From: Ben517@aol.com
Sent: Saturday, April 26, 2008 6:51 PM
To: rbarrett@alum.mit.edu
Subject: Fwd: MAIL CALL NO. 1527-517TH PRCT-APRIL 25,2008
  70 Pleasant St. Cohasset, MA. 02025 ,781 383 0215 * Mail Call : Ben Barrett  Ben517@aol.com 
   http://bands.army.mil/music/bugle/calls/mailcall.mp3< Click on
Hello,
The computer ate Mail Call as I was ready to send it and therefore I may have lost some mail. Do not miss Leo Dean's jump in this Mail Call.
 
 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 www.517prct.org/archives 
 
Ben
 
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
Website                                   www.517prct.org                                                        
Mail Call                                  Ben517@aol.com
Mail Call Archives                 www.517prct.org/archives
Roster                                     www.517prct.org/roster.pdf

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

Recent website additions:

Lester Gene Hyman and friends, 596th PCEC

Lots of pictures of the 596th, most unidentified soldiers

517th Victory in Europe Prop Blast - May 19 1945

Toivo Moisio (?), Company D

Blue Book Magazine articles - 1947-1948

Juliana Stonis
 
Hi Ben,
 
We want to extend our deepest sympathies to the Hess Family.
 
The John Stonis Family
Bette Traver
 
Hi Ben and welcome back.  Myrle has not received his copy of the Thunderbolt.  Will Helen or Claire please check our address as follows:
 
1601 S. Sandhill Rd
Spc. 286
Las Vegas, NV 89104
 
Also we want to express our sincere sympathy to Ray Hess for the loss of his beloved wife.
We have our reservations for the reunion.  See you soon.
Betty Traver
Gary and Jeanne Davis

This message is for Ray Hess and his family.
Gary and I share in the loss of your beloved Polly. We will keep you and your family in our thoughts and prayers.
Our very best to you
Gary and Jeanne Davis

Steve Markle (Videographer sp? Extraordinary)
 
I have placed the video of Leo's jump during the West Coast 517 Parachute Regimental Combat Team Reunion out on Google Video at this location;
 
 
For those who have not heard by now, Leo Dean (Regimental HQ) at 83 years young, completed a tandem jump at the Perris Valley (California) Skydiving Center and had a video made of it. I captured the jump portion of it and placed titles and end credits for people to look for more information on the 517 at http://517prct.org .
 
If anyone wants a better quality video (for local playback), you can pick up the file here;
 
http://www.markleweb.com/LeoDean.wmv      [Bob/Ben, if you want to move this file over to your servers, feel free.]
 
-Steve-
 
Hi Ben,

Was wondering if you could put these questions forward to the Mailcall or perhaps may have the answers yourself?

When the 517th were committed to the Battle Of The Bulge how much of your camouflage equipment was retained? I was of the understanding that you went through a complete re-issue of kit that would have seen most of your camouflaged equipment disappear? And in relation to the same subject, did the Combat Team finally at any point receive proper M2 Paratrooper helmets before
heading off to the Bulge or did you continue to wear your Modified M1 Helmets? If so, when was the earliest, if ever, that you received M2 pots?

Regards, adam
Karl Locker
 
I have lost Karl's mail, but this is his message.-Ben
Bob Barrett
 

In the last MailCall you had a photo of a relief of paratroopers at the WWII memorial in Wash. DC.

Did anyone at the WWII memorial notice the Kilroy in the corner?

 

 Someone has just signed your guestbook!

Name: Flora H Riddle
From: Medford, New Jersey
E-mail: squeeks5@verizon.net

Sorry I can't make the reunion in St. Louis.  But Please keep in touch with
me.  Thank You.
Nila Gott
 
Ben,
 
Thought maybe the 517th would enjoy this.
 
Nila Gott
 

Southern Hospitality at Atlanta Airport.  You gotta love this one even if you've never lived in the  South.  Some of you will enjoy this more than others... Southerners can  be so  polite!
 
Atlanta ATC: 'Tower to Saudi Air 511 -- You are cleared to  land eastbound on runway 9R

Saudi Air: 'Thank you Atlanta ATC. Acknowledge cleared to land on infidel's runway 9R - Allah be Praised.'

Atlanta ATC: 'Tower to Iran Air 711 --You are cleared to land westbound on runway 9R.' 
 
Iran Air: 'Thank you Atlanta ATC. We are cleared to land on infidel's runway 9R. - Allah is Great.'
 
Pause...

Saudi Air: ' ATLANTA ATC - ATLANTA ATC'

Atlanta ATC: 'Go ahead Saudi Air 511.'

Saudi Air: 'YOU HAVE CLEARED BOTH OUR AIRCRAFTS FOR THE SAME RUNWAY GOING IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS. WE ARE ON A COLLISION  COURSE. INSTRUCTIONS, PLEASE.'

Atlanta ATC: 'Well bless your hearts. And praise Jesus. Y'all  be careful now and tell Allah 'Hey' for us -- '

Robert Knight

 

 sorry I have not got info at this time, My uncles name was George Earl Vanderford.  He made the jump over Normandy.  Would sure like to see picture of him or his Company.  He was wounded and received the purple heart and silver star.  Please don't give up on me.  I sincerely wish to find out everything I can about the man I was Named after.  Thanks you sir for your time.

Robert Earl Knight.  Proud nephew of a proud warrior.

                                          ***********
George Earl Vanderford was a member of B Co.517.   However, the 517 did not jump at Normandy but did jump into Southern France.
Can any member of the First Bn. help George?  -Ben