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

Hello

I had a phone conversation with Eleanor and Clark Archer this morning. Clark has given up smoking . He has good days and some not so good.

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

Jeanne Davis

Hello to all.....

Just a quick update on the Portland reunion. All systems are go for lift-off. However, there are 3 activities that are closed for purchase. The Spruce Goose Tour, The Columbia River Cruise, and the Portland City Tour. The bus company will take NO late-comers. They have to pay their vendors, so the tours are completely closed. We may be able to be creative for late-comers. No promises.........

There has been a report that Michel Soldi and Eric Renoux from the 517th museum in France, will be at the Portland reunion. The reality is, that Eric will NOT be there and Michel and Lizy are waiting for the expanded passports that they need, to travel to the US. They are planning to come even if it is last minute, however there is no guarantee that the French government will get them their passports in time. All we can to is keep the faith and think good thoughts.

The planning committee would like to say thank you to all who have been faithful to the 517th and who have participated in this year's reunion. The gang has worked very hard to chose activities and make plans that everyone will enjoy. We have strived to take advantage of the beauty of the Northwest and the greater Portland area, with some military nostalgia thrown in for good measure. And finally, my personal thanks to the planning committee.... you all have been AWESOME!!!!

See you in Portland..... Jeanne

Ray Estrella

Hello Ben,

Ray Estrella here. Several weeks ago I received an e-mail from someone looking for information on his uncle, who had served with the 517th, and had been in Co. A. Could you please provide me with his e-mail address ? I somehow dropped it from my computer. -- Thanks--Ray Estrella

Ray Estrella

Hello Ben,

Thank You for providing me with the e-mail for Trooper Marconi's son-in-law. I have since e-mailed him and provided what info I have on former A Co. members. I am sorry to report that Bert Duran is not doing well, all that we can do at this point is make him as comfortable as we can. Will keep the 517 Family appraised.--Ray Estrella

Forwarded mail from Bob Christie

pfc wyatt was member of 517th abn and was killed/died in italy - he is listed as non-combat casualty but no other details are known - my older sister has more details re john and can be contacted if i know what to ask her - he was a rigger, i remember - your assistance would be greatly appreciated - TW

Tom Cross

Ben:
    John C. Wyatt had to be in Service Co. since he was a parachute rigger. Since he died in Italy and was a non-battle casualty some of the old timers in the 517 PIR Service Co. might have some info. Trouble is at this time of our lives it is difficult to go back that far. I did not realize that we had fatal non battle causalities at that time.

Tom

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

   We did have fatal non battle causalities at that time.

Patrick Michaels 596 was one and is listed on 517 Honor Roll. I can not find any information about John Wyatt

Lory Curtis

I sure enjoy seeing this site, Maybe others in our association will too.
                 http://www.marycy.org/remember.html

Lory Curtis

Jean -Loup Gassend

Dear Ben and 517 troopers.

After reading Claire Giblin's comments in last mail
call, I would like to remind all of you that I am
currently working on an oral history book project about
the war in southern France, and would like to have as
many accounts of 517 paratroopers as possible. I
conduct taped interviews over the phone from France
during my free time, and then re-write them
afterwards. I am only 23 years old.
Although I sent several messages calling for
witnesses over the mail call, only 3 troopers
contacted me to give me their number: Mr Brissey,
Holzworth, and Hensleigh. It would be nice if a few
more troopers could participate. I have already done
the interview with Mr Holzworth, who was very helpful
and pleasant, and he can surely reassure anybody that
there is nothing fishy in what I am doing, I am only
trying to preserve our history before it is too late.
I will be contacting Mr Hensleigh and Brissey shortly
as well. If any of you would still like to
participate, all you have to do is send me your phone
number here: jean-loup@gassend.com or
schyzowolf@yahoo.fr . When and if I get my book made,
I am also planning on sending (free of any charge of
course) Ben a copy of all the interviews I will have
made, so that all can view them on the web site, and
the "meet the troopers" section can be enlarged.

I would like to direct one last comment to Claire
Giblin concerning 517th memorabilia. It is not only
museum keepers who can do a good job preserving the
objects surviving from the war. There are many private
collectors very fascinated by these items, who treasure
them, and do their best to make the public know about
WW2, and who pray to be able to find items for their
collections at garage sales, etc. One day I found a
517th helmet in a restaurant. What happened after is
now well known: http://517prct.org/bios/moles_m.htm
. So just remember collectors aren't necessarily
monsters.

Jean-Loup Gassend

Gabe Jordan

Dear Mr. Ben,

If it is possible, I would like to join the Auxiliary... may I have details?

Thanks,

Gabe