Hello,
Website--www.517prct.org
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From The Daily Union, Sept. 17, 2003: _
Recent article from the Junction City, KS From The Daily Union, Sept. 17, 2003:
By Mike Heronemus
The Daily Union
The Association of the U.S. Army selected retired Lt. Gen. Richard Seitz of Junction City to receive its Creighton W. Abrams Medal.
AUSA plans to present the medal, named after a former Army chief of staff, Oct. 6 in Washington, D.C., during opening ceremonies of its annual meeting. AUSA works to improve public and Congressional support of the U.S. Army.
The Abrams Medal recognizes Seitz for his efforts to create a greater public awareness of the Army and to garner support for today's soldiers from citizens in all walks of life, AUSA Communication Director John Grady said.
AUSA invited its 132 chapters worldwide to submit nominations for the Abrams Medal and other awards it will present during the annual meeting, said Pat Taylor, who handles awards for the AUSA. A panel that included several general officers and a retired sergeant major of the Army selected Seitz from the nominations.
Seitz is active in the local AUSA chapter and Junction City's Old Trooper Regiment. He also belongs to Kansans for a Strong Fort Riley, which works to ensure Fort Riley's place as an important part of the community.
Seitz also belongs to a group called Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve. That organization works to make sure employers understand all the military regulations and federal laws regarding their employees who are reservists or National Guard soldiers and to make employers aware of the importance of their soldiers' service.
At least one former post commanding general and a couple of command staff members described Seitz as a valued mentor. Fort Riley occasionally invites Seitz to speak at unit functions or to present seminars on leadership and the military profession.
"When I look around and see what so many of my friends are doing for the military community, I really feel humble" about receiving the Abrams Medal, Seitz said. "I can think of several people more deserving of the award than I am.
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The "Bill Mauldin Army" photo brought back vivid memories of the time in Gavarano, Italy when caught under fire from the German 88's. I couldn't "git any closer" than the stinking hog pen wallowing hole while the incoming shells exploded all around me.
John Alicki
Hey Ben,
Thanks very much for the picture of 'H' Company. Which one are you? I will take the picture & have it enhanced & then printed on 8X10 paper at Wal Mart, for my pictorial history of Layton. Regards, Morris McDowell
A ceremony will be held on Friday, Oct 3 at 2:00 pm to name a section of the ASOM exhibit gallery in honor of Medal of Honor recipients MSG Gary I Gordon and SFC Randall D Shughart. The tenth anniversary of the battle in Mogadishu, Somalia, the widows of the two Task Force Rangers will be in attendance. More info available on our website at www.asomf.org.
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- Dear Ben--
Last weekend, my wife and I were coming home from Ohio. We stopped at Porter, Indiana to see John Terrill. John has been very ill for about a year, but he is a fighter and hasn't lost that 517th feisty PRCT spirit.
John is from Co. F. He and I talked about old memories, talked about our medals and our buddies. We had a nice visit.
Every few weeks, I send him the Mail Calls that I have collected and he enjoys them very much. He asked if I would inquire about two men that I wasn't familiar with that he had often wondered about. Their names were Shorty Bush from Hollywood and Frank Armstrong from Oklahoma City. According to John, they never went overseas but they went through training with the rest of us.
Sure enjoy Mail Call and all the recollections.
Walt and Marie Rommel
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Dear Ben.
Patty and I are in Bangkok,Thailand for the birth of our latest grandchild. Our daughter had some problems but is well now and the granddaughter is doing great.
Could you please send me Dick Seitz' E-Mail address, we plan to be in Washington on October 6th and would like to see if we could attend the award ceremony for Dick Seitz .We would also like to have our son Lt. Patrick C. Smith attend. Patrick is the U.S Park Police SWAT squad chief,graduated from the U.S.Army Ranger Course for Federal Police atFt. Benning,and will be going with me to the 82nd's Europe 04.
Airborne all the way,
Dan Smith
Pat & Dan Smith
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Our secretary- Leo Dean
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