From: Ben517@aol.com
Sent: Saturday, January 13, 2007 7:25 PM
To: undisclosed-recipients:
Subject: MAIL CALL NO. 1248 517TH PRCT-JANUARY 13, 2007
70  Pleasant St. Cohasset, MA.02025  *781 383 0215 * Mail Call : Ben Barrett  Ben517@aol.com
 
MAIL CALL   http://bands.army.mil/music/bugle/calls/mailcall.mp3< Click on
 
 Hello,
 
Please let me know if you want to receive Mail Calls or if you have a problem receiving them. You can always read Mail Calls by clicking on www.517prct.org/archives
 
Washington Reunion. Arrival Wednesday June 27. Banquet Sunday July 1. Depart Monday July 2 .
 
Banquet at Kissimmee Reunion. Wednesday, January 24
 
 Ben                                  
Website                                   www.517prct.org                                                        
Mail Call                                  Ben 517@AOL.COM
Mail Call Archives                 www.517prct.org/archives
Roster                                     www.517prct.org/roster.pdf

Reunions           Florida Snowbird Mini-Reunion      January 21 - 25
 2007                  Palm Springs, CA Mini-Reunion    April 15 - 20

                            Washington, DC  National              June 27 - July 2

 Click on http://517prct.org/auxiliary/ to find the mission of the Auxiliary and an enrollment form
Dick Seitz
 
Boom Boom, happy birthday and many thanks for the great start you gave to so many fine 517th troopers. Dick Seitz
Walt Smith
 Ben, my friend, you have done it again and again!  You engineered a great response to a great guy, Boom Boom.  You are the epitome of a great servant to the 517th. ----
MICKAEL AND ERIC
 
HAPPY BIRTHDAY BOOM BOOM !
FROM MICKAEL AND ERIC, AIRBORNE MUSEUM, AND ALL YOUR FRIENDS REMEMBERING YOU HERE IN LE MUY, SOUTHERN FRANCE

http://hotbar.com/scripts/utils/content.asp?requestor=ec1
Harris Johnson
 
Ben, I have noted the 13 Airborne 1943 1946 Book cited in the LINKS of MC #1247 12 January.  The link cites material printed in the book and suggests that the material might be available somewhere in the 517th site but is not available from the link.  Would like to read it if possible. Perhaps I have just missed it somewhere Can you help me isolate it?  Many thanks.  Harris Johnson 
Bob Barrett
Harris,

 You can find the full text from the 13th airborne book in the History and Archival Documents section of the web site:

 http://www.517prct.org/documents.htm

I had forgotten about this book.  There are more photo pages that I should get around to adding.

 Bob Barrett

Dallas and Jerri Long

HAPPY BIRTHDAY OUR DEAR FRIEND  Boom Boom!!!!!!!! Dallas and Jerrie Long.

Garry Poole

"Lucky" Hires:
   I would enjoy hearing from you. I had wondered if you made it through
the war. I just got my copy of The Thunderbolt and saw your letter
there. I still remember you coaching me some when I was boxing with a
fellow from the glider battalion next to us at Mackall.
Gary Poole
Hq. 460
gdp@oregontrail.net

Anne Eckert Valliere

Ben,
 
I am still looking for anyone who remembers my Uncle Carroll Eckert from York, Pennsylvania. He enlisted in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and I believe he told me he was sent to Washington State for basic training.
 
In the book "Paratroopers' Odyssey" in reference to the "Fight for Col de Braus" starting on page 79 and continuing to the end of the second paragraph on page 80, it states there that, "One man who had been given up for dead crawled back after dark". That would be my Uncle Carroll. 
 
He told me there was much fire power all around him. I believe his mission was to help take out a German Officers' School. He said, that he was one of two man to survive out of 24 or 28 man who were sent on this mission. 
 
He also said that when they landed - jumped - he said the plane was so close to the ground he barely had time to open his chute.
 
My Uncle Carroll is still alive and resides in York, Pennsylvania in an assisted living facility on Market Street. I visited him a year ago and then I sent him a copy of the "Paratroopers' Odyssey". At that time he showed me his wounds and he lost a rather huge chunk of his leg and was also wounded in the shoulder. I will be going down to see him again this summer.
 
He said that he lay very still in the field after being shot because the Germans were bayoneting everyone who was wounded and not dead yet. He said the only reason he was spared was because another soldier, a dead soldier, was on top of him. At night fall he crawled back to the American line (about three miles - and he crawled through a culvert). When he reached the American lines he was almost shot by friendly fire. He was sent to the hospital in Sicily before coming home.
 
If anyone remembers him, could they please e-mail me at alvalliere@msn.com.
 
Thanks for your help, I am
 
Sincerely yours,
 
Anne Eckert Valliere
Tom McAvoy
 
I noticed Va. being praised for excellent Health care for Veterans??  Here in Indiana our V.A. system has actually admitted that Ind. Ill. Ohio, Wisc, and Ky.  (6) in all had been giving out Disability benefits at a big (less than the average for the United States??) Wow 15-20% less, Why would it not have been the right thing for the Govt. to do to send a check of back pay?? to all these Veterans so shorted, instead of requiring Veterans to reapply for benefits  so the V.A. can find an excuse to cut benefits to these Veterans??? Tom McAvoy
 
Merle Traver
 
Hi Ben,  The POW division of the VA here in Las Vegas has been wonderful in their patient care.  They really have been taking good care of me.  My son who is 100% disabled (Vietnam war) has also received excellent care from the VA.  Myrle Traver, F. Co.
Lory Curtis
 
Ben,
Just received my Thunderbolt.  As usual I quickly went from the mail box to my favorite chair and began to read.  I didn't stop until I had read it all.  Bob Christie does such a great job with the Thunderbolt.  Thank you Bob for spending so much time to make this publications such a wonderful treat for all of us.  Thanks for all you do.  You are the greatest!

P.S.  The best part about the Thunderbolt is I usually get it a week before my Dad.  When I call him to tell him I have it, well he just can't stand it that I am enjoying it before he does.  It sure makes my day. 

Lory Curtis, son of Bud Curtis, HQ, 1st BN
 Howard Hensleigh
 
Ben: 

Chuck Boyer was one of the Sgt. who ran the Ft. Benning Jump School.  In the 517th I think he was always in Hq. 3rd.  He was a highly principled young man who considered becoming a priest, but wrote his girl friend in CA every night.  Her married her after the war and sold insurance in CA.  After the War, the S-2 Section looked for him for years and eventually met his widow at a Palm Springs reunion.  At that time she lived in Long Beach with a son nearby.   

He was first Sgt. of Hq. 3rd and took off his stripes in a difference of opinion with the CO.  He joined the intelligence section where I was S-2 and was with us on many patrols in S. France.  He was a highly disciplined soldier and always looked the model of a trooper.  Red Meline knew Chuck very well and probably could add more detail. 
The men in the S-2 and S-3 sections (where Don Chaulk served) were very close, billeted together etc.  Don later served as my S-3 Sgt. when I became S-3 at Bergstein, when Capt. Grant Hooper was evacuated.

They were on well deserved R&R in Nice where Don's picture was taken.  If I read it correctly, Chuck's binocular case brands him as S-2 where he performed excellently.  He was a man who would draw your attention even in a crowd.

Glad to know his memory is preserved in that picturesque part of the world we liberated for the grateful inhabitants who remember us after all these years. 

Highest regards,  Howard Hensleigh