From: Ben517@aol.com
Sent: Wednesday, December 05, 2007 8:06 PM
To: undisclosed-recipients:
Subject: MAIL CALL NO 1445 517TH PRCT-DECEMBER 5, 2007
70 Pleasant St. Cohasset, MA. 02025  *781 383 0215 * Mail Call : Ben Barrett  Ben517@aol.com
 
Hello,
 
I often get email that contained hoax's, myths or hackney history. Send such mail that you received to me before you send such fork lore and misinformation to others. I will  check it out. How do I know if it is malarkey? Trust me!
 
Pease let me know if your email is not to be included in Mail Call by inserting FYEO.
 
You may at times have a problem viewing photos. However, we place most photos on the website under Training and WWII Photos .
 
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:

The 551st Attack on Trois Ponts, 2-7 Jan 1945
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)


Wayne Cross

 

Howard, as usual, your comments were on the mark.  It is difficult to question battlefield decisions unless you have experienced the uncertainty and quickness in which conditions on the ground might change.  My intuition told me that Captain Smith had a good handle on things, especially as relates to lessons learned.  I, too, had questions about his comments concerning officers leading recon operations, but I guess his point was that experience is the best teacher and that enlisted personnel had more experience in leading recon operations than officers. 

I have read a number of books by Gen. Red Newman on leadership and I have tried to apply those lessons to leadership to airborne troops.  It seems to me that airborne troops broke the mold in that small unit leadership was an expectation and that there was a delicate balance between regimentation and allowing the free thinkers to to express their creativity. Sometimes that creativity lead to piano's exiting hotels in unexpected manners and sometimes it lead to a PFC making life or death decisions for their squads and platoons.  I guess that is the mystery of leadership.  How do you know when to reign in and when do you let go?  You look at the leadership style of Col. Joerg and Col. Boyle and you see that it is not a science. I would love to hear comments from the 517th leadership on this subject.  What makes an airborne soldier different?  What qualities does the leadership wish to instill in the troops?  What makes an airborne troops different in terms of their training and the expectations?  It is interesting how many of the 517th troopers excelled in private life after the war.  Obviously something in their character or training promoted this successes.  What was it?  regards, -wayne


Teri Marone

 

Ben, Please forward this to Gen. Seitz.  My email keeps getting shot back, that's why I thought the address I had for him was incorrect.  But it actually was the right one.  Thanks again, sorry to use you as the middle man.

-Teri

Hello General Seitz,

I hope you remember me, Teri, and the rest of the Tri-State Living History Association.  We were the young bucks who jumped for your regiment and put the display up in your hospitality suite at the 2007 reunion.  Well, I just wanted to say that (I speak for the entire group) we enjoyed your group so much and had a wonderful time being guests at your reunion. 

This was a very important event for me personally, because this was my first reunion and I was one of the key persons involved with the planning.  I guess the hard work paid off because I had a blast and I'd like to think that the 517th members and families had a good time too.  Plus my pictures are filled with smiles and handshakes!  Well, I remember that you invited our group to next year's reunion and many of us who joined the 'mail call' know that the 2008 reunion will take place in St Louis.  Lucky for us, we have plenty of guys who live in that immediate area, so hopefully our planning will be less arduous. 

Well, I want this email to serve as an RSVP, so to speak, for your invitation to next year's reunion.  We loved the 517th and we would be honored to set up another display and jump for the 2008 reunion.  I'm the contact again this year and I know that the reunion organizer on your end has changed.  I hope that you still want us for next year's event and then I can go ahead and start my planning.  I know the new organizer is Chris Linder, but unfortunately I do not have any contact info for this person.  I just wanted to let you know our team's intentions and touch base.  I will be asking you again what uniforms you'd prefer from us and any other particulars that you'd like to see from our team. 

On a more serious note, I'd like to express my condolences for all the losses that the 517th has endured this year; especially since the reunion in June.  I'm so glad that these brave soldiers were able to get in one last reunion with their brothers before their time had come.  We extend our deepest apologies to the families and our most gracious 'thanks' to the brave men, themselves.  We just hope that no more leave us before too late, so we can see you all again.  We loved the stories and companionship. 

Please feel free to contact me with anything regarding our involvement with your reunion or anything at all.  I'll be in touch.  Also, I have attached some pictures from the reunion...that I don't know if you might have seen because they are from my personal collection.  Please feel free to ask for more.  Have a wonderful Christmas and a safe New Year!  See you in June! 

Sincerely,

Teri Marrone
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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The Star Spangled Banner as you have never heard before...!!!!!!!!!!... 
 
Several people have sent this version to me.  I immediately suspected that it was very inaccurate history and Bob checked it out and confirmed my suspicions -Ben

After listening to this, you will forever listen to the National Anthem differently...

*********************
Bob Barrett

Here are a few comments.  Nice story, but contains enough inaccuracies that I suspect all the details were just made up.   No chained men, no women and children, no people holding the flag.   Unless I see some supporting documentation, I wouldn’t take it too literally. 

 http://morningbrew.sdwhiteonline.com/2007/10/04/the-star-spangled-banner-unique-narration/

 Here is a probably more accurate history:

 http://www.annin.com/national_anthem.asp