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
Ben
Website www.517prct.org
Mail Call Ben517@aol.com
Mail Call Ben517@aol.com
Recent website additions:
250 photos of Don Saunders and
596 PCEC
Paratrooper
Training - Fort Benning 1943
300 photos of John Harte and B
Battery, 460 PFAB
Pvt. John S. Hopkins
Auxiliary Officers 2007 -
2009
The future of the 517th prct
Association:
Auxiliary Officers
Claire Giblin - President
Frank Ramos - 1st Vice-President
Bruce Broudy - 2nd Vice-President
Donna Hilliard - Secretary
Karen Frice Wallace - Treasurer
Board Members
Helen Beddow
Jeanne Davis
Lelia Webb
Bonnie Littlefield
Tom Reber
Kristie Wright
Committee - History
Bob Barrett
Paul Beddow
Morris McDowell
Barb and Gary
Willmart
Hi, Ben;
We attended the reunion in Washington D.C. What a
great place to visit. My husband and I flew into Philadelphia 3 days
before the reunion. We visited Independence Hall and the historic area of
Philly. Then we went on to Gettysburg and Antietam before arriving in
D.C. We walked the National Mall taking in all the memorials and
monuments...Vietnam and Korea and the WWII memorial were outstanding. We
did a bus tour of D.C., went to Arlington cemetery and Mount Vernon, George
Washington's home. We also attended the Liberty Jump.
Fantastic. The DoubleTree was a nice hotel and the food was pretty
good. I think that this reunion offered so much for families. Great
choice.
Thanks,
Barb and Gary Willmart
(Daughter of Charlie Cook, 460th A battery)
Merle McMorrow
Ben:
You, Claire, and those working with you have put on a
reunion that will long be remembered. It is sad though that many of the
charter members are no longer able to attend. As the years pass the number
of troopers will continue to decrease but the auxiliary will keep the history
alive.
Merle
Steve Markle
While we were at Ann Pugh's house,
we were approached by a school teacher who was promoting this site for the
Library of Congress. They are now collecting soldiers stories and information
for the national archives. This is a project that should have started 20 or 30
years ago before we have lost so many of these guys....but if we can get any
additions I'm sure that it is better than having someone else writing the
history.
Full information can be found here
and participation is voluntary;
It sounds like something worth
promoting. I see that Melvin Biddle already has some information out
here;
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/vhp/bib/5175 submitted
by Senator Lugar. It looks like there is a total of 26 from the 517th listed to
date;
-Steve-
We are all back
home now and I have posted some of the reunion photos to our site. Feel free to
lift any of the pictures that you may want. The larger group pictures that were
taken at a house were taken at Ann Pugh's (Charlie Pugh's widow) house in
My favorite one was this one (I made it web friendly);
Thanks again Bob, and give our best to your dad.
Steve
Gilles Guignard--Our Switzerland friend
Dear Ben and Bob,
Here are 2 photos+captions (pls note that one of the
pics is a .jpeg and the other one a .bmp) of Zoot
Snyder taken in Southern France as well as a short
biography.
It would be really great if you could kindly add the
photos+text+ captions in the “Training and ww2 Photos”
section (http://www.517prct.org/photos/photos.htm) of
your website.
After receiving a nice email comment from Zoot Snyder
on my www.dogface45.skyblog.com, we have kept in touch
since and have become good friends.
Here is the short biography (photo captions at the end
of the text).
Zoot Snyder was in Co. A from the beginning when it
was formed in Toccoa, Georgia until the war in Europe
ended. Although he received a Purple Heart for wounds
received in Italy he never was evacuated or missed a
day of combat. He jumped in Southern France and went
thru the Bulge and into Germany.
His position with A Co. was rifleman, runner and radio
operator for Company
Headquarters. His favorite Company Commander and
friend was Major Don Fraser who he jumped with into
Southern France. When the war ended in Europe he
transferred to the 82nd Airborne Division to remain in
Berlin, Germany for the occupation.
Caption of the photos:
C-47 photo with helmet on
This photo, taken in Italy on August 14th, 1944, is a
PRE-enactment the day before the jump. Note the
camouflaged uniform and the fact that grease paint has
not yet been applied to hands and face. None of the
Enlisted men were issued side arms but Zoot Snyder and
several others had German P-38s acquired in Italy
combat.
Picture with the Guinea Pig
French Maritime Alps, 1944, Zoot Snyder on his way to
Nice holding a Guinea Pig. Note the “Nice-l’Escarene”
traffic sign in the background. Shortly after the
picture was taken, Zoot gave the Guinea Pig to a local
civilian.
thanks for your help and support
im really glad you all had a great reunion!
best wishes from europe, Gilles
Here are 2 photos+captions (pls note that one of the
pics is a .jpeg and the other one a .bmp) of Zoot
Snyder taken in Southern France as well as a short
biography.
It would be really great if you could kindly add the
photos+text+ captions in the “Training and ww2 Photos”
section (http://www.517prct.org/photos/photos.htm) of
your website.
After receiving a nice email comment from Zoot Snyder
on my www.dogface45.skyblog.com, we have kept in touch
since and have become good friends.
Here is the short biography (photo captions at the end
of the text).
Zoot Snyder was in Co. A from the beginning when it
was formed in Toccoa, Georgia until the war in Europe
ended. Although he received a Purple Heart for wounds
received in Italy he never was evacuated or missed a
day of combat. He jumped in Southern France and went
thru the Bulge and into Germany.
His position with A Co. was rifleman, runner and radio
operator for Company
Headquarters. His favorite Company Commander and
friend was Major Don Fraser who he jumped with into
Southern France. When the war ended in Europe he
transferred to the 82nd Airborne Division to remain in
Berlin, Germany for the occupation.
Caption of the photos:
C-47 photo with helmet on
This photo, taken in Italy on August 14th, 1944, is a
PRE-enactment the day before the jump. Note the
camouflaged uniform and the fact that grease paint has
not yet been applied to hands and face. None of the
Enlisted men were issued side arms but Zoot Snyder and
several others had German P-38s acquired in Italy
combat.
Picture with the Guinea Pig
French Maritime Alps, 1944, Zoot Snyder on his way to
Nice holding a Guinea Pig. Note the “Nice-l’Escarene”
traffic sign in the background. Shortly after the
picture was taken, Zoot gave the Guinea Pig to a local
civilian.
thanks for your help and support
im really glad you all had a great reunion!
best wishes from europe, Gilles
Carol Monkhouse
Hi Ben,
could you please put my new email add down so I can continue getting emails Thank You Carol Monkhouse southerncarol_60@yahoo.com
could you please put my new email add down so I can continue getting emails Thank You Carol Monkhouse southerncarol_60@yahoo.com
Phil McSpadden
Hi Ben...thanks to everyone that had a hand in making our
Reunion a great success at every level.
Ben, many people asked for the address where they
could obtain a WWII jump suit like the one I wore at the Banquet. I had
put this in once before, but here goes again:
e-mail John Meis at:
Price is $125 complete, including
shipping.
Corcoran boots can be obtained by calling uscav.com
at 1-800-777-7172. Prices will run from $120-$125, depending on
shipping charges.
Thanks, Ben, for all of your efforts in keeping the 517
family in close contact with each other.
phil mc spadden
Gregory Negro
hello there,
i am looking for WW2 veterans who fought in south east of france, are you one of them???
regards
Gregory NEGRO
(33) 06-24-09-56-79
i am looking for WW2 veterans who fought in south east of france, are you one of them???
regards
Gregory NEGRO
(33) 06-24-09-56-79
Guestbook Entry
Name: Tom Larson
From: Fergus Falls, Minnesota
E-mail: bigwood@prtel.com
Website:
My Grandfather Gerald W. Larson served for two years with the 517th. He
was wounded on two occasions, and passed away in 1995. He never talked
about the war, service and his experiences. I know he fought with
nightmares for many years as a close friend perished in his arms. I am
deeply honored by all our veterans of the 517 who proudly served our
country and thank you for our freedom. I am hoping someone can help me
link the pieces or may remember him. He went by Jerry Larson from
Minnesota! I can be reached at 218-736-5371.
From: Fergus Falls, Minnesota
E-mail: bigwood@prtel.com
Website:
My Grandfather Gerald W. Larson served for two years with the 517th. He
was wounded on two occasions, and passed away in 1995. He never talked
about the war, service and his experiences. I know he fought with
nightmares for many years as a close friend perished in his arms. I am
deeply honored by all our veterans of the 517 who proudly served our
country and thank you for our freedom. I am hoping someone can help me
link the pieces or may remember him. He went by Jerry Larson from
Minnesota! I can be reached at 218-736-5371.
Teresa Messina
Hello My Dear Friend:
I can't tell you enough how much I enjoyed our meeting in DC. I learned so much from your comrades. I was very moved, it was a Hallmark experience. I enjoyed meeting your daughter and Clair. You all have such a great network with one another. You must tell me about the banquet. Do your remember Dick Cheney's speech? I would like to know his just of the speech.
I hope you and your family's flight home was safe and sound. I do hope we will keep in touch!
Respectfully,
Teresa (Alaska Airline Flight Attendant)
I can't tell you enough how much I enjoyed our meeting in DC. I learned so much from your comrades. I was very moved, it was a Hallmark experience. I enjoyed meeting your daughter and Clair. You all have such a great network with one another. You must tell me about the banquet. Do your remember Dick Cheney's speech? I would like to know his just of the speech.
I hope you and your family's flight home was safe and sound. I do hope we will keep in touch!
Respectfully,
Teresa (Alaska Airline Flight Attendant)