Hello,
Please advise me if you don't want your mail printed in Mail Call. Although most mail is addressed to me it is really meant in most cases to the 517 and the content is of great interest to all members. I am just the messenger and Bob is the technical expert.
Ben
Annual Florida Snowbird Mini-Reunion 2004
January 18-22, 2004
Kissimmee, FL
Paratroopers' Odyssey
Dear Ben:
You, your writing talents and your computer abilities are absolutely amazing. Thank you for your faithful efforts, it seems 24/7. My husband, Alan, and I enjoy reading them. Additionally, your Mail Call should get the credit (along with my sister Nancy) for getting my Dad close to a computer. Initially, he would only watch when Nancy sent messages for him. Now he is his own person on it.
Thank you also for the picture of John Lissner you had recently and today's message from Tom Cross. I had not heard the full account of the Mulligan Guards. I once asked Dad why he selected Uncle John to be my Godfather and his response was: "I don't know why, he was always getting me into trouble!" After reading Tom Cross' note, I no longer need to guess that it was Irish whiskey that enabled Uncle John to protect me by sleeping under my crib!
I had the privilege of doing one of the readings at Uncle John's funeral Mass and to follow the Honor Guard and riderless horse to the burial site. It was a beautiful day, unseasonable warm for DC and the crowd of family and friends lifted us all. Uncle John's wonderful Irish spirit was very much with us and loving it all as only he could. For me it was very special to be with his kids, to meet Tom Cross' son, Wayne, Lou Walsh's daughter, as well as Dorothy Mackenzie, a most remarkable lady.
While Dad doesn't talk much about what he did during the war, he has never been able to contain his pride in being associated with the men of the 517th. He constantly recounts all of their successes. The 517th -- what an awesome group of human beings.
Thank you again to you and Bob for sharing your talents and love of the 517th with the rest of us.
Sincerely, Pat Seitz and Alan Greer
(Alan insisted on keeping his maiden name until I could support him in the style to which he would like to become accustomed -- on a public servant's salary that day may never come!)
PS We would also like to thank you for the pictures from the funeral march in Texas for our young solider. What a great community -- that is real America.
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The funeral march in Texas was sent to us by Boyd Ellis. If you missed it,
THE MULLIGAN GUARDS
(Edward Harrington and David Braham)
We crave your condescension, we'll tell you what we know
Marching in the Mulligan Guards in the Seventh Ward below;
Our Captain's name was Hussey, a Tipperary man
He carried his sword like a "Rooshian Duke" when e'er he took command.
cho: We shouldered arms and marched and marched away
From Jackson Street we marched to Avenue A.
With fifes and drums, how sweetly they did play;
As we marched, marched, marched in the Mulligan Guards.
When the band played Garry Owen or the Connemara Pet,
We'd march in the mud with a rub-a-dub-dub in the military step
With Green above the Red, boys, to show where we'd came from
Our guns we'd lift with a right shoulder shift as we march
to the beat of the drum.
When we got home at night, boys, the divil a bite we'd ate,
We'd all sit up and drink a sup of whisky strong and nate
Then we'd all march home together as slippery as lard,
The solid men would all fall in and march with the Mulligan Guard.
@Irish
filename[ MULLGARD
TUNE FILE: MULLGARD
CLICK TO PLAY
Entry of Jan 06, 2004 at 22:03 [EST]
Name: John R.Ervine
Unit: 11 th Marines
EMail: honjohn@starband.net How I found the 517th page: From a search engine
Comments: I thought i would make a return trip to your site and let you know that i passed on info to my father Wayne Ervine and he was sure happy to get it.A special thanks to Boom Boom Alicki for his nice response and also a special thanks to Ben for sending me Mail Call.When my dad gets by i'm sure we will spend a few hours reading over Mail Calls and looking over the web site.I received the following link so thought i would pass it on for those who may not of seen it.Sincerely,John Ervine
http://www.combatmedicchallenge.org/m1/saddam/saddam.html___________________________________________________________
Dino Papas
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Hello Ben -- thank you so much for your quick reply....I'll be out looking for the book today! The death of my uncle had a tremendous impact on my grandparents which unfortunately kept them from sharing much about his service with our family. Uncle Spi's three sisters all served during WWII and their service influenced me to join the Army, spending 26 years on active duty as an Infantryman (retired two years ago). We're requesting any records that may still be available from the St. Louis repository and hopefully I can get a copy of his DSC citation, an award I didn't even know about until we found your web site last evening.....talk about feeling proud.
Thanks again and have a very happy new year.
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Dino Papas is the nephew of Spiros Gogos ,Spiros was a menber of the 517 Medical Detachnebt and was killed June 18, 1944-Mail Call No. 614-Ben
Tom Reber
Just a short note to let you know I am flying to FL after all, be there the evening of the 19th, departing the 22nd. Quick visit, but this short visit will be with some folks who are long on quality! See you soon...
Regards,
Tom Reber
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Great news!-Ben
_________________________________________________________________________
Bob Barrett
Dad,
I'm not sure if we want this to be in a public place, since it might contain personal news and contact info, but you could note its location to anyone who is looking for missed items.
Let me know. Bob.
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Check this archive site on the web site.If you have had problems with scanned material ( NO. 608 - 12/25) or photos,this willl solve your problems.
Let us know what you think about it.-Ben