From: Ben517@aol.com
Sent: Friday, April 06, 2007 8:58 PM
To: undisclosed-recipients:
Subject: MAIL CALL NO. 1299 517TH PRCT-- APRIL 6, 2007
70  Pleasant St. Cohasset, MA.02025  *781 383 0215 * Mail Call : Ben Barrett  Ben517@aol.com
 
Hello,
 
Monday, April 09 may be the last mail Call for a few weeks . I will be leaving Tuesday  for Lake Tahoe and  later for the Palm Springs reunion. Send Mail as I will be able to receive mail. I will be able to answer mail but may not be able to send out Mail Call on another computer. I will attempt to do so.
 
 It's urgent that you reserve rooms at the DoubleTree hotel as soon as possible. You can always cancel if necessary. We have exceeded our allotment for June 27
 
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 June 28-July 2 . All rooms for early arrivals are taken.   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:    Click on these Links for Forms and Information


Palm Springs, CA Mini-Reunion             April 15 - 20

 

Recent website additions:
 Click on http://517prct.org/auxiliary/ to find the mission of the Auxiliary and an enrollment form
Peter Jansson
 
Dear Ben: 
 
My dad, Bertil G. Jansson of B company, after many trials and physical obstacles, is now at New England Sinai Rehab center in Stoughton, MA.  He is slowly getting better, and I have tried to trigger some memories of the 517th.  He seems to remember his friend Mr. John Jackopsic at times, but also forgets things also.  He has been through so much, but is tougher than anything I have seen a human go through at 85 yrs of age, never mind a younger man.  I think it says something about the greatest generation.  I personally want to thank you and your son for providing us with this forum.  -- Dad is proud of his heritage as a member of the 517th, though he never spoke of it to us.... It is now, through this website that I can as his son, thank and wish all of his brothers, the love he has shown to all of us.
                                              **************
Does anyone in B company or the 1st battalion remember Bertil Jansson?  - Ben
Trish Johnson

"Johnson, Patricia B CIV NETWARCOM, N11" <patricia.b.johnson@navy.mil> wrote:

I may not be calling this correct, but my father was in the 517th Airborne Infantry Division, I am looking to find where I can purchase a patch for him and also if I can find out where to get a paratrooper card.  I am not sure what the card is called, but a couple of years ago my father lost his wallet and in that wallet he had a card that showed proof of him belonging to the paratrooper division. 

My father is 84 years old and talks about the days when he was a POW in Italy.  He was so proud to serve. 

I may be going about this the wrong way but can you please help me to find out where I can obtain the patch and possibly a duplicate card for him.  It broke his heart when he lost it and I swore I would do my best to find out how to replace them.

Thank you so much for you time.

Very respectfully,
Trish Johnson
NetWarCom
2465 Guadalcanal Rd
Bldg 1265
Norfolk, VA  23521

Guest book entry
 
Name: Brian
From: Texas
E-mail: wehrmachtvii@yahoo.com
Website:


I'm trying to hunt down a paratrooper's unit/division as I own his jump
jacket.  His last name was Pettyjohn.  I've looked at the 517th pretty
closely through this great website without any luck.  If anyone has a
roster list from 11th or 13th airborne I'd appreciate any assistance
they could provide.
Ed Backus
 
Please send me forms of reunion as I did not receive any thing in mail. I
have not received a Thunderbolt. The last one I got 3rd. quarter of
2006. I do not have a computer only e-mail and I can not get a print
out. Phone 269-781-8111. 122 Brook Dr, MARSHALL, MI 49068

Thanks ED BACKUS

Gene Frice-President
 
Ben,
     During a visit to Nice 2006, I visited the Nice Airport. I knew
of plaque honoring the 596th for it's efforts in clearing the airport
of demolitions and mines in August 1944. During the clearing efforts,
as we know, six members of the 596 were killed.
     The airport is currently under construction and no one in the
airport management or the police could remember where the plaque was
located - all remember seeing it, but due to the construction it was
temporarily awol. After a dedicated search by all the plaque was
located at the proposed main entrance to the airport where it
currently rests, and I am forwarding photo's of myself and airport
manager Michael.
     Hope this goes through - I am still in the educational phase of
"attachments." I'm a slow learner.
     Gene Frice, F Co. your retarded President
 

 

Thanks to its courageous resistance,

the town of Nice was liberated on August 28, 1944. 

The following day, these valiant resistance fighters

began the de-mining of this airfield to allow its usage

by the grateful town of Nice.

 

In memory of the brave paratroopers of the

596th Parachute Engineer Company

517th Parachute Regimental Combat Team

of the United States Army

 

who parachuted into the South of France on August 15, 1944,

took part in the release of the town of Nice.

 

These valiant parachutists sacrificed their lives in

de-mining the airport of Nice so that it is usable for

the liberation of France and it is for them that this plaque is dedicated:

 

Sergeant Wallace P. Englert

PFC William F. Boggan

PFC Herbert B. McLamb

PFC Alois J. Siewierski

Private Vestal A. Lucas

Private Harold H. Miller