portland. Is there someone who would share the room with me? It is rather expensive. There are a couple of other things I have to consider, too, but I guess that's the big one.

I hope you are well. I just got over some kind of bug.

Take care, Virginia