From: Ben517
Sent: Monday, August 16, 2004 11:16 PM
Subject: MAIL CALL NO. 738 517TH PRCT -AUGUST 17, 2004
Hello,
 
The 508 PIR Association is having its final official reunion in October , 2004. Other paratroop organization are also planning on closing shop soon. However, the 517th have no such plans. The Thunderbolt, the website,  Mail Call, and the influx of the younger generation into the organization will enable it to be active for quite a while longer but the same can't be said for all members and that is why it important if possible to make plans to attend future reunions whether it be a mini or national reunion.
Jesse Darden has noted that there were 168 members of the 460th on our 1944 roster. The 2004 roster list 69.  He has sent this information to all members in Hq Btry urging them to attend reunions. It might be a good idea for a member of the 596th  and a member of each company in the 517th to do the same.  We are still finding people who do not realize that the 517 PRCT is an active organization. It used to be that children of members would find news about us on the internet and alert their father. Now it is the grandchildren!
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
Joyce and Leo Turco 
Hi Ben,
This is let you know and all the guys from Florida that we are thinking of them and hoping they are all safe. As you probably know the Myrtle Beach area got hit but not as bad as Florida. Our yard looks like a disaster area and we rode it out with wind gusts in the 80's and then the eye of the storm came for a very short while and we thought it was over but then realized it was the eye. When the winds started again they had reversed and it was more powerful. Since we have very big trees on our land we thought we were doomed but we were very lucky as we do not think we have any damage to the house. A neighbor will be coming over to check our roof as things were dropping on it and it sounded like it was coming off. No shingles on the ground so guess we are safe but lots of branches on the roof. It has rained all day so can't check the roof until it stops. The rain in the storm was unbelievable. We feel very lucky after what we saw in Florida so just a big clean up of our yard and we will be fine. Lost electric for a while but were ready with lanterns and extra blocks of ice in the freezers so we will be fine. Leo is so crippled up that he can't do anything so it is up to me.
Best luck to all.
Joyce and Leo Turco
Gene Snyder
Ben:
Sure do enjoy reading mail-call.   I just wanted to let you know
I have changed servers and would like you to change my e-mail
address to  zootgjs@aol.com     Will be dropping juno, too much spam.
Am having a few cocktails this evening to celebrate our jump anniversary
and continued good health.  Hope the same goes for you!!!!!
 
Thanks again for mail-call,,    Gene ''zoot'' Snyder  A Co.
Joyce and Leo Turco
 
Hi Ben,
Well our friend and fellow trooper made the news in the Myrtle Beach, SC newspaper today. There is a picture of him sitting on a chair in front of the cemetery at Draguignan with a sailor talking to him. So great that some of our guys can be there to represent the 517th. This made the 2nd page and yesterday an article was in under WORLD  about Forgotten D-Day written by reporters from the Associated Press. Leo and I were wonder if it would be mentioned in our news and that is about it. The hurricane kept much other news from being published. We took the articles out and will put them in our books about the 517th for the family to see in the future. Hard to believe that was 60 years ago. Our son was one day less than 7 months old while that battle was going on. We are so lucky that Leo got back safely after being in five battles. Wonder how many newspapers caught this story.
We send our best wishes to all. I have to type all letters for Leo as he can't stay comfortable at the computer.                  Joyce and Leo Turco           A Battery  460th  517th
Jim Mortensen
 
 Ben

I'm returning home after a 5200 motor trip to reunions way out west. On the way back, aside from hearing the good news about Charlie avoiding our area in Tampa Bay (and the bad news about the poor folk south of us), I stopped in Fairfield Glade, TN. I spent the 60th anniversary with JG Ward. Both survivors of HQ 460th, he was my radio operator throughout the period after August 15.

We had a great chat, but it was sort of hard not to talk about the real battle he's fighting. Right after I left this morning, he took on his first dose of chemo. He'll have a treatment each Monday for the next 3 weeks, then have a week off before starting over. They are treating Stage 3 cancer.

Hopes and prayers will be appreciated.
Best, and thanks for all you do,
Jim Mortensen
Ardennes 1944
John Davis
Ben
         I am trying to reach Kenton Floyd Immerfall. His uncle was Lt. Floyd A. Stott, He wrote in mail call he wanted to talk to anyone who served with his uncle. My father inlaw did, Olen A. hughes I Co. he was at manhay with Lt. Stott. Kenton left an email address on mail call (mailto: %20kfihome46@aol.com) But we have had no luck reaching this address. If anyone knows how to get hold of him it would be appreciated.

                    John m. Davis
                                                                 **********88
The correct address is kfihome46@aol.com--Ben
Darrell Egner
 
Hi Ben Barrett & Bob Christie:
 
Thanks for your concern regarding us Floridians and the Hurricane.  Here in Jacksonville we just got a good soaking from the rain and very little wind.  In fact I went out to dinner with some friends Friday night (storm was supposed to hit us) and lucky me I got my car washed by the rain.
 
I was the Referee for a National Tennis Tournament for the top ranked 305 Juniors from all over the country.  We had to scrap Saturday but we were able to play Sunday and Monday and finish the tournament.  We played at 5 sites around Jacksonville and only about 20 % of the players could not make it because of the storms south of us.  An interesting side lite was one of the sites we used was a mile or so from Tom Cross and Howard Hensleigh homes.  Howard just moved to the area so we gave him a nice wet wake up call.
 
I was one of the ones that didn't receive the Thunderbolt.  I am beginning to believe the Postal Service just scraps mail if it doesn't have First Class postage on it.  Bob and Donna if you have extra copies please mail them to those of us who didn't receive the Thunderbolt and I would be happy to pay the extra expense you incur.  Just let me know the amount and I will send you a check.
 
Again I am going to make a pitch for all of you to attend the Florida Mini in January 2005.  I am sure the rest of you troopers get tired of the 2nd Battalion breaking the attendance record for the last two years.  In fact I already have commitments from our group and we should break our own record in 2005.  To complete the list it would really be nice to have General Seitz get out of the snow and join us.
 
Ben and Bob keep up the good work, I don't know how you two do all you do.
 
Thank You!
 
Darrell Egner
HQ.2ND Batt