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

Hello,

I have an attachment in this Mail Call from Patricia and Roland Orengo, our friends in Sospel, France.

Problems composing this Mail Call, so here goes.

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

Ben

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

517th Annual Florida Mini-Reunion January 17,18,19, 20, 2009

Banquet on the 20th (Tuesday) and Departing on the 21st (Wednesday)

Hosted by: Leila Webb, Location: Ramada Hotel & Inn Gateway

7470 Highway 192 West

Kissimmee, Florida 34747

Tele: 1(800)327-9170 FAX 1(407)396-4320

web site: WWW.ramadagateway.com

Contact: Leila Webb, Helen Beddow and Lou Darden

4155 Kissimmee Park Road

St. Cloud, Florida 34772

Tele:(407)892-3595

Room Rate - $65.00 Registration Fee - $40.00

Palm Springs, CA

West Coast Party

April 20-24, 2009

Recent website additions:
Sospel 1944 and 2008
Pvt. Richard Whidden, D Company
Col de Braus battle - 64th anniversary
Sospel 1943 and now
3rd Annual 517th Commemorative March, August 2008
Visit to Southern France 2008 with Ignatius Bail, 460th PFAB

President Darrell Egner

Ben

Please pass this on via Mail Call to Ray Estrella and give him my mail address. bigdegner@comcast.net I'm planning to come to the West Coast party in April and looking forward to seeing you and your Buddy. Hope the gathering with the Tribe is still on.

Tom Reber I expect that you and Bob Barrett have solved the logo issue by now. I am not a computer expert by any stretch but looking at the draft you enclosed in Mail Call I would suggest you eliminate the white border around the logo so as to down size it to fit the Head Stone. Hope you have solved the problems by now. Good Luck.

I would like to remind every one of the Florida Mini in January. You will be receiving your Thunderbolt in the near future with information on how to register and reserve your Hotel Rooms. Leila Webb has been hard at work for months and we expect a record attendance. I believe the past record is 54 people. We have been blessed with good warm weather in the past so get out of the snow and join us.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and good health to all.

Darrell Egner

Michael Wells

Ben:

It has been a while since I wrote a note for mail call. My mother found several letters that my step-father, Chester A. Wells, sent home while with the 517th. I'm indexing them and will include the information when I submit the history of my father and his association with the 517th. Many give details of the activities and training he was involved with.

In a letter dated 9/10/43 Chester wrote about some of his activities, including the following information: This week jumped from towers, tumbled and packed dummy and live chutes. Next week we float down off the 250 ft. towers. The chutes are a sure thing to open if they are packed right. Learning to pack them so when I pack my chute next Sat (18^th) I’ll be at ease to jump with it the 20^th. By the 25^th of this month I’ll have my wings. March 7 to 10 miles a day.

In a letter dated 11/21/43 Chester wrote home with some poignant information: "$50 fine for getting back late; Fellow trooper (WARE) got wire that his sister had been killed in auto accident; They were to see each other while he was on furlough; Don’t need the knee brace or belt; can’t wear them."

From the letters that were found I learned that Chester was in "E" Company when he started with the 517th and was with this company until arriving in Italy. Sometime after his arrival there he was transferred to "H" Company; and was there when the Christmas Roster was completed. He may have also served in Service Company for a time.

If your readers find this information interesting, I'll continue to provide excerpts. -----Please do so.--Ben

If you remember, during the reunion in St. Louis, I obtained the autographs of nearly all the Troopers who attended. I have now framed that poster and it is hanging in my office; a daily reminder of the 517th members. I've attached a photograph of it. I appreciate very much those that were so willing to share their time and history with us at the reunion.

Hope all have a Happy Thanksgiving! May God Bless.

The Screaming Eagles of WWII Foundation invites all 517 PRCT members to join us for yet another Operation Torch trip ! 65 years ago, a large part of Europe was liberated from tyranny. This will make 2009 a very special year.

Not only will there be special memorial activities everywhere. It also may be the last year the remaining World War Two veterans will be able to come overseas.

For the anniversary year 2009 we have planned a special version of Operation Torch.

We will begin the trip with an addition to the normal Operation Torch plan: Normandy – where we will visit the D-Day beaches and numerous museums. Then we will work our way North to spend a few days in the “Nuts”city area (Bastogne, Belgium).

After this, a warm welcome is prepared by the Dutch people in the Operation Market Garden area.

We will kick off the first night in The Netherlands with a WWII style welcome party!

In The Netherlands we will visit the cities of Eindhoven, Nijmegen and Arnhem and surrounding areas.

A few surprises are planned for you by the different groups and individuals who take responsibility for parts of the programme.

PROGRAMME (subject to minor changes)

Arrival September 8th Stay in Normandy

Sept 11^th depart for Bastogne.

Sept 14^th depart for Holland,

Welcome Party.

Sept 15^th visit Best, Son, St. Oedenrode.

Sept 16^th visit ‘The Island’

Sept 17^th visit Eerde, Veghel,

Heeswijk-Dinther

Sept 18th Eindhoven Torch Parade

Sept 19^th Nijmegen

Sept 20^th Eerde Memorial Walk

Sept 21^st Arnhem:‘A Bridge too Far’

Departure on September 22nd.

Arrival and departure from Brussels (Belgium)

Price: $3000,=

(price includes hotels, transportation, food, museums.

Airfare is NOT included)

Interested? For more information and reviews with pictures of previews Operation Torch Trips have a look on our website,

www.screamingeagles.nl

Or give our Director of US operations , Mr Joseph M Bossi CSM (Ret) a call on : 931-624-8060

Or email us with questions! p.wenstedt@chello.nl