Mail Call Ben517@aol.com
Mail Call Archives www.517prct.org/archives
Roster www.517prct.org/roster.pdf
video: First Airborne Task Force prep, with Bill
Boyle
Dick Spencer - HQ CO, 3rd Battalion
Leo Balestrini - 460 PFAB, Battery A
Remembrance of
Capt. Robert P. Woodhull, by Tory Parlin
Annual Florida Mini-Reunion January 16-19,2010 Ramada Hotel & Inn Gateway
Darrell Egner Hi
Helen I was
talking to Dorothy Mackenzie this morning to give her a run down on Hunter
McDonald's operation. She told me she still talks to Jim every night and
feels bad because he is not remembered in print at least. She asked if we
could place in the Thunderbolt a list of our 28 National Reunion with the
Presidents names.
Hi Dorothy
and Darrell, 517 PRCT Association --
Officers and Directors 2008-2009 Secretary-Treasurer Leo P. Dean Dear Ben, We had recently a mail exchange concerning the
Ceremonies in Southern France this summer. If you were from the Group present on
August 16th I gave 7 issues of "Watch on the Rhine ", the
Newsletter I'm publishing within my Re-enactor Group once a
Year? If you got it could you tell me what you've
been thinking of it ? Would you care sending me whatever you can
tell me about your War experience in the 517th
PIR? You can forward this questionnaire to other
people of your outfit in case they would accept to share their
experience. Best regards, Chris Viller, ROTM QUERY / ABOUT YOUR WWII EXPERIENCE
What is your name ( or the name of the person
for whom you testify ) ? Where were you born and which year ? 2bis) If you were a child at
this time just tell what significant events you can remember ? If you were a civilian specify the time &
place of the events you are relating ? When did you join the Army, in which Corp or
Army Unit & at which place ? In case you were in several Armies, specify in
which Army ? Can you tell in a few lines (or more if you wish
) your WWII Itinerary with dates ( if possible ) or approximate period of
events? If you were captured & became Prisoner, can
you tell where & how it happened. Can you specify by wich troops you were
captured & where were you hold POW ? Also when were you released
& by which Forces ? What Events remain significant to you regarding
your Soldier Position either during combat or during R&R whenever you got
the chance ? Were you generally well supplied with
Equipment, Food, Ammunition
& clothing ? Do you have some memories in
this field ? Do you remember if you were
using captured equipments ? Where were you on VE-Day & how did you learn
the end of the war ? Did the combat end straight then in your area
? 10) After the War, if you
went back to the places you’ve been fighting, how long after the war was it? Did you then meet people you
had known during the war ? Thanks in advance to consider
answering my query, even partially. The questions are perhaps not corresponding
to your situation at the time, but could help in some ways. If you prefer, just
write what you’d like to tell me about your war experience and would allow me to
publish in the historical Newsletter that I’m editing for our Young Fellows in
France. If you have complementary documents, personal paper, photos ( paper
version or scanned ) that would add a lot illustrating the article. You can contact me either by
email: Or by post-mail Christophe
Viller 26, rue des
Veaux 67610 La Wantzenau
- France
from my web site www.517prct.org This
web site will give you all information you want to know about the 517th. Check
on www.517prct.org/archives to see
what "Mail Call" is about. Also click on
History and Archival
Documents Includes December 1944
roster
Recent website
additions:
If my memory serves me he held the first one in Chicago
1949. Don't hold me to this but I know he was involved from day one.
If you don't have this information maybe Ben could help. I know such a
list was published quite some time ago.
Guess I better bring you two up
to date on Hunter. He went in for a major operation on his heart November
2 and had a "Pig Valve" installed. After the operation he could not breath
so they put him on a machine to help
him breath. He is now breathing on his own but still in Intensive
Care. I talked to Emme this
morning and they don't know when he can go home. The Doctor's told her he
is doing fine but the recover time takes about 3 months.
Emme is not
taking calls as she is at the hospital every day so quite a few people called me
asking why they can't get through to her. I asked all of them not to call
Emme and I would keep all of them up to date on his condition which I have
done. Needless to say I haven't been able to talk to Hunter yet.
From what I have heard he will be as good as new when he recovers.
Helen
I think the list of Reunions with the Presidents names would be of interest to
the Thunderbolt readers.
Looking forward to seeing you at the Mini in
January. (Dorothy is coming)
Darrell
President
Merle
McMorrow
1st Vice
President
Directors
President in
Memoriam:
Colonel Rupert Davidson
Graves
Past
Presidents
2008-2009
Darrell Egner
2006-2007
Gene M. Frice
2004-2005
Howard E. Hensleigh
2002-2003
Allan Goodman
1999-2001
Merle W. McMorrow
1997-1999
J.K. Horne, Jr.
1995-1997
Fred Brown
1993-1995
Bob Dalrymple
1991-1993
Joe Miller
1989-1991
Roy Landreth
1987-1989
Tom Cross
1985-1987
Frank
Grbinich
1981-1983
Clinton "Tex"
Lowe
1983-1985
Charles Pugh
1979-1981
Cameron
Gauthier
1977-1979
Gene Camplin
1975-1977
Erle E. Ehly
1973-1975
James Mackenzie
1970-1973
William J.
Boyle
I
prepared a questionnaire which might help or not, but would be greatly honored
if you would accept to be
published in the next issue that I am preparing for January
2010.
Mail
Call Ben517@aol.com
Mail Call
Archives www.517prct.org/archives
Roster
www.517prct.org/roster.pdf
How to find information about a
517th soldier
Training and WWII
Photos
Books and References about the
517th
Individual Decorations
517 Honor Roll
European Grave Sites
WWII Casualty
Reports (under construction)
WWII Recollections - Soldier's Stories
Soldier Stories in the News or on the Internet
.
