From: Ben517@aol.com
Sent: Monday, January 05, 2009 7:51 PM
To: undisclosed-recipients:
Subject: MAIL CALLL NO, 1693? -517TH PRCT- JANUARY 5, 2009
70 Pleasant St. Cohasset, MA. 02025 ,781 383 0215 * Mail Call : Ben Barrett  Ben517@aol.com 
 
Hello,
 
I have just visited Howard Hensleigh and he is upbeat as usual and happy with the facilities at the Veterans Affairs Site.
 
 
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
Website                                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

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

  

                                                                  National Reunion

Palm Springs, CA                                                Salt Lake City

West Coast Party                                                July 2009

April 20-24, 2009

Joe Comcast

 

Hello Ben,

My name is Joe Combest and my dad, Ben was in G Company of the 517.  He is still around and doing pretty good although he is slowing down and his memory is diminished.  I saw in an earlier mail call that someone had access to morning reports and was hoping to get some information on my dad from them.  I know he was wounded in the Bulge.  He has told me the story but he does not know where or on what date.  He has always joked that he was just trying to get away cause he was hit in the rear end.  He was acting squad leader and he and his squad were in some kind of shed during a battle as they were being shelled.  He says he was standing in the shed and a shell hit nearby and knocked him down.  He couldn’t get up and was hit in the rear.  The rest of his squad carried him to a nearby hospital.  That put him out till after the fighting had stopped at the end of the war.  He stayed in Germany for a bit with the occupation (82nd, I think) after that. I think his two best friends were J. Caylor and H. Venjanovich ??. 

I would love to hear from anyone who knew dad or can get me the information from the morning reports.

Joe Combest, CFP-Financial Advisor, Branch Manager Combest Financial Services, Inc. A Registered Investment Advisor

831 W. Main Street Duncan, OK 73533 (580) 470-9476

Hi Ben,

Thanks for your reply.  For many years I have told dad that I would love to take him to a reunion.  He never attended one.  The only time in my whole life I ever saw my dad lose his composure was once (about 5 years ago) when we were trading “war stories”. I was never in combat but was in infantry and would try to learn things from him and compare tactics.  All of dad’s stories were framed in the context of a joke or some sort of humor.  I learned that the way dad dealt with the bad memories was to block them out.  I suspect he would have liked to see many of the buddies that he (fondly) spoke about, but could not deal with all of the memories that they would make him face.  Out of respect, (and love) for him, I stopped pushing. 

Personally, I would love to attend one.  To me it represents and opportunity to learn and understand a little more about the life of the best man I have ever known.  I am afraid it will not happen with dad.

Joe Combest, CFP

Lory Curtis

Ben,
  Like Myrle, I received my Thunderbolt last Saturday.  I was very busy
with some work around the house and said to myself I will read this
later. Well, it only took me a few seconds to say, NO, I am reading this
right now.  So I dropped everything I was doing and spent all the time I
wanted just reading and reminiscing about the St Louis Reunion looking
at all of the wonderful pictures.  Echoing what Myrle has said to Helen
and Claire, another job well done.  Thanks so much for all of your hard
work putting this together.  I sure look forward to receiving my
Thunderbolt, and once you start reading it, you can't put it down.  Hope
to see everyone in Salt Lake City this coming summer July 8 thru the 13,
2009.

Lory Curtis, son of Bud Curtis, HQ, 1st Bn

Bill Christian

Dear Ben, I had been out of town over the Holidays so had not had a chance to read the Thunderbolt. When reading thru I noticed an add for the Spring Palm Springs reunion which I was happy to see, however the dates are WRONG. You have been listing them in your almost daily E mails correctly ,APRIL 20 thru 24 at the Quality Inn ,Palm Springs.
I have alerted the Inn staff to make sure they notify any callers of the correct dates. I would appreciate if this notification can be some way highlighted in your next E mail so Troopers and families do not schedule vacation or trip plans only to be disappointed.
I am glad to report that I have already received calls ,including registration payments. I would appreciate that this correction can be passed on to any Trooper who has no computer
Ben, I would appreciate if sometime in the near future you would post the entire daily 2009 Reunion Itinerary Notification that I sent to you  as I believe I will be getting calls regarding same. Thanks for your help.  Looking forward to seeing you and thanks for your help       Bill
                                           ***************
I will post the Palm Springs itinerary after the Kissimmee reunion.-Ben
Helen Beddow
 
Hello Ben,

Today is January 5th, and I am getting around to reading my emails.  This email from you, sent by Pat Seitz, is very nice and very much appreciated.  I am so sorry that it took so long for me to get my part of the T'bolt done.  Then there was the problem with the printer and their equipment.  I was in their shop this morning, and all equipment is new, and all "brains" of the computer (there are 6 brains) are now working as they should.  I have more pictures from the reunion that I want to use in this next T'bolt, plus we will have pictures from the Mini.  I think that I have a better grip on things now (like work) and children (like grand kids).    I am going to email you the picture of the 517th guys out at the airfield.  This is the same picture that I put in the last T'bolt.  This time I want to flip it  90 degrees on the page, and put the names of everyone that is in the picture.  I think that it will be more meaningful for those that don't come to reunions.  I will need your help with the names.  Maybe I will just bring the picture down to the Mini for your help.

I hope that all is going well for you, and Hal and I will be waiting to see you at the Mini.  Take care, stay out of trouble, and we will see you soon.

Helen 
Irma and Arnold Targnion
Father RADERMECKER and Maria as they are preparing the prayers before the Mass. 2009 jan 3d
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 Father RADERMECKER and Maria as they are preparing the prayers before the Mass. 2009 jan 3d

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Maria as she is praying

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Father Radermecker - consecration

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I will have more photos from Irma in next Mail Call-Ben