From: Ben517
Sent: Mon, 18 Apr 2005 3:52:26 PM Eastern Daylight Time
Subject: MAIL CALL NO. 881 517TH PRCT-APRIL 18, 2005

Hello,
 
I am still trying to get news about the West Coast Reunion up to date.
Don Fraser came from Florida and Leo Dean came from New York. Both look great.
 
Mail in this Mail Call answers most questions about our European friends concerning the Savannah reunion except for Eddy Monfort. I would like to invite him.
 
Ben
Website                                  www.517prct.org
Mail Call                                  Ben517@aol.com
Mail Call Archives                 www.517prct.org/archives
Roster                                     www.517prct.org/roster.pdf
2005 Biannual Reunion
August 15-19, 2005
Savannah, GA
Registration due before July 10, 2005!
Howard Hensleigh
Dear Ben:
Each Mail Call is a gem. To this one I must respond to two items, not to mention others of equal value.
To Roger Williams: Captain Joe McGeever is buried in Montana. Steve Maciag who was out there with us between Ridge X and Mt. Scandeous that afternoon was one of his pall bearers. He was buried in his home town with relatives in attendance. Steve ended up in Montana after the war as a parachuting fire fighter. He married one of Capt. Mac’s relatives. His address in the roster is : 317 W. 3rd St., Anaconda, MT 59711. Give your father our best Hq. 3rd greetings.
To Scott Williams: Your father in law was an excellent B Co. officer. He is one of those men I will always remember. He, Don Fraser, and a few others from the Chicago area arranged for our first reunion in 1949. He asked me to MC the first meeting where we got it all started. If it had not been for him and his Chicago buddies, we might not have a 517th organization today. When I got my spinal cord injury in 1982, he came to visit his daughter (your wife?) who worked for a Boston attorney. While she was working he sometimes dropped out to see me in Bedford. I will never forget that. Thank you for letting us know. I may send you my 2004 Christmas card for him that was returned. Regretfully, I now know the reason why. Our very best to you and all of Whitey’s family.
Howard Hensleigh
Howard Hensleigh
Dear Merle, Ben, Tom, Lud, Hal and Gene:
Here are my reactions to Gene’s memo, keyed to his paragraphs:
1. I am sure the visits in the past have been handled in many ways. This year, Nolan Powell is taking care of his visitors from Sospel on his own without Association assistance. I was first told that we purchased an airline ticked for the people who visited us at OK City. Then it appears that they were given a check after arrival. Irrespective of how things were done in the past, you three wise men should do it the way you think best, given the people and the circumstances you encounter. I hope you can use the telephone or the Internet to get prompt responses. Once you have things lined up, we can write letters and do it formally.
2. You probably know who was there last time. I don’t. (Something we should remedy this time) I hope you know the people you think should be invited. The main purpose is to further the objectives of the Association–preserve the memory of the Combat Team and its members, living and dead. There is no better place to do this than in the vicinity of our European battlefields. The fact that we have a group of young people who will commemorate the liberation of S. France and the fiercely retaken Belgian territory in the Bulge is a godsend. We should nourish these relationships.
3. There are already plenty of suggested names in mail call. Contact points–addresses–we must have. Many we do.
Recommendations:
1. The Thunderbolt is out. I hope you have your copies. It was late, frustrating our editor. He was particularly regretful of not getting the west coast party announced soon enough. An additional mailing in my view is not necessary, but if you feel you must do it, go ahead. I’m afraid you will delay things waiting for the results.
2. How you contact the Europeans is up to you. I suggest the telephone and Internet. We must first find out how interested they are. Ways and amounts of reimbursement should wait until we know who and how much we have.
3. We will take the recommendations of you three wise men on who you choose and how you divide the spoils.
4. I see no way to beat the fact that the Euro is worth more than the dollar. If you can devise some scheme, more power to you.
Here is something to consider. I would like Helen and Hal to set aside an hour or so for us to meet our European Friends. They along with you could put on a program where we acquaint our members with what our Friends are doing in Europe. It must be in understandable English that will get through our WWII ears to our WWII brains. Think it over and come up with a plan.
 
 
----- Original Message -----
From: Genesir@aol.com
Sent: 4/14/2005 11:57:42 AM
Subject: 517 "guests" invitations

April 13, 2005

Palm Springs    

Subject:          517th Work Data relating to proposed visit by our "Distinguished Guests"

To:              Howard, Merle, Ben, Tom, Lud, Hal, and Gene

     A meeting was conducted this date to address the above.  A brief summation of the discussion follows below. A number of unanswered questions need to be resolved before any decision can be reached on the subject. We need to know the following if known?

     1.  How were their visit(s) handled in the past; considering finances, purchase of tickets or reimbursement, if any?

     2.  Who were they? We know Eric, Soldi (their wives), Irma and Maria, and (husbands), attended I don’t know of any others.
    
     3.  Need additional input from 517 membership as to recommended choices (including addresses), as I recently wrote in Mail Call last week.

     Recommended course of action to be taken ASAP:

     1. Develop a mailing to all 517 members of the Aug 15, Savannah program flyer (as it currently exists-page one only. This has been done by Hal and Helen Beddow via "Mail Call," however as we know, many of the membership have no access to the internet and may not have read Thunderbolt.

     2.  Send the same information to all "recommended" European 517 supporters. The flyer should be accompanied by a cover letter asking for an early RSVP, if they intend to be at the reunion. I see no feasible way to discuss possible reimbursement with them at that time, unless we tell them there will be a lottery of some similar tactic.

     3.  Ultimate choice of individuals to attend the 517 program with some type of reimbursement. Options could be to select only a few (two to four)?, based on available funds; or to divide the money up within a larger group, with reimbursement of five hundred or possibly a thousand dollars each.

     4.  It is recommended that the above chosen individuals purchase tickets in Europe (with a subsequent reimbursement upon arrival) due to the currently existing rate of exchange with the Euro.

     The above may be somewhat disjointed, however we do not have a wealth of information to work with at the moment. Obviously, we have to keep the communication channels open, whatever they may be.


     Gene Frice
     (Company Clerk)
Bob Christie
 
That sounds good to me. I hope the recent Thunderbolt will produce more donations. Bob
Chris Lindner
Hi Ben:
I’m glad you're back and I hope you had a great time at the California Reunion.
After going to the site that Boom Boom posted I too think it is a shame that our children will not see the facts of what really happened to this great nation.  I am hoping that one day soon someone will come to their senses about what can be taught.  Teaching the truth might be nice.
Chris Lindner
Merle McMorrow
 Dear Ben:
 
Irma and Arnold T. have their tickets and are coming to Savannah.  Marie Gaspar can no longer travel because of back problems.  Aime Leocard cannot travel because of health reasons.  That leaves the Museum people who evidently their changed e-mail address  Do you have anything new on them. 
 
                                                                   Merle