Hi all:

This is a two purpose E-mail. (1) First a story and (2) second a request.

Chris Lindner (Nate Rubenstin's daughter) and I took a trip to Tocooa last week. We were taking pictures at the old train station that all of the 517 arrived at to start our training. A man pulled up and asked, Paratroopers? He pulled a set of plans that showed how they were about to revamp the old station to the new Airborne Museum. Next we followed him to the present museum where we met a Mr. Lamar Davis, a docent. He asked us to place him on the mailing list to receive the Thunderbolt which I believe he will display in the museum (Bob Christi, his address is Stephens County Historical Society, 662 Valley Drive, Tocooa, Ga. 30577). Ben, he would also like to receive Mail Call. His E-mail address is charlesd01@alltel.net.

Incidentally Chris and I were both impressed with the museum and the new 517 monument. We drove a short distance up Currahee Mountain and saw the only building standing, our old Mess Hall.

Darrell Egner

Hq Co 2nd Bt(

Michael Carrillo (Son of Jesus((Beaver) H. Company

Hi Ben, hope you and yours are all doing well. I don't think I ever asked
you to put me on the roster.

Michael & Mary Carrillo
525 W. Rosslyn
Fullerton, CA 92832
1(714) 447-9589

I also want to know if there are any membership fees that I can pay,
please advise. I'm going to Dallas this week (Oct.31,03) to see my mom &
dad, the Beaver. I'm going home for a 40 yr. high school reunion. Will
talk to you again, have enjoyed the e-mail that I get from you.
My Regards to all of you of the 517, PRCT.

Dallas and Jerrie Long G. Company

> LETTER FROM A FARM KID . . . NOW AT SAN DIEGO MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT
> >
> > Dear Ma and Pa:
> >
> > I am well Hope you are. Tell Brother Walt and Brother Elmer the Marine
> > Corps beats working for old man Minch by a mile. Tell them to join up
> > quick before maybe all of the places are filled. I was restless at first
> > because you got to stay in bed till nearly 6 a.m., but am getting so I
> > like to sleep late.
> >
> >
> > Tell Walt and Elmer all you do before breakfast is smooth your cot and
> > shine some things. No hogs to slop, feed to pitch, mash to mix, wood to
> > split, fire to lay. Practically nothing. Men got to shave but it is not
> so
> > bad, there's warm water.
> >
> > Breakfast is strong on trimmings like fruit juice, cereal, eggs, bacon,
> > etc., but kind of weak on chops, potatoes, ham, steak, fried eggplant,
> pie
> > and other regular food. But tell Walt and Elmer you can always sit by
the
> > two city boys that live on coffee. Their food plus yours holds you till
> > noon when you get fed again. It's no wonder these city boys can't walk
> > much.
> >
> > We go on "route" marches, which the Platoon Sergeant says are Long walks
> > to harden us. If he thinks so, it is not my place to tell him different.
> A
> > "route march" is about as far as to our mailbox at home. Then the city
> > guys get sore feet and we all ride back in trucks. The country is nice,
> > but awful flat.
> >
> > The Sergeant is like a schoolteacher. He nags some. The Capt. is like
the
> > school board. Majors and Colonels just ride around and frown. They don't
> > bother you none. This next will kill Walt and Elmer with laughing. I
> keep
> > getting medals for shooting. I don't know why. The bulls-eye is near as
> > big as a chipmunk head and don't move. And it ain't shooting at you,
like
> > the Higgett boys at home. All you got to do is lie there all comfortable
> > and hit it. You don't even load your own cartridges. They come in boxes.
> >
> > Then we have what they call hand-to-hand combat training. You get to
> > wrestle with them city boys. I have to be real careful though, they
break
> > real easy. It ain't like fighting with that ole bull at home.
> >
> > I'm about the best they got in this except for that Tug Jordan from over
> > in Silver Lake He joined up the same time as me. But I'm only 5'6" and
> 130
> > pounds and he's 6'8" and weighs near 300 pounds dry.
> >
> > Be sure to tell Walt and Elmer to hurry and join before other fellers
get
> > onto this setup and come stampeding in.
> >
> > Your loving daughter,
> > Gail
>

Ben,

Good afternoon!

My best friend father served in the 517 during the war (Karl Steinfurth). We are trying to find him a copy of the above book as he does not have a copy. Does the associations have any copies for sale, or know of a book store on line that we could purchase one?

David is referring to the Paratroopers' Odyssey.-Ben

Any information would be appreciated!

Thanks

David haller

Ben,

Thanks for the quick response!

No it is fine if Karl sees it. He knows that we are all looking for it.

I appreciate you putting it in your "Mail Call". I found your read site and read what was there with much interest.

Thanks again, and thanks for your service in the war!

David

Entry of Oct 27, 2003 at 21:58 [EST]
Name: Glen D. Brown
Unit: Hq Co 3rd Bn., 517th Prcht. Inf.
EMail: Bunchofbrownies@Juno.com
How I found the 517th page: From a search engine
Comments: My Father was in the Airborne during WWII. I have taken his unit from his "New York Port of Embarkation", he sailed on the ship "Madawaska" from Havre, France on 12 Aug 1945. Any pictures of him he is wearing a 13th Division Airborne patch. I would like to know more about his unit, and suggestions on how to go about tracking down details concerning his involvement with this unit. I would like to correspond with someone who could give me some insight into the heros of this unit. thank you, Glen M. Brown

Darrell Egner at Tocooco monument