From: Ben517
Sent: Monday, November 08, 2004 11:22 PM
Subject: MAIL CALL NO. 790 517TH PRCT--N0VEMBER 9, 2004
 
Hello
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
2005 Biannual Reunion
August 15-19, 2005
Savannah, Ga.
El Harger
 
Hi Ben :
             WOW, I never realized I had such a valuable piece of history as the Christmas greetings booklet !! Yes, I still
have mine. I notice it was printed in Soissons. I also have one from the previous Christmas to be mailed home from    
"The Men of Five Seventeen" an accordion fold out of 9 pictures, one per month from March to November of our training
first one being of Col. Walsh and Lt. Col Walton. The last is of men D Co. with a quote from Commanding General (17th. AB)
"All known physical test records have been broken by your organization!"
            Also in my possession is a 22 pg. history of the 517--Italy to the Bulge, back cover ,in color, is a map of our battle route, and patches of various units we were attached to on our tour of Europe. All done up nicely by Lt. Dick Spencer.
Then there is the "Paratroop Training " book( Wings on the cover ) Fort Benning Georgia  1943 ($2.00) And tucked inside    
" THE PARACHUTE SCHOOL AIRBORNE COMMAND" fort Benning, Georgia 1943. The students Text All about the parachute.
On one page of my "paratroop Training" book is an autograph by Lt. Howard E. Hensleigh 426 So. Johnson, Iowa City, Iowa
"drop me a line when she's won." Never did, sorry Howard, just busy at Michigan Stata College (then).
                                       Blue Skies All
                                               El
PS still jumping!
      Hardest thing 'bout jumping is climbing into the plane.
      Most dangerous part is DRIVING to the DZ!
Bob Barrett
 
Everyone should understand that this is not a unit history.  There are no stories or pictures.  It has just a few words from Col. Graves, and is mostly just a roster with the names of the men who were with the 517th, 460th, and 596th at Christmastime in 1944, as they started into the Battle of the Bulge. 

The booklet looks exactly the same as what is posted on the website.  It is 40 pages of names.  In this reprinted version, the cover is the same bluish parachute picture, and the inside pages have the weathered-paper color, exactly as the original versions.

If you expect someone's name to be listed in this booklet, just check on the 517th web site first at:

    http://517prct.org/documents/xmas1944/xmas1944.htm

If you want to order the booklet, you can find it on eBay.  Go to www.eBay.com and use the search box on the top right corner.  Just type in "517th" and hit the Search button.  It will find a link to an entry called:

     WW2 517TH PARACHUTE ROSTER BOOK CHRISTMAS 1944 FRANCE

You can buy it for $15.  Or submit a bid for the $9.99 minimum, and you will probably get it at that price (I did.)  There is another $1.50 for shipping costs.

Bob Barrett
Bob Barrett
 
I have put Alan Johnson's trip report onto the web site, under the "Reunion Info and Photos" page.  I also added in the pictures that Lory Curtis sent in.  I'm not sure if I got them all in the right order, but it makes a good story.

You can link to it at:

http://517prct.org/allan_johnson_trip_report_aug_2004.htm

Reunion Info and Photos

Barb  Scott

 

Dear Sir
 
While doing a search on Google, I found your site that linked me to my father's name, Frank Streed.  I was thrilled to find a page devoted to him, and some of his artifacts.  My father died in 2001, and early this spring we moved my mother out of their home of 50 years. We had so many duplicates of my father's mementos from WWII that we boxed up numerous items and sold them to a military memorabilia store in Hopkins, MN.  The box included many photos, the wooden shoes, patches, and t-shirt that were shown on the web page along with some other items.    I am curious as to how you acquired these objects, or pictures of them for your web-site.  Any information you can give me to solve this mystery would be greatly appreciated. I look forward to hearing form you.
 
Barb Scott
Bob Barrett
 
Barbara,
 
It is no mystery on how I came across the photos of your father's artifacts.  Since I built the website for the 517th Parachute Regimental Combat Team, I occasionally check around the internet and eBay for 517th memorabilia.  Within the last few weeks, I ran across the photos of your father's artifacts on an eBay auction.  I took the liberty of including copies of these pictures on our website.  I hope that is okay with you.  I know that the members of the 517th find such things of personal and historical interest.
 
PS:  I see that Joel Streed (your brother?)  signed into our Guestbook on November 2002.
 
Bob Barrett
Shirley McCarey
 
Hi Ben -----
 
Steve Gomez, my neighbor here in Orange, Tx., would like to receive Mail Call ----- he is the nephew of Ramah Sanford, widow of Joe Sanford.   Ramah and I were on the Bill Lewis European trip Oct. '99.    His address is:    stevegomez@gt.rr.com       He has made a few parachute jumps and was at Camp Toccoa in Ga. last Oct. - and walked up Mt. Currahee.   He just came back from Normandy and gave me a CD with some of the most beautiful pictures that he had taken.   He might come to the Savannah Reunion.     Shirely McCarey, friend of the 517th
Chris Lindner
Hi Ben:

I cannot believe Joyce Turco is having such a hard time getting the “Thank you America Certificate”.  When I lived in Atlanta, GA I got the Certificate for my Dad with no problem.  The French Embassy has how I received it.  I think it only took me a matter of a couple of months to get.  I would call the French Embassy if I were Joyce Turco.

Joyce, don’t give up because the Certificate is not that hard to obtain.

Chris Lindner

Nate Rubenstein’s daughter