70 Pleasant St. Cohasset, MA. 02025 ,781 383 0215 * Mail Call : Ben Barrett Ben517@aol.com

Hello;

Please let me know if you want to receive Mail Calls or if you have a problem receiving them. You can always read back 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

Website                                www.517prct.org
Mail Call                               Ben517@aol.com
Mail Call Archives                 www.517prct.org/archives
Roster                                  www.517prct.org/roster.pdf

Darrell Egner

Hello Folks

Believe it or not we have finally set the dates for our 65th Reunion. Helen Beddow now you can add these dates to the Thunderbolt and take it to the printers. I for one can not wait to seeing that wonderful news letter (Book) you put together Ms Editor. Please folks make it easy on the planners (Lory Curtis & Claire Giblin) and register early. Putting on a National Reunion is a full time job so you can make the Co-Chairs job run smoothly by an early commitment. Should something come up where you have to cancel it will not cost you. The Radisson Hotel in SLC will not charge your Credit Card until you check out.

July 8, 2009 Wednesday Registration
July 12, 2009 Sunday Banquet

PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDARS FROM JULY 8 THROUGH JULY 12, 2009. The Hospitality Room will be open all 5 days. More information will be for coming in Mail Call and the Thunderbolt. Again the Armed Forces Reunions will handle the details. Your Chairs will select the site seeing tours, speakers, etc.

And please don't forget the Minis in Florida in January 2009 and the West Coast Mini in April 2009 in Palm Springs, California. Good Lord willing I am looking forward to attending all three and seeing old friends and meeting those I haven't met.

Darrell Egner
President 517

Dan Smith

Ben,

It was great to hear about General Seitz' recovery, Pat Seitz' reasons for this success are all certainly valid.

My wife, Pat, and I had the pleasure to sit in the bus seat in front of him and Ginny during the 1995(?) trip in Europe.

I had one problem with Dick, though. I was unable to call him anything except" General " and he kept saying "Dan, my name is Dick". I got a little better as time went on. Our policeman son, a Pat also, heard Dick's speech at the Savannah reunion, and asked me if the General jumped and fought with his men, since he never mentioned himself. Typical.

Dan Smith

Hqs 1st 517

Frederic Brega

Dear Ben,

I hope that you are doing well !

I permit myself to forward you the pictures of Pvt. Richard Whidden of 517^th PIR, recently provided by his son Marc form Tampa (Ca).

They are showing some pictures of R. Whidden in Southern France, and Col de Braus sector, where his dog tag was found this year in 2008. They were accidentally lost in 1944, with a few US and French coins attached to the chain.

Marc Whidden kindly provided those pictures, thinking that they could be as well a good addition to the WWII Photos of the website, since no other elements on his father was found on it.

Thanks in advance, and best regards.

Frederic Brega
frederic@zeades.com