We have been looking for ways to incorporate our friends and relatives into our 517^th family with the idea that their enthusiasm for our objectives may be utilized in an organized fashion. We may do this without jeopardizing our IRS tax status by establishing an auxiliary. This auxiliary will be composed of the males and females of our extended 517^th family. To take care of our membership needs, I have redrafted Article II of the Bylaws.

My suggestion is that we adopt this amendment at Savannah. And, vote our French and Belgian friends as well into Honorary Membership. This is a draft and subject to revision if needs be. We are open to suggestions from the Board Members, our Members as well as prospective auxiliary members. If published, it will be sufficient notice to the Membership that we plan to go forward with the idea at the National Reunion at Savannah.

AMENDMENT NO. 1

T0 THE BYLAWS OF THE 517^TH PARACHUTE REGIMENTAL COMBAT TEAM ASSOCIATION, INC.

The bylaws of the 517^th Parachute Regimental Combat Team Association, Inc. are hereby amended by deleting therefrom ARTICLE II, entitled "MEMBERSHIP" and substituting therefore the following:

ARTICLE II. MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. MEMBERSHIP. There shall be two classes of membership: Active and Honorary Members.

Section 2. ACTIVE MEMBERS. Active membership is limited to those men who served honorably with the 517^th Parachute Regimental Combat Team (the "Combat Team"). Active Members shall have the right to vote and to elect the directors. Subject to the foregoing and except as otherwise limited by the Articles of Organization or Bylaws of the Association, the Active Members shall have such additional rights, including (without limitation) the right to make, amend and repeal the Bylaws and to authorize an amendment or restatement of the Articles of Organization and to authorize consolidation or merger as is conferred upon Voting Members by statute.

Section 3. HONORARY MEMBERS. Honorary membership: The President, with the approval of the Board O Directors, may appoint as Honorary Members individuals who have contributed outstanding service to the Association.

Section 4. AUTHORIZATION FOR AUXILIARY MEMBERSHIP. The President may recommend, with and the approval of the Board of Directors, the establishment of an auxiliary organization of the Association (the "Auxiliary"). Membership in the Auxiliary shall be limited to wives, widows, descendants, brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews of men who served honorably with the Combat Team. Honorary Members also shall be eligible for Auxiliary membership. The purpose of the Auxiliary is to assist the Members in achieving the Goals of the Association set forth in Article I Section 2 of these Bylaws. The Auxiliary shall establish its own board of directors and officers who shall work in concert with the Officers and Board of Directors of the Association in the achievement of those Goals. The Auxiliary and the Association shall make plans for continuing to preserve the memory of those who served in the Combat Team beyond the lives of the Active Membership, including for example, continuation of Mail Call and the Website referred to in Article X, Section 3, and publications such as the Thunderbolt.

Section 5. LIABILITY FOR ASSOCIATION’S OBLIGATIONS. No member of the Association or the Auxiliary shall be liable for any debts or obligations of the Association or the Auxiliary, nor shall they be liable for any assessment therefor. However, Members at any National Reunion, or any special meeting called for the purpose, may fix reasonable annual dues to become effective after not less than ninety (90) days notice to all Members of such action.

Howard Hensleigh

Lory Curtis

Thanks Ben, I don’t know if I told you but my Dad had written over 200 letters home to his mother during the war. I am compiling them into a book with the stories from my dad today about the letters. He wrote a letter to his mother around Christmas 1943 telling her about the jump, but he did not say it was for a movie back then. Today he said it was a pretty rough jump with wind and all, just for a movie.

Lory

Myrle Traver

Thank you Ben for answering so soon. I live in Las Vegas, NV and am included in the Combat Team Roster and I would like to be added to the mail call roster. Yes, I would like to attend the Palm Springs reunion April 10th

Myrle

Lisa Ferraiolo

hello,

I was actually looking for Mike Kane Jr., we had corresponded back in 7/04 re photos and IDs of my father in law Louis Ferraiolo My mother in law just gave me a package of about 50 photos taken during training and ww2 Louis was with the 517th paratroopers and was in France we have his canteen cup which he engraved every town and place he was during the war, can I send some to you ?

would love for you to have them, I don't have good equipment i.e.: scanners and such to do them justice,

Lisa Ferraiolo

***************

Lisa

Yes, we would be grateful to use the pictures. If you want to send them to me, I can scan them myself and return them to you within a couple of weeks. Send them to:

Bob Barrett

27 Fuller Meadow Road

North Andover, MA 01845

webmaster@517prct.org

June Huffman

Dear Ben, I was so sorry to read of Gail's death. I did not know her,
but I did get to meet Col Walsh. He was at the first Reunion "Monk" and
I attended and I found him to be a very warm and friendly person. It
was at the Reunion I also met Tom and Bette Cross. What a wonderful
time we all had, and we were all SO YOUNG.. I had known Bill and Irene
Lewis for several years, and many of the troopers had visited in our
home, but meeting some of the people I had heard so much about was
great. We had met Gen. Seitz once before so this Reunion was a special
one for me. (Tom Cross will remember he jokingly called me "Mother
Tiger"!) Wonderful memories ..thanks for keeping them alive for all of
us. June

Alian Fine

60th Anniversary - Ardennes, Belgium