From: Ben517@aol.com
Sent: Sunday, January 28, 2007 5:52 PM
To: undisclosed-recipients:
Subject: MAIL CALL NO. 1255 517TH PRCT-JANUARY 28, 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. Early Arrival Wednesday June 27. Banquet Sunday July 1. Depart Monday  July 2
 
Since the reunion , I have been receiving much mail about important subjects and I may be able to remember and get straight  about 80%  in Mail Call. If your messages are not on a Mail Call, send them again.
 
I just received a financial statement from Bill Webb concerning the mini at Kissimmee. It like the reunion itself was very successful. The committee has a good balance for  to start the  2008 reunion.
 
I would like for the new members that gave me their email address's at the mini to please let me know if they are receiving Mail Call.
 
Paul Carpenter attended his first ever 517 reunion. We are listed on the morning report of Jan. 5,1945 as both WIA along with many others by the same shell .
 
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 2007:
                            Palm Springs, CA Mini-Reunion             April 15 - 20

                            Washington, DC National Reunion   June 27 - July 2

Click on these Links for Forms and Information


 Click on http://517prct.org/auxiliary/ to find the mission of the Auxiliary and an enrollment form

 
The mini reunion was a huge success because of the work of Donna and Lila as well as many others such as Helen and Claire.
 
The highlight of the reunion for most troopers was the presence of Dick Seitz. All commented on how well he looked and his posture even though he is about my age. It reminded me of events that have reference to him in  " Paratroopers' Odyssey":
 
P 288  "Clifford Land after wandering through no man's land, sifted back to the 2nd Battalion." Daylight caught up with us as we were coming into a clearing at the base of the mountain. A German machine gun opened up and sprayed the entire  area. Men ran in every direction and I made a dive for a foxhole and landed squarely on the top of the battalion commander, Lieutenant Colonel Seitz. There were maybe three other men in that hole. I will never forget how mad the lieutenant colonel was, not from me falling on him but because of the situation we were in. He arose from the foxhole and started giving orders. Standing upright, he shouted for every man to gather up all the equipment he could carry and start a withdrawal up the hillside towards our lines. And he walked as straight as any man could up that hill with a string of men following, while bullets flew and mortars fell all around"

 -----Original Message-----
From: Insigneweb@aol.com [mailto:Insigneweb@aol.com]
Sent:
Saturday, January 27, 2007 11:52 AM
To: webmaster@517prct.org
Subject: 517 patch design

 I read the material on your website, attributed to Tom Cross, regarding the design of the 517 patch.  I corresponded with Dick Spencer in 1986 in the course of researching a magazine article on WW2 airborne insignia, and he provided his recollections of the origin of the design.  In fact, it may have been my contact with Dick, and with Tom, with questions about the patch's origin that prompted an article by Dick in the December 1986 issue of Thunderbolt (an issue I appear to have misfiled).  All this came to mind recently when I was contacted by an insignia collector who wanted information on original 517 patches.  (I have a non-commercial website, www.insigne.org, that attracts a lot of inquiries regarding insignia.)  Anyway, in digging through my files, I found the March-April 1988 issue of Thunderbolt, in which there is an aspect of the patch's history that I, and perhaps Tom Cross, too, had forgotten.  I scanned the pertinent information and have attached it.  I also found in my files a snapshot, apparently plucked from someone's scrapbook, judging from its back, showing the 517 patch logo on a sign hanging outside 517 Prcht. Inf. Headquarters.  The photo appears to have been taken in the States, which would date the design to before the regiment's leaving for Europe.

 Les Hughes


Bob just placed  this information about General Seitz's speech at Savannah on the website in a form that makes it much easier to listen to the video. Bob will have to fully explain in next Mail Call. Just click on photo below.

History of the 517th by

Lt. Gen. Richard Seitz

at the 517th Reunion, Savannah, GA

August 2005


 Billie Hiers

 Hello Ben:

 
Lucky and I are back in Colorado.  This is going to be (another) BUSY year for us (as for many others).  We thought at our age we would just be floating through life with nothing to bother us and we could live at a pace we would choose.  WRONG.
 
Right now ... we are trying to catch up on personal Emails AND Mail Call.  Lucky wants his printed out, which is fine ... except ... my printer is being a pain; a thorny spot in our existence.  It will print out Emails from other people, but will not print Mail Calls.  Do we have a techie out there who understands an HP printer?   I just had to reinstall the original disk.   I'll get old of AOL techs and see if there is anyone who can help.
 
Have heard from airborne friends and will write before very long.
Billie/ for Lucky (Hiers)