From: Ben517@aol.com
Sent: Monday, June 19, 2006 11:46 PM
To: undisclosed-recipients:
Subject: MAIL CALL NO. 1139 517TH PRCT - JUNE 19,2006
70 Pleasant St. Cohasset, MA.02025  *781 383 0215 * Mail Call : Ben Barrett  Ben517@aol.com
 
Hello,
 
John Bramswig has been on Mail Call Roster almost since its inception and has been seeking information about his father in-law , Ed Marconi A Co., Can anyone help him?
 
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

     As of June19th           517th Portland Reunion  July 17-21, 2006

               0              Days left to close of Hotel Registration - June 17th
                              Prices for the 517th Registration of  $ 88 or $ 99 daily  rate cannot be guaranteed after the above date.

               33               Days until Reunion D-Day - July 17th

                              Please submit your choice of the various events at the earliest date as we must make plans for number of participants                                   
                        
               Gene Frice, President and the valiant Portland Planning Committee 

WWW.armedforcesreunions.com

 

Option 3 - This is where we do all of the tour planning, book entertainment groups if needed, handle all of the registrations and database work, make the registration packets to also include an attendance roster, laser printed nametag, staff the registration desk at the hotel and oversee the group meals.  The registration fee would be $10 plus $2 for each group meal function.  AFR would handle the meal guarantees and pay the hotel master account. (Welcome Veterans and Military Reunion Planners to Armed Forces ...) 

 

Dick Seitz
 
Ben, you have done a tremendous  amount of work to provide the members of the Association with several options for the conduct of our reunions. Thanks for all your efforts.  I recommend the Association go with option number 3 and  at the upcoming reunion appoint a coordinator to initiate planning for 2007 reunion.  I regret I am unable to attend the Portland reunion and will miss so very much the opportunity of being with all those great Americans of the 517th Combat Team.  Airborne all the way!.  Dick Seitz
Gene Frice
Ben,
     Reference Jonn Bramswig note in email # 1135 re: Bert Duran, A Co.

Hello Mr Frice and 517th,
Is it possible to get an email to Ray Estrella concerning his father-in-law, Bert Duran, A Co.  Can my father in laws name, Ed Marconi (from Brooklyn NY, now deceased) be run by Mr. Duran?  As Ed and Bert were both in Co A.  My father in law Ed was in Italy and jumped into France via Dragoon, wounded in Bergstein Germany Feb 8th 1945 and then was in Occupation Army in Germany after the war.

Regards,

John Bramswig
Ben,
     We should add Bramswig to the email list.
          Gene Frice
PS  I found, belatedly, that some of the Portland "working committee" was also not on email. They were unable to see the results of their hard work - so if you would add the following (my daughters, son Mark, and Gary Davis, Jr.)

     Robin Homedew                  funnyfarm1@charter.net
     Mark Frice                         Fricefive@charter.net
     Laurie Lowry                    jdavelaurie@msn.com         
     Gary Davis, Jr.                    jdavis101@hotmail.com
     Karen Wallace                    KWallawal@aol.com

     Thanks Ben
          Gene Frice
 
Thank you Mr Frice,

I have been in the 517 family for 5 years now.  Unfortunately, I found you heroes just after my father in law passed away.  He would have loved to know that you guys existed.

Can you give my Rays email?

Regards,

John Bramswig
 

John Bramswig,
     Reference your request for Ray Estrella's email address - I am sure he would be more than happy to attempt to run your fa-in-laws name by Bert. Ray may be reached via email  Azyaquijre@aol.com  which translated is "warrior," if I am correct. Merely introduce yourself to Ray and hopefully with good results. Welcome to the 517th family.
     Gene Frice, President     genesir@aol.com      (that's a family military joke)
Wayne Cross
                                  Dragoon--After Action Report
Record of Events
596th Airborne Engineer Company
 
 This mission of the 596th AB Engineer Co. in the recent AB Operation into Southern France was to prepare various bridges for demolitions in the Agens River Valley near Los Aros, France, to be blown upon order of the Combat Team Commander or to keep them from falling intact into enemy hands.
 
 The 1st Platoon was attached to the 509th CT for the operation and had no mission prior to take off.  The 2nd Platoon was charged with the reconnaissance and preparation for demolition of the bridges at (374368), (353330) and (350360).  The 3rd Platoon was charged with the reconnaissance and preparation for demolition of the bridges at (336376) and (356370).
 
 Preparations for this operation were short.  Of course the Co. had been engaged in regular Engineer Training but details of the operation were lacking until the last week before the call to departure airfields.  In fact, the Co. Commander was asked for his basic combat loads before he knew what his exact mission was to be.  This action should be avoided in the future because the Engineer must load for a specific mission.  Unlike the Infantry and the Artillery, the mission will be the determining factor in the loading of Engineer equipment.  After much thought on what we might be expected to do, the types of bridges that we might have to blow, the plane space and carrying weight available, basic loads for each Co. schedule were determined.  When the actual bridges that were to be prepared were studied, we found that our basic loads were fairly accurate.  The Co. carried 58 equipment bundles equally contained approximately 6000 lbs. Of explosives, 2000 lbs. Of mines, 14 mine detectors, bazooka bundles and three extra equipment bundles.
 
 The Co. did not jump as a unit.  The 1st Platoon was attached to the 509th CT; Co. Hdqs and the 2nd Platoon came in with Regimental Headquarters, 517th CT and the 3rd Platoon jumped with the 3rd Bn., 517th CT.  Co. Hdqs. And the 2nd Platoon took off from Ombrone Airfield near Grossetto, Italy at 0240 hours, 15 Aug 44.  They were dropped on Le Muy, France at 0432 hours, about four miles from the planned DZ.  Le Muy was occupied by the enemy and several men of the Infantry elements were killed before they had a chance to get out of their chutes.  Of our own unit, two men received injuries which would not permit them to move with us to our assembly area.  They were Sgt. Sanberg of the 2nd Platoon and Pvt. Wilkins of Headquarters Platoon.  Both had to be left because of enemy mortar fire into the area.  Sgt. Sanberg was evacuated safely later by the Medical Corps., but Pvt. Wilkins was found dead on the 15th of Aug 44.  
 
 S/Sgt. Hoffman and Cpl. Roberts of the Supply Section were pinned down by enemy machine gun and rifle fire for six hours about 30 yards from an enemy pillbox.  They could hear the enemy talking and kept clear only by crawling down different rows of the vineyard as the enemy tried to find them.  Finally S/Sgt. Hoffman and Cpl. Roberts got into a neck deep ???????? and waded it under the various buildings of Le Muy until they got out on a river bank.  After a few minutes rest, they got into another ???????? followed the ?????? along until they encountered some British Troopers in the process of attacking the German Headquarters – S/Sgt. Hoffman and Cpl. Roberts went in with them and proceeded to assist in the capture of the enemy.  They helped occupy the enemy Headquarters building the night of D Day and until the town of Le Muy was taken on the afternoon of D Plus 1.  All night of D and part of D Plus 1 snipled and were sniped and rejoined the company in the evening of D Plus 1 at Chataeu St. Rosseline.
 
 Part of Co. Hdqs, and part of the 2nd Platoon got together about daylight and after some map work found out where they were.  Each element of the Co., i.e., each platoon and Co. Hdqs. Had come in with from 12 to 15 equipment bundles.  These were spread all over the mountain side on which they were dropped.  Because of enemy occupation of the territory and the distance we would have to carry our equipment, it was decided to take only our weapons and ammunition to our assembly area about four miles away.  It was planned to capture some transportation and come back for our supplies later.  About the time of the decision to move, the enemy started dropping mortar fire in on us.  We made our injured men as comfortable as possible.  Sgt. Sanberg was in a small stone building and well protected.  Pvt. Wilkins, however, we could not move.  On the way to the assembly area, we met Col. Graves and some men from Co. F 517th PPR.  All proceeded up the Natuby River onward to La Motte, capturing about 10 German Service Troops on the way.  At La Motte, the unit met British Troopers who had taken the town without opposition.  Here the unit was informed that half of the artillery had landed near the DZ and cleared that area and that the 2nd Platoon had already been to the area and had returned to Le Muy to try to bring up some of the equipment.  He was unable to get any because of enemy action in the area.
 
 Immediately upon arrival in the assembly area, Lt. Norward of the 2nd Platoon was sent out with a 1st Bn. patrol to reconnoiter the bridges which were to be prepared for demolition.  The bridges were found intact and were covered by fire from the 1st Bn. 517th PPR.  Thus it was not necessary to prepare them immediately and as the situation developed they were not prepared at all.  D Plus 1 found Co. Hq. And 2nd Platoon gathering in Artillery ammunition and small arms ammunition from the aerial re-supply of the morning of D Plus 1.  Some explosives and some mines were recovered and a dump was established.  In the afternoon of D Plus 1, the 3rd Plt. Joined the Co.  They had dropped about 25 miles from the DZ and along with the 3rd Bn. 517th FIR, had walked two days and one night to reach their assembly area.  The night of D Plus 1 and 2, the 2nd Platoon outposed the Regimental Hq. Area and the Co. joined by the 1st Platoon proceeded to set a Regimental reserve line in the vicinity NE of La Paget, France on
D Plus 3.
 
 The 1st Platoon, attached in the 509th CT, was airborne at Fallonion, Italy at 0200 hours and were dropped in France at 0420 hours.  They landed near their DZ which was a platoon drop, which ws on a platoon in the hills, SW of Le Muy, France.  They assembled by daylight and by 1400 hours had accomplished their orders, which were to assemble their equipment and unit for a mission from the GT Commander.  On the afternoon of D Plus 1 the 1st Platoon ??????????????????????? of the 509th formed an Asssault Co. and moved into La Muy behind tanks of the seaborne forces.  As the town was already occupied by our troops, no action was encountered.  This platoon recovered more equipment that the rest of Co.  They were ready for any demolition mission, but again as destruction was necessary.
 
 The 3rd Platoon took off from Orbetello, Italy at 0243 hours on D Day.  They were dropped at 0438 hours in the vicinity of Callian, France approximately 25 miles from the planned drop zone.  They landed on a mountain just N of Callian.  At first they thought they were only a few hundred yards from the DZ, but some learned from the French that along with the 3rd Battalion, 517th ???? they had been dropped far away from their area.  By 0800, small groups were getting together and starting for the DZ 23 miles away.  It was impossible to carry any equipment except weapons and ammunition.  Some of their equipment was gathered by the French and was picked up when the unit passed thru Callian several days later.  However, the enemy destroyed most of it.