From: Ben517@aol.com
Sent: Friday, December 11, 2009 7:53 PM
To: undisclosed-recipients:
Subject: MAIL CALL NO. 1932 - 517TH PRCT- DECEMBER 11, 2009
70 Pleasant St. Cohasset, MA. 02025 ,781 383 0215 * Mail Call : Ben Barrett  Ben517@aol.com 

 
Hello                     http://bands.army.mil/music/bugle/calls/mailcall.mp3< Click on
 
I received word today from Bettey Traver mybet@cox.net that Merle is improving each day.
 
Please make reservations for Florida Reunion Jan. 16, as soon as possible . Host has to make  down payment  for banquet.
 
Please do not  send downloads when just an email will do.
 
Please send links  when possible. It saves me for searching for the link and saves space on Mail Call.
 
Donations for whatever program involving the 517th should be sent to our treasurer Leo Dean at 14 Stonehenge Lane, Albany 12203
 
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
Bob Barrett
 
FYI.  Merle did send me a draft of his bio for the “Meet the Troopers” page.  I am waiting for him to get me some more photos, or I may scan some in from his book.  Since it is not yet complete, I did not list it on the Table of Contents page.  But the draft is posted.  http://www.517prct.org/bios/merle_mcmorrow/merle_mcmorrow.htm

Merle McMorrow

The dog sled from ND must be snow bound.  We added photos from the web sight. - Ben

Howard Hensleigh

Dear Brad.  Thanks for sending your father's service record.  It helps, but leaves some unanswered questions about exactly when he joined us and what he did before that.  The ORC stands for officers reserve corps.  The record shows that he had 4 years of college and may have taken ROTC.  He entered the service before Pearl Harbor on May 13, 1941.  His list of major battles is exactly like the 517th, except for Southern France and he was awarded only 4 bronze stars for his ETO ribbon, which corresponds with his list.  So we have Rome-Arno, then a blank period, then we hit Rhineland and the rest of our battles.  His schools show that he went through jump school, but the location is not specified.  Ordinarily I think this means Ft. Benning, GA, but there were other schools, one in Rome as Ben Barrett confirms.  Scrappy was wounded twice and has a purple heart and cluster to show for it, once on 13 Jan 45 and again at Bergstein, Germany on 7 Feb 45.  He was awarded the Bronze Star medal and at the time it was awarded it meant something more than it did later when all who were entitled to the Combat Infantry Badge were awarded the Bronze Star.  Because of that he now would have a cluster on his Bronze Star.

This is a nice puzzle and we can learn more if we keep working on it.  Ed Athey may have something to add.  

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY,  Howard Hensleigh 

Denis Sura

To Brad Stewart regarding your pictures.  The picture with Richard Hugglar in the middle has my father Mike Sura on the Right.

Dennis Sura Son
John Marienbad -John Alecki's nephew
 
Merry Christmas

PEACE ON EARTH

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. May the Peace and Joy abide with you all through the Year.

Jay Sutcliffe
Ben,

This is for Brad Stewart, which picture are you referring to when you said, “My dad is on the right”?

And to Lory Curtis, if you are trying to contact the Steele family, the web is a great tool.  I’ve been able to track down quite a few family members of Troopers who were friendly with my dad using various sites. Steele is a common name so it may take a few calls, but form my experience it’s worth it.  I found Hack Reese’s (C Company) daughter through an obituary that was posted of Mr. Reese.  

 Thanks

j