Subj: Tom Cross 
Date: 10/20/2002 12:33:49 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From: hhensleigh@earthlink.net

Dear Ben,  I started to write Tom Cross a personal letter of appreciation on his skilful and diplomatic letter to the young people who are promoting ASOM.  He set the record straight with authoritative references without directly stating that the people who had made the omissions were history deprived and in that context empty headed.  Then I thought Tom deserved the public Mail Call acknowledgement of his contributions through the years to the Association and the memory of those who have served in the Combat Team.  Again we thank Tom for his knowledge and understanding.  My best,
Howard Hensleigh
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Subj: Re: MAIL CALL NO. 375 517TH PRCT 
Date: 10/19/2002 1:58:40 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From: Dalry596@webtv.net

Dear Ben, Tom Cross did a terrific job on the ASOM bit. WE should all
congratulate him. Hs memory is phenomenal. Bob Dalrymple
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Entry of Oct 18, 2002 at 17:27 [EST]
Name: Don Lemen Jr.
Unit:
EMail: milfordsouth@aol.com
How I found the 517th page: A friend told me
Comments: Charles Lemen of Co. E was my cousin. I read the letter by Gene Brissey about Charles death in France. It is nice to know that he is still remembered. My dad recalled seeing him on his final leave before going to war. His sister gave me info on the cemetery he is at as my wife and I are going to France next year. We would very much like to here more about him from Gene or other 517th vets. Thank you all for your service and sacrifice, Don Lemen
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Entry of Oct 18, 2002 at 22:26 [EST]
Name: Amanda
Unit:
EMail: kimmetmn@msn. com
How I found the 517th page: unknown
Comments: I've been researching the 517th PRCT because my grandpa would only tell me that much about his time in the service. (He doesn't talk a lot). My mom has been telling him about my results of my researching, and I heard last night that from my cousin that he is excited to find my results. He is very interested in obtaining a "Bluebook". Could anyone make me a copy for him? Amanda Kimmet
                                     *************
The following is a page from that book which is on the website under 1945 "PCT' Book.

o

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Subj: (no subject) 
Date: 10/17/2002 8:00:13 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From: BoomBoomAlicki
To: BoomBoomAlicki

BOY, THIS IS REALLY NEAT.   Virginia http://www.frontiernet.net/~cdm/age1.html Go to the above link and fill in your birthday and see what happens.  It is
really pretty cool...
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From: Dalry596@webtv.net
To: Ben517@aol.com

Dear Ben, Tom Cross did a terrific job on the ASOM bit. WE should all
congratulate him. Hs memory is phenomonal. Bob Dalrymple
______________________________________________________________________

Subj:
Les Arcs RR Tracks 
Date: 10/19/2002 8:22:54 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From: hhensleigh@earthlink.net

Dear Ben,  It is always refreshing to read of another trooper's account of what still remains a vivid memory.  Cecil H. Doty of H Co. provided that pleasure.  The guy who yelled to get your but off those tracks was probably Lud Gibbons.  He yelled at Lt. Freeman too, but Freeman did not move as fast as you did, so we lost him there.  When I started, I ran across like a striped you know what and they missed me   I remember seeing Sgt.. Gaunce's body, it seems twenty or thirty yards beyond the tracks.  His loss made an impact on me as did Freeman's.  I cannot explain the emotion, but I swore to do whatever I could to avenge their loss.    When I saw that I was the only one alive over there, I hit the dirt and saw the impact of the Jerry fire where I had just rolled from several times.  So, I now think the fire came from the upstairs of the building Zawicki and Fenton were firing at as I ran back over to join my MG section.  If the guns had been on my level, I would not have seen the impact.  What is ironic is that some of the men had located an underpass about one or two hundred yards to the right of where we started to cross and most of the Battalion went under the tracks at that point.  I think Gibbons told me of the underpass almost as soon as I got back.  Third platoon of G Co. was next door to H Co. at Camp Mackall so I knew Gaunce and quite a few H Co. people.  It really surprised me to find H Company's  Sgt.. "Buck"  Walden at the RR station in Iowa City as I was ready to board the train back to Mackall after that pre-embarkation leave.  We got to know each other on that train ride and after the War had a round of golf or two on the Iowa City course.   Jackson, Gibbons and Bennett were all friends.  Bennett, who then commanded the Company, came home on the boat with a German burp gun in his bed roll, so we called him Burp Gun Benny.  Jackson was my kind of combat CO; at Piera Cava, his CP was in a well dug in position on the front defense line.  That CP took a direct artillery hit or two.   Gibbons, who may have yelled at you (Cecil Doty) to get off the tracks, and I had some escapades in Paris including the time he and Mel Zais taught the Rangers something about hand to hand combat.   There is one other H Co. attachment I have.  The next morning after the RR crossing incident, I led an H Co. patrol where we liberated fourteen 45th Division POWs and captured twenty or so Germans.  I have been hoping all these years to run across someone who was on that patrol, but so far, no luck.  Anyone out there???
My best to Cecil Doty, all you troopers and to Ben and Bob who make it possible for us to keep in touch,  HH
--- Howard Hensleigh
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Subj: (no subject) 
Date: 10/19/2002 8:45:13 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From: BoomBoomAlicki
To: Ben517


WORDS FROM THE PRESIDENT ON THE IMPORTANCE OF CHARACTER  
“Our Nation was built on a foundation of sound moral principles.  The heroes of American history responded to threats to their freedom by choosing to fight for these timeless principles, assuming duties that superseded their self-interest.  The character of America's founders was exemplified in their willingness to risk death in resisting tyranny and securing liberty and independence…Parents should teach their children by word and deed to understand and live out the moral values that we hold, such as honesty, accepting responsibility for our actions, and loving our neighbors as ourselves.”   
--George W. Bush