Shirley McCarey
Hi Ben - Just a note to say I received my Thunderbolt - and wanted to say i sure like the new format and what a great idea to include the roster. many thanks to all that worked on both. read the note from steve gomez, whose dad was benito (Ben) Gomez. he happens to live just a short walking distance from me. i'll take my thunderbolt to him to read and enjoy. and i am hoping to attend the reunion in savannah. Shirley McCarey - Friend of the 517th
_______________________________________________________________
Gene Brissey
It was good noting that
John Krumm has made contact again. Of course this is the second John, the first,
his dad and I spent many memorable days together from the beginning to the end
of the path of the 517th. Dad Krumm was with the unit after Bergstein, where I
ended my stay with E Company, third platoon. Young John, his wife Irene, my wife
Edie and I have enjoyed two trips together, to Belgium. The second trip included
a week or so in France from Les Arcs to Sospel along the trail taken by the
517th in 1944. It was very good traveling with a younger man with great interest
in where his dad spent an important part of his life. John, if you read this,
welcome back. We will be in touch if you can keep that computer on the
go.
Gene
Arni Hughson
Please add my name to your roster. It is always good to hear
517th news.
Thanks for getting in touch. Arnie Hughson
Arnie served with D company. -Ben
Becky Martinette
Hi Ben,
Name: SSG Michael S. Mullins
Unit: Grandfather Bernard
(Moon) W. Mullins HQ Co 3rd BN?
EMail: michael.mullins3@us.army.mil
How I found the 517th page: From a search engine
Comments:
Hello, My name is SSG Michael Mullins and I am a paratrooper currently
serving in Afghanistan. I am researching my Grandfather's WWII experience.
Unfortunately, before he passed away, he never talked to anyone about the war. I
have since discovered he received 4 bronze stars and was a member of the 517th
prct. I also believe he spent time in HQ Co 3rd BN. I am desperately seeking any
leads or information from anyone that might have known him. His name is Bernard
W. Mullins ( his nickname was Moon), and he was wounded Christmas night in 1944
at the Battle of the Bulge. I have his DD 214, but it is very vague. Any
information or leads you might provide me would be greatly appreciated. I can be
reached at e-mail address: michael.mullins3@us.army.mil. Thank you.
John Alicki
To Kill an American
You probably missed it in the
rush of news last week, but there was actually
a report that someone in
Pakistan had published in a newspaper an offer of a
reward to anyone who
killed an American, any American.
So an Australian dentist wrote the
following to let everyone know what an
American is, so they would know when
they found one. (Good on ya, mate!!!!)
An American is English, or
French, or Italian, Irish, German, Spanish,
Polish, Russian or Greek. An
American may also be Canadian, Mexican,
African Indian, Chinese, Japanese,
Korean, Australian, Iranian, Asian, or Arab,
or Pakistani, or Afghan. An
American may also be a Cherokee, Osage, Blackfoot,
Navaho, Apache, Seminole
or one of the many other tribes known as native
Americans.
An
American is Christian, or he could be Jewish, or Buddhist, or Muslim. In
fact, there are more Muslims in America than in Afghanistan. The only
difference is that in America they are free to worship as each of them
chooses. An American is also free to believe in no religion. For that he
will answer only to God, not to the government, or to armed thugs claiming
to speak for the government and for God.
An American is from the
most prosperous land in the history of the world.
The root of that
prosperity can be found in the Declaration of Independence,
which recognizes
the God given right of each person the pursuit of happiness.
An
American is generous. Americans have helped out just about every other
nation in the world in their time of need. When Afghanistan was overrun by
the Soviet army 20 years ago, Americans came with arms and supplies to
enable the people to win back their country.
As of the morning of
September 11, Americans had given more than any other
nation to the poor in
Afghanistan.
Americans welcome the best, the best products, the best
books, the best
music, the best food, the best athletes. But they also
welcome the least.
The national symbol of America, The Statue of
Liberty, welcomes your tired
and your poor, the wretched refuse of your
teeming shores, the homeless,
tempest tossed. These in fact are the people
who built America. Some of them
were working in the Twin Towers the morning
of September 11, 2001 earning a
better life for their families. I've been
told that the World Trade Center
victims were from at least 30 other
countries, cultures, and first languages
including those that aided and
abetted the terrorists.
So you can try to kill an American if you must.
Hitler did. So did General
Tojo, and Stalin, and Mao Tse-Tung, and every
bloodthirsty tyrant in the
history of the world. But, in doing so you would
just be killing yourself.
Because Americans are not a particular people from
a particular place. They
are the embodiment of the human spirit of freedom.
Everyone who holds to
that spirit, everywhere, is an American.
Author unknown