Hello,
Please note the new address or out treasurer Bob Christie. It is now Bobx517@juno.com.
It is now imperative that all have some kind of virus protection.
Ben
Mail Call--Ben517@aol.com
517th Parachute Infantry Home Page__________________________________________________________
Subj: 517 PIR Le Muy
Date: 1/9/2003 9:36:59 AM Eastern Standard Time
From: BoomBoomAlicki
To: MchlCotton, Ben517
Did we link up with the 509th?
Absolutely! Not only with the 509th but also with a British paratroop outfit and the 550th who captured LeMuy with the support of the 517th Engineers.
Also, I might add that the 517th Regimental Intelligence Officer, Captain Dearing who was captured with eight other troopers and taken to LeMuy actually negotiated the surrender of LeMuy and freed from captivity my Platoon Sergeant Brown and the rest of the Demo squad who were taken prisoners almost immediately after we parachuted.
"Often tested, Always faithful, Brother forever".
Boom Boom Alicki
Sir,
I hope you do not mind me contacting you in this way. I am a member of the
Royal Air Force in the UK with 15 years service and I am also a member of a
WW2 US Airborne historical group. I am also an honourary member of the 17th
Abn Div assn.
My historical group is intending to do a display based on Op. Dragoon at the
end of this month. The scenario is set at Le Muy. From W. Breuers book I
learned that you landed near Le Muy along with your Platoon. Did you link up
with the 509 at Le Muy? Did the guys who were captured get rescued during the
capture of Le Muy?
I want to dress as a 517 trooper for the display but need proof that there
were guys at le Muy at that time . Other guys are going as 509/550th but I
want to represent you guys.
Could you please help me as you are the only guy I know that was in that area
from 517.
Airborne All the Way! Mike Cotton
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Subj: 509 and 517 :e Muy
Date: 1/9/2003 5:51:47 PM Eastern Standard Time
From: AARGoodman
Ben I noticed in the last mail call somebody asking about our connection with the 509 at the time of the jump. The First platoon of the engr Co jumped with the 509 So you could ask Bill Hudson or Bill Christianson or perhaps Dalrymple for more info. I was with the 3rd Battalion at Callian
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Subj: website additions
Date: 1/9/2003 8:40:26 PM Eastern Standard Time
From: PRCT517
To: Ben517
Dad,
I ran across a couple more 517th references out on the web, which I have now added to the web site:
Sergeant Major George Dunaway was a Platoon Sergeant with the 517th in January 1945. His bio is now on the "Soldiers Stories" page.
On the "Friendlies" page, I added a link to the 187th Medical Battalion history. During the Battle of the Bulge, the 187th Medical Battalion was attached to Support the 517th Parachute Infantry Regiment in Ardennes, Belgium from 24 December- 1944 to 9 February 1945.
Bob
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Forwarded Message:
Subj: Re: 517 PIR Lre Muy
Date: 1/10/2003 7:51:16 AM Eastern Standard Time
From: MchlCotton
To: BoomBoomAlicki
Boom Boom,
Thank you very much for your reply as it helped justify me wearing 517 PIR uniform at the Operation Dragoon Le Muy display we are planning to create at the end of this month. We will have re-enactors dressed as 509 PIR, 550th and now 517 PIR.
I would like to represent your platoon in the display but would like you blessing before I do so. I will send pictures after the display as I do not know of any other re-enactors recreating the 517 over here before.
Our group consists of mainly ex-military members who have an interest in the WW2 US Airborne, we have set up the only WW2 US Airborne forces museum display here in the UK. We attend several shows through out the year recreating verious WW2 US Airborne units. Most of our members have done parachute jumps and have won awards for the quality of our displays and are regarded as one of the UK's premier re-enactment groups. I am personnaly interested in the 17th ABN and the units that served in it. I do not know if you are a member of the 17th ABN Assn but my groups activities are often detailed in it's publication "Thunder from Heaven".
Airborne all the Way! Mike Cotton
Forwarded Message:
Subj: Re: 517 PIR Lre Muy
Date: 1/10/2003 1:00:27 PM Eastern Standard Time
From: BoomBoomAlicki
To: MchlCotton
Okay....I'm honored that you would represent my Demoliton Platoon. For the record at the activation of the 17th Abn Div the 517th was part of it. Later we pulled pulled out and designated as a seperate Regimental Combat Team. As for sending the photos send copy also to Ben517@aol.com our website master.
Good luck and God Bless you.
Boom Boom Alicki, Major, AUS (Ret)
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Subj: Email Address
Date: 1/10/2003 1:04:28 PM Eastern Standard Time
From: bobx517@juno.com
Ben,I have a new E-Mail address. bobx517@juno.com. Let our members know
about this. I printed my address book and 5 pages instead of the one I
should have.Brett Stadler is bringing his father to the reunion. He said
Sunday and Monday only. Maybe we can talk him into staying for the
banquet.Our number is now 73.Bob Keep 'em coming.
*****************
It's great news that the Stadlers are coming Just wish that other sons like Tom Dorman, John and Tom Reber would somehow be able to make it also.
Ben
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Subj: Mail call
Date: 1/10/2003 2:20:33 PM Eastern Standard Time
From: acdoty@southwind.net
To: Ben517@aol.com
Hello aging to all;
The Christmas' decorations are taken down and stored away for another year,. The New Year Resolutions made and broken by now. The Christmas card list checked and a few was found missing, All the College bowl games have been played and was happy that Kansas State won. The seed catalogs are arriving in the mail, so now is the time to look forward to the coming Reunions. We are getting fewer in members each year, maybe it's time to think about changing our reunions.How about having the Minis Reunions in the even number years and the Bi-annual Reunion in the odd years? I'll be at the Oklahoma City Reunion.
It's always a blessing to be in contact with the Children and Grand children of those we serviced with in the 517th. I've been in touch with Kim Allison, Monkhouse's granddaughter. I was able to give some information and pictures of her grandfather I took 59 years ago.I'm sure glad I had a camera with me.Gave it to someone in H Co. when I left for the 513th. after V E Day.
Cecil H. Doty
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Entry of Jan 9, 2003 at 22:24 [EST]
Name: Gloria Mitchell Schinkal
Unit: No, My Father was 517th E Company
EMail: GloryB@centurytel.net
How I found the 517th page: From a search engine
Comments: My father was Frederick W. Mitchell. He served in the 517 from April 13, 1943 until he was injured on January 3 1945. He is the first man on the left in the picture taken in France. Daddy had a silver plate in his head from those wounds, that troubled him all of his life. Daddy died February 28, 1968. It was such a joy to see the picture of him today.
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