Administrivia:

¨      At any time, if you want to be added or removed from the MailCall list, just let me know.

¨      Donations for any programs involving the 517th should be sent to our treasurer Leo Dean at 14 Stonehenge Lane, Albany NY  12203.

¨      New address for MailCall:  MailCall@517prct.org  I will also continue to search Ben's gmail and AOL accounts for a while as well. 

¨      If you send me email that you do not want included in MailCall, just label it as “FYEO”.

¨      Who knew that 65 years after the 517^th was deactivated, that there would still be so much news about them to be reported?

Bob Barrett

2010 517^th PCT West Coast Party

Website                                           www.517prct.org

Mail Call                                   MailCall@517prct.org

Mail Call Archives            www.517prct.org/archives

Roster                            www.517prct.org/roster.pdf

Recent website additions:

1943 May 10 - Letter to parents of new recruits from Lt. McKinley

Officers of the 2nd Battalion at Camp Toccoa, 1943

Arlton Bearden, Demo Platoon, I Company (KIA Italy)

Video of A Company in Italy, Aug 14, 1944

Le Muy infos magazine - selected pages of the August 2009 celebration

MailCall News

Hi there--I ran across a copy of the 517 Parachute Combat Team booklet and thought I'd send along a copy of the autograph page. My great Uncle Mertz [Lampella] was member of the 517th so I'm always looking for information and if I find anything interesting I'll be sure to pass it on!

Harmon Lampella 

Hello,

My name is Craig Pierce and my Dad, Teddy Paul Pierce, was a member of the 517th   He passed away late last year just prior to his 85th birthday.  He was good man and good father but quiet.  He never said very much about his life with the 517th.  If there is someone out there that knew him, even in the smallest way I would like to here from you.  The information I have has him in Headquarters Company 1st Battalion as a TEC GR V.  He loved the outdoors and taught me to fish and camp.  He ended up becoming a dentist and raised 4 children.  He lived in Napa and Sacramento CA most of his life.  I remember my Mom and him attending at lease one 517th reunion.  I am including a picture from his wedding to my Mom.

Thank you for this mail call and thank you all for your service!

Sincerely,

Craig Pierce

Bob,

First of all, THANK YOU for all the great work you do.

On another note… I have great news!  We’ve been able to upload just about all the individual interviews for everyone to view and share.  We should have all the interviews up there by next week and we’re trying to get the entire movie “A Cut Above” on there as well but it may not be possible do to the size of the movie.

http://www.vimeo.com/the517th/videos

Please provide this link on the 517 website and please include it in the next mail call.  Everyone may forward this link to everyone they know.

Best Regards,

Wade Gilbert

Who is This Trooper?

Answers to MailCall # 1985 quiz:

The answer to who is this trooper is an easy one. I wasn’t even there but I know that it was none other than John “Boom Boom” Alicki. Happy Easter to all of my 517th friends and family.

Rick Sweet

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Who is this trooper has to be then Lieutenant John "Boom Boom" Alicki.  My Dad remembered him well as he arrived at Camp Toccoa on April 27, 1943, and was assigned to F Company, 2nd Battalion.  He was one of the first officers my Dad remembered meeting.  He said this about Lt Alicki:

Bud remembered Lieutenant John Alicki. "A rugged man and took pleasure in greeting the new troops with, “All right, ya volunteered for parachute duty, now is your chance to prove ya meant it!”  One night after the men had gone to bed a man had to go to the Latrine (restroom).  Lt Alicki woke up everyone and made all of the men go to the Latrine." 

Lory Curtis son of Bud Curtis, HQ 1st BN

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Well I'm taking heat from Bob for giving quizzes that are too easy so let's see if everyone knew the answer to the quiz in Mail Call # 1985. OK everybody got it right......The officer in question was none other than Lt John Alicki. Bob is right, much too easy. OK no more "Mr Nice Guy" when it comes exam time. 

Lt Alicki became Major after the Korean War. During his time with the 517th P I R, Lt Alicki earned the nickname of "Boom Boom" as he was in charge of the Demolition Team. He was truly an "Officer and a Gentleman" in every sense of the word. My Uncle George Cavnar of Regimental H Q was a member of his Demo Platoon. Uncle George got a Christmas card from his former commander every year after the war as well as did the other members who stayed in touch with John.  Here is a little known fact about John that I just discovered today. Lt John Alicki had a brief meeting with Pope Pius XII in Rome in 1945 while the 517th was there awaiting orders. According to Johns writing the Pope sent for the soldiers because he had never met parachutists. He said the Pope spoke to them in English. Talk about fringe benefits. John spent his last years as a volunteer hospice at the Kirkwood Center. He could be tough as nails at times when he had to be but those that knew him well will tell you that John was a kind and giving man. R I P John Alicki

Jerry Wofford

N E P H E W    OF    A    BU Z Z A R D

http://www.517prct.org/photos/boomboom1944.htm

Trooper Trivia

Name this tune

And what does this have to do with the 517^th?

Tell Your Story

We’re still waiting for more entries for the Meet the Troopers section of the Web site.  There were 2500 soldiers in the 517^th, and we only have 63 bios on the site!   It is an important part of the 517^th history.  There’s no time like the present to make a few notes about your life.  Start simple.  You can always add more info and more photos later.   Where is Leo Dean?  Gene Frice?  Lud Gibbons?  Families and friends, please get after your troopers to get their story in.  Just get a few words down. 

Material submitted is completely up to the soldier, or to their family and relatives.  Take a look at the biographies already submitted -- Jesse Darden's bio is a great example.  So is Merle’s -- if he would send me some better pictures.   http://www.517prct.org/bios/merle_mcmorrow/merle_mcmorrow.htm

But feel free to be as creative as you like.  It's your story.  This information can be as long or as short as you like.  We would like to see any or all of the following items:

¨      photos - then and now

¨      memories from 517th training and WWII

¨      biography - before and after the 517th

¨      comments, philosophy, opinions

¨      anything you want to say to your friends and relatives  

[ I did get a draft bio from Ray Hess.  I will get it posted this weekend.  – BB]