Subj: OK City Reunion
Date: 10/4/2002 5:14:51 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From: louettad2001@yahoo.com

Ben, We have received a few requests for information
on the June 2003 reunion.  We will be happy to honor
these requests either by e-mail or snail mail.  We
have only had one registration.  We were hoping to
have more by now.  The latest Thunderbolt had nothing
in it about the reunion. (I had not sent Merle
anything new).  But all the information was in the 2nd
quarter Thunderbolt.  We have seen & heard from a lot
of people that say they are coming.  Jesse wrote
recently about getting letters back because of wrong
addresses.  He has received more and one of them was
for Presley Tinnell.  If anyone has a more recent
address for him would appreciate their sending it.
Really appreciated hear from Ed Flannery about some of
the other addresses.  Thanks for your help Lou Darden
(Jesse Darden's "secretary"
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Subj: Italy
Date: 10/4/2002 1:33:43 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From: Genesir
To: juliana@island-fever.com, Ben517

Juliana,
  Hey, have a nice trip. I would have included Italy in our 517 journey(s) however we did not have any requests (other than yours) for travel there-and it would have taken 3-4 days to add that. Actually, we were in Italy such a short time.
    It your travel, I am sure that you will get to Rome-there is a city a short distance So of Rome (Frascati) that has considerable Roman history and Lake Albino (sp). The 517 passed through the area on the way to Rome. The lake is (was) the Pope's home and is a beautiful place. I believe a portion of the lake bottom was paved.
    John would recall the olive groves in which we camped and received considerable German artillery fire into the groves-and a very large Italian on a very large white horse riding through the area and we later figured he was spotting targets for the German artillery. We were going to shoot him, but he didn't return.
    Have a nice trip.     Gene Frice, F Co.
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-Subj: Hans Blix
Date: 10/4/2002 12:01:04 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From: hhensleigh@earthlink.net

Ben,  After seven years of law practice and service in the Red Bull 34th Division Iowa-Nebraska National Guard, I gave in to a pent up desire to be in international work and settled for a graduate course in international law at Columbia.  The decision was made on our 1954 two weeks active duty at Ft. Leonard Wood, so I arrived in New York after all of the graduate law offices in the basement of the law building were assigned to others.  There was another international law graduate student there from Sweden.  His name was Hans Blix.  He talked to the other five students in his room and they agreed to acquire another desk and take me in   During that year Hans and I became good friends.  He was a little put off at the male dormitory rules that proscribed having women in the room after a free upbringing in Sweden.  We had late night discussions about that and other topics of mutual interest.  He was bright, very much interested in international affairs and I knew he had a future worth watching.  In the Spring he went back to fill a number of spots in the Foreign Office and I went to the International Law branch of the Secretary of Defense, General Counsel Office.  When he visited Washington, I took him to all the sights including the Lincoln Memorial.  He had some questions about how Abe put his words together in the Gettysburg Address, something I never questioned.  Hans now has the job of walking the fine line between Saddam (the spell check had several suggested changes to this name one of which was Satan) and George Bush.  He will have his hands full trying to make an honest man out of that cheating bastard (not a diplomatic term).  I wish the very best for my old friend, but let us watch him closely to see how he does.  God Bless all you troopers and their friends and descendants,  Howard Hensleigh

--- Howard Hensleigh
--- hhensleigh@earthlink.net
                                                       ************
Hans Blix is the chief UN weapons inspector.
Ben
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Subj: RE: MAIL CALL NO. 368 517TH PRCT
Date: 10/4/2002 2:12:42 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From: lory.curtis@jordan.k12.ut.us
To: Ben517@aol.com
CC: Lory.curtis@jordan.k12.ut.us

Hi Ben!    I am sitting in the office of my son, Dr. L. V. Curtis, in West Jordan, Utah, about twenty miles south of Salt Lake City.  He is the Vice Principle of the Copper Hills High School.  My history with the 517th began in April of 1943 at Camp Toccoa with Company F; then, later to Regimental Headquarters before my final assignment with the Communications Section, Headquarters First Battalion.  My nick name is Bud.  My official name is Harland Lorel Curtis.  On the fourth page of the Picture Section of the Battling Buzzard’s book I am shown standing at the tail of a C-47 in battle gear.  They show my name as just Harland Lorel.  Maybe in some future printing they might add my last name  Curtis.  This picture was taken on August 14, 1944, just a few hours before we left the Cittivechia airport outside of Rome, Italy, in the early hours of August 15th.  My home address is 4367 Paramount Boulevard, Lakewood, California, 90712-3711.  I will be returning home on Monday and will be looking forward, as usual, for the next issue of the Thunderbolt.  In the meantime my best to all 517th troopers.  AIRBORNE! Bud Curtis         (P.S.  ---   My son is a retired Major, Army Helicopter Pilot, with 27 years of service to our Country and reads your E-Mail messages every day and  keeps me informed}.
______________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

Subj: 517th Thunderbolt Roster
Date: 10/4/2002 7:04:39 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From: roughrider436@bis.midco.net

Mr. Ben Barret,

My name is Gary Christianson.  I'm writing to you for any help you can provide.

My father's name is Ralph Christianson.  He passed away two years ago, however, my mother is still receiving the 517th Parachute Regimental Combat Team Roster (received March 2002).  His name currently appears on the 517th Thunderbolt Roster (number 247).  My mother is requesting to be taken off the mailing list since Dad left us to be with his fellow airborne comrades.

My father didn't tell me about your web site.  It's a great site.  I wish I knew of it before he passed away.  I'm not sure what unit my father was really assigned to, however, his DD214 says the 194th Glider Airborne Infantry.  He didn't talk much about the war but only he was also in Bulge.  I did some research, however, the 194th was reorganized in March 1945.  He received a battle field commission, however, the officer was killed before the paperwork was started.  Cancer finally developed in his feet as a result of "frozen" feet (VA medical info) received during the 'Battle of the Bulge' in accordance with his doctor.

Anyway, I'm not sure what the connection is or how the 517th and 194th are related.  Like I said...he didn't want to talk about the war.  He was a very proud man.

Thank you for any assistance or information you can provide.  Not sure where to go from here.

Gary Christianson
Bismarck, North Dakota
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Subj: Are You Registered To Vote?
Date: 10/4/2002 8:44:16 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From: BoomBoomAlicki
To: Ben517

If you have not yet registered, it may still be possible for you to do so.  Most state deadlines are in October.  If you have moved or changed your name, you must register to be able to vote in the November 5 elections.  To learn how you can register to vote, click here (if underlined): https://ssl.capwiz.com/fof/nvra/ or copy and paste the address into your internet browser (this will take you to the site developed by Focus on the Family). 

In addition to encouraging your participation in the election, The Presidential Prayer Team urges our members to pray for the vote.  Pray for God’s direction through the voting process, and that all believers will take responsibility for the great privilege of citizenship by going to the polls.  Remember, our government is based on representatives.  Make sure your representative also represents your values.  
Boom Boom
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Entry of Oct 4, 2002 at 12:40 [EST]
Name: Raymond-Paul, Moats (Moate)
Unit: USAF 1956-66
EMail: Artflight@hotmail.com
How I found the 517th page: From a search engine
Comments: My father, Pvt. Moats, Paul R. (misspelled as Moate), was awarded a Bronze Star for an action in Italy on 6 June 1944. He did serve with the 517th from Italy to the end of the war. He passed away in 1987. Is buried in the Columbia S.C. Any information about him and his duties would be very welcome. Please feel free to Send me E-Mail or visit http://pages.prodigy.net/hmoats/artflight.htm Thank you . . . Raymond
                                           **********
Obviously the June 6  date is an error. However we have on our casualty list for E Co on July 19 Pvt. Paul R. Moats NBC and on Aug. 27 Sgt. Paul R. Moats RTD.
NBC is Non battle connected. RTD is Returned to duty. The 1944 Christmas roster has him listed as a Private. With the help of Raymond and Clark Archer we will try to get correct date and rank correct.
Ben