Website                      www.517prct.org

Mail Call                     Ben517@aol.com

Mail Call Archives     www.517prct.org/archives

Roster                        www.517prct.org/roster.pdf

Florida Mini-Reunion 2005
January 23-27, 2005
Kissimmee, FL

_____________________________________________________________

Howard Hensleigh

Dear Ben:

Thanks for another great MAIL CALL. Boom Boom Alicki’s story about the 1st bullet proof GW and Gene Brissey’s account of the crossing of the Var should be related. All of us in Gene’s shoes who were spared were probably protected by a Higher Power. When they asked Jimmy Stewart how he survived all of those missions over in Germany he responded that he prayed a lot, which undoubtedly helped.

We are also delighted that men like Lead Gibbons and Merle McMorrow will be visiting our friends in Southern France, as well as our own stomping grounds. We need to assist our friend, "Ivan" to erect a monument in Southern France commemorating our part in its liberation. What Ivan says he needs are two hundred and fifty of our members who are willing to commit to sending ten dollars to get this monument started. He will do the rest. We can all think of names like Joe McGeever, Willis Woodcook, and Reed Terrell who spilled blood in the liberation of Southern France, whose names should be associated with the monument. If it takes association funds

for that purpose, I am sure the board of directors will authorize them.

As we approach our 60th anniversary of D-Day in Southern France it is with great appreciation that we rely on MAIL CALL as a channel of communications. Thanks again to you and Bob.

Howard Hensleigh

Lory Curtis

Dear Ben,

This information is for Lud Gibbons and others who are going to Southern France.

My father, brother and I just returned from there (June 10, 2004) and we met with the curator of the museum. Mr. Jean Michel (he goes by Michael) Soldi. He is very happy to meet with troopers from the 517^th. We found him very nice and accommodating. Attached is a photo of the brochure about the museum and the outside of the museum. The museum phone number is 04 94 45 12 79, fax: 04 94 45 06 67. Remember to put the appropriate country codes in front of these numbers. I think France is 44?

Also while we were there we met a man and his wife from England, who’s father in law (Peter Matthews) was with the 4^th Battalion, of the British paratroopers who invaded. Alan and Sue Folkard are very active in keeping this museum up to date and they know Michael, the curator very well. If anyone wanted to contact Alan in England his phone is 00 44 12 34 24 08 14, or email alan.folkard@virgin.net. They could help a lot and could provide valuable information.

Hope this helps.

Lory Curtis, son of Bud Curtis, HQ, 1^st BN,

FROM THE WEBSITE

Musee de la Liberation - Provence -- Operation Dragoon museum, from Office du Tourisme du Muy.
Le Muy 57th anniversary - August 2001

New Year's Day 2004

Thanks to J. Michel Soldi and Eric Renoux.

From: Ivano Tognarini [mailto:tognarini@unisi.it]
Sent: Sunday, June 27, 2004 11:24 AM
To: webmaster@517prct.org
Subject: 517th and Monte Peloso battle

Dear Sir,
I've been welcoming the existence of this well documented and informative
site with much satisfaction. Some of the episodes related to the Italian
campaign that you describe are not well known here, yet they're relevant
and interesting. I'm an Italian historian and I have a keen interest on the
allied operations in Tuscany in 1944. I'm searching for some information
about episodes that involved the 517th PRCT in the Grosseto-Piombino area
in mid-late June 1944. I would like to know more details (than the ones
provided in the official history) about the fighting in Follonica area, and
about the infiltration trough the German lines and the capture of Monte
Peloso. Is it possible to get in touch with some veterans that took part to
those actions? Also, I'm searching for any picture depicting the PRCT in
those episodes, or anyway, in the very final part of their Italian
campaigning.
I also would like to discover if the 517th shoulder patch (ATTACK) was
adopted only after the Italian campaign, and what, if any, shoulder patch
was worn on the combat uniform before ANVIL/DRAGOON. Incidentally, my family
comes from the Piombino area, and two days
ago-quite on the anniversary of the battle- I went for a survey of the
Monte Peloso area and took some pictures. The area might have been changed
since wartime because of some stone quays on the hillside and the
electricity lines of a nearby power station (Forni di Suvereto); on the
side overlooking Suvereto there are now wine and olive groves, while on the
side of the river Cornia-where the 517th's attack came from- the hill is
covered with thick bushes: but maybe the pictures can still be of some
interest, so if you want I can send them via email in JPEG format. My
Grandfather was in the resistance in that area, and though he died last
year, I seem to remember that he mentioned the episode and that in the
records of his detachment there are some lines related to the battle. If
you deem it of some interest I can search for it.
Hope to hear from you soon,
Best Regards

Niccolo' Tognarini
HEC Researcher,
European University Institute
Florence

General Dick Seitz

Reference Lud Gibbons request for address of the museum in Le Muy. I
don't have the e mail, but here is the mailing address: Jean Michel
SOLDI and Erick RENOUX, Conservateurs du Musee de la Liberation, Mairie
du Muy, 83490 Le Muy, France. Tel 04.94.80.70.02 or 04.94.68.30.64.
Dick Seitz

Pat Seitz

Dear Ben: Just wanted Gene Brissey to know how much my husband and I appreciate the time he takes to share his experiences -- he also has a most readable style.

Pat Seitz, Dick Seitz's eldest daughter