My husband and I where Blessed to be able to spent our honeymoon in Hawaii in April 2001. Pearl Harbor and touring the USS Arizona resting place was first on my list of places. I told my husband we could not leave without going there and seeing the monumental of those men and their service to our country. The feeling that you get when you are there knowing that all of those men are still in the ship and seeing the oil still leaking after all these years is hard to describe. We also took a helicopter tour which took us over the area of the ships in Pearl Harbor too. That was awesome. I am so glad that we were able to go there. I wanted to go too, because of my Dad serving in the Army during that time even though he was not at Pearl Harbor at the time it was attacked. My moms’ first cousin actually has a cousin that went down in one of the ships there. It is amazing that some of the other ships were brought up from the bottom and used again. I will never forget that trip! I hope to go back before I get too much older.

John Alicki

From the vaults of their respective libraries, U.S. News this week publishes a treasure trove of unique images of previous inhabitants of the White House. Photographs from the National Archives that grace the magazine's pages show men of privilege–the Roosevelts, Kennedys, and Bushes–seemingly destined for high public office from birth. But there are the long shots, too–the Trumans, Nixons, and Clintons–who made the impossible journey against impossible odds. History, as is its wont, tested each man with a unique matrix of challenge and opportunity. And each inhabited that high place with a style and energy uniquely his own.

A photographic history of Amercica's leaders

Jesse Pipkin

new e mail address jpipkin@glade.net

Phil McSpadden

Hi Ben....thanks for telling me....I stupidly answered an e-mail asking for a survey, and now I'm getting up to 83 (this AM) unsolicited e-mails a day, apparently blocking yours, which I want to see. I have answered all I could to have my name deleted, but they still keep coming....warn everyone to be careful on responding to seemingly innocent request for a survey.....If this doesn't stop by the end of the next week, I will have to change my e-mail address....thanks again...phil

Don Gentry

-------------- Forwarded Message: --------------
From: DGentry509@aol.com
To: DGentry509@aol.com
Subject: Support Our Wounded Soldiers with Phone Cards-Here's How
Date: Tue, 7 Dec 2004 17:22:10 +0000

Supporting the Troops

This passed on from LTG Chuck Owens & Gen. Scholtes. A really great idea. Make a wounded Vet a great gift and feel good yourself.

---------------------------------------------------

Yellow ribbons tied around trees and red, white and blue stickers on the backs SUVs saying "Support our Troops" are things that make civilians feel good but do nothing for the men and women actually in uniform.

So please consider the following:

The number ONE request at Walter Reed hospital is phone cards. The government doesn't pay long distance phone charges and these wounded soldiers are rationing their calls home.

Many will be there throughout the holidays.

Really support our troops --Send phone cards of any amount to:

Medical Family Assistance Center

Walter Reed Medical Center
6900 Georgia Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20307-5001

They say they need an "endless" supply of these -- any amount even $5 is greatly appreciated.

Wal-Mart has good prices on cards, COSTCO is even better, if you are a member.

I am sure you would feel better about doing this, than to buy something for a third cousin, that would find it on the closet shelf six months later, and wonder where it came from.

Please pass this portion on, copy and paste it into your e-mail, and send to everyone you know.

MSG Don R. Gentry
US Army Security Agency Retired
Still Serving
East Wenatchee, Washington

Randolph Coleman

Hi Ben...The mail you sent today recalling John's Pearl Harbor days was just great. Damn John, no wonder we won the war!! Randolph Coleman

Harris Johnson

Ben,

I have checked the web sites you suggested and found a wealth of material.

Shipp, Lawrence [W?] shows up on the Service Company Casualty Report,
June/July/August 1944. That information and his appearance on the 517thChristmas in France Roster 1944 bridges a big gap for me in my research and offers a continuous time period. Now if I can isolate the period prior to June 1944 and his 1945 head wound I will have his service career bracketed. That will essentially complete my goal.

I printed him a copy of Paratroopers' Odyssey - A History of the 517th
Parachute Combat Team - yesterday and sent it along today. I am sure he will be pleased to get it. I will at some point soon try to discuss it with
him, mark up a copy and put it away for his descendants. Your help and the informative web sites made it possible.

I appreciate your help and in particular your posing research direction
questions to the 517th Historian. I hope he can also point me in directions which will be as valuable as your information has been.

My sincere thanks and best wishes for a warm and gracious Holiday.

Warmest regards,

Harris Johnson