70 Pleasant St. Cohasset, MA. 02025 *781 383 0215 * Mail Call
: Ben Barrett Ben517@aol.com
< Click on Hello,
We are starting a fund with
volunteer contributions to assist our friends from Belgium and France to attend
the St. Louis reunion. You can send a contribution to Leo Dean at 14
Stonehenge Lane, Albany New York 12203
You must notify me
when you change email address.
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
Please try to send in donations 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
Ben
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:
When Weather Changed History: The Battle of the Bulge
Paras en Provence: Le 517th PRCT Dans Les
Alpes Maritime
from Armes Militaria
Magazine (cover,
article)
Darrell Egner
Wow, what a great reunion! Donna and Leila as always did a great job. Without a doubt this was the best Florida Reunion ever. And the best part is they have already booked the Hotel for 2009 and agreed to co-host it again. The Food and Booze never ran out and the Hospitably room was always busy. Girls, I don't know how you will top this years Reunion but I am sure you will find a way. THANK YOU VERY MUCH!
Attendance was good. 56 people signed up
and 8 people had to cancel for various reasons. At the Banquet we had 18
WWII veterans in the room. Still a few of us around. The weather was
great, hot and sunny. Looks like the good Lord is still looking out for
us.
Dick Seitz spoke and remembered Don Fraser with
a moment of silence. He will also handle this at the St. Louis
Reunion. He also is going to contact our own General Grange and/or his son
who also became a General. My Son Matt flew Junior in Europe when David
commanded a Division. Small world, Huh?
Leo Dean is doing a wonderful job as
Sectary/Treasurer. He presented the Board of Directors and the Auxiliary
with an up to date Financial Statement and for your information the 517 is not
broke. He has set up a special account for a Don Fraser Memorial and also
an account for the Foreign visitors fund. I would also like to thank Karen
Wallace for giving us a list of the Auxiliary members and a recap of their
Treasury. It seems like everything is falling into place. Guys the
Auxiliary has our backs, were really in good shape so there will always be a 517
long after we are gone.
The St. Louis Reunion is way ahead of schedule
thanks to Chris Lindner and her sister Bev. I would be disappointed if we
didn't have 400 people attend. The jumpers that jumped in Washington are
going to jump again. The tours are set, the gifts in your welcome package
are contracted for and the Armed Forces Reunions will handle the many details it
takes for a successful Reunion. The Sheraton Plaza Westport is a great
hotel, maybe a 5 Star Hotel. The rooms will cost a bit less then
Washington. It's close to the Airport and they run a free shuttle.
I'm told there is 17 good restaurants with in walking distance of the Hotel and
the people in the Hotel that I have talked with can't wait to spoil
us.
Helen Beddow will give you a run down in the
near future of the new format for the Thunderbolt. She and Claire are
putting the pieces together and it is exciting from what I
know.
I just received a phone call from Sam Povich a
few minutes ago telling me that Jack Collins wife Barbara just passed away and
will be put to rest Tuesday. I met her a few times and she was a wonderful
lady. If you would like to send Jack a card his address is: P.O. Box
155, Faison, NC 28341.
Hope to see all of you in St. Louis next
June.
Darrell Egner
President
Babbie Boyle
You are right Ben, it was a great Reunion even
even if we did have problems getting to the hotel. Thanks to all who were there
and to are gracious hostesses. I hope to make it again.
Babbie
Merle Traver
Subject: Fw: Greatest Military
Photographs
Phil McSpadden
Hi Ben...glad to see
that I'm receiving Mail Call once again...thanks for bringing that to my
attention! I have to echo Claire in her praise of Donna and Lelia for all
the work they put into the reunion to make it a
success.
Glad to see Claire make
a one day trip to be with us...if she is planning on a trip to France in August
2009, count me in.
phil
Patricia and Roland
Orengo
Hello Ben,
we will be in St Louis with all of you.
We want to Keep the 517 PRCT Association viable. So, in Saint-Louis we will give you our participation.
Take care;
Patricia and Roland
Sospel
we will be in St Louis with all of you.
We want to Keep the 517 PRCT Association viable. So, in Saint-Louis we will give you our participation.
Take care;
Patricia and Roland
Sospel
France
Guest Book Entry
From: Elaine Saunders
[mailto:Elaine_28@cox.net]
Sent: Saturday, January 26, 2008 4:59 PM
To: rbarrett@alum.mit.edu
Subject: Re: Someone has just signed your guestbook
Bob: thank you for the information. Yes, I did find this picture
and printed it, I am trying to research his WWII service for our
daughter. I am not sure why he is not in the Camp Toccoa picture in
France, I found one from Camp Toccoa that you have to scroll through,
it would be REALLY difficult to find anyone in that picture! His
only 'wounds' were frozen feet later, in Belgium, he was sent to
England to recover, then back to France. He was in Reims for a few
months after the war ended to assist with the settling of Europeans
displaced by the war.
Thanks again. Elaine
OFFICE DE PROMOTION DU TOURISME WALLONIE - BRUXELLES
50 years ago, in September 44, after four years of occupation theBelgian people rejoiced as they welcomed their liberators.But a few months later, in December 44, the celebrations were abruptly interrupted by a large - scale german offensive.In 1994 we commemorated the 50th Anniversary of the passed events and the G.I. of the lithography was the symbol of the Battle of the Bulge commemorations:the snow, is a reminder of the tough weather conditions during the '44 winter, and the green firs represent the woods of the Ardennes.In the background, the American flag is proudly floating,triumphant, after the terrible fight, the rip and tears symbolize the roughness of the battle.In the lower part of the poster, the Nazi flag is trampled down by a determined G.I. walking in the tracks left by a tank.This lone soldier may be a relative, perhaps a son or a friend who is courageously showing us, step by step, the way to freedom and victory.
Sent: Saturday, January 26, 2008 4:59 PM
To: rbarrett@alum.mit.edu
Subject: Re: Someone has just signed your guestbook
Bob: thank you for the information. Yes, I did find this picture
and printed it, I am trying to research his WWII service for our
daughter. I am not sure why he is not in the Camp Toccoa picture in
France, I found one from Camp Toccoa that you have to scroll through,
it would be REALLY difficult to find anyone in that picture! His
only 'wounds' were frozen feet later, in Belgium, he was sent to
England to recover, then back to France. He was in Reims for a few
months after the war ended to assist with the settling of Europeans
displaced by the war.
Thanks again. Elaine
OFFICE DE PROMOTION DU TOURISME WALLONIE - BRUXELLES
1944 - 1994
50th ANNIVERSARY of the BATTLE of the BULGE50 years ago, in September 44, after four years of occupation theBelgian people rejoiced as they welcomed their liberators.But a few months later, in December 44, the celebrations were abruptly interrupted by a large - scale german offensive.In 1994 we commemorated the 50th Anniversary of the passed events and the G.I. of the lithography was the symbol of the Battle of the Bulge commemorations:the snow, is a reminder of the tough weather conditions during the '44 winter, and the green firs represent the woods of the Ardennes.In the background, the American flag is proudly floating,triumphant, after the terrible fight, the rip and tears symbolize the roughness of the battle.In the lower part of the poster, the Nazi flag is trampled down by a determined G.I. walking in the tracks left by a tank.This lone soldier may be a relative, perhaps a son or a friend who is courageously showing us, step by step, the way to freedom and victory.