Hello,

Website-----www.517prct.org

Mail Call---Ben517@aol.com
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Subj: [Fwd: Can You Hear Me Now?] 
Date: 3/27/2003 12:14:41 PM Eastern Standard Time
From: saltaire@pinn.net
Hi Ben,
ENJOY
Becky Martinette (father Maurice White 517)


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Subj: thoughts of a veteran 
Date: 3/26/2003 10:05:36 AM Eastern Standard Time
From: Wild bill 517
To: hhensleigh@earthlink.net
CC: Ben517

I agree. Would like to meet him. Too bad he is
unknown. although I am not too sure of his list
of best friends---------seems Germany sort of
bucked us on going into Iraq. Seems you have
to whip them to make them understand. Sad but
true.
           Bill Boyle
                                       ************
Bill Boyle is referring to mail sent in by Howard Hensleigh in last Mail Call-Ben

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Subj: Fw: Dixie Chicks and other traitors 
Date: 3/24/2003 8:15:11 PM Eastern Standard Time
From: jmbarrett@gci-net.com
Subject: Dixie Chicks and other traitors

 I checked the following letter out in snopes.com and found no evaluation of its veracity.  Take it for what it is worth.  I especially like the underlined part and we should all do as this young officer did to express our dissatisfaction.  Boycott Cloony, Alec Baldwin, etc.
 Ed_____________________________________________________________________________ I think this soldier says it all. Letter from radio station website in Lubbock, home of the Dixie Chick that spewed forth about our president:  Name: LT Layne McDowell Date: 03/15/03 Time: 01:54:49 PM Comment  An open letter to the Dixie Chicks:   Earlier this week, while performing in London, you stated that you were ashamed that our President is from your home state. I wonder if you realized how many Americans would be listening. This American was listening. This Texan is ashamed that you come from my state. I serve my country as an officer in the United States Navy. Specifically, I fly F-14 Tomcats off carriers around the world, executing the missions that preserve the very freedom you claim to exercise. I have proudly fought for my country in the skies over Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan without regret. Though I may disagree wholeheartedly with your comments, I will defend to the death your right to say them, in America. But for you to travel to a foreign land and publicly criticize our Commander in Chief is cowardice behavior. Would you have so willingly made those comments while performing for a patriotic, flag-waving crowd of Texans in Lubbock. I would imagine not. How dare you pocket profits off songs about soldiers, their deaths and patriotism while criticizing their Commander in Chief abroad, even while they prepare to give their lives to ensure your own freedom of speech. Please ask yourself, what have you done to deserve that sacrifice? Do not try to justify your comments by claiming that you made them only because you care about innocent lives. Never once in our history have we committed troops to war for the purpose of taking innocent lives. We do it to protect innocent lives, even yours. If the world leaders of the late 1930's had the vision and courage of our present Commander in Chief, perhaps the evil men who caused the death of millions in WWII would have never had the opportunity to harm a soul. The potential loss of millions of lives in the future at the hands of today's evil men necessitate action. In a separate correspondence, I am returning to you each and every Dixie Chicks CD and cassette that I have ever purchased. Never again will I allow my funds to support your behavior. All you have done is to add your name to a growing list of American "Celebrities" who have failed to realize that they have obtained their successes on the backs of the American blue-collar workers such as our servicemen and women.   To Natalie Maines: This Texan, this American will continue to risk his life to guarantee your freedoms.  What will you do to deserve it?
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Subj: Take This Medal and Shove It 
Date: 3/25/2003 8:36:17 PM Eastern Standard Time
From: BoomBoomAlicki
To: Ben517

"A World War II veteran who was decorated by the French government of his
D-Day bravery returned his medal yesterday to protest what he called France'
s cowardice for opposing the war in Iraq.  'I did my share, my part, to
liberate the country from Hitler, and this is the way that they repay me,"
said George Wilson, 80, laying down the rainbow-ribboned Jubilee of Liberty
medal at the gate of the French Embassy."

- Washington Times, 3/22/03
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Subj: army joke 
Date: 3/25/2003 7:06:20 PM Eastern Standard Time
From: rbarrett@alum.mit.edu
To: ben517@aol.com


Bragging about old times

Two men were boasting to each other about their old army days.

"Why, my outfit was so well drilled," declared one, "that when they presented arms all you could hear was slap, slap, click."

"Very good," conceded the other, "but when my company presented arms you'd just hear slap, slap, jingle."

"What was the jingle?" asked the first. "Oh," replied the other offhand, "just our medals."

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Date: 3/27/2003 4:27:49 PM Eastern Standard Time
From: winant@planetinternet.be

Dear Mr. Barrett,

I'm a Belgian - Dutch language - historical writer and for the moment I'm writing a book about the Second World War. It would be my third book about the same item (in my first book I told the story of the underground and in the second one the story of the Carpetbaggers (8th airforce - 801st/ 492nd bomb group- Special Operation Executive) dropping secret agents and containers for the Belgian resistance.

My next book is not finished yet but I had a particulary attention to relate the facts that happend in Soy, Hotton and Erezee during the Christmas period by the 517th PIR. In 2000, I met Mr. Gene Brissey and his wife Eddie in Belgium and talked about his tribulations at first in Le Muy - Provence (Dragoon) and after in the Belgian Ardennes.
I was looking for an officer who fighted in the first battalion and found the name of the former of the battalion, Luit-Colonel William J. BOYLE (nickname Wild Bill) but ... I didn't know if mr. Boyle was still alive! I took contact with my friend Gene Brissey of Alberquerque to ask for confirmation. His answer was positive but he had not the e-mail address of the Luit-Colonel.
Could you help me by giving me the address because I would ask to mr. Boyle to write the foreword of my book. It would be a great honor for me if he would do this! Do you think, mr Barrett, he would do it for me?
By the way I have to congratulate you for your marvellous website of the 517th P.I.R.veterans association.
I think that you have done a great thing with this web site. I really enjoyed your excellent site and look forward to visiting often.
It's not every day that you see someone looking from the other side of the fence. You have made me as , I'm sure other aware of the lives and deaths of these courageous fighter parachutists.
I give you sight two BIG thumbs up !! Congratulations for you work !!
Thank you beforehand for the information.

Regards,

Claudy WINANT
Toekomststraat, 19
3404 - LANDEN.
BELGIUM.
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Entry of Mar 27, 2003 at 13:07 [EST]
Name: SENNE
Unit: french navy TCD FOUDRE
EMail: glider@libertysurf.fr
How I found the 517th page: From a search engine
Comments: Do you if is it possible to have informations about Schiers Melvin C. HQ Company 2nd bat.(WW2)? Benoit from Southern France




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