From: Ben517@aol.com
Sent: Sunday, February 08, 2009 7:50 PM
To: Tomcross@aol.com
Subject: MAIL CALL 1720-517TH PRCT-JANUARY 8, 2009
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
Ben
Website                                www.517prct.org  
Mail Call                               Ben517@aol.com
Mail Call Archives                 www.517prct.org/archives
Roster                                  www.517prct.org/roster.pdf

  Click on                                                              Salt Lake City Reunion

Palm Springs, CA          Thursday July 9 thru July 13

West Coast Party

April 20-24,2009

Tom Cross

Ben: Wayne mamaged to get this Action Report of the 551st PIB in the Bulge from the same source as the Co, E Var River Action Report. This is the missing link that reveals the problems of the 551st trying to keep contact with the 517th PIR. The author, Captain Bill Smith, was C.O. of Hq. Co.,551st PIB and after the 551st was deactivated by General Ridgeway's Orders Smith joined the 517th PIR. He was an outstanding officer and this Report of his is highly creditable. After getting comment from Seitz, Boyle and Hensleigh we can put the whole package together for our website and combine it with our history as best fits.  Do not hesitate to get in touch with Wayne if you so desire. I am trying to reach you by phone to see if the Report comes through to you so we can talk about it over the phone.
Regards, Tom
Bob Barrett

It’s already on the website on the History and Archive documents page;

1949-1950 - The Operations of the 551st PIB (attached to the 82nd and the 517th), in the Attack on Trois Ponts, Belgium, 2-7 January 1945; Cpt. Bill G. Smith, Fort Benning Infantry School (pdf*)

Hi Tom,
 
517th History and Archives: from the website.
 
 
1948-1949 - Attack of the 3rd Battalion, 517th Parachute Infantry Regimental Combat Team in the Vicinity of Bergstein, Germany, 4-8 February 1945 (Rhineland Campaign), Gohmert, Roland L. CPT; Fort Benning Infantry School (pdf*)
1948-1949 - The Operations of the First Battalion  517 Parachute Infantry Regiment at Soy, Belgium, 22-24 December 1944; Cpt. Sydney M. Marks, Fort Benning Infantry School (pdf*)
1949-1950 - The Operations of Company E, 517PRCT, in a River Crossing and an Attack at La Roquette, France, 27-28 August 1944; Cpt. Walter Irwin, Fort Benning Infantry School (pdf*)
Pat Seitz and Allan Greer
 
Dear Ben: 
    My compliments to Gilles Guignard on his very attractive birthday card for Col. Tom Cross. Well done!  We Seitz kids are big fans of Col. Cross -- not only a remarkable leader and human being, but he was also Dad's best man and thus he played a role in our being here!
    Also appreciated the new pictures including "Electricity for Beginners" taken in Joigny in '45 and the 3rd Battalion report on Bergstein. Dad had discussed that action with Alan and me during his visit after the January mini-reunion.  It is noteworthy that the action took place 64 years ago today. You amaze us as to where you find these items. Thank you to you and Bob for posting them. 
    Sincerely, Pat Seitz and Alan Greer
Chris Lindner
Hi Ben:
 
I am writing this e-mail with regards to the comments that Mary Jane Hanron wrote about the students of today knowing the history of our country and especially of the WWII Veterans.
 
Mary Jane indicated that she is going back to education and spending time in the classroom at the junior high and high school level.
 
My daughter Jennifer, who is now an elementary school counselor but did teach 3rd and 5th grade prior to being a counselor did bring the WWII veterans into the classroom as a fun project even though she was a science teacher. 
 
I know on the junior high and high school level it would have to be done in a different way but Jennifer took the information that I have complied regarding her Grandfather and made a special bulletin board about WWII.  What she also did was have the kids have a pen pal to a WWII veteran (in her case it was Darrell Egner).  The kids would write to Darrell and Jennifer would send him their letters and he would respond to the whole class.  The kids loved it and were in awe that Darrell was in WWII and wanted him to come visit the classroom (which Darrell was not able to do). 
 
The WWII project that Jennifer did was not part of her science lessons and on her plans but it was a fun extra project that the kids loved.  Maybe some of the teachers that read "Mail Call" could do something like Jennifer did but obviously it would have to be changed for the upper levels of education.
 
I just thought I would send this to Mary Jane as an example.
 
Chris Lindner

Chris
George Meline
Ben - OOPS - I just sent you an email with the incorrect "new" email address - sorry.  The email should have read as follows:  Hello Ben - Please change my email address for the Mail Call from GeorgeMeline@cs.com to gmeline@gmail.com so I can continue to receive your emails which I read every day.  Thank you so much for all you do to keep the 517th alive.
Jerry Wolfford
 
Ben this poster was in the "mail call" attachment sent in by Tom Dorman yesterday. It really struck me. I wonder how many troopers died as a result of the enemy having prior knowledge of drop plans. My guess is that the jumpers themselves had no idea where their next drop would be. . . . . NEPHEW OF A BUZZARD