From: Ben517
Sent: Tue, 3 May 2005 7:06:29 PM Eastern Daylight Time
Subject: MAIL CALL NO 891 517TH PRCT- MAY 3, 2005

Hello,
 
We now have five European friends who plan to attend our reunion. Others are not able to travel or have other commitments. We have notes in this Mail Call about those who will be there.
 
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!
Darrell Egner
 
Ben
 
Received the shocking news that Victor passed on to a better place.  Thank you, Mark Landreth for sharing this information.  I don't think Denise is on the Internet but I have her address so I will send her a letter and card.
 
When Victor joined the Paratroops he was an FBI agent in Tallahassee and arrived in Toccoa about the same time as I did.  He was a good trooper and GI all the way.  Contrary to many of us, he never screwed up at least to my knowledge.  He made Sergeant rather quickly and always followed the rules.  Some where in Europe he received a battle field promotion to 2nd Lt.  He was always in Headquarters 2nd to the best of my memory.
 
His wife, Denise, lived in Nice and one day Victor came down from the hill (Alps) and met her in Nice.  I believe they married shortly after the War.  Sometime around 1955 I was in Tallahassee on business and I called them.  They lived on a Plantation just north of Tallahassee with a Tennis Court.  They invited me out for dinner and some tennis as all three of us played tennis.  One of my tennis Officials lives in Tallahassee and is Denise's best friend so she may still be playing tennis.  Victor became a Florida Judge after the War until his retirement. He and Denise would go to France almost every year to visit her family.
 
I stayed in touch with them for years and he knew about the 517 origination but he never had an interest in joining.  After I went to my first Reunion in 1986 (Albany, NY) I again told him what he was missing but he had no interest in joining.
 
Victor was a good man and solider, he will be missed.
 
Darrell Egner
Hq. Comp. 2nd Batt.
Dot Lubic
Tom Stadler
 
HELLO BEN
WHEN I MET V.M. CAWTHON I WAS 12 YRS. OLD. HE IMMEDIATELY PUT ME IN A HEAD LOCK AND GAVE ME A DUTCH-RUB THAT I THOUGHT WOULD NEVER END.
HE AND POP WERE CLOSE FRIENDS DURING THE WAR AND AFTERWARD.
HE MARRIED HIS WIFE WHILE AT JOIGNY.
HE BECAME A 1ST SGT NEAR THE END OF THE WAR.
HE WAS A PAST PRESIDENT OF THE TALLAHASSEE BAR ASSOC.
POP CONSIDERED HIM TO BE AN ABSOLUTELY OUTSTANDING TROOPER AND EXTREMELY INTELLIGENT
HIS FAMILY AND COMMUNITY LOST A GOOD MAN.
TOM STADLER
                                                  **********
Tom is still seeking information about his father, Burton Stadler. Although he was officially attached to HQ Co/2nd Battalion as a pathfinder,  he also served with members of F Company after being wounded in early February, 1945 (and possibly E Co as well).- Ben
Dot  Lubic
 
Today Andrew was moved out of CCU (after exactly 5 weeks) into a step-down unit.  His doctors thought he was stable enough to leave CCU which is a step forward.  Just the excitement of changing room wore him out.  Between moving, physical therapy, and respiratory therapy, he had a really busy day.  He appetite isn't really good but he is trying to eat a little more each meal.............no salt, no sugar, no potassium, pureed........yuck.  After 5 weeks of a feeding tube, he is tickled to have REAL food to nibble at.  More news later as time passes by............................Dot
 
This is the address for anyone wanting to send Andrew a card now that he has a private room with bulletin board.  We can put them on the board for his to see......

Andrew Lubic
Room 342
Fort Walton Beach Medical Center
1000 Mar Walt Drive
Fort Walton Beach, Florida
32547
European Friends coming to our reunion.
 
Irma and Arnold Targion
 
We are all familiar with Irma and Arnold who have attended many of our reunions and along with Marie Gasper have entertained many members of the 517th when they have visited Belgium.
 
                                                                            **********************
Robert Cohen
 
Entry of Feb 8, 2002 at 10:14 [EST]
Name: Robert Cohen
Unit:
EMail: bob.co@wanadoo.fr
How I found the 517th page: Heard from a member of the 517th
Comments: I was present, with my Jeep "Sue Ellen" at the celebrations in 1984, at Le Dramont and Draguignan (Southern France). Our association Military Vehicle Conservation Group of Riviera escort the veteran bus in Col de Braus and Sospel, the following days. I met many veterans, became very dear friends since this time. I was present too at the meeting in Niagara Falls 1993. I was 8 old in 1944, and never forget the fabulous summer of Liberation. Thanks again .God bless you.
                                                                              ********************
Roland and Patricia Pavia Orengo
 
The young French couple Roland & Patricia Pavia-Orengo with whom I'm coming to the Reunion , I met in Sospel  in 2002. They are very much into honoring the troops who liberated their city of Sospel and their country France.  . They are part of a group in Southern France who have American World War 11 uniforms & equipment which they use in parades and celebrations in villages & cities in Southern France. Roland's pride is an American jeep that he found in the Maritime Alps, and he has restored. Their clothing and jeep all have emblems and identification that show they represent the airborne and in particular the 517th which
 liberated their city in 1944. --Nolan Powell
Hotel Registration Information:
The Biennial 517th PRCT Reunion will be held in Savannah, Georgia, at the Hilton Savannah DeSoto Hotel, located in the heart of the Historic District at 15 East Liberty Street, from August 15 - 19, 2005.

Reservations can be made by calling Hilton Savannah (1-800-426-8483). If this number is busy, it will roll over to the national 800 number. You may also register online at www.hilton.com code word is 517.

Rates for the rooms are $89.00 per night plus tax, with free covered parking at the hotel. There are also 7 free RV parking spaces, located close to the hotel, which are on a "first-come, first-serve" basis. There are also 3 RV camping areas in the Savannah area, with one being a State Park. If you need information regarding the camping sites or any other information, you may call the Beddows at (912) 925-2766 or email HBeddow@cs.com.

Registration cut-off date at the hotel is July 15, 2005.