MAIL CALL

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Hello,

I got word today from the Events Planner at DoubleTree hotel that they have already received registrations for 51 rooms. Sign up as soon as possible as the rooms assigned to us are going fast.

Doubletree Hotel Registration Form

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

Ben

Website www.517prct.org
Mail Call Ben517@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

Information and Registration Forms

formatted pdf forms	simple Web Page format
Doubletree Hotel Registration Form Reunion schedule of Events 517th Reunion Registration Form	Doubletree Hotel Registration Form Reunion schedule of Events 517th Reunion Registration Form

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

Have you clicked on Training and WWII Photos recently. Bob is always adding new photos and the stories to go with them.

Jim Royer

Ben, My health is improving to the point that I will send in my hotel
reservation today. However, I cannot send in the registration
information to AFR since I am unable to pull it of my Web TV. If Merle
could send me a copy, it would be greatly appreciated. Merle, my address
is: 140 Westbury Rd., Lutherville, Md. 21093. This will be greatly
appreciated. Thanks a million. The hotel registration was in the
Thunderbolt, but not the reunion registration.
My best to all.
Jim Royer

Nila Gott

Not sure how widespread this is, but a very sad happening in Sacramento last week. A WWII vet, Ben Waldron (84 years old) had his house robbed while away, and they discovered and stole the journal he had written during 3 1/2 years in a Japanese prison camp. He had hid his journal in dirt, in a latrine, and anywhere else he could find. He had been captured at Corregidor in the Phillippines in May 1942. It described executions, slave labor, and beatings that left him unable to have children. He also lost his POW/MIA commemorative medallion. Yesterday, Gov Schwarzenegger replaced his medal and offered $5,000 to help find his missing journal. One soldier from Sacramento, Robert Spano, who is in Iraq now also offered a $1,000 reward.

All of us in Sacramento are praying that his journal is returned. In 1989, he published a book, Corregidor, from Paradise to Hell.

Nila (Vasquez) Gott

******************************
Nila Gott
http://myspot.neteze.com/~ngott
Order my new novel: Dream Again, Die Again

David Spayer

Ben

Thank you Thank you, that was a really quick response, and I really appreciated it. My wife and I expect to be there, being we have not been to a reunion in a very long time, hope to meet you and as many friend as we can meet.

Thank you again David Spayer

Tom McAvoy

No I do not remember the incident George, but I do remember the Colorado Springs reunion and seeing and talking to you and John, I am surprised he has just dropped from sight so to speak, I see your name mentioned a lot when Howard H. has much to say, that is the way it should be. Great to hear from you George, I feel like the bionic man at times, have had both knees replaced, right hip replaced, wear two hearing aids, my eyes are giving me double vision, 1st one goes bad (to the left) and 2 months later it comes back to normal then the other one goes right, Main problem I dare not drive. I get up at night to feed my diabetes and hesitate in turning on the light (it wakes up my wife) so try to walk through the house with just night lights on, when it is so dark in the room my bad eye opens and I steer right into the furniture or door casing. Damn almost knocks me out, split my head open last time, Goodness, had open heart surgery, 4 way bypass, ask my heart Dr. how can you tell I have heart disease? Simple answer You had open heart surgery didn't you? I see we lost Jack Dunaway and Al Dearing both beyond 90 years. Now Boom Boom has reached that plateau. I had no idea Dunaway and Dearing were that much older than us while running Currahee. Good luck George Tom McAvoy

Jim Royer

Ben, John Schaffner is going to forward to you the pictures taken the evening we took Eddie Montford to dinner.
Jim Royer

Bill Goswick

Ben and Mike

Here are a couple of photos that I have of my Uncle Jesse O Goswick. I was wondering if anyone could tell me who is in the photo with him and where it was taken. If any one has other photos of my uncle I would really appreciate if I could get a copy.

Thanks again,

Bill

I’LL PUT THEM ON THE WEB SITE TOMORROW.

PARATROOPER'S ODYSSEY

by Jack C. Casliglione

High on the deck of a flying wreck a Paratrooper stands.

He stares straight ahead and listens with dread, as he waits those final commands.

There's a green light glow and a shout, "Let's go" as he leaps straight into space.

There's the thrill of the drop -- the hard opening shock

And the starlight shows fear on his face.

A quick sigh of relief, then he thinks of the rest,

To be met when he reaches the ground.

Then he looks far below, for a safe p/ace to go

From the shells that are bursting around.

There's a rip and a slash, and hard jamming crash

And his canopy hangs from a tree

Though in a poem I can’t show it

‘Cause the guy in the chute was me.

In a state of collapse, I unbuckled my straps and I shakily rose from the sod,

No bones were broken, the night is a cloak and I offer a prayer to God.

Then an enemy gun sets me off on the run as I hastily hunt our CP

You can think what you please, but I'm weak at the knees

Cause the Jerries are hunting for me.

They say in this war that we're fighting for

All the good things in life and for freedom

But the crazy galoot in the parachute won't live so long as to need 'em!