2004 West Coast Party
April 19-22, 2004
Palm Springs, CA

Bob Barrett

Okay, Dad. I have done a couple of changes on the website. First I shortened up the Table of Contents page, just to simplify the look. I moved many of the sub-pages to be under the "History and Archives" page. This includes the History, Casualty Reports, Books, Photos, Decorations, Honor Roll, European Grave Sites, and Recollections. Let me know if you want to change anything.

Secondly, we have our first volunteer for a new section: "Meet the Troopers". Jesse Darden has submitted his bio to begin the page. I would like to encourage other troopers and families to do the same. I think this section can be a great tribute to all 517 troopers -- a chance to leave a short legacy to their friends and family.
Bob

Lou Darden

Ben, Jesse has written a short bio with picture of
himself. He would like it place on the 517th Web Site
with the other bios. Any questions please let me
know. Thanks for your help. Lou

_______________________________________________________________

Lou Holtzworth

Ben is there any troopers on the mailing list that made this trip still around... It was on the 5th or 6th of May when the wheels in charge asked for volunteers to go with other troops... think it was a limey unit. All I remember is we were in the air and on May 7 the war ended....We spend a week in Oslo and Staventer Norway...disarming Germans... I was with Reg't S-2 then

Oscar and Martha Berg

Would you please pass on our message of sympathy to the Gene Frice family.

Thanks,

Oscar & Martha Berg (517-C)

Becky Martinette

HI

I WOULD LIKE TO RESPOND TO THE STORY FROM CECIL DOTY. I LOVED THE STORY ABOUT THE BATH. I LOVE TO HEAR THE PERSONAL STORIES. IT MAKES THE HISTORY COME ALIVE. WHAT A FUNNY STORY, AND AT THE SAME TIME IT MAKES YOU APPRECIATE THE LITTLE PLEASURES OF LIFE. I LOVE THE 517 FAMILY. THANK YOU ALL FOR THIS GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN SO MANY GREAT HISTORY LESSONS. I WISH I COULD HAVE HAD MORE TIME WITH MY DAD TO KNOW MORE OF THE GREAT STORIES. HE DID TELL A FEW FUNNY STORIES , BUT HE NEVER TALKED ABOUT THE WAR. I THINK IF HURT TO MUCH.

LOVE TO ALL

BECKY (FATHER MAURICE WHITE H COMPANY)

Howard Hensleigh

Dear Ben:

Sometimes it is good for the soul to admit your mistakes. Some times the mistakes turn out well. Here’s one that did. The other day I decided to call Clark Archer. Although legally blind until I get these cataracts out, I was sure I had the right number. The call was answered promptly and I asked, "is this Clark?" "Clark who?" "Clark Archer." "This is Tom Cross." Since we were on the phone we discussed a lot of Association business. At the end of the conversation, we asked each other if there was anything else we should discuss. We got into a discussion of Fleet Landing, FL where Tom and Betty live. The upshot of all this is that Jan and I are planning to move down there sometime before the the snow flies up here in New England.

This is a typical 517^th story. We made good use of everything, even our mistakes.

Soft landings, Howard Hensleigh

Andrew Lubic

I knew DeWitt Braud from the time he came into the 517th with John Morgan. They were friends from Baton Rouge. DeWitt was a little more reserved than his friend. John and I were a lot a like in that we were sorta hell raisers looking for trouble to get into. DeWitt was smarter than we were as he never got into trouble and John and I were never out of trouble. I believe there is a picture of DeWitt on the website in some pictures submitted by Cecil Doty.

Andrew Lubic

Matthew Braud

Ben

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

I will follow up with him.

-Matthew