Mail Call Ben 517@AOL.COM
Mail Call Archives www.517prct.org/archives
Roster www.517prct.org/roster.pdf
2007 Palm Springs, CA Mini-Reunion April 15 - 20
Gene Brissey
General Dick Seitz had a note in Mail Call 1237 which woke me up to the fact
that this is Christmas Eve. Thanks from all of us, Dick. You were a great
leader. In 1944 on Christmas Eve, a bunch of men and I were in a barn. bombs
dropped around us and we took off for Trois Ponts, St Vith and Stavolet. It was not
a happy holiday. Now may I wish Dick and all the great troopers a best
Holiday ever.
Gene Brissey
Tom CrossBen
It is with deep sorrow that I report the passing of Bill Pencak on Friday December 22, 2006
at his home in Clarksville, Tennessee. Jean Pencak desires that this information be passed to
his airborne comrades on the 517th PRCT. Bill was a wonderful friend and airborne comrade
who loved the 517th PRCT. I was privileged to serve with Bill in the 3rd Battalion of the 517th
PIR and again when a large number of the 517th PRCT Alumni joined the 11th Airborne
Division in Japan after WWII. He will be long remembered by those of us such as Joe Calder
and Howard Hensleigh who served with him in the 3rd Battalion, 517 PIR.
Regards, Tom Cross
Lucky Hiers
Ben: Hope you will recuperate quickly from such a wonderfully planned time to be out and
about with the people you love, and who love you! We trust your Christmas will be blessed
and a joy! We are about to hit the road back to Colorado in a week or so. We'll see some
more of our loved ones on the way!!!!
Was glad to hear that Howard's pneumonia is not doing so well and that Howard IS!
It was very moving to read the personal letter sent to us by Lory V. Curtis which his Dad wrote
to his Mother while in Belgium, 1944.
I'm touched by the obvious camaraderie which is obvious among all the 517th troopers, and
the families of troopers. I am really looking forward to getting acquainted personally with
some of you at in D.C.
I'm curious about the phrase in Rick Sweet's letter: "Odas Sweet" (We have a daughter married to an ODA).
But if it's a recipe let's share it!
ENJOY EACH DAY, BUT ESPECIALLY CHRISTmas.
Lucky Hiers,
517th/460th
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Jim Royer
Ben, Enjoy yourself out West and HAVE A GREAT HOLIDAY WITH THE MEMBERS
OF YOUR FAMILY.
You mentioned a DVD of the 517th in the Battle of The Bulge. Is it
available? if so, I would like to obtain one. I did not see it on the
History channel.
As a great friend of mine (age 93) would say,
"Have a good one!"
Jim Royer
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Myrle Traver
Hi Ben, Betty and I wish everyone a
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Hope
to see you at the DC reunion. Soak up some of
that California sunshine.
Myrle Traver, F Co.
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Mark Landreth
Ben - For people my age, it's hard to fathom. Sixty-two years ago, troopers of the 517th were in a cold, probably, wet place. Almost Christmas, far from home, worried every day might be their last. Thursday, I read with emotion an article in USA Today written by Jack Valenti entitled, "Does the next generation value the sacrifice of war?" In it, Valenti discusses Clint Eastwood's recent film "Flags of Our Fathers" and tells about taking his own son to Omaha Beach, what Valenti told him while there, and about his son's reaction to later seeing "Saving Private Ryan." The article gives those of us who are offspring of WWII vets, especially we who never served, reason to pause and think. And, to give thanks to each of the troopers for your sacrifices great and small. Particularly those made by men like my father's close friend, David T. Hines, who are interred in Europe. All my best wishes that your Holidays are especially blessed and may they be filled with peace, happiness, good health and the laughter of your families. mark landreth
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Tom Reber
Good People,
I am sending the updated roster out to the printer, at Bob Christie's request and I am also copying Gene Frice, Ben & Bob Barrett and Helen Beddow.
Please take note of the different tabs at the bottom of the workbook. There is a main roster tab (yellow), a tab sorted by company (orange), a tab dedicated to the auxiliary (pink, but out of date), and a tab for the mailing list (red). They are all clearly marked. I am updated through today, except for the auxiliary. Auxiliary additions to the T-bolt mailing list are complete, to my knowledge.
I believe I am 100% caught up with all of the inputs from Bob Chistie, Bob & Ben Barrett and some others. Bob Barrett, if you could be so kind as to once again update the website with the roster, I would appreciate it.
I hope you all have the every best of holiday seasons and a very Merry Christmas!
Best regards,
Tom Reber
son of Lt. Bob Reber, HQ 3rd
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Bill and Sophia Christian
Ben, Our very best wishes for a happy and safe holiday season. Keep healthy and stay the course ,we need you. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year God Bless Bill and Sophia Christian
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Joyce Turco
Hi Ben,
Wanted you to know I received your (517th) E-mail. I hope you are having a good time with all your family. You sure have to go far enough to see them. I want to wish you and your family good memories of holidays in the past. It is nice to reminisce about the old days when these children were small.
Naturally I miss Leo very much but we all have to go on. I will have Christmas with our daughter who lives here.
Please extend my best wishes to all the 517th members and their family's for Happy Holidays and a healthy, happy New Year.
Miss seeing these members.
Best wishes, Joyce Turco
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Bucky Simmons
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Bob Barrett
Dad,
You arrived OK? Does the computer work? (If it doesn’t, I didn’t break it.)
Just to let you know, I have received 2 Christmas cards from Bill and Sylvia Christian (596th), and also from Richard and Katherine Wheeler (Battery B, 460th).
I’m just letting you know, since some people confuse you and me.
PS: You just included a picture of Bill Christian in MailCall 1234.
Here’s another picture from J M Moses (on Gene Markle’s site) of Vincent Podrasky who is, I think, on your MailCall list. I will be posting more once I get clearance from J M Moses.
V D Podrasky:
