Hello,
Jean Loup called me from France and he would like to hear
from members of G Co. who were involved in the fighting in Southern
France..
I have received information from Leo Dean for future Mail
Calls.
Paratroopers' Odyssey is
available for $22.50. Send payment to Leo Dean.
You may at times have a problem viewing photos. However, we
place most photos on the website under Training and WWII
Photos .
Please try to send in donations by August 15 to Keep the 517
PRCT Association viable. Suggested amount $30.00 to include
Thunderbolt. Auxiliary members $20.00 Plus $10.00 if you want to
receive the for the Thunderbolt. Send donations to
Leo Dean, 14 Stonehenge Lane, Albany, NY 12203. Make
checks payable to 517prct. Donations for the Auxiliary should be sent to Karen Frice
Wallace 66295 Highway 20 Bend, OR 97701
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
Snowbird
mini-reunion
Kissimmee, FL
Jan 20-24,
2008
Recent website additions:
Matthew Skovera, HQ Co, 3rd Bn.
PFC Anthony S. Celli, I Co.. (KIA)
517th Commemorative March 2007- Southern France
Richard Eaton videos
- Witness to the War
Madawaska Victory passenger
lists
1983
517th Reunion Booklet - San Mateo, CA
517 PRCT Association Officers
| 517th PRCT Auxiliary Mission Statement |
| 517th PRCT Auxiliary Member Application 2007-2008 |
| 517th PRCT Auxiliary Officers and Committee Members 2007-2009 |
Washington,
DC National Reunion
June 27-July 2 2007
Lance Anderson
Ben
Here is Patrick O’Donnell File Attach
Sheila Goodman Dorssey
Howard Bernard Goodman (D of Birth) May 12, 1923 (Date
of Death) May 1, 1974
View full
size
I thought you might like to add this picture of my Father to your picture gallery.
Private Howard Bernard Goodman, Service
Company
Submitted by Sheila Goodman Dorssey
Les Hughes
From: Insigneweb@aol.com
To: r4b4@comcast.net
Subject: 517 PRCT
Date: Mon, 13 Aug 2007 15:41:35 +0000
Bob,
we exchanged email back in January regarding the origin of the 517's patch,
and I provided some information that you posted on your website.
I am completing a rather extensive article on the 551st PIB for my
website. I've posted the sections dealing with the 551's insignia and its
casualties but will not link them to my website until I've completed the section
on the battalion's history. The Insignia and Roll of Honor sections you
may examine at:
While much of the material comes from an article I wrote in 1985, I have
updated the material in response to Gregory Orfalea's history of the 551st,
Messengers of the Lost Battalion. I have a number of problems with
Orfalea's book, some of which I address in the History and roll of Honor
sections. Orfalea believes the 551st was badly used in the Bulge - ordered
to conduct an assault that should have been seen by higher headquarters as
suicidal. I do not disagree with him on this point. He also views with
great suspicion the near absence of mention of the 551st in the contemporaneous
records of units in the Bulge to which the 551st was attached or under (e.g.,
82nd Airborne Division, XVIII Airborne Corps, 517). Here, he seems to
believe there was a deliberate effort to suppress mention of the 551st. I
disagree, believing it was simply the result of the 551st being a small,
independent unit that fell through the cracks.
Anyway, Orfalea singles out Rupert Graves as one of the probable villains
in the demise of the 551st. Graves commanded the 551st for a period of about 5
months while the unit was at Mackall, and it was a bad experience for Graves and
the EM of the battalion. The battalion had been together for about a year
when Graves took over, was itching to get into combat but was stuck at Mackall
in more training, and morale was deteriorating - AWOLs were high, as was the VD
rate. To correct the situation, Graves, in the words of one 551st vet,
used too much stick and too little carrot, and the situation deteriorated
further. After about 5 months, Graves left for the 517 and Joerg returned to
take the 551st. Joerg was popular with the EM and was able to turn the
situation around. (Interestingly, the officers of the 551st viewed Graves
in a much more positive light than did the EM).
Orfalea's view is that Graves harbored ill will for the 551st, and when the
units' paths crossed in the Ardennes, Graves acted to suppress mention of the
551st. I don't buy it. So, my contacting you is to ask: what was the
view of Graves in the 517? Any insights you can provide will be
appreciated, and off the record.
Les Hughes
CHRIS Lindner
Please join this FLY THE FLAG campaign and PLEASE forward this email
immediately to everyone in your address book asking them to also
forward it. We have two weeks and counting to get the word out all
across this great land and into every community in the United States
of America. If you forward this email to least 11 people and each
of those people do the same...you get the idea.
THE PROGRAM IS THIS:
On Tuesday, September 11th, 2007, an American flag should be
displayed outside every home, apartment, office, and store in the
United States. Every individual should make it their duty to display
an American flag on this anniversary of our country's worst tragedy.
We do this in honor of those who lost their lives on 9/11, their
families, friends and loved ones who continue to endure the pain, and
those who today are fighting at home and abroad to preserve our
cherished freedoms.
In the days, weeks and months following 9/11, our country was bathed
in American flags as citizens mourned the incredible losses and stood
shoulder-to-shoulder against terrorism. Sadly, those flags have all
but disappeared. Our patriotism pulled us through some tough times
and it shouldn't take another attack to galvanize us in solidarity.
Our American flag is the fabric of our country and together we can
prevail over terrorism of all kinds.
Action Plan: So, here's what we need you to do...
(1) Forward this email to everyone you know (at least 11
people). Please don't be the one to break this chain. Take a moment
to think back to how you felt on 9/11 and let those sentiments guide you.
(2) Fly an American flag of any size on 9/11.
Honestly, Americans should fly the flag year-round, but if you don't,
then at least make it a priority on this day.
Thank you for your participation.
God Bless You and God Bless America
=============
Chris