Hello,
Merry Christmas
Website--prct517.home.attbi.com or members.aol.com/prct517/
Mail Call--Ben517@aol.com
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Subj: Merry X-Mas and happy New Year!
Date: 12/22/2002 2:29:45 PM Eastern Standard Time
From: eddy.lamberty@village.uunet.be
Dear friends,
Have ,a glorious Holidays Season and a happy New Year which brings good health, happy days, friendship, love, and peace to your lives. God bless you and yours.
Eddy LAMBERTY & Claude ORBAN & families
Rue Capitaine Lekeux 2 / 3
6698 Grand-Halleux
Belgium
Website http://users.swing.be/salmriver/
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Subj: Best wishes
Date: 12/23/2002 12:24:22 PM Eastern Standard Time
From: arnold.targnion@belgacom.net
To: Ben517@aol.com
Dear Ben, dear 517th friends,
We would like to wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2003. We remember the wonderful time we have spent together and we love you. We shall have our annual ceremonies on 2003 january 04 with a special Mass in St Jacques to pray for US soldiers who died and suffered for our Liberty. We do hope you are well. We wish you all the Happiness that Christmas time can bring and then for every day next year the best of everything. God bless you.
Arnold and Irma TARGNION and members of CADUSA
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Subj: Gerald Davis "Jerry"
Date: 12/21/2002 8:47:53 PM Eastern Standard Time
From: AARGoodman
To: Ben517
I just had a nice long talk with Jerry who called from Australia to wish all of his friends in the combat team Happy Holidays. He was one of our cadre from the 506th and was Sgt Major of the 3rd BAttalion as well as a first Sgt in the 1st. He was widowed a long time ago and met and married his present wife while travelling in Europe. She is Australian and they moved there several years ago to be near Children Grandchildren and Great Grandchildren. They lived in California for 14 yrs at Arnold Ca. near Angels CAmp.He asked in particular about Barney Hekula. and Carl Kiefer and Elaine Markle widow of Gene. I was able to give him Elaines new address and fill him in on the others.His address is Gerald Davis #8 Littlecroft, Narre Warren, Vicroria Australia 23805. He also asked where to send his support for the Thunderbolst and I gave him Bob Christies address. He wants to be remembered and to hear from some of his old buddies. He is in the roster. Getting caqlls like this and notes from others is one of the bonuses of this job. Merry Christmas to All. Al. ___________________________________________________________________
Subj: Fw: Fw: Fw: Fw:Fw: For our Vets and every body else who needs a
prayer
Date: 12/22/2002 5:47:46 PM Eastern Standard Time
From: obmb@msn.com (Martha and Oscar Berg )
Subject: For our Vets and every body else who needs a prayer
> Pass this on and God Bless.
>
> Please send this on after a short prayer.
> Prayer wheel for our soldiers...please don't break it
>
> Prayer Wheel
>
> "Lord, hold our troops in your loving hands.
> Protect them as they protect us. Bless them
> and their families for the selfless acts they
> perform for us in our time of need. I ask this
> in the name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior.
> Amen."
>
> Prayer Wheel:
>
> When you receive this, please stop for a moment
> and say a prayer for our ground troops in
> Afghanistan.
> There is nothing attached.... This can be very
> powerful.... Just send this to all the people in
> your address book. Do not stop the wheel, please....
> Of all the gifts you could give a US Soldier,
> Prayer is the very best one....___
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Entry of Dec 22, 2002 at 19:17 [EST]
Name: Ed Boswell in care of Blackie Norton
Unit: USCG 68
EMail: edboswell@usa.net
How I found the 517th page: unknown
Comments: Just wanted to pass along that Blackie Norton 1st Battalion C company I believe the service company, passed away in early December. He was tough as nails till the end, and was very proud of his time with the 517th. He transfered to the 82nd when he was in Berlin at the end of the war, and became a Captain in the Army Reserve. He retired to his hometown in the Mother Lode area of California. Blackie was with the 517th from day one, and parachuted into Southern France on August 15th.
_______________________________________________________Entry of Dec 22, 2002 at 21:10 [EST]
Name: Mike Sabine
Unit: many including the 82d ABN DIV
EMail: msabine@nc.rr.com
How I found the 517th page: unknown
Comments: My father, Robert L. Sabine, died this past May 2d. He was a member of D Co., 2d BN. I know my father was very pround of his association with the 517th though he would talk very little about his wartime experiences. After reading the Paratrooper's Odyssey, I was able to follow the path of the 517th in Belgium while I was living in Germany. In the mid 90's when my parents came to visit me in Germany, I was able to take Dad back to Bergstein, St. Vith, Stavelot and some other locations he had been in during the war. Dad was never much of a talker, and while we were in those places, he became very quiet. Only on occasion did he talk about some of the lighter momements in these places, and of meeting his brother in Belgium. If any members of the 517th remember knowing my father I would appreciate hearing from you and about your memories. Ben and Bob, thanks for the wonderful site on the 517th. Mike Sabine Fayetteville, NC
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----------------forwared Message:
Subj: Re: looking for information on the 517th
Date: 12/20/2002 2:42:51 AM Eastern Standard Time
From: LeavittFire
To: PRCT517
Dear Mr. Barrett,
My name is Jared Leavitt. You don't know me, but I found your e mail address in the guestbook on the website for the 517th. I am looking for information regarding my grandfather who, I am told, served in the 517th. I don't know what the process is for accessing information, but I am very interested to know more about him and what he did.
His name is Melvin P. Leavitt. Will you direct me toward the best resource for finding information about him? I am interested in the places that he was, actions in which he may have been a participant. Honestly, I would just like to learn anything that I can about his experiences.
I would be most grateful for anything that you would be willing to share with me. Thank you for your time in this matter.
Sincerely,
Jared Leavitt
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Forwarded Message:
Subj: Re: Thank you for information on the 517th!!!
Date: 12/22/2002 1:36:29 PM Eastern Standard Time
From: LeavittFire
To: PRCT517
Hello Bob,
Thank you so much for your time! I am very grateful to you for your kindness. Please pass along my gratitude to your father. I am interested to hear any stories from people who knew my grandfather.
I have purchased 2 copies of "Battling Buzzards", one for me and one for my father, as we are both very interested to know more about what happened in the War. Grandpa never talked much about what happened over there, and we would just like to know more about him.
One final question, would it be appropriate to attend a reunion of the 517th? Without Grandpa, I don't know if it would be an imposition for me to attend, with or without my father. Please give me your honest opinion, as I am completely out of that circle, and I wouldn't want to inhibit the activity or atmosphere there in any way.
Once again, thank you for your kindness in this matter, I am very grateful. I hope that you and your family enjoy a Merry Christmas.
Jared
*******************
Jared is the grandson of Melvin P. Leavitt . D Co.
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Excerpt from mail received ffom Merle.
_
Incidentally I saw the Mail Call with Mc Aullife's Christmas greeting at Bastogne. I still have the mimographed copy handed out that Christmas Eve. I also remember hearing the Germans singing Silent Night. It was a cold, still night with no wind and the sounds carried easily across the rolling hills.
Merle W. Mc Morrow
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