From: Ben517@aol.com
Sent: Monday, November 26, 2007 9:13 PM
To: undisclosed-recipients:
Subject: MAIL CALL NO. 1438 517TH PRCT- NOVEMBER 26, 2007
70 Pleasant St. Cohasset, MA. 02025  *781 383 0215 * Mail Call : Ben Barrett  Ben517@aol.com
 
Hello,
 
I  had returns from last Mail Call that could not be delivered because of the download and that is why I don't like to send downloads. However, you all know how to read past Mail Calls???      
 
Please let me know if your email is not to be included in Mail Call by inserting FYEO .
 
 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  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 Archives                 www.517prct.org/archives
Roster                                     www.517prct.org/roster.pdf

Snowbird mini-reunion    
Kissimmee, FL
Jan 20-24, 2008


West Coast mini

Palm Springs, CA

April 13-18, 2008

 


 517TH ST. LOUIS REUNION BEGINS:
 
THURSDAY, JUNE 26, 2008 THRU MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2008
THE BANQUET WILL BE ON SUNDAY JUNE 29, 2008.

 

Recent website additions:

River Crossing and Attack at La Roquette, 27-28 August 1944
Howard B. Goodman, Service Company

Paras en Provence: Le 517th PRCT Dans Les Alpes Maritime
       from Armes Militaria Magazine (cover, article)

Hal Jeffcoat - Baseball in Wartime

 
 
Wayne Cross
 
Thank you Gen. Seitz.  I was amazed to read how this fortified position was taken with so few casualties.  I think Captain Irwin sold his FFI contact a little short in that "Louie" got the entire Company across the river with no casualties and through the German wire and mine fields and on their objective without revealing their effort.  It is a classic example of an engagement showing the power of maneuver and envelopment.  The report shows how well your men were trained and the outstanding nature of your platoon level of leadership - troopers, NCO's and Officers. My father has told me of the high regard both you and he felt for Captain Newberry. It is hard to believe you could infiltrate an enemy position in such strength without being noticed.  It is hard to imagine how many lives were saved by this act of creativity and daring!  That is a testimony to you for having this level of trust and confidence in ability of your men. Best wishes, Wayne  

-----Original Message-----
From: V Seitz <seitz2@webtv.net>
To: crosswc@aol.com
Sent: Sun, 25 Nov 2007 5:38 pm
Subject: Re: Infantry School Monograph on Battle for La Roquette - Company E, 2nd Battalion

Wayne, thank you so very much for Captain Irwin's paper on E company's La Roquette operation.  This is the first time I have seen his report and found it extremely well done.  I think the operation was a gutsy call by 2nd Bn Hq , outstanding planning and preparation by Captain Newberry and his people and brilliantly executed by Newberry and his great soldiers.  In my opinion it was one of the best and most successful operations of the 517th.  Again, thank you so much for the report.  With profound respect and admiration for you and Tom.  Dick Seitz

Don Saunders
Ben
 
Just a note to let you know how much I enjoy MailCall and all of the mail the folks are sending in. Claire Giblin and all of those helping her have done a great job. I first found out about the reunions at a campground in Myrtle Beach when I saw Al Kunzer walking through the park one afternoon. He asked me if I was going to the 517th Reunion in August and that was the first time I had ever  heard there was a reunion. He gave me Charlie Pugh's phone number and I went to the pay phone to call him.  We had a great talk and he added my wife and myself to the list. That was in 1979 and the first reunion I had ever been to. I attended all of the bi-annual until 2006 when they were changed annual reunions and missed that one due to a 20 day cruise we had booked to Europe and Greenland. Iceland and Newfoundland. We sure plan on going to St. Louis in 2008. I also want to thank you for the info that straightened out our reservation in DC this past summer.
 
Thanks again,
Don Saunders, 596th PEC
Darrell Egner
 
Reply to Walter Smith regarding the Kissimmee Florida Reunion.  I had the name and location of the reunion on the Subject line forgetting that line doesn't get printed.  Sorry about that.
 
I looked your name up and discovered that you live in Columbus, OH.  While you're not too close to Orlando (Kissimmee) there are direct flights from Columbus.  A new airline just started operating (2 flights a day) from your city to St. Augustine which is about 100 miles from Kissimmee.  Sure hope you can make our nice warn Reunion.
 
Also consider our National Reunion in St. Louis the last week in June 2008.
 
Thanks for writing,
 
Darrell Egner
President
Don Gentry
Hi Ben, Thanks to Wayne Cross with that great after action report by CPT Irwin. A great story of interest to me and Floyd Weber who served with Walter G. Irwin during in the States and perhaps as a member of the HQ Co, 2nd machine gun platoon supporting E Company on this task.
 
 I talked to Sharon Weber this afternoon and she confirmed with Floyd that he was not wounded until 4 September 1944. Moments ago I sent her the report and this Google Earth image of the Subject since all the maps and charts were missing from the pdf file.
 
 
I suggest that anyone interested in the actual terrain of this area go to Google Earth to explore the area. The top right area of Google Earth maps had hidden controls activated when you "mouse over".  I really like the ability to tilt the earth as well as their zoom in and out features. The left side of the screen allows you to select the items you want shown on your display, like road map overlays and whatever you find interesting. Notice in this picture that the Italian Alps are shown in "Snow" and the yellow line indicates some views of the international border with Italy. The picture bottom displays the lat/long and elevation data where your cursor is. The viewing angle, in this case about 22 degrees East of North, can be changed with the compass in the upper right. Left click and use the cursor on the outer ring to swing the view around. Use the arrow markers within the compass to move across the scene. The image details of this area are rather low resolution but still give you a pretty good idea of where the action took place.
 
Don Gentry
517th Aux.
 
Guest Book Entries

Name: Rob Masich
From: Newberry Michigan
E-mail: vodka_4_me@hotmail.com
Website:

hello my grandfather was in WWII and my dad came across this site and
found many pictures of his dad. and he found one under the Chester A.
Wells H Company pictures and the mystery man is my grandfather Maurice
Masich. i dont know how to contact the moderator of this website so if
you can help just send me an email. thank you

Name: Bridget
From: San Antonio, TX
E-mail: blgarcia_8@hotmail.com
Website:

I am so excited that I found a picture of my Grandfather. His name is
Antonio Salinas, and he was in the HQ 3rd Battalion. It really made his
day; especially because all of his pictures have gone missing. Also, in
the battalion picture there is a soldier to the left of him who is
unnamed. My Grandfather believes his name is Alex Ferra.
                                ****************
 
Bridget,

Which picture?  Let me know so I can label both men.

Thanks,

Bob Barrett
 

L.to R.  Joseph Tylka, Edward Winship and Maurice Masich.