Any time now is a good time to register for the Florida mini reunion . The sooner you register, the easier it is for Bob Christie to make the necessary arrangements.

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

Dear Ben:

How you and Bob (Barrett) keep on top of everything in Mail Call astounds us all. We can never fully express our appreciation for tying us together in this hook up. We want what you do to be a joy, not a burden. We will assume the job of the roster of friends and descendants. Clark Archer has kept a list and sent me a copy. It fits right in with other things we are doing. You have the 2003-05 objectives and may put them out on Mail Call any time. All of those who have responded have had positive comments. In getting an Associate member branch up and running, we will need a roster. Bob Christie has been taking care of our printed roster. It already contains the names of friends and descendants. But, we do not want to overburden him (with Thunderbolt, the treasurer’s job, the FL mini and all). We should centralize the effort and have one place where the roster, or rosters, are kept up to date. Bob will need that, and need it up to date, to distribute the Thunderbolt. What I hope to do is to get Bob some help. That should make all of these tasks easier with added byproducts derived from association among several members. Is there anyone out there (in nearby FL if possible) who can lend Bob a hand? In suggesting FL, I may be evidencing my old snail mail background. These machines let us do things we could not dream of doing prior to the information revolution. We are open to suggestions. Howard Hensleigh

Boom Boom sent us the following:

Sent to me from a dear friend. The World War I photo depicting General Pershing and others notables of that era, the kneeling soldier and most importantly, Jesus the Almighty was Magnificent. While serving in the Cavalry at Fort Bliss,Texas (1937), I had the privilege of seeing and meeting General Pershing.

Quran (9:11) ... (Note the verse number!)

"For it is written that a son of Arabia would awaken a fearsome Eagle.
The wrath of the Eagle would be felt throughout the lands of Allah
and lo, while some of the people trembled in despair still more rejoiced;
for the wrath of the Eagle cleansed the lands of Allah; and there was peace."

The "Screeching Eagles" ..... the 101st Air borne Division. (???)

Mike Plessl (USN/USAF)
(Retired)(1942-1963)
Poughkeepsie, NY
No One Gets A Free Ride

In my interview with you I recall another incident, ( kind of funny) I
was in charge of takeing the detail of 10 men every morning to the
Officers barricks, (in Camp Mackall No. Carolina ) The officer I had to
report to would raise cain with me often, as the 3 men I would leave at
the officers latrine to keep the boilers hot (everyday) would alot of
times bank the fires and take-off??? The fires would practically go out
by the time the officers came in at 4-5 o'clock (6-7 hours later)to take
a shower??And I would get chewed out again, So my only recourse was to
raise hell with the men that had to stay and keep the fires hot,   This
one particuler day the guy really kept the boiler hot   hot   hot, and by
the time the officers came in from the field to shower, the hot water
had backed up into the cold water line, of the toilets , Lt. Col Walton
was sitting on the john and reached over and flushed the toilet while
still sitting there,   Steam came out of the cold water line and burned
his butt, I never heard any more about keeping the water hot enough for
the officers??? Lt.Col Walton came to see me in the hospital at Naples
Italy, and I related the incident, ( He did not know me other than I was
a 517 man) He didnot think it was very funny. He had broke his foot and
was walking around on a cast. looking for 517 men that he might know???He
has sinced passed away. Tom McAvoy

Dear Ben: I left the Patriots and Eagles game with the score zip to zip with a desire to communicate with my Battling Buzzard Friends. One of our goals for 2003-05 is to get an associate member organization up and running; another is to communicate through Thunderbolt and Mail Call. Our thanks to Tom Reber who has stepped forward to man the roster for the associate members. For several years Bob Christie has kept up a roster of members, wives, widows, descendants and friends. Bob is also our treasurer, Thunderbolt editor and host of the FL mini reunion. That load is too much to do all jobs well along with Bob’s family responsibilities. Ben has been keeping track of descendants and friends who write in to Mail Call. Ben wants to share responsibility for keeping track of the member contacts made through Mail Call so that it does not become a burden to him. Clark Archer has kept track our associates and has forwarded me a copy of his list. What we need is a mailing list with all members for Thunderbolt Bob can use for a mailing list. I am sure there is technology out there that will allow us to make the best use of what has already been done, add what is necessary and then keep it up to date. I now ask Tom to head up this effort and to communicate with Ben, Bob Christie and Clark Archer. For all others, please let us know of your address changes. In cases where getting Thunderbolt is no longer desired, let us know that so we can keep a tight rein on the list and the Thunderbolt budget. With the money we have left in the kitty, we plan to keep the website up and running after all old Buzzards have hit the final drop zone. Now is the time to say soft landings.

Note to Pat Seitz. Thanks for letting us know of your father’s honor. We too have trouble prying things out your father about himself. He had not told us of this well deserved award. The Association of the Army has only now recognized what we saw in Dick Seitz a long time ago. If any of our members can be in DC to attend the presentation of the Creighton Abrams award to Dick on October 6, we urge them to be there. Say hello to Pat and Alan while you are at it. For those who can’t make it, we may persuade Pat and Alan to drop in to the FL mini.

Howard Hensleigh

Tom McAvoy and Boom Boom sent us the following:

At an airport I overheard a father and daughter in
> their last moments together. They had announced her
> plane's departure and standing near the door she
> said,
> "Daddy, our life together has been more than enough.
> Your love is all I ever needed. I wish you enough,
> too, Daddy."
>
> They kissed good-bye and she left. He walked over
> toward the window where I was seated. Standing there
> I
> could see he wanted and needed to cry. I tried not
> to
> intrude on his privacy, but he welcomed me in by
> asking,
> "Did you ever say good-bye to someone knowing it
> would
> be forever?"
>
> "Yes, I have," I replied. Saying that brought back
> memories I had of expressing my love and
> appreciation
> for all my Dad had done for me. Recognizing that his
> days were limited, I took the time to tell him face
> to
> face how much he meant to me. So I knew what this
> man
> was experiencing.
>
> "Forgive me for asking, but why is this a forever
> good-bye?" I asked.
>
> "I am old and she lives much too far away. I have
> challenges ahead and the reality is, her next trip
> back will be for my funeral," he said.
>
> "When you were saying good-bye I heard you say, 'I
> wish you enough'. May I ask what that means?"
>
> He began to smile. "That's a wish that has been
> handed down from other generations. My parents used
> to say it to everyone."
>
> He paused a moment and looking up as if trying to
> remember it in detail, he smiled even more.
>
> "When we said 'I wish you enough', we were wanting
> the
> other person to have a life filled with enough good
> things to sustain them".
>
> He continued and then, turning toward me, he shared
> the following as if he were reciting it from memory:
>
> I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright.
> I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more.
> I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit
> alive.
>
> I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in
> life appear much bigger.
> I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.
> I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you
> possess.
> I wish enough 'Hellos' to get you through the final
> 'Good-bye'.
>
> He then began to sob and walked away.
>
> My friends and loved ones, I wish you ENOUGH!!!
>
> They say, "It takes a minute to find a special
> person,
> an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them, but
> then an entire lifetime to forget them."
>
> Send this phrase to the people you'll never forget
> and
> also remember to send it to the person who sent it
> to
> you. It's a short message to let them know that
> you'll
> never forget them.
>
> If you don't send it to anyone, it means you're in a
> hurry and you need to slow down to enjoy what is
> around you, the people around you.
>
> I Wish You Enough