Hello,

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

Mail Call-----Ben517@aol.com

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Entry of Jul 31, 2003 at 01:10 [EST]
Name: Patrick McArdle
Unit:
EMail: pmcardl@napacommunitybank.com
How I found the 517th page: From a search engine
Comments: A note to let members of the 517th know that Park Stompro, B company, passed away on July 5, 2003. His remains will rest in Arlington National Cemetary.
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Subj: Help!!!! 
Date: 7/29/2003 8:46:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From: BoomBoomAlicki
To: Ben517

Received this request from Shirley McCarey >The traveler @ pnx.com" seeking help from someone who knows the right connection to make:  Here is her request in part: "I just found out that my dads cousin Anford was with Co.A, 33rd Combat Engineers in the States. He was in the Ardennes, Rhineland and Central Europe Campaigns. He was over there from about 10/44 to 8/45. Was wounded on 4/7/45.  Rec'd a Purple Heart at the 21st Gen. Hospital.  My cousin is trying to find out what outfit Anford served in, in Europe and where, dates, etc.  He has his Army Serial Number.   I've never gotten into such as this, and as lost as a goose in a sandstorm!!!  It is the son of one of the dead brothers that is seeking the information.  Help!!!"
Your input would be gratefully appreciated. Send instructions directly to Shirley McCarey.
Boom Boom
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Subj: Frustrations??? 
Date: 7/31/2003 2:42:59 AM Eastern Daylight Time
From: artann3447@juno.com

I have two choices here, take a 10 lb sledge hammer to this computer, or
shut it down for 3 months?? Goofy Juno tells me that they are trying to
cut back on spam so restrict my messages I send, yet 96-97% of my E-Mail
that comes in is spam, 22 messages inbound , 18-20 are spam?? I don't
need this foolishness,  so back to snail mail, My son was here and tried
to fix my computer ,but I havenot been able to use it since he left,  He
tells me I must have pushed a wrong key?? So I should try and do
something I don't understand to fix it??Pleasae don't waste your time
sending me messages till I come back on line. in 3 months.  Maybe, As
most of you  know I will be 80 my next birthday, so to hell with it.
Art,Tom,Dad, McAvoy
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Subj: Pacific NW Luncheon 
Date: 7/31/2003 5:47:20 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From: DGentry509

Hello Ben, maybe some of your members would be interested in this September get together.

Thank You for your continued service.
Don Gentry

Subj: VETERANS OF THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE LUNCHEON - Sept. 20 - Tacoma 
Date: 7/31/2003 1:26:53 PM Pacific Daylight Time
From: Colleen@DVA.WA.GOV

VETERANS OF THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE LUNCHEON

The Northwest Chapter of the Veterans of the Battle of the Bulge (Ardennes
Campaign) invites all veterans, their families and those interested in WWII
history to their semiannual luncheon on Saturday, September 20, 2003 at the
La Quinta Inn at 1425 East 27th Street in Tacoma from 10:30 a.m. until 2:30
p.m. There will be a display of WWII vehicles and uniforms by the Friends of
Willy and Joe, personal displays of memorabilia from the Battle of the Bulge
and a guest speaker. Please call any of the following numbers for
information about the menu choices, cost and driving directions: Lois Wick
(253) 566-7665, Phil Robbins (360) 674-7175 or Doris Rogers (206) 242-9028.
We are limited to 200 guests so please make reservations by September 15th.
Hope you can come!

Thank you! Lois Y. Pawley-Wick, Past President, NWChapter, Veterans of the
Battle of the Bulge, Tacoma

Colleen Gilbert
Public Information Officer
Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs
P.O.Box 41150
Olympia WA  98504-1150
(360)725-2180
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Anecdote from the Battle of the Bulge.

On the morning of December 18th, the full weight of the Sixth Panzer Army came down on the defenders of the little village of Rocherath, northeast of St. Vith. Standing directly across the path of the German steamroller was the 1st Battalion of the 9th Infantry Regiment. In heavy fog, German tanks bore down on the foxhole line and broke right through. Company A was overrun by German infantry; Lt. Stephen Truppner called for artillery fire on his own position. For half an hour an entire artillery battalion shelled Truppner's position. Twelve men from Company A escaped. Company K was similarly overwhelmed; its commander, Captain Jack Garvey, radioed from his cellar command post that he would not retreat without bringing his men. Only eleven men from Company K escaped.
Companies B and C managed to hold on. They let the German tanks roll past them, then turned to fight the oncoming German infantry with grenades and bayonets. When the enemy infantry had been driven off, bazooka teams went out into the fog to stalk the German tanks. Lieutenant. R. A. Parker knocked out six enemy tanks in this manner.
Colonel McKinley, the battalion commander, knew that he could not retreat while his battalion was under direct fire from German tanks. Miraculously, a platoon of Shermans appeared shortly thereafter. They counterattacked towards the Company A and K positions, but nobody was left alive there. Then, under the covering fire of the Shermans, the shattered remains of 1st Battalion withdrew. Only 240 men out of nearly 1,000 were still alive.